It’s been a while since a great story has totally sucked me in this way.

The over arching theme of these books is not for young kids, but there is much to be learned from the style of the storytelling.

We are in the midst of writing the spring content for our kids. Working through bottom lines, choosing Bible stories, and finding creative angles. Wanting to present the most amazing stories ever lived in an unforgettable way.

We are teaching our kids the most important stories they will ever hear. Many of them are jaw-dropping, action packed, and emotional. I wonder if they simply listen or if they are swept away by the wonder of it all.

A few challenges from the Hunger Games:

Bring the characters to life. They should feel pain, love their little sisters, be skilled hunters, sneak outside the fences, and miss their fathers.

Every week we teach our kids the stories from the Bible full of some of the most rich characters you will ever meet. Make them alive again in the imagination of the kids.

Create an adventure. They should sneak through the woods and lie in wait. They should break the law and scavenge for food for the whole village. They should wear magnificent costumes and battle for their life and the lives of those they love.

Want to make sure your kids never forget the stories you teach? Engage them in an epic adventure. Don’t just describe the details. Don’t just tell the facts of the story. Drive them right into the middle of the action and adventure and drop them off.

Build Tension. You should want them to win and yet be against the battle. You know they are a child and yet want to see them fight like a warrior. You should want them to be safe and yet hope they risk everything.

When there is a conflict then there is emotion. When there is emotion, then you engage. When you engage…you remember. You learn.

For those of you who write curriculum, create video, and communicate the Bible stories, what can you do to make the Bible come to life for our kids?

How can you make sure it’s the BEST book they ever read?

This summer we produced a new song called Unlock the Power. We’ve been using it with our kids for the past three months and they love it.

So we thought we would share!

Take a listen: unlock-the-power-final-mix

Here are the details:

The original music was produced for worship on UpStreet, the elementary environment of North Point Ministries. Each North Point Music Accompaniment track is fully downloadable in an MP3 format from your North Point store account. It includes a digital version of the song that can be used for performances both with and without background vocals. It also includes a lyric sheet.

*We also included a LIVE Lyric video!

This song connects well when teaching kids the following concepts:
God is the one true God
God is powerful
Courage
Standing up to the enemy
Looking to God as a source of strength
I can do all things through Christ
Confidence in God
God is our ultimate Superhero

FInd it at the North Point Store!

This year we launched a NEW strategy to connect with our parents.

We dabbled in the world of social media with our parents last year and this year we decided to jump in and give it our full attention.

We want to partner with our parents. We BELIEVE that they are the greatest influencers and leaders of their kids. It’s our goal to be their greatest fan and biggest supporter.

We want to make it easy for parents to talk to their kids about God’s Big Ideas all week long at home. So, we decided to make a concerted effort to place everything they need to know right in the palm of their hands. We also believe that most parents want to work  in simple connections to spiritual things at natural times of the day. They want it to be comfortable. And we believe those small connections multiplied day after day in a child’s life will add up to something big.

We currently have 5 campuses. It’s also our desire to make our relationship with families feel personalized to their campus. We want them to easily find events and information that they need as it relates to their campus and as it relates to what their child is learning.

Here’s what we did:

1. Created a twitter account for each campus.

We created: @gwinnettkids, @brownsbridgekid, @buckheadkids, @northpointkids, and @watermarkekids

Goal: To interact with parents and connect them to the information that they need. We also want to make it easy for us to solve problems or answer questions.

2. Created a facebook page for each campus.

We created: Gwinnett ParentStuf, Browns Bridge ParentStuf, Buckhead ParentStuf, North Point ParentStuf, and Watermarke ParentStuf

Goal: This is a landing page that will push parents to our enviornment specific pages - Waumba Land, UpStreet, KidStuf. This allows our campus pastors to personalize any announcements by directing parents to facebook.

3. Created landing pages for existing facebook pages. (Waumba Land, UpStreet, KidStuf)

Goal: To create a friendlier welcome and to give parents easy access to all 3 pages from one location.

4. Created ParentStuf Blog. (www.parentstuf.org)

Goal: To create a place to inspire and equip parents to talk to their kids (or play with their kids…or pray with their kids) about God’s Big Ideas.

