Articles Zone

Practical and insightful articles about Children's Ministry.

Looking for some expert advice? This Zone is a treasury of Children's Ministry expertise from the Kidologist and other veterans in children's ministry.

Some of the most popular articles are:

Getting into the Home | Mailbox Ministry | Discipline that Disciples | Entering the World of Kids | First Steps for a New Children's Pastor | The Great KID Mission |

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All Access The Future of Children's Ministry

This is Karl's contribution to the Greg Baird / Kidmin360.com series. Download the COMPLETE book below.

Leadership & Discipleship
All Access The Habits of Highly Mediocre Children's Pastors

Highly mediocre children's pastors... Do everything themselves. They would never think of delegating or multiplying themselves in others. Their self esteem relies on being a doer. They get insecure if others around them begin to demonstrate any leadership skills...

Leadership
Free The Kidologist Top Influencers

Karl Bastian was selected by Group’s CM Magazine as one of kids ministry Top 20 Influencer’s – but who were his “Top Influencers?”

Leaders, Influence
Free The Leadership Rubik's Cube

Whether or not you have ever mastered the Cube - this article will help you solve your Children's Ministry... and maybe the Cube too!

Leadership
All Access The One Thing: Karl Bastian

Karl answers Greg Baird on what is the ONE THING that is most important aside from his walk with God.

Leadership
All Access The Power of Choices

Devotional About the Power of Choices, both Large and Small

Choices, Wisdom
Starter The Power of Encouragement

Karl, the Kidologist has had a note from Phil Vischer's mom up next to his desk for over 15 years... find out why!

Young Leader Encouragement
All Access The Sunday After September 11, 2001

The Sunday after September 11, 2001 I arrived at church still not sure what exactly I was going to say to my children. I prayed for balance. When I arrived at church...

911
All Access The World of Kids: BIONICLES

Learn the scoop on this toy from Lego and how to apply it to ministry!

Bionicles
Starter Tips for Leading Games

10 Tips for leading effective games, plus a play-by-play example so you can become an expert at leading FUN games that teach a point!

Games
All Access Tips for Teaching Preteens (Middle Schoolers)

Karl Bastian provides some practical tips on engaging and keeping the interest of middle schoolers when teaching. (Bonus: Comes with a sample middle school lesson.)

Teaching Preteens
All Access Two Raging Battles

There are two battles raging today in children's ministry. The first battle is for the hearts and minds of our children. It is a battle that we are losing on many fronts. While in many places children’s ministry has "arrived" with its kid-friendly facilities and multi-media "edutainment" style of teaching, there is little evidence that all this "fun" and "excitement" is automatically translating into young, fully-devoted disciples of Jesus Christ. This is a battle that we are all aware of for the most part, and are trying our best to engage and win.

Partnering with Parents
All Access Vision - I Can See Clearly Now!

Leadership is not about "getting somewhere" it's about getting to the desired destination and vision provides the needed roadmap. During times of change and uncertainty people are concerned about their future and desire some assurance about what is ahead. Vision provides hope and direction for those around you... PLUS lots of great quotes on Vision.

Vision
All Access Volunteer Evaluation Worksheet

An evaluation worksheet that can be used to help gain feedback as well as help volunteers evaluate their performance.

Volunteer Evaluation
Free Volunteer Recruitment is Best Through Relationships

Become more relational with your volunteers while recruiting.

Volunteers, Relationships
All Access Vote with Your Feet

This opening lesson activity helps to illustrate that while we have many things that make us different... there are some things we can all agree on.  

Fun Lesson Intro
All Access Ways to Get Kids 'In the Word'

Here are some methods you can use to encourage your kids to study their Bibles!

Bible Study
All Access Ways to Make Kids Feel Special

We all love kids! Here are some very practical ideas of way to SHOW it!

Shepherding Children
All Access What Happened to the Bible?

A tragedy is happening! The Bible is a rare object in most children's ministries today. What are the steps for action that we need to take?

Using Bibles in Children's Ministry
All Access What Matters Now: Relationships

Karl Bastian, the Kidologist, made this contribution to the book What Matters Now in Children's Ministry.

Relationships
All Access What's Your Excuse?

An inspiring story from Karl about at 67 year old that is not making excuses when it comes to ministry.

Excuses, Serving
All Access When Good People Disagree

Using Halloween as a case study in conflict, this article rises above that issue to provide insight into how Christians should deal with controversial topics, such as Halloween.

Conflict - Halloween
Free Who is Edward Kimball?

Edward Kimball dedicated his life to the spiritual guidance of young souls. Little did he know that one of his seemingly unpromising students would later become one of the greatest evangelists in history.

Evangelism
All Access Why Children's Ministry is the BEST

Longer Results—Children who have just made a commitment to the Lord have their entire lives before them. Adults who accept the Lord have already squandered much of their lives. Children’s ministry is the only place where you can impact one’s entire life span.

Children's Ministry
All Access Why Children's Pastors Fail

Top Ten Reasons Why Children's Pastors Become Discouraged and Fail

Leadership
All Access Why Television is Harmful to Children

An educational look at how television is affecting your kids, and then some PRACTICAL things you can do battle the T.V.'s influence!

Media
All Access Windshield Prayer Cards

Let your ministry encourage the whole church as you give the kids an opportunity to pray.

