Are you struggling to get families engaged in discipleship? You've planned the events, sent the resources, and set up the opportunities — and still heard crickets. You are not alone.

In this episode of the KMC Collective Podcast, Tom, Cole, Ben, and Vicki unpack the real reasons behind low family discipleship engagement — from parents feeling spiritually inadequate to overwhelmed schedules — and share practical, proven strategies that are working in children's ministries of every size.

Discover simple, repeatable approaches like one-on-one family meetups, kid-led Bible challenges, worship playlists, and age-appropriate Bibles that help kids pastor leaders build a faith at home culture that actually sticks.

Whether you lead a small church or a multi-site ministry, this episode will help you shift your perspective, engage more families, and grow your discipleship culture — starting today.

🎧 Subscribe, leave a review, and join the Kid Ministry Collective community at kidministrycollective.com — because we are better together!

Easter Sunday is over — but your job as a kids ministry leader is just getting started.

If you're tempted to check out, coast for a few weeks, and then panic when summer stares you in the face, this episode is exactly what you need to hear. The KMC Collective team — Tom, Cole, and Vicki — sit down to tackle one of the most overlooked disciplines in kids ministry leadership: the post-event debrief and the strategic shift into summer planning.

Here's what we dig into together:

• Why evaluation is the most important step you skip after every big event — and how to make it so simple you'll actually do it
• What to measure beyond attendance — from new family experience and volunteer care, to check-in flow, large group, small group, and your follow-up plan
• How to gather fast, actionable feedback from your team using a simple two-wins-and-one-improvement text or email
• Why you should start planning kids camp and VBS months before most leaders ever think to — and how backward calendar planning kills overwhelm before it starts
• The power of anchor events — how mapping your Easter, VBS, summer camp, and school kickoff across your year keeps you proactive, not reactive

Whether you're a solo kids ministry director, a lead pastor, or a volunteer stepping into leadership, this conversation will challenge you to pause, evaluate with intention, and build momentum into every season — not just survive them.

🎯 Ready to stop doing ministry alone? Schedule a FREE 30-minute clarity call with the KMC coach team at kmccoach.net — they'll meet you where you are. Want ongoing community and training? Join kidminplus.net or hop into the Kid Ministry Collective Facebook group and keep the conversation going!

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Have you ever confused your calling with your job title? You're not the only one — and it may be doing more damage than you think. In this heartfelt and eye-opening episode, Tom, Cole, and Vicki sit down to tackle one of the most important — and most overlooked — conversations in ministry leadership: understanding the difference between your calling, your identity, and your vocation.

With raw personal stories, honest laughs, and practical wisdom from a combined decades of kids ministry experience, this conversation is for every ministry leader who has ever felt confused, burned out, or blindsided — and wondered what it all means for their future in ministry.

What we dig into:

• The real reason so many kids pastors and ministry leaders are walking away

• How blurring the lines between calling, identity, and vocation can quietly destroy you

• What it actually means to be called — and why it's simpler than you might think

• How to get grounded in who God says you are, not just what you do

• Why your calling is bigger than any role, church, or season of life

Whether you're brand new to ministry or have been serving for years, this episode will meet you right where you are. So grab your coffee, open your journal, and let's get into it — this is a conversation that could change everything.

🎙️ Kid Ministry Collective — equipping and encouraging kids ministry leaders, one conversation at a time.

👥 Join the Kid Ministry Collective Facebook community and keep the conversation going. We want to hear your story!

Sharing the gospel with kids sounds simple, but one wrong word can create confusion that lasts for years. In this episode, Tom, Cole, Ben, and Vicki tackle the tough questions: Are you using too many Christian terms? Is your "hand raise" invitation actually clear? And what happens after kids say yes?

These children's ministry leaders dig into why clarity matters, how to avoid confusing language like "ask Jesus into your heart," and why following up is just as important as the initial invitation. You'll hear real stories from Easter egg hunts and church camps where kids didn't actually understand what they were committing to—and practical strategies to prevent it.

Whether you're presenting the gospel at a big event or every Sunday, this conversation will challenge how you share Jesus with the next generation. Discover why consistency, clear language, and discipleship are the keys to helping kids truly understand and remember the gospel.

Join the conversation in the KMC Collective Facebook group and share your gospel presentation strategies.

Want help with getting clarity: Set up a 30 Minute Clarity call with a KMC Coach

Do you ever feel like you’re one tiny package of Goldfish away from a meltdown? You aren't alone. This week on the Kids Ministry Collective, Tom, Cole, and Vicki are getting real about the things they are officially "over" in children’s ministry.

From the frustration of being labeled "childcare" instead of a discipleship powerhouse, to the struggle of managing drop-off chaos, the team vents so you don't have to. But we aren’t just complaining—we’re finding the "positive spin" and leading with vision. Tune in for a rapid-fire episode filled with laughs, relatable rants, and practical shifts to help you move from babysitting to true ministry.

Want a SAFE place to talk things through? Set up a 30 minute Conversation with a KMC Coach!

Want to learn more about the Kids Ministry Collective one of the Original Places for Childrens Ministry Leaders!

In this weeks Kids Ministry Collective Podcast, Our conversation asked the question: What if the biggest threat to your child's faith isn't what you think?

Matt Markins, CEO of Awana, sits down with Tom and Ben to expose the counterfeit narratives quietly shaping kids' identities—often before they even turn 13. From screens to peers to well-meaning but watered-down Bible teaching, kids are absorbing stories that compete with the gospel every single day. In this conversation,

Matt reveals his own battle with false narratives from childhood trauma, unpacks why "Bible light" moralism backfires, and shares practical tools to anchor children in the true story of Scripture: creation, fall, redemption, and restoration. If you're a parent, pastor, or ministry leader who wants to equip kids to stand firm in a culture of confusion, this episode is a must-listen.

Mentioned on Episode: Child Discipleship Forum

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Every children's ministry leader — whether brand new or battle-tested — wrestles with the same thing: building a healthy volunteer team.

In this episode, Tom, Cole, Ben, and Vicki tackle real questions from real leaders about structuring teams for single and multi-service churches, the "serve one, attend one" philosophy, why giving your team scheduled breaks actually prevents burnout and grows your roster, how to gracefully release a volunteer who isn't the right fit (with raw, real stories from their own ministries), and what to do when a volunteer wants to throw out your curriculum and go rogue on a Sunday morning.

If you've ever thought, "I'll never have enough volunteers" or "I'm afraid to give my team a break because they won't come back" —

This episode will change how you lead. Book a free Clarity Call at kmccoach.net and join the conversation in the KMC Facebook Group. To learn about the Kids Ministry Collective Click HERE