Ryan Frank

Archive for August, 2009

Posted on August 29, 2009 - by rfrank

Twitter Weekly Updates for 2009-08-29

• Modern Day Joseph Sunday is underway! Larry Fowler is up for round 2 to a full house. http://yfrog.com/5rh9ij #fb #
• Great am in church! I can't wait or tonight! #fb #
• Working through two piles of paper that accumulated over the weekend. #fb #
• Making dinner tonight. Ham on the grill, corn on the cob, fresh green beans & still trying to decide on dessert #fb #
• PS – Ina Garten would be proud! #fb #
• Trying out my new Nike SQ driver I bought today. Gotta be ready for a golf scramble tomorrow! #fb #
• it's more important how you finish than just how you start #kidmin #stumin #cmconnect (via @jimwideman) in reply to jimwideman #
• It's my day off! I'm going to start by cleaning the garage. How fun! #fb #
• Just hired a @kidzmatter employee for a new position! Welcome aboard Lara! #fb #
• Finished an email sweep. People are subscribing to K! Magazine like mad today! Exciting stuff! #kidmin #fb #
• Catching an early flight to Atlanta. Mtg this am at reThink condo and speaking tonight and tomorrow at a #kidmin conf. #fb #
• You might be a leader if… http://is.gd/2DpFT (via @shawnthornton) in reply to shawnthornton #
• Finished breakfast with Reggie. Back at the reThink condo. Reggie's on the computer. http://yfrog.com/e3ii2j #fb #
• Driving by the Atlanta Motor Speedway. It's huge. #fb #
• About to speak to a big group of Georgia AOG #kidmin people. I can't wait! #fb #
• Worship with a bunch of childrens ministry people is awesome! http://yfrog.com/5zvymj #fb #
• Eating breakfast at Truett's Diner (owned by Chic-fil-a)
  http://yfrog.com/3ohg6j #fb #
• It's a great AM in Georgia with a big group of #kidmin leaders! I just met a guy from India who has been to Converse, IN (my hometown)! #fb #
• Great weekend of strategic mtgs and training! #fb #
• I think if Jesus was on earth he would hang out at an airport terminal. #fb #
• You know you're bored at the terminal gate when you think of 50 things you could Twitter about. #
• Wow. Interesting perspective on hiring people for a job. Post by Seth Godin http://is.gd/2Grrw (via @shawnthornton) #fb in reply to shawnthornton #

Posted on August 22, 2009 - by rfrank

Twitter Weekly Updates for 2009-08-22

• RT @SpencerClick: You know it's a good morning when you walk away with 4 worker apps. #kidmin whoo hoo! #
• Watching a Hallmark movie (boring), catching up on email, and thanking God for a great morning at church. #fb #
• Know of any good research or writing on men serving in children's ministry in the church? If so, please let me know! #kidmin #cmconnect #fb #
• Does every Kids' Church song need motions? NO! NO! NO! Teach kids worship not synchronized singing! #cmconnect #kidmin (via @SpencerClick) in reply to SpencerClick #
• Leaders think differently. #kidmin #fb #
• Ordered a beef chimichanga for lunch. Yummy. #fb #
• Doing some last minute prep for our K! Magazine editors meeting tonight! We're on the Jan/Feb 2010 issue already! #kidmin #kmag #fb #
• K! Magazine editors in full swing. This is too much fun listening to @jimwideman and @rogerfields pick on each other. #kidmin #fb #
• Working a late night tonight on K! Magazine and KidzMatter. #fb #
• @claytonpoland Thanks for the nice card and surprise you sent me in the mail today! I love ya brother. in reply to claytonpoland #
• The wireless Internet is down at the church this morning so I'm back at home for a bit. #
• I'm wet. This happens every time I give Luci a bath! #fb #
• Asking for grace from my friends at David C Cook. I need to change an appointment time for the second time in a week! I feel bad! #fb #
• Enjoying my day with the fam. #fb #
• Got three holes of golf in with my dad and brother this AM before getting very wet and calling it quits. #fb #
• Proofing the church bulletin for this weekend. #fb #
• RT @Barbaragraves: If you are a #kidmin in GA check out the Ch Min Conf to hear @r_frank! 1 week away! http://bit.ly/15cLAA // can't wait! #
• Leaving church and heading home for a late mtg with #kmag staff. #fb #
• Shh… It's a secret Twitter preview sale. Use the coupon code TWITSALE100 to save $10 off a $100+ purchase at KidzMatter.com. Thru 8/20.#fb #
• Running last minute errands for our #kidmin appreciation event with Larry Fowler tomorrow. It's gonna be a great weekend! #fb #
• I'll be home for Christmas is playing in my head. Weird and random. #fb #
• 30 minutes til we celebrate our awesome #kidmin volunteers! #fb #

Posted on August 16, 2009 - by rfrank

Fighting staff infections – part 3

Tip #3 for fighting staff infections in your ministry: Don’t be tunnel-visioned.

