Remembering names can be tough, but it is SO IMPORTANT when you’re both working with and ministering to people especially children. When you remember a child’s name it communicates that they are known. You can’t fake “knowing” someone. Either you do, or you don’t. When you remember someone’s name it tells them that they are known, valued, and important.
Category Archives: Leadership
6 Things I’ve Learned about Retaining Volunteers
1] One-year commitments. McIntosh and Arn (2013), in their book, What Every Pastor Should Know, say that “each ministry position, from the lowest level of influence to the highest, should be a one-year term [so the volunteer] can try a new activity and have the freedom to leave without guilt at the end of the […]
How to Requisition a Bouldering/Rock Wall for Your Church
When we built an addition on to the Hayward Wesleyan Church, I knew that I eventually wanted to install a bouldering/rock wall along the back wall in the new, large programming room. However, I didn’t know how to go about accomplishing such a task. I do now! Here is how I requisitioned a bouldering/rock wall […]
Parent and Child Dedication/Baptism Materials
Parent and Child Dedication/Baptism is a tradition among many communities of faith. It is important to dedicate our children to the Lord and commit to prepare them spiritually for the world they have entered. It is the duty of the parents to form faith within the family and the privilege of the church to equip […]
Children’s Ministry Handbooks from 2013-2014
A few years ago I realized that in the absence of clearly laid out expectations, the volunteers that serve with me will insert their own ideas into how the various ministry arenas are supposed to run. This wasn’t malicious on their part… quite the contrary… it was poor leadership on my part. So in a […]
Initial Family Discipleship Objectives
Two years ago, I wanted to clearly define a path forward in the discussion at Hayward Wesleyan Church regarding family discipleship. In order to do this, I wrote up a one-page document which clearly outlined our initial three initiatives: Read the Bible @ home with your children (at least once a week, or more if […]
Another Fall Recruiting Announcement for Youth and Children’s Ministries
Here is another written announcement I made for recruiting small group leaders for the school year: Our entire youth and children’s ministry is centered around mentoring and intentionally discipling students. That’s what they need. That’s what their parents need. A while back there was that armed robbery of the gas stations up in Cable and […]
Fall Recruiting Announcement for Youth and Children’s Ministries
I wrote this up and used it a couple of years ago as an announcement in our main worship service in the Fall: What is your gift? And how are you using it in service for God? My name is Pastor Jeremy Mavis and I work with children, youth and their families. And I’m going to […]
Sustainability
Matt Norman wrote an article a while back using a great metaphor: Football. I remember watching the Tampa Bay Buccaneers play. One of the players caught an interception and ran it all the way back, 91 yards, for a touchdown. This was a very exciting play to watch. The Bucs took the lead, and this […]
Are Your Kids Stained or Painted with the Gospel?
Jared Martin shared an amazing insight a while back. I’ve reordered the question: Are your kids stained or painted with the Gospel? I think for many who teach children, we just teach kids the Bible and about Jesus and it sticks to them. It might stick for a long time or it might stick for a […]