Author: Corey Jones

Corey Jones http://coreyrayjones.wordpress.com Corey is the XP of NextGen at @sohillscc in GA and strives to be an opportunist, learner, and helper. He is focused on church leadership and ministry to the family. His mission is to help you take your next step in personal development. As a result, he writes on organizational growth, leadership, ministry, volunteers, building teams, and productivity.

My 6 Most Helpful Posts from 2016

December 27, 2016Corey Jones Leave a comment

Did you reach your 2016 goals this year? One of mine was to share one blog post each week with the KidMin community. This goal was met and now I have shared 62 posts this year. More exciting than that is that people from 60 countries have viewed posts on my site! As we wrap up the year I simply wanted to share my 6 most helpful posts from 2016!

Why You Need To Listen To These 24 Excellent Podcasts

Podcasts continue to break download records year after year. With a growth in popularity and expanding options, it’s good to have an inside scoop to know what podcasts are worth your time. After daily listening to a dozen podcasts for a few years, I want to share some of my absolute favorites. Here are 24 excellent podcasts to subscribe to today!

21 Powerful Leadership Quotes From The Orange Conference

One of the best things you can do for your leaders, is to expose them to your decision making process. @fbealer
There are families who will never step foot into your church until you step into their world. @ReggieJoiner
You have no idea of the ripple effect through the generations!
At the end of your life regret will sting more than failure. @pwilson

8 Expert Authors Whose Books Will Grow Your Ministry To The Next Level

Almost every ministry leader I talk with is reading a book to improve themselves and their ministry. But with more than a million books release annually, it’s difficult to select your next purchase. Which author’s have done the research necessary to release great content? Who can write as an authority on the subject that which you are interested? And honestly, who can write something worth reading? Here are 8 expert authors whose books will grow your ministry to the next level!

How To Host A Simple Turf War For Your KidMin

This past week our preteens made lasting memories as they enjoyed pizza, funnoodles, and small group shenanigans during our Turf War. This annual event draws a crowd as each small group is battling to get the first pick on their small group rooms. While the activity itself is different each year, the Turf War promotes small group ministry, builds strong teams, and involves a lot of friendly competition. Here are a few steps to help you host a simple Turf War for your kids ministry.

17 Excellent Books You’ll Want To Read In 2017

2017 can be your best year yet! You can work hard, reach your goals, and truly steward your time well. I believe a great book can motivate you to become the best version of you possible. Over the last 2 years, I’ve read over 120 books and I’ve narrowed this list down to a few of my favorites. Here are 17 excellent books that you will want to read in 2017!

3 Common Mistakes KidMin Make (And How to Avoid Them)

Hopefully, you are not the same caliber leader you were last year. And hopefully, you are not making the same mistakes today that you made yesterday. At least a dozen times I have heard Jim Wideman say, “Successful leaders make mistakes, and then they learn from those mistakes and keep going.” Today I want to share with you three common mistakes kidmin leaders make and how to avoid them.

17 Excellent Books You’ll Want To Read In 2017

December 19, 2016Corey Jones 5 Comments

“Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.” Joseph Addison

Growing Young: Six Essential Strategies to Help Young People Discover and Love Your Church
by Kara Powell, Jake Mulder, Brad Griffin

Across the United States, churches are losing both members and vitality as increasing numbers of young people disengage. Based on groundbreaking research with over 250 of the nation’s leading congregations, Growing Young provides a strategy any church can use to involve and retain teenagers and young adults.

Memorable Quote: “The internet can’t help you move into your new apartment. Only a close community will do that.”

Lasting Impact: 7 Powerful Conversations That Will Help Your Church Grow
by Carey Nieuwhof

In Lasting Impact, Carey Nieuwhof leads you and your team through seven conversations that will help your church grow and have a lasting impact. Maybe the future belongs to the churches that are willing to have the most honest conversations at a critical time.

Memorable Quote: “If the change inside the church isn’t equal to or greater than the change outside our walls, greater irrelevance is inevitable.”

The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business
by Charles Duhigg

At its core, The Power of Habit contains an exhilarating argument: The key to exercising regularly, losing weight, raising exceptional children, becoming more productive, building revolutionary companies and social movements, and achieving success is understanding how habits work.