Tunnel vision is a medical condition that results in a loss of peripheral vision. As a result, the patient can only see objects from within a circular field. Tunnel vision can happen in your ministry too. It’s when you lose peripheral vision of the entire church ministry and your only see your ministry.

One thing your senior pastor has that you don’t is perspective of the entire church ministry. He knows the pulse of the people and is responsible for every ministry in the church. He is the overseer of the church. If you push for that budget increase, that major project, that big calendar item, etc. and are tunnel-visioned about your ministry, you are going to build walls between you and your pastor. Tear that wall down by being a team player.

Listen and listen close. Tunnel vision in your ministry will get you no where. It’s a dead end street. In 1946, Darryl Zanuck, then head of 20th Century Fox, predicted “Video (television) won’t hold any market it captures after the first six months. People will soon get tired of staring at a plywood box every night.” That guy was had a serious case of tunnel vision.

Posted on August 15, 2009 - by rfrank

Twitter Weekly Updates for 2009-08-15

• Driving to pick up Evan on my way to church. It's a great day to serve the Lord! #fb #
• Had a super busy but great weekend. I'm looking forward to a slow Monday. Did I just say I am looking forward to Monday? #fb #
• "Stressed is dessert spelled backwards." A quote from a stupid chick flick that is playing on our TV right now. #fb #
• Dunkin Donuts coffee is becoming one of my favorites. #fb #
• Church staff meeting got bumped back an hour. I am smiling on the inside. #fb #
• From a parent in my inbox: "All 3 kids look forward to coming to church. I have not heard 'do we have to go to church?' for a long time" #fb #
• A good leader can give others a shot in the arm without letting them feel the needle. #kidmin #fb #
• Just finished watching the final season premier of Monk on my DVR. I am going to miss this show! #fb #
• Reading Uncle Charlie's August newsletter. He's a walking miracle! http://www.unclecharlie.com #kidmin #fb #
• Be a charter member of an organization that is changing the way America views Children’s Ministry! http://bit.ly/vwP27 #kidmin #fb #
• @samluce Thanks for emailing me your K! Mag article Sam! I can't wait to read it. #kidmin in reply to samluce #
• Looking over a @kidzmatter sales report from today. A ton of people subscribed to K! Mag today! Have you? http://bit.ly/LF8at #kidmin #fb #
• Only 5 more friends until I hit 500! Are we friends? http://www.facebook.com/ryfrank #kidmin #
• Getting ready for Luci's preschool orientation and then a trip to the dentist. #fb #
• "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men" Col. 3:23 #kidmin #fb #
• My mouth is half numb from the dentist. I hate this feeling! #
• RT @Rick Warren Pastors=most UNDERRATED influence in America. More go hear them on ONE WKEND than to all pro sport events combined in A YR! #
• Dancing to "Cotton Eye Joe" while trying to get your 4-year-old to laugh can be hazardous to your health. #fb #
• RT @jimwideman: still 5 places in infuse for September #kidmin #stumin #cmconnect http://bit.ly/msjou #
• RT @lensweet: why is it that books that leave me cold or yawning are written by authors I can't find on twitter or fb? // good question! #
• You know you're a childrens pastor when you listen to the Wiggles with your daughter and you repeat a song because YOU want to. #fb #
• Some critics matter. (Your biggest customer, for example). Some are merely loud. Others are just difficult. http://bit.ly/RoFoM #kidmin #fb #
• Beth could win HGTV Design Star. She transformed our church's hospitality suite (bed, bath, living, kitchen) top to bottom in 3 days. #fb #
• It's been a great day of ministry! The Awana year kicks off tonight while an 87 year old man preaches in big church. Can't wait. #kidmin #fb #
• Is the Bible a treasure or just a textbook to you? #kidmin #fb #
• No one has ever had an idea in a dress suit. – Sir Frederick G. Banting (via @rogerfields) #fb in reply to rogerfields #
• K! magazine subscription is in. I particularly enjoyed reading Reggie Joiner's article. (via @DonnaMaeHarris) // glad you enjoyed it! in reply to DonnaMaeHarris #
• Checking out http://www.xtranormal.com. I can use this in kids church to promote stuff. Thanks Brian Ebersold telling me about it! #kidmin #fb #
• Working on INCM paperwork. #fb #
• I'm done setting up at the church for tomorrow. It's time to go home! yay! #fb #
• Why do the great ideas for Sunday morning always seem to come on Saturday night? #kidmin #fb #
• I bought a box of Twinkies on sale today for $1.99. That box is opening in T-Minus 10 minutes. #fb #
• I'm doing some research. Where do children's ministers and parents go online to find new music? #kidmin #cmconnect #fb #

