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by Kids Ministry Collective
KMC Collective Podcast is a weekly conversation about children's ministry, kidmin leadership and growing a powerful ministry. The KMC Collective coaches are here to serve each week.
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In episode 40 of season two of the KMC Collective Podcast, Tom, Ben, Vickie, and Ron celebrate passing 375 episodes and major growth milestones, including nearly 180,000 downloads, 25,000 listeners across 100 countries, and early YouTube traction. Tom shares his ministry background, including decades of pastoral work and a passion for supporting burned-out leaders through Restoring Leaders, while Ron recounts his 30 years in kids ministry and his ongoing behind-the-scenes role in KMC. Ron highlights his ministry resources, including the “Kids Guide to Christianity” workbooks and the “Dewey the Dragon” book series. The team reminisces about KMC’s origins in internet radio via CM Connect and Blog Talk Radio, their early tech mishaps and memories, and the core mission of community—helping children’s ministry leaders not do ministry alone—as they prepare to launch season three. Links: https://pastorronbrooks.com/ https://deweythedragon.com/ https://Kidsministrycollective.com
What if your kids worship time was doing far more than filling a slot in your service? In this episode, we sit down with Dylan Armes — kids worship songwriter, worship director at Springwell Church, and creator of Dylan Armes Kids Worship — to talk about how worship is one of the most powerful discipleship tools you have in children's ministry. Dylan shares why he believes kids were made to worship just like the rest of us — and how the biggest misconception in the Church is treating kids worship as entertainment rather than formation. When you shift that mindset, everything changes: your song selection, your preparation, and the culture you're intentionally building. We dig into: How to define the why behind your worship culture before you change anything else Why engaging the fifth grade boy is your secret weapon for reaching the whole room Practical ways to extend worship beyond Sunday morning — including the power of a playlist What it means to lead the room, not just lead the song How Dylan's newest release, Hello God, teaches kids to pray through worship Whether you're leading with a full live band or a lyric video on a screen, this conversation will give you real, practical steps you can take this week to raise the bar in your kids worship experience. Dylan also opens up about how identity has shaped his writing journey — and why music that's genuine, theologically rich, and just plain good will follow kids home, into the car, and into their hearts for a lifetime. Connect with Dylan: Visit dylanarmeskidsworship.com | Instagram @DylanArmes | YouTube: Dylan Armes Kids Worship | Streaming: Spotify, Apple Music, and all major platforms. 📲 If this episode encouraged you, subscribe to the KMC Collective Podcast and share it with a fellow kids ministry leader who needs it today!
Nobody tells you what you're actually signing up for when you say yes to kids ministry. The confetti, the costumes, and the camp stories look great from the outside — but what happens behind the curtain? In this episode, Tom, Cole, and Vicky get refreshingly honest about their calling, their biggest ministry mistakes, and the lessons that shaped them into the leaders they are today. From Cole's leap from volunteer to multi-site programming director before finishing college, to Tom's life-changing encounter with a six-year-old girl in Detroit who didn't know who God was, to Vicky's unexpected pivot from aspiring special ed teacher to children's pastor — every story is proof that the calling to kids ministry is deeply personal, rarely predictable, and always worth saying yes to. The team also shares their most cringe-worthy "what was I thinking?" moments — including an indoor pyrotechnic object lesson that sent 300 kids running for their lives and a camp tornado watch that turned into a real-time safety scramble. You'll laugh, maybe tear up, and definitely feel seen. Whether you're brand new to kids ministry leadership or you're in a hard season wondering if you made the right call, this episode is your reminder: God's not done writing your story. This Week's Better Together Challenge: Write your personal ministry calling statement. Answer these four questions — What do you believe about your calling? Why does it matter to you? How has God wired and prepared you? And what future do you want to help create? Share your answers in the Kid Ministry Collective Facebook Group at kidministrycollective.com. 🎧 Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and join us on YouTube so you never miss an episode. We'd love to hear where you're tuning in from!