Memorable Quote: “Change might not be fast and it isn’t always easy. But with time and effort, almost any habit can be reshaped.”

A Tale of three Kings: A Study in Brokenness
by Gene Edwards

This best-selling tale is based on the biblical figures of David, Saul, and Absalom. For the many Christians who have experienced pain, loss, and heartache at the hands of other believers, this compelling story offers comfort, healing, and hope.

Memorable Quote: “He seemed to understand something that few of even the wisest men of his day understood…God wanted a broken vessel.”

Love Does: Discover a Secretly Incredible Life in an Ordinary World
by Bob Goff

When Love Does, life gets interesting. Each day turns into a hilarious, whimsical, meaningful chance that makes faith simple and real. Each chapter is a story that forms a book, a life. And this is one life you don’t want to miss.

Memorable Quote: “I used to be afraid of failing at something that really mattered to me, but now I’m more afraid of succeeding at things that don’t matter.”

Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration
by Ed Catmull

Creativity, Inc. is a book for managers who want to lead their employees to new heights, a manual for anyone who strives for originality, and the first-ever, all-access trip into the nerve center of Pixar Animation.

Memorable Quote: “Failure isn’t a necessary evil. In fact, it isn’t evil at all. It is a necessary consequence of doing something new.”

Not a Fan: Becoming a Completely Committed Follower of Jesus
by Kyle Idleman
Are you a follower of Jesus? Don’t answer too quickly. In fact, you may want to read this book before you answer at all. Consider it a “Define the Relationship” conversation to determine exactly where you stand. You may indeed be a passionate, fully devoted follower of Jesus. Or, you may be just a fan who admires Jesus but isn’t ready to let him cramp your style.

Memorable Quote: “Fans mistake knowledge OF Jesus for intimacy WITH Jesus.”

Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap… and Others Don’t
by James C. Collins

But what about the company that is not born with great DNA? How can good companies, mediocre companies, even bad companies achieve enduring greatness? For years, this question preyed on the mind of Jim Collins.

Memorable Quote: “Greatness is not a function of circumstance. Greatness, it turns out, is largely a matter of conscious choice, and discipline.”

You and Me Forever: Marriage in Light of Eternity
by Francis Chan, Lisa Chan

In his latest book, Francis Chan joins together with his wife Lisa to address the question many couples wonder at the altar: How do I have a healthy marriage? Setting aside typical topics on marriage, Francis and Lisa dive into Scripture to understand what it means to have a relationship that satisfies the deepest parts of our souls.

Memorable Quote: “Again, our marriage problems are not really marriage problems. They are heart problems. They are God problems.”

Dangerous Calling: Confronting the Unique Challenges of Pastoral Ministry
by Paul David Tripp

Dangerous Calling reveals the truth that the culture surrounding our pastors is spiritually unhealthy–an environment that actively undermines the wellbeing and efficacy of our church leaders and thus the entire church body.

Memorable Quote: “No one celebrates the presence and grace of the Lord Jesus Christ more than the person who has embraced his desperate and daily need of it.”

Seven Practices of Effective Ministry
by Andy Stanley, Lane Jones, Reggie Joiner

There’s no scoreboard in the sanctuary, and the only plate is probably for the offering. But every church leader needs to know how to win, and every congregation needs to know when to cheer. This insightful book speaks to every church leader who yearns for a simpler, more effective approach to ministry.

Memorable Quote: “Nothing hinders morale more than when team members with separate agendas are pulling against one another.”

Jesus Is: Find a New Way to Be Human
by Judah Smith

Jesus is greatly revered, harshly criticized, and sorely misunderstood. Judah breaks down who Jesus is and explains to readers how understanding Jesus more fully will not only enrich their lives, but also give them meaning, as well as save them.

Memorable Quote: “Grace is a person. And his name is Jesus.”

Tweetable Leadership
by Jim Wideman

Tweetable Leadership is a collection of more than 500 tweetable truths that are taken from Jim Wideman’s books, blogs, and teachings that will help jumpstart your thinking and learning so you can apply them in your life.

Memorable Quote: “If God leads us in steps, why don’t we think in steps?”

Halftime: Moving from Success to Significance
by Bob Buford

Bob Buford believes the second half of your life can be better than the first. Much better. But first, you need time to figure out what you want to do with the rest of your life. So he recommends that a reader call “halftime” to reflect not only on where he’s going, but why.

