Ryan Frank

Archive for May, 2009

Posted on May 30, 2009 - by rfrank

Twitter Weekly Updates for 2009-05-30

• Looking forward to hearing from Ken Meyers from Voice of the Martyrs in a few minutes at church! #
• 1 of every 8 Christians in the world is persecuted. 1 Christian is martyred for Christ every 3 minutes. Does this move you? #
• God’s problem in the church is not a lack of money; perhaps it’s a lack of giving. #
• Enjoying the morning with some family members of @kidzmatter2me that have been staying at our house this weekend. #
• Going to watch Cars in a few minutes with Beth & Luci. Orville Redenbacher’s pour-over butter popcorn is in the microwave. Yummy. #
  
• Playing Wii with friends from Sunday School. Beth is up on bowling. #
• Preparing for church staff meeting in 5 minutes. #
• Call me what you want but I don’t like following this guy down the road. http://yfrog.com/14nhvj #
• I can eat now! I told myself that I wasn’t going to eat until I got all my stuff written for the July/August issue of K! Mag. I’m done #
• I’ve started using Seesmic as my desktop app for Twitter. I think it’s a lot better than Tweetdeck. http://bit.ly/TPRS4 #kidmin #
• @Tannerman It’s good to hear you are liking it too. It’s nice being able to manage multiple accounts, create userlists, etc. in reply to Tannerman #
• Getting ready to go home early today #
• Working on a media presentation for my sister-in-law’s wedding next weekend. #
• @Barbaragraves I’m glad I gave you the nudge toward Seesmic. I like it better too. in reply to Barbaragraves #
• Trying to book plane tickets online and working in iMovie at the same time is not a good mix. #
• RT @kidzmatter2me: Panic is doing a 50% off sale on all of their apps: http://panic.com/sale #
• Learn to say no. If we can’t say no when we need to say no, we won’t be able to say yes when God has called us to say yes. #
• Working on a new #kidmin blog (big announcement coming next week) and trying to convince @kidzmatter2me that he can work magic. #
• Sitting at my desk watching the cars start to pour in for church tonight. #
• Last minute prep for our #kidzmatter staff meeting this morning. The coffee is brewing and muffins are in the oven. #
• Reading from Axion (Bill Hybels). A great book! #
• RT @kidzmatter: @r_frank is such a dedicated boss: he cleans toilets too! http://twitpic.com/66td6 #
• I’m tired. Been cleaning the @kidzmatter office for Evan’s (@kidzmatter2me) grad open house tomorrow. #
• @steveconley I’m glad you like our restroom Thanks for contributing to the next K! Mag. I can’t wait to see it. in reply to steveconley #
• Packing the tour bus for my Sunday School class trip to a baseball game tonight. #
• My fav Bible teacher in the world (@JamesSMacDonald) is onTwitter. James & I had a meal at Taylor Univ a few years back. #followfriday #
• Picking on the youth pastor. He flunked his CDL written test. It doesn’t help that he didn’t study. #
• Having fun with friends at a minor league game. http://yfrog.com/15ncuj #
• Trailer for Pixar’s “Toy Story 3″ has been released http://bit.ly/JKQtT (via @Tannerman) in reply to Tannerman #
• 22 people from my Sunday School class having fun. http://yfrog.com/0tpnwj #
• Having fun at Evan’s open house. http://yfrog.com/3ok3mj #

Posted on May 30, 2009 - by rfrank

No more people-pleasing

Too many pastors think they have to sell their soul to the church and the people in it. We try to please everyone and work our butts off to make sure everyone knows that we are “serious” about the Lord’s work. The problem is that it’s not Biblical. We need to stop people-pleasing. Everyone say it with me “No more people-pleasing.” One more time, “No more people-pleasing.” That’s a good start. Here are some practical steps to help.

1. Don’t make your ministry your identity. You are a children’s pastor – and I’d put money down that you’re a good one. But you are more than that. You’re a child of the King first and foremost. You’re part of the redeemed – the bride of Christ! One danger of being obsessed with what people think about you is that you forget what God thinks about you.

2. Crave the approval of God – not people. When Jesus was baptized in Matthew 3, the Father spoke from Heaven and said, “This is my Son… with him I am well pleased.” This is the goal! Let God ride shotgun for a while and put people-pleasing in the back seat.

3. Learn to say no. The words yes and no are the two most powerful words in the human vocabulary because they have the power to shape your future. You simply can’t do everything that is asked of you. If you don’t say no when you need to say no, you can’t say yes when God calls you to say yes.

4. Be the rock of Gibraltar and dont’ move. (I know you were wondering what the rock picture had to do with this blog post – now you know.) When you start saying no and stop living your life to please people, get ready because someone will get ticked. You may even get the “spiritual” guilt trip – but stand firm.

Listen to Paul: “Obviously, I’m not trying to be a people pleaser! No, I am trying to please God. If I were still trying to please people, I would not be Christ’s servant” (Galatians 1:10 NLT).

So, how are you saying no to people-pleasing?

Posted on May 28, 2009 - by rfrank

8 Reasons I Love Twitter

I’ve been on Twitter for about 6 months now and I love it. Here are 8 reasons why.

1. Twitter allows you to meet new people. Obvious, I know.  The open “follow” is one of Twitter’s coolest features. Unlike Facebook, you don’t have to be accepted as a friend to start communicating. A simple “follow” is enough (unless you have protected your updates).

2. Twitter is simple. It does one small thing, and does it well. Twitter answers one question: What are you doing? In 140 characters you keep up with what others are doing and let others know what you’re up to.

3. Twitter doesn’t sell ad space on their site (at least for now). It’s very clean and pure.

4. Twitter gives you instant feedback. I’ve asked questions on Twitter and have heard back from people within 30 seconds. Amazing.

