TIME TO UNPLUG
Ministry life is insanely busy. There are constant demands on your time, energy and resources. A children’s leader told me this week, “it’s another kidmin day,” meaning there is always another “crisis” around the corner. It can be both exciting and exhausting.
I hear many leaders say, “I can’t get away,” or “I haven’t had a vacation since I-dont-know-when.” While I can certainly relate to feeling this way – the reality is that healthy living and balance in life is a CHOICE. The hard truth that took me too many years to learn is that you CAN get away. More importantly, you NEED to. Sure, there will be emergencies while you are away – but that’s what team members are for, and the ministry will survive.
We actually aren’t as essential and important as we start to believe. Eight years ago I started Yosemite Summit as a week away from the hectic reality of ministry because at a low point in life and ministry I finally “got it” – that the best thing I can do for my ministry is to be rested, renewed and right with God.
Believe me, I never have time for this get away. It is just scheduled, and when it comes (this Friday) I just go. I drop everything and go. I turn everything off and go. No email. No social media. I even try to stop thinking about ministry. The guys who join me are even challenged not to pray about their ministry! (Shock!) Why? Because what we DO for God too often overshadows who we ARE and simply BEING with God. We come back better husbands, better dads, and walking closer to our Father.
Six guys are unplugging this week with me – when will you unplug? Don’t wait until you have time to. You never will. Get it on the calendar. One of our Enemy’s best strategies for keeping us far from God is to keep us busy doing stuff for God. Get unplugged soon and your connection to God will get electric!
Keeping Spiritually F.I.T. - Kidmin Talk Podcast
 Welcome to this 79th episode of Kidmin Talk. In this podcast, Karl shares with you three secrets for keeping spiritually FIT.
Ministry is exhausting - it is draining - it is hectic and dangerous to the soul of those who seek to minister to others. Like a sponge that needs regular refilling in order to pour out, Karl shares three "secrets" to keeping spiritually F.I.T. They are lessons often learned the hard way - you'll be challenged and quipped to get refilled again!
Free eBook “Technology Spotlight: Children’s Check-In”
 From volunteer security, to background checks, to allergy protocols, and the benefits of electronic check-in, this comprehensive new eBook will help fine-tune your children’s ministry security and safety measures.
Developed by KidCheck and ChurchTechToday, the “Technology Spotlight: Children’s Check-In” eBook delivers actionable best practice suggestions that can easily be put into practice to help improve your children’s ministry.
Topics Include:
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Serving Children – a strong safety foundation, modern families
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Addressing Concerns – allergies/medical, abuse, procedures and planning
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Volunteers – background checks, training, agreements, policies
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Visitors and Holidays – welcoming visitors, holiday and event safety
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Communication with Families – opportunities and technology
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Resources – abuse prevention, background checks, children’s ministry websites and blogs
Friends and Heroes FREE Mini-Lesson
 Looking for a great FREE mini-lesson or activity?
Download Friends and Heroes’ music video and Song Time activity based on the story Acts 12.
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Dazzling animation from Friends and Heroes award-winning programs
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Exciting music children love
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Activity based learning
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FREE downloads
D.I.Y. Starter Kits Coupon Code
You know who you are.
You are the type who buys curriculum, but the original authors wouldn't even recognize it by the time you are done with it.
Or, you write your own stuff completely from scratch.
Or, you have a hard drive filled with files you wish you could sell, but it's just not quite "ready" yet.
Introducing "DIY Starter Kits" - just the raw files ready for creative types like you to take and finish!
We are launching with TWO VBS kits directly from the hard drive of a super creative children's pastor - but we know more are soon to come! Maybe even YOUR MATERIAL will be added next!
» Try Out These DIY Starter Kits!
SAVE 50% with Coupon Code: DIY50LB! Coupon expires May 15th!
Evaluate, Evaluate, Evaluate
 When looking at your ministry, make sure you evaluate everything. Mitch Royer shares with you 3 easy elements for evaluating your ministry.
"Working in Kidmin for 10 years, I have learned many things through trial and error. I read once from the Kidmin guru, Jim Wideman, that we need to learn from experience. That experience does not always have to be our own. And most of the time, if we can learn from others experience, it will save us a lot of headaches and heartaches."
» Read about the 3 main elements that you should use when evaluating your ministry.
 Shop for your Vacation Bible School needs on Kidology and save with our VBS Resources Guide! Many discounts on VBS are available for Premium Members.
Plus, every VBS purchase via the Kidology Store includes our exclusive VBS Follow Up Kit... FREE.
So explore all the VBS and kids camp options available, from large publishers to creative independent authors. We've got you covered for VBS this year!
Introducing the Kidology App!
 Everything you love about kidology.org has now come to the App Store! You'll find great children's ministry resources and tons more on the Kidology App!
Not only can you quickly and easily see what's new in the Zones, the Store, Karl's blog, and also listen to the Kidmin Talk podcast - there are bonus tools for sharing the Gospel, a free eBook, and much more!
There is even a fun (but challenging) flappy bird style game to waste time with! Play Flappy Bulb when you download the app!
PLUS, find out how you can get an APP FOR YOUR OWN KIDMIN... and as a Kidology Subscriber, save money too! Soon your families can keep up with your children's ministry on your own app, and it's very affordable! Details in the app!
» Now you can have Kidology.org anywhere you are! Available for iPad and iPhone!
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We are in the process of switching over from our previous email sender to a new company, and in the switch (which has taken weeks) there may be some folks who unsubscribed from our newsletter after we exported our contacts.
If that is you, please just unsubscribe again – we didn’t re-add you. We just can’t tell who unsubscribed since the switch over. We kindly ask you don’t mark it as spam, but rather just unsubscribe. You will not be added again.
Thanks. We look forward to serving you again in the future!
– Karl
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