Memorable Quote: If the first half was a quest for success, the second half is a journey to significance.

Boundaries: When To Say Yes, How to Say No
by Henry Cloud, John Townsend

Having clear boundaries is essential to a healthy, balanced lifestyle. A boundary is a personal property line that marks those things for which we are responsible. In other words, boundaries define who we are and who we are not.

Memorable Quote: “Forgiveness gives me boundaries because it unhooks me from the hurtful person, and then I can act responsibly, wisely. If I am not forgiving them, I am still in a destructive relationship with them.”

The Five Dysfunctions of a Team
by Patrick Lencioni

Throughout the story, Lencioni reveals the five dysfunctions which go to the very heart of why teams even the best ones-often struggle. He outlines a powerful model and actionable steps that can be used to overcome these common hurdles and build a cohesive, effective team.

Memorable Quote: “Trust is knowing that when a team member does push you, they’re doing it because they care about the team.”

Raving Fans: A Revolutionary Approach to Customer Service
by Kenneth H. Blanchard

“Your customers are only satisfied because their expectations are so low and because no one else is doing better. Just having satisfied customers isn’t good enough anymore. If you really want a booming business, you have to create Raving Fans.”

Memorable Quote: “As for what I’m doing here, I’m here to show you the three magic secrets of creating Raving Fans, the ultimate in customer service.”

To read how to read 400% more by next year check out this blog post: LINK! With less than 1% of participants reaching their goal on the Goodreads social network this year, I believe part of the problem is a failure in select great books! I’m looking for books to add to my next reading list and must ask, “If we were to round these 17 up to 20, which 3 books would you add to this list?”

5 Compelling Reasons to Attend a Conference in 2017

December 13, 2016Corey Jones Leave a comment

Will you attend a conference this year? Most likely you have clicked the email, you received the mailer, and you have seen the advertisement on social media. You hear a lot of people talking about how much fun they had at a conference, and you have a feeling that you should attend but you have not taken the steps to make your intentions a reality. Or maybe you have attended a conference in the past but it has been a few years since you made attending a conference a priority. Conferences are a valuable ministry experience and can help us go further in our leadership, so here are five reasons you should attend a conference this year.

Connect with God

Sunday mornings you are spread thin. Even if you are able to get into service you know that a text message can easily pull you in another direction. Being present at a conference allows you the freedom to worship God without distraction. Talented worship leaders usher you into the presence of God and through the quality speaking you can hear the wisdom of your Savior. As you sign up for your next conference boldly pray, asking God to speak directly to you. Ask for Him to give you ears to hear His next steps for your life.

Connect with People

It’s easy to feel isolated but events like conferences bring people together. Whether you are waiting in line for food or simply sitting down at a workshop, you are surrounded by people who care deeply about the same things you care deeply about. When you strike up a conversation, it can easily lead to a new friendship built on shared interests. Conferences naturally lend themselves to a place where those in the trenches can easily connect with those who went before them and those who are leading experts in the field. If you desire to network with people who will help you reach your potential, a conference is a great place to find them.

Connect with Resources

Are you up on the latest resources in the church? At a conference, you will be exposed to vendors who would gladly talk with you about their latest and greatest resources. If you want to hear new music, find new and exciting games then just simply walk through the exhibit hall and keep a lookout for what you are wanting to discover. If talking with vendors isn’t your thing, then simply walk through while grabbing brochures and materials from the booths that interest you and then do your research later. When you get home from the event, your brain will be on overload and so having physical reminders of resources will be very helpful.

Connect with Vision

At a conference, you will hear from experts who passionately want to share the vision that God has placed on their hearts. This can spark a fire in your church that carries on far beyond the event. Vision will impact your thinking, and after attending you will likely not see things in the same way. Your perspective might even shift, changing the trajectory of your ministry. Each and every Sunday you might begin asking new questions like, “How do we make this lesson matter on Monday?”

Connect with Calling

As time goes by, you might lose sight of why you do what you do. What first burned inside your heart at the beginning of your ministry might be slowing fading, and a conference might just be that fuel that makes all the difference in your longevity. As you hear the Word of God preached directly to your pains and struggles, you will feel a revival growing inside of you. Attending a conference might just be the pep assembly that renews your soul for another decade of ministry.