5. Twitter provides a connection with friends and others in ministry.

6. Twitter is a creative way to learn from each other.

7. Twitter creates subtle marketing opportunities. Don’t go into Twitter with the intent of marketing your website, your products, or your services. People will stop listening to you. However, if you are real and show a genuine side of yourself, people will give you permission to share what you have to offer to them.

8. Twitter is fun. Twitter pulls people back day after day, hour after hour, because its just plain fun.

Posted on May 25, 2009 - by rfrank

Getting bus kids lined up

We’ve been having a problem the past few months at dismissal time in Kid’s Church. Getting four bus loads of kids lined up and out in an “orderly fashion” isn’t the easiest task in the world (at least for me).

Three weeks ago I decided I had to do something. I came up with 12 different ways (1 each week) to reward kids that line up and do what they are asked. I chose 12 because I’m smart enough to know that if I do it the same every week it won’t last.

It’s working! The bus leaders have been coming into kids church with their jaws on the floor. The kids are lined up, quiet and walk in single file line out to the bus.

Here’s my point. For months I was frustrated and knew that something needed to change. Once I decided to give myself a kick in the butt and do something new it was fixed. What do you need to change to fix that problem you’ve been having? Try it! I bet you’ll find it just might work.

Posted on May 21, 2009 - by rfrank

6 good words

I’m team-teaching an adult elective class at my church right now on the hurried family. The guy I’m teaching with was talking about the importance of making your time at home really count. A few weeks ago he said, “When you’re there, be there.” Those are six good words, agree?

I’ve had a hard time getting away from those words the past few weeks. Here’s how I’ve applied it to my life at home.

1. I will wait until Luci goes to sleep before I crack open my laptop.

2. I will give Beth and Luci my undivided attention.

3. My day off will really be a day off. In other words, I’ll do everything in my power not to work on church and ministry stuff.

4. I’ll really be the spiritual leader in my home and not just talk about it.

5. I’ll put my family first.

Posted on May 21, 2009 - by rfrank

Matt McKee on Buzz!

Matt McKee (follow him on Twitter, I do!) wrote a great review on Group’s new curriculum for elementary kids, Buzz. He discusses it all from the packaging, the CD, the activity cards and all the little gizmos. I found this very helpful since I’ve not taken time to look at Buzz up close and personal.

Matt says, “I’ve been excited to check out Buzz, a new Sunday School curriculum for elementary kids, for some time now. I was very happy when the Crime and Punishment series for 3rd and 4th graders came to my office today. I quickly opened it up.” Click here to read the rest!

Posted on May 17, 2009 - by rfrank

Tradition breeds loyalty

I spent a good part of the day Saturday with my family at Purdue University. It was my sister-in-law’s graduation. It was the longest ceremony  I’ve ever sat through but was also the best I’ve attended. Two things have really impressed me about Purdue – tradition and loyalty.

First, tradition. The school was founded in 1869 and is packed with tradition. It is probably best known for the Purdue University College of Engineering (my soon-to-be brother-in-law is part of this program). It’s also cool that 22 of Purdue’s graduates are astronauts, including Gus Grissom (one of the original Mercury 7 astronauts), Neil Armstrong (the first person to walk on the moon), and Eugene Cernan (the last person to walk on the moon).

Second, I was impressed with the loyalty of Purdue grads. They love their Alma Mater and are gold and black through and through.

I’ve been thinking about these 2 words this weekend: tradition and loyalty. Tradition breeds loyalty. Purdue alumni are loyal to their their Alma Mater in part due to deep traditions.

Apply this to children’s ministry. My goal as a children’s pastor is to help parents raise Godly kids – kids that are loyal and true to Jesus Christ. Does tradition factor into the equation? I think it does.

Many of us get scared by the word tradition because it sounds cold and irrelevant. But is it? If tradition breeds loyalty, what traditions do we need to make sure we are teaching the kids in our church? What traditions do we need remind parents to pass on to their kids?

Posted on May 14, 2009 - by rfrank

I love being “Uncle Ryan”

My baby sister had her first baby this week. Her name is Laila. I don’t know how to explain it other than amazing. I love being Uncle Ryan.

My sister and her husband are in my Sunday School class at church. I emailed the class to let them know that the baby was born. I was one excited uncle. So excited that I got my facts mixed up and said the baby weighed 20 pounds and was 7.5 inches long. Oops.

Laila now joins Lani as my second niece. My first nephew is on the way. Life is good. Nieces and nephews make it better!

Posted on May 14, 2009 - by rfrank

Sam Luce and K! Magazine

We were excited when the ReThink Group asked us to be a sponsor of the Orange Conference for the second year. Reggie and his team went out of their way to help us get the word out about K! Magazine. We did everything we could to help them get the word out about their event.

Kenny Conley had his video camera at Orange and caught Sam Luce with a K! Magazine. Sam wrote the cover story on the May/June issue of K! Check out what Kenny and Sam had to say by watching this fun video.

Posted on May 10, 2009 - by rfrank

Lead yourself. Then lead others.

What are you doing to grow as a leader? Do you have a strategy for developing your leadership? A strategy is imperative if you want your leadership to grow from good to great. I love asking leaders to describe their leadership. Occasionally someone will say that they are “just coasting through” right now. When they tell me this, I ask them to consider what they are saying. I’ve spent enough time on a bicycle to know that you can’t coast and go uphill. You can only coast downhill and eventually you’re going to come to a stop. If you’re coasting as a leader, you’re on your way downhill.

The best leaders I know were not born leaders. They developed leadership skills with discipline and time. If you stop and think about it, you have to lead yourself before you can lead others. So, what does a leadership strategy look like for you?