Posted on August 11, 2009 - by edoyle

Tuesday Talk: Kenny Conley

Tuesday Talk is a weekly feature on Ryan Frank’s blog. Each week, I interview one children’s ministry expert and ask for their answer to a question. Check back every Tuesday for a new interview.

This week on Tuesday Talk:
Kenny Conley answers the question, “How do you manage children’s ministry in a multi-site church?”

This question is a can of worms. There are as many versions of multi-site as there are denominations, so execution will vary by strategy. However, two words come to mind in regard to multi-site, both as the person leading and those participating.

Collaboration and compromise.

Multi-site offers the unique opportunity for teamwork to impact different audiences. This type of collaboration allows a team to get more done with less people. The positive side of this is that since you have a team helping you get things done programmatically and administratively, it gives you more time to lead your teams and pastor kids and families. The down side is compromise. Although you have a voice collaboratively, compromise is a part of the whole team (multiple sites) heading down a road, maybe one you weren’t in favor of.

I communicate this clearly to new people coming on staff. There’s no room for lone rangers here. For those already on the team, encourage them to find ways to take advantage of the collaborative team and spend more time leading and pastoring and less time behind the laptop.

Kenny Conley is the Next Gen Pastor at Gateway Church in Austin, TX.  Kenny brings 11 years of Children’s Ministry experience in leading multi-age ministries (cradle to college) with a multi-site strategy.  He lives in NW Austin with his beautiful wife Sara of ten years (this July) and his ruggedly handsome two year old son Titus (this June). Kenny avidly blogs at www.childrensministryonline.com.

