He’s the author and presenter of the award winning video curriculum H2O: A Journey of Faith as well as The Easter Experience. His latest series is entitled Not A Fan, a small group Bible study released in 2010. His Not A Fan book published by Zondervan released in May of 2011.

Join the Not A Fan movement at facebook.com/notafan or view samples of Kyle’s preaching and message presentation at notafan.com.

Kyle’s favorite thing to do is hang out with the love of his life, DesiRae. They have been married for 15 years and have four children: MacKenzie, Morgan, Macy and Kael.

I don’t like managing volunteers.  I just really like volunteers.

• I like that they are willing to sacrifice their time to serve kids
• I like that they like kids like I do (lots of “liking”!)
• I like that most of my volunteers can manage their own schedule, are reliable, and I don’t have to babysit them
• I like that they trust me
• I like that I can trust them
• I like that they are my friends

Most of the volunteers that serve alongside of me in children’s ministry @ Hayward Wesleyan are my friends. It makes the necessary task of managing them so much easier. And I trust them.

You see, because I am so bad at managing (and maybe communicating… I’m working on that!), the people that do serve with me are self-sustaining. I front-load with them what to expect (more on that in a minute) and then expect that they will follow through on what I expect. And, guess what? They typically do. Now there are always exceptions to every rule, but by and large, the staff I work with are very eager, energetic, reliable, and fun to be around. And because they trust me and I trust them, they stick around for a long time. My volunteer retention rate is pretty good. I don’t have a lot of turnover. Thus they become my pretty good friends.

I also run a lean staff. For better or worse (back to my poor management) I trust a few people deeply (relationally beyond background checks, although these are important “i’s” to dot and “t’s” to cross) instead of a lot of people shallowly. I know others might disagree with me and I’m not saying that everyone should run lean staffs. I do because that is what I have found works wonders for me and keeps me as a children’s pastor in a rural community with a large children’s ministry program (along with a middle school ministry as well) functioning. Most churches with a wide reach like ours, have the funds to hire full and part-time ministry assistants and programming experts. I don’t. It’s just me and a part, part-time secretary, along with a number of volunteers who I love and deeply appreciate. And we get the job done!

Leading volunteers, at least to this young children’s pastor, is situational. I’ve often felt like I should do more, or train better, or recruit more people, or communicate more efficiently. And, by all means, you should be trying to improve yourself and your leadership. You shouldn’t settle for mediocrity. But don’t let it stress you out to the point of being frozen or depressed.

You want my advice? Find your unique style in leading, inspiring, encouraging, communicating, and loving your volunteers no matter how little or large of a group they are, and do it well. Pick some things to work on, and work on them slowly and deeply. Let it permeate your life so it becomes a part of you, not just some fly-by-night leadership principle that is a great statement one minute, but then you forget about it the next.

Want some front-loading advice with your volunteers?

• Be very clear what you expect of them.
• If you want them to be on site at a specific time, then be specific. If you want them to be there every week, then be clear. Don’t assume they are thinking along the same lines as you are. Be clear. Don’t be rude. Just be clear.
• Do your homework on them.
  Make sure you check their references and not just the references they put on the sheet, but the ones they didn’t put down. Ask wise people in your church who know them. And be honest with them that you are investigating them. They will REALLY respect you for it (and it tells them how serious you are about protecting the kids).
• Keep things very relational.
  If you haven’t figured it out by now, I’m not a very formal kind-of-guy. I like to keep things somewhat informal. I have found that, although there are lists and procedures and policies and formalities, communicating them in an informal, relational way, further communicates the overall intent and modus operandi of your style and approach.
• Over communicate.
  This is what I am working on. Communicate, communicate, communicate. Send them emails. Use the phone and call them. Preempt their thoughts and questions. Talk to them before they need to talk to you. They shouldn’t be asking you what is going on. They should be well-informed ahead of time. A happy volunteer, is a happy volunteer!
• Be clear about your policies and procedures.
  Every church should have a Child Protection Plan in place and functioning. If you do not, then you need to. Your volunteers should have this filled out and completed prior to serving.
• Have a compelling vision.
  I’ve got to work on clarifying mine in writing, but when asked by a parent or volunteer, I can pretty easily give them a compelling reason why ministry and discipleship of children is important–it’s the GOSPEL! If your children’s ministry is just babysitting for the church service or for adults during Sunday School, then it’s not going to be very compelling.

And keep learning yourself. I’m always reading about childhood development (especially because of my two young daughters) and how that applies to parenting and ministry. I learn about how discipline and discipleship go hand-in-hand. I love reading and learning about how people (children and adults) go about learning (even when they don’t know they are learning!). I try to share these thoughts with my volunteers… I mean, with my friends.

