In my early years we mainly sang songs in children’s church as filler to eat up the long services that where happening in big church. The songs didn’t have much substance, I’m still trying to understand what “Climb, Climb Up Sonshine Mountain” even means let alone what it has to do with the five Biblical benefits of training and developing children as worshippers. Read More »
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Being a children’s pastor in my twenties, thirties, forties, and now in my fifties I’ve seen a lot of changes in the area of children’s worship music. These days I laugh when I’m introduced as a children’s ministry pioneer, I’ve realized that pioneer is just a code word for the word “old.” It’s been amazing to see the innovation that was introduced then and the innovation that is being introduced now. As a student of leadership I have learned that there is big difference between a manager and a leader. Being a good manager is a part of being an effective leader but the major difference between the two is that leadership calls for innovation. You can’t provide innovation without you being willing to innovate rather than just do what everyone else does. Read More »
Kenny Conley is one of those leaders I've been watching for several years. He's what I call a "Young Gun". In 2007 when the Lord showed me I would spend the rest of my life putting into the next generation of children's ministers, I started searching the blogisphere for young forward thinkers, Kenny's Blog caught my eye. Over the next few years it has been an honor to be in his life and have him in mine. I think I learn more from these Young Guns that they learn from me but that's God's plan iron sharpening iron. Learning is a two way street. We serve a God who invented "the law of mutiual benefit." Read More »
02. Set a goal and don’t stop until you hit it. Then when you hit your goal then set another goal. If you want to have power to last learn to think in steps. Make a plan based on those steps and goals and then walk in out. Don’t seek a quick fix, don’t take leaps, jumps or shortcuts. Follow the Lord’s leading and His timetable. Read More »
"If there is one thing that is constant it's the fact that everything chages!" this is sure true of my website. I wanted to let you know that there is going to be some changes to the URL of my Blog & my Store so if you have them bookmarked you'll want to refresh at www.jimwideman.com to the new ones. Also my iphone app has been very popular but we've also come up a fix or two for bugs on the first version so as soon as Apple aproves version 2 be ready to download the latest version. Again I hope you don't have any problems accessing my Blog or Store or with the current iphone app but I wanted to let you know we're trying to make things better for you. Read More »
03. Don’t believe your own press kit. Another thing my mother told me my whole life is, “Things are never as bad as you think they are and you are never as wonderful as you think you are either.” Read More »
04. Do something new and different. I think one reason people give up is that get tired of doing the same things. Choose to always be on the lookout for a new and better way to do everything you do. Read More »
06. Make changes and improve yourself constantly. I’ve had to reinvent myself as I’ve ministered to young people in the 70’s, the 80’s, the 90's, the 00's and now in the 10’s. Be a student of leadership. Improve your skill sets and abilities. Do what works! Evaluate, network, brainstorm with others. Choose to be a lifelong learner! Have a mentor or ministry friend coach and critique your service, your abilities or a meeting that you are leading. Have a makeover in your hairstyle or wardrobe. Wanting to improve is the first step in actually improving. Read More »
07. Guard your heart! Proverbs 4:23 says “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” My mother told me years ago, “Grow tough skin but keep a tender heart! How do I do this? I stay away from complainers and negative people. Read More »
08.Stay Focused. Don’t get side tracked. There is a big difference between a God idea and a good idea. Read More »