As church leaders we need to get smarter, kinder and louder, before those who live around us will trust what we have to say.

Then, what happens at our churches will have lasting impact on what happens in our homes and neighborhoods around our churches.

Join us at OC17 as we discover what it means to be For Our Neighbor. REGISTER BY DECEMBER 15 TO SAVE $70, plus receive Orange Tour bonus content! www.TheOrangeConference.com

(Originally posted to the Orange Blog at: http://orangeblogs.org/orangeleaders/2016/12/13/5-compelling-reasons-to-attend-a-conference-in-2017)

5 Simplistic Steps to Recruit the Best Interns

December 6, 2016Corey Jones Leave a comment

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Are you successfully recruiting the best interns to your organization? Every year, thousands of organizations and ministries are searching for an intern to bring onto their team, but not everyone is successful at finding the right fit. There can be a life-giving breath of fresh air and palatable energy brought to the church through a young and excited intern. But when handled poorly, an intern can also bring a sense of dread or discouragement. We want to create a valuable ministry experience for both the intern and the organization so here are five simplistic steps to recruiting the best interns for your team!

1. PREPARE

Create a written plan explaining why you would like to hire an intern and then get that plan approved. If you believe an internship can propel a person forward through personal development and coaching then write that in the job description. If you believe having someone come alongside you daily will help give ministry experience then write out some daily responsibilities and add those to your document. Determine benefits, expectations, work schedule, required skills and who will provide supervision and prepare a presentation for your leadership. Once you have the position approved and you know what you are looking for in a candidate then you begin the search.

2. SEARCH

Now that you have the internship position approved and you have created a solid job description begin searching for candidates. Post the opening on social media, spread the word, and begin taking resumes. With every possible candidate, carefully read over their resume to see not only what is listed but also what is missing. Check references and ask the hard questions necessary to get to a better understanding of the candidate. Finally, review the candidate’s social media accounts and look for both read flags and hints as to their fit on your team. After you have a good number of resumes, narrow your list and begin interviewing your top candidates.

3. INTERVIEW

Most likely you will be spending a considerate amount of time with your intern so keep this in mind as you begin the interview process. Ideally, you would interview the candidates in person with a group of discerning leaders but if that is not the case then set up the meeting using a service such as Skype or Zoom. Invite a few leaders to come along for the interviews and try lining up your team’s schedules so that you can move fast in the decision process. During the interview ask a variety of questions to get to know them, see how they would handle a situation, and hear their heart for what you are inviting them into. Write down their responses or record the meeting to help with future discussion and deliberation.

4. HIRE

Directly after the interviews, it would be beneficial to deliberate with your team. If one candidate rises to the top and it is an easy decision then begin moving forward with that candidate. If deliberation leads to more confusion then you may need some time or possibly a point system to determine who you will extend the job offer to. When you offer the position to the intern candidate, be clear in your communication. Let the candidate know you have selected them, review the terms of the agreement, and set a deadline to receive an acceptance of the offer.

5. COMMUNICATE

Now that you know who the intern will be and when they will start, communicate with your team and lay out some expectations. Share why you are hiring an intern and how they can help give the intern ministry experience and personal development. Encourage your team to schedule a meal with the intern as a way to break the ice and get to know them. Also if it’s applicable, make sure you inform your organization about what to expect and how the intern fits into the organizational structure. Help the organization see what the benefit will be as well as how they can contribute to the intern’s growth.

Hiring an intern can bring energy and fresh eyes to your organization. Make sure you do the hard work and follow these five simplistic steps to recruit the best intern for your team!

(Originally posted to the Youth Specialties blog at https://youthspecialties.com/blog/5-simplistic-steps-recruit-best-interns)

Are You Working Willingly As If For God?

November 28, 2016Corey Jones Leave a comment

What is your favorite scripture passage in all of the Bible? Maybe you think of the famous verse, John 3:16, “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” Or maybe you learned Proverbs 3:5 growing up, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.”

Of the 31,102 verses found in the Bible, I would have to say one of my favorites is found in Colossians 3:23, “Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.” We are not living for this world and we need to be prepared for opportunities to serve God through serving others. We must pray and live intentionally with our focus on living for God. Let’s break down Colossians 3:23 to help us grow in our walk with the Lord.

