TODAY Is the Day By Pastor Karl Bastian Every children’s ministry leader has a shelf labeled “Someday.” Someday we’ll launch that parent night. Someday we’ll start that special needs initiative. Someday I’ll write that curriculum. Someday we’ll fix check-in. Someday I’ll call that volunteer who could be amazing. “Someday” is a comfortable word. It asks nothing of us today. But momentum in ministry doesn’t begin with someday. It begins with a decision: Today is the day. Not necessarily the day you pull off the event. Not the day you execute the full plan. But the day you move it forward....

“Life is what happens when you’re making other plans.” My dad used to say this often as I was growing up, and the older I get, the truer it feels. We love plans. We like calendars that behave, weeks that make sense, and outcomes we can predict. We pray for God’s guidance, but if we’re honest, we often hope He’ll guide us exactly where we were already planning to go. He also told me once, “Ever notice the word IF is in the middle of life?” IF is central to life, but we forget that when we settle into routine...

I could not live or work without Mac “Hot Corners” – once called Expose’. How do you navigate to your desktop when it is loaded with windows? Minimize them all one at a time? That’s for people with too much time on their hands. Mac has a very handy and cool feature called “Hot Corners” – as I set up a new Mac I was reminded quickly how much I use this! Instructions: Click the  Apple menu (top-left). Go to System Settings. Click Desktop & Dock. Scroll allll the way down (it’s hiding like a shy volunteer). Click Hot...

Going through some old DVDs I found my Arctic Blast Highlight Videos DVD! Ripped it and uploaded to YouTube! Most of these kids are now grown up and some are married! This is from Village Church of Barrington. ENJOY! 2004 Highlight Video: 2005 Highlight Video: THIS is why it is always worth the time to make a highlight video. Need help? See Kidology.org/highlightvideos

Kidology’s Ultimate Toolbox for Children’s Ministry is PACKED with helpful tools – it’s not just a book – it interacts with Karl’s website to provide all the templates and forms shown in the book! Read what others are saying about this book: “This book is a gold mine of information on how to build a God-honoring children’s ministry from the number one expert on the subject. I have experienced first-hand Karl’s practical wisdom and contagious enthusiasm for reaching and teaching children. Whether you have been in ministry a long-time or are a newbie, I guarantee you will gain tools you...

When Moses Learned to Delegate — and Why You Should Too If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by ministry responsibilities, you’re in good company. Even Moses—yes, that Moses—hit his breaking point trying to do it all. In Exodus 18, Moses’ father-in-law Jethro watched him spend an entire day listening to the people’s problems, one by one. At the end of the day, Jethro essentially said, “This isn’t good. You’ll wear yourself out!” (Exodus 18:17–18). It wasn’t that Moses was doing bad work—he was doing important work. The problem was that he was doing work others could do. Jethro offered wise counsel...