Prayer, Ministry
Free Work Expands to Fill the Time Allowed

No matter how early you start to plan, how much you delegate, or how many volunteers show up, why does it always seem that you can't get ahead on all that needs to be done? If you've ever asked this, then you're in the right place!  

Efficiency
Free You Don't Have a Recruiting Problem

I hear it often... "I'm having trouble recruiting." May I be so bold as to suggest your problem isn't recruiting. If you focus on something far more important than recruiting, you'll have all the volunteers you'll ever need. You may even have extras! Read on for the secret to building the largest team in the church!

Recruiting, Volunteers
All Access Are You Called to Minister to Children?

You'll never gain fame or glory in children's ministry. So are YOU called?

Ministry Calling
All Access Are you discipling your OWN kids?

Discipling our children is not optional. If you have kids (or grandkids) you are discipling them. You might be discipling them for good or bad, but you are discipling them one way or another.

Family
All Access Can We Keep her?

A child's prayer for a dog teaches Dad a lesson.

Prayer
All Access Christian E-Mail Etiquette in an Age of Fear

Why do we, as Christians, seem to rush to be among the first to use the medium of e-mail to fan the flame of fear in the hearts of others?

Computers
Starter Do You Need Photo Permission Slips for Your Kids Ministry?

It is a common children's ministry myth that you need a media release for pictures to be taken of kids in your ministry. This comes up often in social media conversations, so Karl answers this question here.

Media Releases
All Access Every Child Needs a Daddy to Love Them

A Godly reminder about the reason we serve children in the Lord's name. Many kids have been through a lot and come from broken homes. What a privilege it is to be an instrument in the hand of the Lord to let every little kid we come in contact with, know that they are loved.

Mark 10:14
All Access 'Gospel' Magic?

Eric Reamer, a professional Christian magician, has studied the origins of witchcraft, Satanism, and many of the cult movements of our time from a Biblical perspective and has been in the full time ministry for over ten years. Here he answers the question, "Isn't magic condemned by the Bible?"

Gospel Magic
All Access Parent Prayer Warriors

Prayer is a critical line of defense which parents of today must not neglect, overlook or postpone. Here are some important things to consider as you prepare to do battle for your children:

Prayer
All Access Practical Ways To Encourage Children To Pray

In surveys given to Christian adults about prayer, there are two main reasons given why we don’t pray as much as we know we should. The first answer is, "Because I’m too busy." The second should shake the core of the Church: "Because I don’t know how." Many answering this survey have been raised in Christian homes.

Prayer
All Access Prayer Evangelism for the Family

Practical ways to fulfill the Great Commission at Hom

Prayer
All Access Praying Scriptural Blessings Into The Lives Of Your Children

Our children are facing difficult circumstances daily. No matter what culture they are living in, there are always pressures and temptations to do the wrong things. As parents, we can teach, by our example and our words, what is right. Yet even children who know Christ face struggles that pull them away from doing "the right thing."

Prayer
All Access Preparing The Next Generation For Revival

Author Cheri Fuller has developed a wonderful three-step model for engaging children in prayer: invite, equip and release. When applied to revival praying, this model takes on powerful significance.

Kids and Prayer
All Access Raising Holy Children

When we think of those we know who live holy lives, we generally don’t think of children. Children need two important things: example and opportunity. If holy living is not demonstrated to them, we cannot expect that they will grow up with a desire to be holy.

Raising kids
All Access Teaching Children To Pray: Some Basics From The Scriptures

Children can be taught the basics of prayer from the Lord Himself, who has given us some very specific instructions. The simplest and most powerful way that children (and adults too) can grasp and understand prayer is to read and follow God’s How-To Manual of Prayer--The Bible. Study one of these prayer concepts together each week and put them into practice so that children will begin to weave prayer into the fabric of their every day lives. The Lord will be faithful as your children grow in their prayer lives.

Prayer
All Access Tenacity

Reasons not to give up when everything seems hard.

Tenacity
All Access The Cost of Freedom

They gave you and me a free and independent America. The history books never told you a lot about what happened in the Revolutionary War. We didn't fight just the British. We were British subjects at that time and we fought our own government! Some of us take these liberties so much for granted, but we shouldn't. So, take a few minutes while enjoying your 4th of July holiday and silently thank these patriots.

USA Freedom
All Access The Transforming Power of God's Word in the Child's Life

Jeremiah 29:11: What a powerful legacy for any child--or for any Christian! Almighty God has told us that He has wonderful plans for us. Here are some practical steps toward bringing your children to fullness in Christ, through employing the powerful Word of God.

God's Word
All Access You Looking Good

One of the biggest challenges for any children's ministry leader is helping the adult congregation recognize that your ministry is a vital part of the kingdom plan for the entire church. These suggestions and hints are proven in hundreds of churches. Formulate a strategy for growth.

Promotion of CM
All Access

Here is a great lesson for children on the story of Balaam's talking donkey. Through this story, kids will learn that they need to listen for God's guidance.

Children's Lesson
All Access "I Can't Feel God Today"

What will you say when a little child says to you, “I can’t feel God today”?  

Divorce Care
All Access "Whether" getting you down?

Find out how you can calm the 'whethers' in your kids' lives, even if you can't control the 'weather'.

Divorce, Uncertainty
Kidology Theorem Book - Right Recruiting Tools - Fishing KidCheck Girl FUNtastic Bible Activity Book PastorKarl.com Andy and the Ants My Awesome Adventure DiscipleTown Unit 14 - Old Testament Next Steps for Kids Kidology Store
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