So how about you? How do you lead your volunteers? What do you front-load with them? How do you manage and keep these vital members of passing on the faith to the next generation happy and engaged?

I’d be happy to know your thoughts!

One of those pastors in training recently asked me, “If you were my age (about 22) and were studying to be a pastor, what would you do?”

Great question!

If I were studying to be a pastor today, in addition to preparing my heart and mind spiritually, which is still most important, I would:

Take some business and/or leadership courses – You’ll find more available, especially in the area of leadership these days at seminaries and Bible colleges, but you may have to take some courses online or at another school. Every pastor needs to know some general business and leadership principles to manage a church.

Build Connections – Just as in the secular world, having the right connections makes the difference in church positions also. It may be to help secure a job or to learn from other churches, but pastors should build a healthy network of peers.

Participate in social media and understand basic technology – One of the key ways today’s culture communicates is through social media. If the pastor wants to find people where they are, he must at least know the basics of Twitter, Facebook and blogging. The pastor doesn’t have to be a technology expert, but should know enough to help the church keep up with the times. Whether through a blog, the church website, podcasts, or even the technology required to make Sunday work, these days the pastor needs a basic understanding of the terminology and function of technology.

Work a secular job – Even if only part-time, at some point in your studies, work among people in the secular world. You’ll learn valuable principles about life, work and people. You’ll also be better able to identify with the people to whom you are called to minister. (Plus, it will be harder for that person who always thinks, “Well, Pastor, in the real world…” to discount your teaching.)

Take a people-helping or counseling course – Let’s face it! Regardless of the size church, a pastor is going to encounter hurting people. Understanding some basic questioning, summary and counseling skills is critical to pastoring and will make your teaching even stronger.

Find a mentoring pastor – Early in ministry, or even before beginning, I would strongly encourage a young pastor to find a mentor. Ask a pastor who is older and with more experience to be available to help you through situations you find yourself in where you need wisdom you don’t have. You’ll be glad you’ve recruited this person in advance.

Embrace accountability - Develop a close relationship with a few other same-sex friends and invite them to hold you accountable to God, your family, your church and yourself. These do not have to be pastors, but should understand the pressures and demands of ministry.

Bonus Suggestion: BE A PASTOR – If you are confident God has called you to be a pastor, then don’t wait to get all the training. Keep receiving training, follow these suggestions, but more importantly, get some on-the-job training by finding ways to be a pastor today! (This may be the subject of another post, but you can find places to serve if you’re intentional in your search!)

Those were my suggestions.

Boost for your church provides unique training as it equips local church pastors and leaders.

Boost for the southern region was held May 13-14. at New Hope Church in Durham, NC. Nearly thirty local leaders from seven different churches and thirteen coaches came together to explore the possibilities of what God could accomplish through their local ministries over the course of a year.  Together the coaches and leaders reflected on each local ministry’s resources and challenges, dreamed about what their ministry could look like one year from now, and then charted a course for change to make that dream a reality.  Local church teams also enjoyed an opportunity to worship together, strategize for change, share in communion, fellowship with other local ministry leaders, and view a variety of resources.

Attendees commented that the event “confirmed God’s calling for me” and “it gave me tools to use in my own context”.

Coaches were so impressed with the content and concept that they remarked “This has been the best thing I have participated in within The Wesleyan Church!”, “thanks for an opportunity to give back”,  and “Best event I’ve ever attended that has come from headquarters”.  Boost for your church will be heading to the northeast and western areas Spring 2012.

Please contact us for information and keep watching our website  for application details.

On January 4, 2011 Wesleyan leaders meet about the urgency of reaching emerging adults at EmUrgency 2011, a pre-conference at The Gathering ’11. They focused on the church’s response to young adults in our present culture. Download audio of the conference and webcast.

Featured:

• Dr. Christian Smith (Researcher and author of Soul Search and Souls in Transition)
• Rev. Jeremy Summers (Director of Spiritual Formation, The Wesleyan Church)
• Panel Discussion: David Drury (moderator), Matthew Deprez, Shawn Cossin, David Kinnan, Stan Hoover, Amanda Drury, Nathan Green, Thad Spring, Julie Collins, Devin Rose, Jeff Eckart, Troy Evans and Eric Roemer.

“Hurricane Katrina taught us several important lessons about caring for our elders in time of disaster,” said Nina Tumosa, Ph.D., professor of geriatrics at Saint Louis University School of Medicine and a health educator at the Veteran Affairs Medical Center in St. Louis. “There was no mechanism for the elderly to get access to medications, both emergency and regular,” she said. “And many people didn’t have a plan in place to care for their pets.”