Posted on August 8, 2009 - by rfrank

Twitter Weekly Updates for 2009-08-08

• Meet Phillip, the most awesome assistant Sunday School teacher anyone could ask for. http://yfrog.com/05vujj #fb #
• "Your legacy is your life on earth after you have died." – unknown (via @shawnthornton) in reply to shawnthornton #
• If you reap what you sow some people need to pray for crop failure (via @jimwideman) in reply to jimwideman #
• Random rant of the day: Sound systems never crash until the Sunday when you're extremely short handed. #kidmin #fb #
• @kidzmatter2me Should I watch for a Chinese restaraunt to show up on your @KidzMatter credit card? in reply to kidzmatter2me #
• If players never leave the dugout they'll never be All Star material. Start letting your volunteers do something important! #kidmin #fb #
• Watching Cars with Beth & Luci before church tonight. I'm amazed how cars can touch your emotions! #fb #
• "Jesus draw me close to you. Let the world around me fade away. For I desire to worship and obey." May that be our prayer. #
• In church staff meeting talking about people problems. This is not the fun part of the ministry. #fb #
• Getting my week organized. #kidmin #fb #
• Finished editing, now it's time to upload some messages to the church website. #fb #
• Itemizing the church credit card bill. This is one of my hats that I hate wearing! #fb #
• Driving home and wondering how many accidents are caused by posting Twitter and facebook updates while driving. #fb #
• Watching Magic's Big Secrets on TV. Part of me likes learning the secrets and part of me doesn't. #fb #
• I'm the first one at the church office this morning. This doesn't happen much. #fb #
• Spent 50 bucks on candy. This has to be one of the funnest parts of my job. It's time to start sampling. #fb #
• Many attempts to communicate are nullified by saying too much. – Robert Greenleaf (via @FlowerDust) in reply to FlowerDust #
• Seven Year Old Steals Car to Avoid Going to Church – http://is.gd/20all #fb (via @shawnthornton) in reply to shawnthornton #
• Eating at Uno pizza with my favorite two ladies in the world. #fb #
• At TGIFs getting carry out at 10 pm. Thanks to Food Network for making me hungry! #fb #
• Having fun at a water park today with Luci! It's a perfect day. #fb #
• RT @stevenfurtick: We don't get to insert our opinion where God has issued His command. His Word is the last word. #fb #
• I sent a job to the copier and it locked everything down. The copy company asked if I was trying to print something illegal. Please. #fb #
• Our planet generates more than 43,000 gigabytes of data per day. Think about the opportunity that brings! (thanks IBM) #kidmin #fb #
• On the phone with our @KidzMatter strategic planner. #fb #
• @MatthewRPayne Thanks for the words of encouragement Matthew! Have a blessed day! in reply to MatthewRPayne #
• @CIYSuperStart Thanks for the nice words about the last K! Magazine! I appreciate you guys! #kidmin #cmconnect #
• I have a lot of friends at Willow's Leadership Summit today. I wish I was there! #kidmin #fb #
• Doing last minute prep for our @kidzmatter staff meeting tomorrow AM. #kidmin #fb #
• The coffee pot is on for our @kidzmatter team meeting this morning! @kidzmatter2me is bringing the cinnamon rolls. Let's start! #fb #
• Think how much better life would be if we would hate the devil, hate sin, love God and love people. #kidmin #fb #
• Getting ready to watch Transporter 3 with Beth. I can't wait. #fb #
• #followfriday A great preteen gig: @CIYSuperStart An encourager: @MatthewRPayne A cool kid's guy: @pastorjustyn A new friend: @FlowerDust #
• My Saturday: In the office at 7, board meeting at 8, funeral at 10, wedding at 1, going out with friends at 3. #fb #
• Sitting in a wedding remembering how lucky I am to have the wife God has given to me! #fb #

Posted on August 6, 2009 - by rfrank

Fighting staff infections – part 2

Are you committed to fighting staff infection in your life and ministry? I sure hope so. If you are, you need to consider this second tip: Share your pastor’s vision.

As a children’s pastor, you’ve got to do whatever it takes to stay in tune with your pastor’s vision for the church and ministry. Make his vision your own. It’s not easy to keep in tune with his vision when you are back with the kids every weekend. Every week I try to listen to my pastor’s message from Sunday morning. I don’t want to miss what he has to say. I want his vision to transfer to my heart.

Let me give you one example. Early this year my pastor led our church into making 2008 a year of prayer. He had a vision for the church being a house of prayer. As I discovered this vision, I made it my own. I started a series on prayer in Kid’s Church.

One of the biggest parts of your job is to help your pastor fulfill his vision. Make his vision yours. Buy into it. It will stop staff infection.

Posted on August 2, 2009 - by rfrank

Fighting staff infections – part 1

Sometimes you just know that your friends are rubbing off on you. I was never much of a list guy until I started hanging with Jim Wideman. Jim loves lists. You don’t have to read this blog or K! Magazine much to learn this about him. Here I am, starting a new series of blog posts that are numbered. You’ll forgive me, right?

We’ve all heard of staph infections. A staph infection is a bacterial infection that grows deep below the skin. This bacteria usually enters the skin through open cuts and can be life-threatening. Today I am writing not about staph infections – but staff infections.

Staff infections are grow deep below the skin too. They enter through the mind and go right to the heart. They can threaten the life of your personal life and ministry and must be avoided at every cost. Go ahead and pat yourself on the back for reading this blog post – you’re on the right path.

Do you ever wish you could vote your senior pastor off the island? Guess what, at some point he has wished the same thing about you. You’ll never be effective in children’s ministry until you learn to do more than survive with your senior pastor. You’ve got to go from surviving to thriving. Over the next several days I’ll share some tips with you for energizing your relationship with your pastor.

Tip #1: Make communication a priority.

I have a great relationship with my pastor but it’s been work. Hard word. We are opposites in so many ways. I’ve learned the hard way that communication is critical in our relationship. I do my best to communicate with him every way I can. I Bcc: him on important emails. Any time we print something for our children’s ministry, I make sure a copy gets in his mailbox. He gets a copy of every memo. I talk to him whenever I suspect there is a problem with a volunteer or member of the church. I touch base with him on big projects and keep him up to speed.