Work willingly: Our work, or whatever we commit our time and energy towards, needs to flow out of a willingness to serve the Lord. When we sit down at the desk or show up at the counter to begin our shift, we need to have the attitude of an eager servant. We need to work not begrudgingly or with half effort, but as an act of worship.

At whatever you do: Not just in your nine to five, but in everything your hand finds to do, serve God. Whatever you make, bring forth, commit to, or engage in, ask yourself if it is glorifying God. On both your cheerful days and the days when you are feeling your worst, in everything honor God.

As though you were working for the Lord: If you work for an angry boss or a lazy business owner then you might be tempted to slack off when the work gets hard. The primary focus of our work should not be a paycheck or a raise, but honoring God. With the mindset of serving our ultimate “Boss,” we will see our motivations and work ethic in a completely different model.

Rather than for people: The reason for our behavior and attitude should not be found in pleasing others, but ultimately in pleasing the Lord. Paul put it best in Galatians 1:10 when he wrote, “Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant.” The compelling force behind our work in both the big and small needs to be found in honoring God more than people.

Take a minute before you click out of this post to reflect on your day so far. Have you been a willing worker? In everything, is your attitude glorying God? Are you striving to please the Lord in your work more than other people? You’ve got this! Repent, and start again.

The Unique Challenge of Youth Ministry Without Having Kids

November 28, 2016Corey Jones Leave a comment

When you think of a youth minister who is married but has decided not to have kids, what is the first thing that comes to your mind? Do you wonder if he is selfish and chose not to have kids so that he can live his life free from the pressures of being a parent? Do you consider him lazy or immature as he lives alone with his spouse? What if I told you that choosing to remain childless may actually be a way to serve God more fully? While we are all aware of the benefits that having kids can bring to your household, today I want to share the unique challenge of doing youth ministry without having kids of your own.

BENEFITS

When a youth minister does not have kids of his own, he is able to keep the ministry at a higher priority and devote more time to the youth of his church. Instead of balancing his schedule to attend his own children’s sports, he is able to be actively involved in the sports of the kids in his youth group. When an emergency happens in the middle of the night, he doesn’t have to worry about getting his kids to school on time and is able to be there with the family involved. When a new ministry opportunity opens up in another town or state, he is able to move without worrying about how his children will adjust to a new school.

DIFFICULTIES

When a youth minister has kids, he is able to be a solid example and model for the parents in his ministry. He is able to practice what he preaches in his own household and give parents something to strive towards. It can be very difficult to teach a parenting class when you yourself are not a parent. Parents in the church are often looking for someone to ask questions to and usually, their first choice is not the young or childless youth minister. Someone without kids may also overlook situations that parents clearly see, such as having an event that ends after nine o’clock on a school night.

ADVICE

If you have not been called to be a parent and are able to do youth ministry without kids of your own you need to consider both the benefits and difficulties that come with this lifestyle. You are not the parenting expert, but this doesn’t mean that you are off the hook. Here are some tips:

Start building a resource library so that you can equip the families in your church with wise advice.
Create a parent council to come alongside you and help you see things you are currently unaware of.
Point parents to the real authority by reading and memorizing Scripture passages directed towards parents and use them in your weekly conversations.

Being in youth ministry without having kids of your own brings many challenges. Do you see additional benefits or difficulties that you would like to share? Is there advice that you can give to help a youth minister in this situation? Share in the comments!

(Originally posted at: https://youthspecialties.com/blog/unique-challenge-youth-ministry-without-kids/)

Breakthrough Secrets To Engaging Students In Your Next Talk

November 20, 2016Corey Jones Leave a comment

“God doesn’t need flawless communicators just faithful hardworking ones.” – Doug Fields

At the National Youth Workers Convention you will find excellent speaking with an outstanding stage presence. Presenters have refined their skills to engage the crowds and it is easy to see that their hard work is paying off. At this year’s conference Josh Griffin and Doug Fields shared from their combined 50 years of ministry experience to challenge youth workers in how they lead from the stage. Here are breakthrough secrets to engage students in your next talk!

Be Authentic.

Use your life but remember that not all of your stories are winning stories. You can expose your failures and pains but only share at an appropriate level. The real you is inviting, so take time to craft personal stories. If you are wanting to discuss a topic outside of your scope then it might be time to bring out an expert panel. Stay away from stories that you don’t own because if you are fake, your audience will know.