5. Created ParentStuf App. (for iphone, ipad, droid)

Goal: To put simple ideas into the hands of parents and make it as user friendly as possible. We want to connect parents to this information in a simple, helpful format.

We are launching the ParentStuf App this Sunday and the blog has been live for several weeks. It’s too early for me to give you an idea of success, but I promise to follow up and let you know how it’s going.

This was a really big project that required the hard work of a team of creative geniuses. It was such a pleasure to work with Matt McKee and the entire R04R team. I can’t recommend them enough.

Here’s a little more information about R04R! Our mission is simple - to see as much faith based content on mobile platforms as possible. We currently develop iPhone, Android, Blackberry, and HTML5 apps for non-profits and those that serve non-profits. We also believe that mobile apps and social networking can’t be separated. We want to help support your cause by getting the message, vision, and mission onto the one device that people carry with them where ever they go, their phone.

We’ve created a 30 minute presentation for this class called We Believe. You can find out more about this material here.

Check out this new video that we will use in the 10B4 segment in the main services to invite our parents to JumpStart. 10B4 is a video package that communicates announcements and welcomes the congregation 10 minutes before the service starts.

Click here to view the embedded video.

A few years ago I had a discrepancy with our mortgage company. They said we owed a late payment…I did not agree. I called them. I was on hold for 20 minutes.

I explained the situation to one person. He was not authorized to change anything and advised me that the easiest solution was to pay the late fee. Um, no. So he transferred me to the next person, and I was on hold for another 20 minutes.

This person would need to do a little research into our records. Could I please hold? This went on, and on, and on. I was transferred. I was put on hold. By the end of it all, it would have been cheaper for everyone involved had I just paid the undeserved late fee.

I remember thinking in that moment “I’m just a number”. They are dealing with so many people that they don’t have time to be personal. They don’t have the margin to care about my situation. I’m at their mercy.

They’ve created a system to herd me along with the thousands of other phone calls that they receive every day. I was unimportant. I was lost in the crowd.

I hated that feeling.

We have hundreds of kids in our environments on Sunday morning. Sometimes my systematic self likes to make sure that we are moving everyone from point A to point B in the most efficient way possible. Sometimes I just see the crowd.

Sometimes it can feel like we’re herding children along to the next thing.

But it can NEVER be acceptable to us to herd children.

We must instead LEAD each child into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ.

We have to believe that we are connecting with unique individuals who are massively loved by their Heavenly Father. They are valuable. They are important.

Every child we are leading is in a different place in her journey of faith. Some don’t know Jesus at all yet. Some are struggling to forgive a friend. Some are gathering the courage to do something big for God.

They are all different.

They are all significant.

They all deserve our attention.

When you are leading you are accepting each child right where she is, and you are helping her take the next step of faith. You connect to her uniquely. You care personally.

When you are herding you see the crowd. You are efficient. You chose the solution that fits the needs of the masses instead of the needs of the individual.

When you are herding…. people get lost in the shuffle.

When you are leading…every story matters.

How do you make sure that you invest in each child’s individual story of faith?

Hundreds of kids and parents arrived at our campuses ready jump in. Some came for the first time.

Preparation for this day takes months. We really aren’t preparing for just one day. We’re preparing for the whole year.

Where does most of our preparation lie? Volunteers!

We find them, recruit them, meet with them, train them, screen them, apprentice them, and hopefully inspire them.

This year we started the year with a HUGE kick off event!

We planned fun, we asked our campus pastors to communicate, we inspired, we celebrated, and we informed.

Here’s what the program for the day looked like:

1. Opening Video and Live Band Combo.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Of this song:

Click here to view the embedded video.

We created the percussion track using the noises of items found in our children’s environments. The band came in live as the percussion built.

2. Kidmin Staff came out and welcomed everyone.

3. Then we showed this:

Click here to view the embedded video.

4. The Talk. It was given by each campus pastor.

The bottom line of the talk was to encourage our volunteers to be more than just skilled at their role. We wanted to challenge them to engage in the individual stories of the children and families that they would encounter in the coming year. We are not herding the masses, we are leading each individual child into a growing relationship with their Heavenly Father. We have an opportunity, this year, to be a part of each child’s story of faith.