In your efforts to make communication a priority, don’t barrage him with minute-by-minute updates. Remember, he’s a busy guy. But the minute you hear about a serious problem, let him know right away.

One last point, I learned years ago that my pastor doesn’t like to be surprised. He doesn’t have to be involved in every decision, but he doesn’t like to be surprised. I bet your pastor hates surprises too.

One of the best ways to fight staff infections is to start talking to your pastor.

Posted on August 1, 2009 - by rfrank

Twitter Weekly Updates for 2009-08-01

• Me and my new nephew, Ryder, this morning at church! http://yfrog.com/70scqj #fb #
• Singing Amazing Grace in church. What a great song! #fb #
• Do you want to use the Lord or be used by the Lord? #kidmin #fb #
• It's the first Monday back from vacation. Do I need to say more? #fb #
• I need some caffeine! #
• Having a fun eve with Luci while Beth is at a wedding shower. #fb #
• Preparing for a meeting with Chad Wojtkow from Awana in an hour. #fb #
• Talking about some cool #kidmin things that Awana has cooking with a member of their team! #
• Great meeting with Awana today. Excited to share soon about some exciting #kidmin stuff. #fb #
• Working on a #kidmin appreciation event coming up in a few weeks. Larry Fowler is our special speaker. I can't wait! #fb #
• Writing a ton of thank you cards to #kidmin volunteers. I'm learning more and more that people want to be appreciated! #fb #
• Yes, CEOs Should Facebook And Twitter article: http://bit.ly/mylUh #kidmin #fb #
• Registering Luci for preschool. This school cafeteria is packed! #fb #
• Finishing up an article for @incm 's e-magazine that goes out tomorrow. #fb #
• RT @lensweet: There are about 540,000 words in the English language, about five times as many as during Shakespeare’s time. #
• Meeting with a team who are helping me with a #kidmin appreciation event. We're goin western and are kickin our heels to the volunteers! #fb #
• Luci stopped by the office to see daddy! #
• This just in on #cmconnect: "ACMA is what I've been looking for!" Learn for yourself! http://www.acmaonline.org #kidmin #fb #
• Watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse with Luci in my office. Donald has hiccups. It's time for Toodles. #fb #
• Yesterday a childrens pastor. Today laying shingles. I prefer the ministry thing! #fb #
• My body is telling me that God definitely did not call me to be a roofer! I'm dead tired! #fb #
• Sitting on the back porch talking #kidmin with some of my volunteers. #
• Jesus is coming to earth again! What if it were today? (via @libertyfamily) in reply to libertyfamily #
• Read 10 reasons that I Twitter from my article in the INCM e-magazine. http://bit.ly/18Hjq5 #kidmin #cmconnect #fb #
• #followfriday @Rick_Smith @scottberkey @Barbaragraves @SpencerClick @kidzmatter2me @megholla @steveconley @LeenaPrindle #
• @jimwideman Glad to mention you bro. You're #1. in reply to jimwideman #
• At mens prayer meeting at the church this morning. #fb #
• @kidologist You caught me Karl. in reply to kidologist #
• RT @DonnaMaeHarris: Just received my first K! Mag. It's great! Thanks for sending it. You now have a new subscriber. #kidmin // Thanks! #
• Fighting a bad headache this morning. Maybe it's time for some Pepsi. #fb #
• Playing on the swingset with Luci. http://yfrog.com/5k40lyj #
• Studying Revelation 7 and wondering how often we teach the book of Revelation in children's ministry. I'd say not much. Why? #kidmin #fb #
• RT @D6family: Thank you @r_frank for sharing about why you are coming to D6! http://bit.ly/12agsj // Glad to do it. Can't wait! #
• Tomorrow AM is going to be crazy. We have more volunteers gone than any other weekend this year. PTL for good subs. #kidmin #fb #

Posted on August 1, 2009 - by rfrank

D6 is coming up!

I’ve been excited about the D6 Conference since I learned about it a year ago. It’s coming up September 23-25 in Dallas. Beth and I will be there and we’d love to see you too. I will be leading two labs. Lab 1 is abotu partnering with parents to grow great kids. Lab 2 is where I get to share 20 hot new resources for children’s ministry.

Did you know that you can save some $$ if you sign up by August 4th? It’s the last chance to save and get a great early bird rate. You don’t need a special code, just get on their website and register!

I hope to see you at the conference. It’s going to be a great opportunity to network, learn and grow in your ministry.