Be Funny.

Humor opens the door to engaging your students. Doug explains the essence of humor as taking your audience down a path and then quickly jumping in an unexpected direction. Use images, memes, and videos but think through your transitions out of a funny moment. Get the audience laughing, pause, and then connect the humor to the principle you are teaching. Self-deprecating humor is the best because when you make fun of yourself the audience leans in and identifies with you more. Also, consider using call back humor by bringing back a joke from earlier in your message.

Be Different

Make the message come alive. To do this, you might use different tools like discussion questions, testimonies, or even a change in the venue. Know when in the message your audience is going to need a break or time to breathe. Silence can become a mini illustration. Use a dramatic pause to draw the students back into your talk.

Be Clear.

For students to follow along in your talk, they need your message to stick: Study, Think, Illustrate, Construct, Keep-focused. When you introduce an object lesson or story, students might not need to see how it connects all at first, but you don’t want to leave them hanging too long. Create a clear call to action and help each student know what their next step is as a result of your talk.

Be Intentional.

Always bait your hook. Walk on the stage with confidence knowing that you did the work necessary to deliver an engaging message. Know how are you going to grab their attention. You can make something feel spontaneous yet it is fully planned. Be intentional in connecting your humor, illustration, story, or object to the goal of your message. Also, work on phrases that build an authentic bridge to your audience. Saying something like, “and that’s what I want for you as well” or “here’s why I really want you to get this” are great phrases to engage with your students.

Proverbs 15:2, “The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouths of fools pour out folly.”

You have been entrusted with the responsibility of presenting the good news message of Jesus. Work hard to engage your students in your next talk!

“If you think the gathering of biblical facts and standing up with a Bible in your hand will automatically equip you to communicate well, you are desperately mistaken. It will not. You must work at being interesting. Boredom is a gross violation, being dull is a grave offense, and irrelevance is a disgrace to the gospel. Too often these three crimes go unpunished and we preachers are the criminals.” – Charles Swindoll

28 Leadership Quotes From the #NYWC16

November 18, 2016Corey Jones Leave a comment

Every year thousands of youth workers for training, networking, encouragement, soul care, resources, and much more at the National Youth Workers Convention! Here are 28 leadership quotes that I believe will speak to your heart.

Mark Matlock @MarkMatlock

“Students will come in droves to learn about 3 topics: Sex, end times, and will there be sex in the end times.”

“If you knew Jesus was coming back next week, what would you do different?”

“One of the problems is that when we think about Heaven our thoughts are too small.”

“How we see Heaven is how we will live on earth.”

“To arise is to live on earth as it is in Heaven.”

“Teenagers are imagining and dreaming from a different space than we are.”

“To arise is to help teenagers see their vocation as kingdom work.”

“Ask yourself: What is God asking us to do? How do we arise? How is God calling you to stand up and step out?”

“How is God calling you to stand up and step out?”

Chase Snyder @ChaseSnyder12

“If you serve bi-vocationally, you can still have a full impact in your community.”

“There’s no part time in ministry. Everyone has expectations for you and that expectation doesn’t go away just because you have fewer hours.”

“‘Satan never takes a vacation so you shouldn’t.’ This is not who you should be modeling your life after.”

Kara Powell @KPowellFYI

“Youth leaders see a few photos, parents see the whole photo album.”

“As a parent, I need you to help me navigate the whole photo album.”

Albert Tate @alberttate

“Before you can do the work, you have to do the worship.”

“We know how to recover from failure but do we know how to recover from success?”

“The church of Jesus Christ is Plan A there is no Plan B…There are no sections in heaven! We will be one church!”

“If you failed or missed the mark, Jesus is not done with you.”

“Before you can do the work, you have to do the worship.”

“I don’t care what the numbers say in the audience we just need to be faithful with that God has given us.”

“Some of you are waiting for God to give you instruction. But Moses stepped out FIRST, then God gave instruction.”

Jeremy Del Rio @jeremydelrio

“You can’t fish for men and women without going to where the fish are.”

“It’s the job of the evangelist, apostle, and prophet to activate the people in the pews.”

“Our goal, simply stated, is that students and schools should thrive.”