5. The Closer. Live performance of Van Halen’s Right Now.

We created a video similar to this - but with our message.

Click here to view the embedded video.

6. Meet Your Team.

Everyone went to their classroom and met their team, got their t-shirt, and their small group roster.

It was a GREAT day that got us off to a great start for the year.

How did you prepare your volunteers for the upcoming year?

It’s just a fun way to remind our volunteers of a few important things.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Our Groups Teams carry heavy responsibilities for volunteers. They are crucial to our success. They are responsible for the health of the groups that our children are in. Check out Part 1 for our Groups Director’s Job Description.

Our Production Teams focus on creating environments and communicating the message. They also lead large teams of volunteers. In addition, they manage the millions of details that go into creating a safe, clean, and engaging environment for our kids.

Sandi Glidewell (Waumba Land Director at Buckhead Church), Jessica, & Courtney

Here are the rest of our Waumba Land (Preschool) Job Descriptions:

Waumba Land Large Group Coordinator

Location: Campus Specific

Reports to:  Director of Waumba Land - campus specific

Hours:  15 per week

Days:  Tuesday and Thursday (9:00 - 1:30) Sunday (8:00 - 1:30)

Job Description:

1.    Connect, support, and inform producers through weekly contact and quarterly meetings.

2.    Manage 12 teams (3 per team) of worship leaders and storytellers who serve on Sundays.

3.    Recruit and train storytellers and worship leaders.

4.    Schedule weekly worship teams.

5.    Purchase all supplies/instruments needed for the large group worship segment.

6.    Evaluate each team on a consistent basis.

7.    Encourage and appreciate the teams throughout the year.

8.    Each Sunday - lead production meeting prior to service.

9.    Attend monthly large group curriculum meetings and contribute with song selections and creative ideas.

10.  Attend Waumba Land events (BabyD, Kick-Off, trainings, retreats, etc.).

11.  Upload all curriculum for all campuses.

12.  Create monthly CD’s for the classroom for all campuses.

13.  Enter and maintain all database information. (Arena)

Waumba Land Curriculum & Hall Coordinator

Location: Campus Specific

Reports to: Group’s Director - campus specific

Hours:  40 per week

Days:  Monday - Thursday (9 - 5) Sunday (8 - 12 noon) In addition - retreats

Job Description:

1.    Meets monthly with small group curriculum team.

2.    Purchase materials needed for curriculum and Sunday morning.

3.    Oversee team of weekly volunteers (4-6 depending on campus).

4.    Organize and distribute curriculum.

5.    Make copies and cut large quantities.

6.    Update snack schedule monthly.

7.    Collect unused curriculum/supplies and restock.

8.    Maintain supply closet (Sunday snacks for children, diapers, wipes, wax paper, trash bags, batteries, etc.).

9.    Maintain curriculum closet (items needed for Sunday morning activities, props, craft paper, etc.).

10.  Maintain supplies in the classrooms.

11.   Support weekday program during the week.

12.   Coordinate with facilities any needs on the hall.

13.   Schedule any maintenance needs.

14.   Recruit, train, and oversee weekday volunteers (6-8).

15.   Order and organize security tags weekly.

16.   Complete laundry throughout the week.

17.   Lead weekly volunteers in extra cleaning.

18.   Support Waumba Land staff with events.

What staff positions do you have in your preschool environment?

Jenn Thomas (North Point Waumba Land Director), Brea & Laura

Director of Waumba Land (Preschool)

Location: Campus Specific

Reports to:  Campus Pastor and Director of Children’s Ministry - NPMI

Hours:  40 per week

Days:  Sunday -Thursday.  In addition - all Waumba Land events and retreats

Job Description:

1.    Invest, evaluate, and lead Waumba Land team.

2.    Interview, hire, and train new staff members.

3.    Attend weekly meetings (led by the Director of Children’s Ministry) with other preschool directors.

4.    Oversee Weekday Director and program.

5.    Regularly evaluate procedures such as classes, events, look & feel, volunteers.

6.    Ensure Waumba Land halls are properly maintained.

7.    Project and maintain ministries budget.

8.    Manage and drive Promotion, Kickoff, Strategic Service, Baby Dedication, and all other Waumba special events.

9.    Oversee Waumba Land on Sunday.

10.  Prepare for weekly staff meeting.

11.  Complete PDP’s (reviews) with each staff member as required by NPMI.

12.  Attend and actively participate in curriculum meetings.

13.  Drive appreciation initiatives.

14.  Maintain web design and keep information current.

15.  Oversee BabyD process for parents and the event.

16.  Oversee and maintain current volunteer screening process and safety procedures.

Tracy Stonecheck (Brownsbridge Waumba Land Director) and Autumn Ward

Waumba Land Groups Director

Location: Campus Specific

Reports to: Director of Waumba Land - campus specific

Hours: 40 per week (full time).  Part time positions - determined by Director of Waumba Land

Days:  Sunday - Thursday. Part time days - determined by Director (but will include Sunday)  In addition - all Waumba Land events and retreats

Job Description:

1.    Connect, support, and inform 8 to 10 coaches through weekly contact and quarterly meetings.

2.    Implement and evaluate the effectiveness of the small group dynamic.

3.    Help determine when classes need additional staffing and when children are ready to be promoted to the next class.

4.    Interview, train, and place coaches, teachers, and small group leaders in the classrooms.

5.    Maintain files on all volunteers.

6.    Enter and maintain all database information. We use Arena.

7.    Process volunteer applications and background checks.

8.    Ensure classes are fully staffed for Sunday mornings.

9.    Work and own specific parts of Waumba Land special events.

10.  Communicate safety and evacuation plan to volunteers throughout the year.

Kim Cordrey (Watermarke Waumba Land Director) & Brittany

Waumba Land Host Team Director

Location: Campus Specific

Reports to:  Director of Waumba Land - campus specific

Hours and Days:  15 per week or TBD by Director of Waumba Land - attend retreats

Job Description:

1.    Connect, support, and inform 3 - 5 captains through weekly contact and quarterly meetings.

2.    Create and implement specialized training for host team volunteers.

3.    Secure the hall during the service hour.

4.    Implement first-time visitor process.

5.    Create and maintain a meeting room where information can be shared and distributed to volunteers.

6.    Recruit volunteers for all necessary host team positions.

7.    Recruit and lead team captains to be responsible for teams at each service hour.

8.    Maintain files on all volunteers.

9.    Enter and maintain all database information. (Arena)

10.  Process volunteer applications and background checks.

11.   Ensure each host team is fully staffed for Sunday mornings.

12.   Work and own specific parts of Waumba Land special events.

To see how all of these positions connect, you might want to check out our Organizational Chart. We will post Part 2 of Waumba Land Job Descriptions later this week.

Do you think job descriptions are important?

Several weeks ago we scheduled a creative meeting to work on the production pieces for our fall kickoff meeting. We had a blank piece of paper. We were in the dreaming phase of the brainstorming process.

But we had a problem…actually a couple of problems.

1. We sandwiched this creative meeting in the middle of a really busy day - a day where most of us had gone from meeting to meeting to meeting with no room to breath.

2. None of had taken any time before the meeting to explore, to think, to imagine, to expose ourselves to possibilities, or to dream.

It was obvious that this meeting was going nowhere fast.

Instead of pushing everyone to spout out ideas and force a creative direction, I pulled back on the pressure to come up with the best idea and instead we talked more about what we hoped to accomplish and communicate in this meeting. We talked about how we wanted people to feel. Imagine that…we talked about the purpose of the event!

This meeting ended early. We established the “feel” we were going for, but beyond that we didn’t accomplish much. Most important, we sent everyone off with the assignment of exploring.

What has wowed you lately?

What made you laugh?

What made you cry?

What captured your attention?

What took you to another place?

What entertained you?

What communicated a moving message?

Ending that meeting early was a good decision.

When we met the next time, there were a lot of good ideas. One idea spun into another and then another. I love those kinds of meetings!

I think we’ve landed on a strong creative direction for our fall kickoff meeting. I’ll share more about where we landed later.

I recently read a good article on the Perfect Brainstorm. You might like it!

What do you do when the creative juices aren’t flowing?