Archives For General
Add A Note
I’m pleased to share with you the all new Small Town Kidmin (dotcom). This project has been in my head for quite a while, but I needed the right platform and some design help to make it a reality. All factors are now in place to bring you the new Small Town Kidmin. It actually launched a couple of weeks back, but I’ve been having severe server issues that have crippled the site on a couple of occasions and I waited to post anything for fear of losing it. I believe that everything has been fixed now. (If you care, the server that hosts my site data crashed and needed all new hardware. Then, two days later, the server that host my databases crashed and needed new hardware.)
“For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.”
Galatians 5:1 (ESV)
To those who have served for my freedom, I’m truly grateful. To those who have died for my freedom, I am indebted. To the One who gave His life for my salvation, I am yours.
I’m proud to be an American and I’m thankful for my freedom.
I’m in a stage in my life where I’ve been looking for and dreaming up some great ideas. Some of those ideas are to solve a particular problem and some of them are just for the sake of finding great ideas, but I’ve learned one thing: Great ideas are not worth very much.
Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson
I thought this was worth sharing. Since my friend Matt McKee (founder of Roar and kidmin and technology genius) is involved, you can bet it is good stuff. You can read more on their website warriorpoetclothier.com.
Last week, Tony Kummer, the creator of ministry-to-children.com, released the annual list of the top 100 Kidmin Blogs. Unlike the March Blog Madness, this list is not based on votes but is based on some hard data. Last year, my fairly new blog found its place at number 97 and I was very honored.
In the course of this last year, you guys have inspired and encouraged me to blog more and blog better. You, as a reader, have helped me tremendously. I’m happy to say that Small Town Kidmin moved up to number 30 in the list! This is a huge accomplishment and it is because of you. Nearly all of the stats considered have to do with traffic and participation of you as the reader.
I want to say how much I appreciate those of you who read on a regular basis and even subscribe so you don’t miss a post. I appreciate those of you who just stop by occasionally. I appreciate those who stumbled here through a Google search and stayed long enough to read something. I appreciate your comments. I appreciate that there are many of you who also follow me on Twitter, as if I can truly say anything of value in 140 characters or less.
The simple truth of the matter is that this blog has always been and will continue to be about you. The mission that I started with was to equip and resource the small church and small town children’s leader. That is the mission today and that is the mission that will carry this blog in future years. If it ever stops being dedicated to resourcing and equipping you, I hope that it dies.
Jessica has won over $1000 worth of children’s ministry resources from Only 144. Starting at noon (EST) tomorrow, the rest of you can purchase the entire set for only $97, plus the first 100 to order get Think Orange by Reggie Joiner. Buy one for yourself and pick one up for a smaller ministry, such as a church plant or rural ministry.
Head over to Only144.com to see the full offerings in this deal as well as to purchase your own.
Only 144 is a generous sponsor of Small Town Kidmin.
I’d like to take a moment to tell you about a great new curriculum available to help take your preteen ministry up to the next level. Preteens are tough because they no longer think like kids, but they aren’t really ready for teen material. They are their own group with unique needs and challenges. I’ll admit, I’ve only recently started thinking about how our church is ministering to those preteens and I may have come to the game a little too late for some, but I hope not.
That’s why I am excited to tell you about a new resource by Lifeway. It is a curriculum specifically geared towards that age group. There is a sample lesson available on their site and I definitely think you should check it out. Just click the Flyte link on the right sidebar.
According to their website, there are thirteen lessons in each volume and from the sound of their site, they don’t shy away from hot button topics that most churches like to pretend this age group doesn’t deal with. Go ahead and check them out and share your thoughts in the comments section.
Disclaimer: Flyte is a sponsor of Small Town Kidmin, but I received no compensation in regard to this post. I am only writing this to bring to your attention the availability of this new curriculum and to hopefully drive a little extra traffic to them since they have generously agreed to support this blog.
Everyday, millions of children around the world have dads whose blogs do not get voted for in bracket style competitions. This will likely have no impact on the child, whatsoever, unless of course that child’s dad was able to win the competition and take home and iPad 2. It is sad, but true. But today, you can make a difference by voting for this boy’s father and it couldn’t be any easier.
All you need to do is go over to ministry-to-children and vote for Small Town Kidmin blog in the Southwest Regional. You may notice that included in that regional are some powerhouse blogs such as Jonathan Cliff and Kenny Conley. Do not be alarmed, you may vote for up to four blogs in each regional so you can vote for a couple of those guys too. Even though the competition just started, a couple people in each regional already have a commanding lead. Let’s show them they shouldn’t get too confident.
Also, while you’re voting away, might I encourage you to vote for Kidmin1124, the group blog that I participate in. Kidmin1124 is in the West Regional.
And before he takes over my comment section, I’ll just go ahead and ask you to vote for Dad in the Middle in the East Regional as well. Wayne is a good friend and he runs a great blog and he is notorious for his shameless self-promotion during this event.
Remember, it’s for the children (at least for that cute child in the picture above and any future siblings he may have).
I’ve had a few ideas popping in and out of my head lately and a bunch of them seemed to come down comparing two opposite ideas. It for that reason that I decided to do a series of articles title, Versus. The rest of this week will be dedicated to articles dealing with this subject.
I’m hoping that this series might create some serious discussion and I really need your help to make that a reality.
Check out all of the great posts in this series!