Should kids be in the main worship service — or not? It's one of the most emotionally charged questions in kids ministry, and the KMC Collective team is diving in headfirst. In this episode, Tom, Cole, Ben, and Vickie unpack the real conversation happening inside the Kids Ministry Collective Facebook group around kids in big church — and they're not here to hand you one right answer. Because honestly? There isn't one. The team walks through the three primary models churches use — full kids church, kids in the entire service, and the hybrid dismissal model — and explores the honest benefits and real challenges of each. From the powerful discipleship moment of a parent worshiping beside their child, to the logistical chaos of safely dismissing kids mid-service, no stone is left unturned. Want some help? Head to our Website for all the info: KidsMinistryCollective.com
When was the last time you took a Sunday off? If the honest answer is never — this episode is for you. In this candid and deeply practical conversation, Tom, Cole, Ben, and Vicki get real about one of the most common traps in kids ministry: building a ministry that only runs when you show up. They share their own confessions, their burnout stories, and the mindset shifts that changed everything. Here's what's covered in this episode: The team dives into why kids ministry leaders struggle to step away — from the lie that "nobody can do this but me," to the fear of taking advantage of volunteers. They unpack the difference between a ministry that's healthy and one that's secretly dependent on a single person showing up 52 weeks a year. You'll hear practical, scalable strategies for raising up volunteer leaders at every church size — from small churches with fewer than 10 volunteers, to multi-site ministries with 40-plus team members. Whether you're looking for your first right-hand person or building out a full coach model, this episode meets you where you are. The crew also tackles one of the biggest mental hurdles in volunteer recruitment: "don't say their no." Stop disqualifying people before you even ask. Give the Holy Spirit room to work — and be surprised by who steps up. Finally, the team issues a Find Your One challenge: ask God to show you the one person you can begin pouring into today. Then come share that name in the Kids Ministry Collective Facebook group or YouTube comments so the community can pray with you. You don't have to do this alone. A healthy kids ministry never depends on just one person. We are better together. Join the conversation in the Kids Ministry Collective Facebook Group and share the name of the one person you're going to invest in this week! Need a Coach: Kidmincoach.net Learn about what the KMC offers YOU!: KidsMinistryCollective.com
Summer doesn't slow down for kids ministry — and the pressure to keep going can quietly drain even the best leaders. In this episode, Tom, Ben, and Vicki talk honestly about what summer really feels like: the comparison trap, volunteer fatigue, VBS planning stress, and how to protect your mindset when every other ministry around you seems to be taking a break. You'll walk away with a practical framework to shift from survival mode to sustainable leadership — including the "Day One, Week One" mindset, how life-change stories can re-energize your team, and why working for Jesus changes everything about how you show up. Kids ministry burnout is real. But so is the clarity on the other side of it. 🎧 Subscribe to the KMC Collective Podcast for weekly encouragement built for kids ministry leaders. Need more support? Visit kmcoach.net to schedule a free 30-minute coaching call — or join the conversation in our Kids Ministry Collective Facebook community.
On the KMC Collective Podcast, the team discusses why celebrating kids ministry milestones—especially promotion weekends like Move Up Sunday—matters for children and parents, and emphasizes being intentional and consistent rather than extravagant. They compare different promotion timing approaches (beginning of summer vs. end of summer/fall) and share practical celebration ideas such as preview weekends, gradual transitions, a “slide into your new grade” event, inflatables, photo booths, postcards, ice cream sundaes, and low-budget décor. The conversation highlights partnering with student ministry to help fourth/fifth graders transition to middle school through early visits, repeated touchpoints, shared worship elements, and involving youth as leaders in kids ministry. They close by encouraging leaders to create simple “confetti moments” of recognition and celebration and invite listeners to continue the conversation in their Facebook group and KidMinPlus.net
You've been leading hard since September. The end of the ministry year is right there — but finishing well takes more than just surviving. Join Tom, Cole, Ben, and Vicki as they sit down and get honest about what May actually feels like — the exhaustion, the wins, and the real failures that taught them the most. Cole shares what it's like to lose a key volunteer mid-season and carry the weight. Ben opens up about a two-year burnout season and why five minutes recalibrating with Jesus can save your ministry. Vicki names her biggest fail: believing that because she was on staff, it all had to fall on her. You'll hear practical strategies for building seasonal volunteer teams, celebrating your people before summer, chunking your calendar to protect your energy, and knowing when to ask for help instead of white-knuckling it alone. Topics covered: finishing the ministry year well, volunteer team health, avoiding burnout, seasonal teams, end-of-year priorities, and setting yourself up for a strong fall restart. We're better together — and you don't have to carry this alone. 👉 Connect with a KMC coach: kidministrycollective.com 👉 Join the community: kidminplus.net 👉 Join the conversation: Kids Ministry Collective Facebook Group
KMC Collective Podcast is a weekly conversation about children's ministry, kidmin leadership and growing a powerful ministry. The KMC Collective coaches are here to serve each week.
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