Tony Campolo @TonyCampolo

“I have yet to meet someone who became a Christian by losing an argument.”

“The only way to bring someone back to the faith is to pray them back.”

Greg Stier @gregstier

“Evangelism really forces the risk of a social death.”

“Don’t just throw seeds – we need a greenhouse.”

Which quote spoke to you the most? If you were there and would like to add more, what would help make this list more complete?

How To Easily Network With Other Leaders Now

November 17, 2016Corey Jones Leave a comment

So what is your strategy to network with other leaders at your next conference?

Do you stand at the entrance, handing out business cards to everyone as they enter?

Do you pay thousands of dollars to advertise your social media content, hoping for followers?

Do you print your twitter handle on stickers and attach them to everything as you walk through the exhibit hall?

If you’re like most people, the thought of asking a stranger for help or reaching out to an author to ask questions begins a nervous feeling deep down in your gut. You know the value of networking but you find it easier said than done. Right now, I want to share with you a few tested tips to give you a successful networking experience at your next conference!

Know Your Goal.

Most people fail to network well because they don’t know what they are looking for in the first place. Are you looking for advice? Are you trying to land a book deal? Do you want to learn from someone further down the road then you? Are you just looking for someone to vent to? Start now by determining your goal.

Prepare.

If the presenter walked off the stage and asked you to go to dinner would you be prepared to ask meaningful questions? Do you know where you are currently in leadership and what you need to get to the next level? Take some time right now to write down a few questions. Prepare for the chance encounter. Know your schedule and when downtime will make networking natural. Print off a couple of business cards in case you need to cut a conversation short. And make sure you follow conference hashtags on social media to connect digitally as well!

Create Opportunities.

Make every minute count. Whether you are waiting in line for coffee or walking through registration, look up from your phone and connect with the people around you. If this is intimidating then consider getting a wing man to help you out socially or write down a few ice breaker questions that can spark meaningful conversation. Maybe you create an opportunity by hosting a meal or offering to pick up the coffee tab in exchange for a person’s time. Remember to be generous.

Be Worthwhile.

Nothing frustrates a leader worse than wasting valuable time. If someone agrees to invest their time into you, do the work necessary to return the favor. Ask targeted questions and actually listen, not just waiting for your turn to talk. Give the leader your full attention and take notes when appropriate. This can be a reciprocal relationship but keep close attention to how much you are talking and the body language of the other person. Remember it’s better to leave the conversation with the other person desiring more.

Follow up.

When you turn and walk away can you clearly articulate your next step? Did the leader give you a deep wisdom that you need to take some time to digest? Did you set up a conference call or ask if you can connect on social media? A sure fire way to building a lasting relationship with someone is to follow up with them, expressing what you learned and how meeting them has impacted your life.

Networking doesn’t have to be complicated. You can easily connect with other leaders and form genuine relationships. Take time right now and do the work necessary to set yourself up for future success.

Quick Book Review & Free Giveaway: Stretch by Jim Wideman

November 8, 2016Corey Jones Leave a comment

stretchblog

If you’re leading a team of volunteers or oversee a ministry, you celebrate and search after growth. In Jim Wideman’s informative book, Stretch – Structuring Your Ministry For Growth, he asks the questions, “If a hundred new families walked into your church, would you know what do do with them? Would their kids have teachers? Would they even have a classroom? If fifty people who wanted to serve approached you this Sunday, could your system handle it?” These questions will challenge your thinking and throughout the book you will be see how to create a growth structure for your ministry.

Stretch Teaches The Following Topics:

The Importance of Structure

Making Room to Receive

Beginning Keys to Building Structure in Ministry

Structuring Yourself for Growth

Enlarging the Abilities of Those You Lead

Structuring Your Organization for Growth

Structuring Your Volunteers for Growth

Structuring Your Facilities for Growth

Communicating Your Structure

Questions to Ask Yourself

If you desire to apply Biblical principles of structuring your ministry for growth, then Stretch is for you. Pick up a copy for yourself and then lead your team through each chapter. Take steps today, to move away from a maintenance model and create a strategic plan for the ministry you are stewarding.

If you would like to be entered for a chance to win a physical copy of Stretch, simply share this blog post to social media.

CoreyRayJones

Living life for the One who gave me life!

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Author: Corey Jones

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