What should senior adults do to prepare for a disaster? Start with these eight ways.

1. Discuss the community warning system with all members of your household. Know the location of a shelter nearest you. Local radio and television stations can provide routes to shelters, listings of temporary sanctuaries, and other emergency procedures.

2. Itemize neighborhood directory listings. Create a list of your local emergency management office, police department, fire department, and hospitals. Also, make a list of other seniors in your neighborhood who may be alone during emergency situations.

3. Seek safety for your pets. Develop an emergency care plan for your animals and know where the local animal shelter is located. Seek their advise on what to do with your pet(s) in an emergency.

4. Assess special needs. If you will require specialized assistance during an emergency, let your disaster management leaders know prior to the disaster.

5. Secure property protection. Purchase and learn how to use a fire extinguisher. Learn how to shut off utilities, including gas, electricity, and water. Make sure your house address numbers are large and well-lit so emergency personnel can find your home easily.

6. Test evacuation procedures. Determine the shortest and safest route to the evacuation shelter in your area. Obtain a map if you are not familiar with the neighborhood. Note alternate routes in the event your primary escape routes are blocked. Once your procedures are in place, walk through them and test their viability.

7. Establish a disaster supply kit. Assemble a kit that includes six basic items: water, food, first aid, appropriate seasonal clothing, tools, and emergency supplies of special items (heart and blood pressure medicine, insulin, prescription drugs, denture tools, contact lenses and supplies, and extra eye glasses).

8. Remember your Protector. In times of disaster, human beings are prone to panic. As a Christian, you have a resource that the world does not know. Put your faith in our Lord and trust Him to protect you during a disaster.

If you learn and put into practice these eight measures (discuss, itemize, seek, assess, secure, test, establish, remember), you will be well on your way to preparing yourself when the next storm passes by

[written by Danny Von Kanel, from www.lifeway.com]

But I take great joy that I had a small role in Jimmy’s life. As a man in my mid-50s, I have some of my greatest joys watching how God is using men in whom I have invested some of my own life.

But I could have done better.

Mistakes made in mentoring

The length of this blog is not sufficient to highlight all the mistakes I have made in mentoring, but a few will suffice for now. I guess my most frequent mistake was just plain busyness. I let good activities replace great activities. I failed to see the long-term impact of investing in a life, and too often I succumbed to the tyranny of the urgent. Simply put, I did not mentor as often as I should.

On other occasions I failed to take advantage of opportunities ripe for mentoring. I remember Jimmy Scroggins asking to travel with me on one occasion. And I remember thinking that I should have taken more young men on my travels. I missed great opportunities for a lot of one-on-one time.

Key lessons

I have learned through the years some key lessons about mentoring. I’m sure that my insights are neither original nor exhaustive. Perhaps, though, they might be of some value to you.

1. Mentoring can be formal or informal. On occasion, I would intentionally decide to work with a young man. In the case of Jimmy Scroggins, I never declared that I was mentoring him. But, through different events where we were together, a mentoring relationship did exist.

2. I did my best mentoring when I enjoyed the person whom I was mentoring. Okay, there’s no abundance of wisdom with that comment. Still, I found myself a more effective mentor when the relationship was fun and enjoyable.

3. Mentoring is not a one-way effort. I have learned much from Jimmy Scroggins, probably more than he’s ever learned from me.

4. Mentoring works best when it is built on the foundation of prayer. This past week, I called Jimmy because I wanted him to pray for someone. My relationship with those I mentored was strongest when it was built on a common trust and dependence on Christ.

5. When mentoring is effective, the one who is mentored becomes an effective mentor as well.

And the gift goes on…

I do have some regrets. I do wish I had taken more young men under my wing and offered them my time and what little wisdom I had to offer. But I also know that, God willing, I still have years left to mentor others.

And lest I fail to mention the obvious, my three sons have always been my most intense focus in mentoring. God gave me three of the greatest gifts in the world in Sam Rainer, Art Rainer, and Jess Rainer. The times I have invested in them have been some of the most precious times of my life.

One final word in this somewhat rambling blog. Jimmy Scroggins is now mentoring my son, Art, who serves on the staff of the church with Jimmy. And I am watching how he is doing so much better with Art than I ever did with Jimmy.

Of all the investments we can make, nothing is as valuable as investing in a life. I am grateful for the times I have. And I am grateful to see the legacy of mentoring continue.

The gift truly does go on.

[by Thom Rainer, www.churchcentral.com]