Kids Ministry Collective

When was the last time you checked on the health of your heart—not just your children's ministry? In Episode 10, Tom, Cole, Ben, and Vicki talk honestly about ministry burnout: the warning signs, why it happens even to faithful leaders, and five practical ways to stay spiritually and emotionally healthy for the long haul—going vertical, staying in the Word, not doing ministry alone, setting real b...

Are you feeling overwhelmed in your ministry, crashing every Sunday? Join Tom Bump, Cole Rice, and Vicki Abbott on this episode of the KMC Collective Podcast as they unpack the critical conversation about maintaining a sustainable pace in ministry. Discover how to transform that dreaded Sunday crash into a powerful momentum for your calling, ensuring you’re not just surviving but thriving in your...

Are you overwhelmed by a never-ending to-do list? In this episode of the KMC Podcast, Vicki, Tom, Cole, and Ben tackle the pressing question: How do we determine what truly deserves our attention? Join us as we explore the complexities of prioritizing tasks in a ministry setting, where everything feels urgent but not necessarily important. Vicki sets the stage, questioning how we can sift through...

Your inbox is chaos. Your to-do list never ends. And you're carrying tasks that shouldn't be yours. In this episode, the KMC Coaches get real about neglected tasks, email overload, and procrastination—and why they're actually leadership issues, not character flaws. We share our own struggles, dig into why prioritization feels impossible when you're juggling everything, and walk through practical s...

Procrastination isn't a character flaw. It's a signal. In this episode, we're getting real about why kids ministry leaders procrastinate—especially when energy is low and the tasks feel endless. Cole Rice opens up about his own procrastination struggles and how they drain his leadership energy. But here's the thing: once you understand why you're avoiding tasks, you can actually do something about...

What You'll Learn in This Episode You're running your kids ministry on fumes—short-staffed, stretched thin, and wondering where your next volunteer is coming from. This episode is for you. We dig into the real challenges of recruiting and retaining volunteers in children's ministry without burning yourself out in the process. Learn practical strategies Nicole Brutosky and our team use to move from...

In this episode, the KMC Teach discuss the importance of inviting volunteers to serve in children's ministry rather than simply asking them. They explore the ineffectiveness of mass appeals and share research-backed strategies for personal engagement. The conversation includes personal anecdotes and success stories that highlight the positive impact of direct invitations on volunteer participation...

In this episode, Tom Bump, Cole Rice, and Vicki Abbott discuss the challenges of volunteer recruitment and retention in church ministries. They emphasize the importance of understanding the difference between recruiting new volunteers and retaining existing ones. The conversation highlights key questions leaders should ask themselves to improve their volunteer culture and the significance of creat...

Volunteers rarely quit because of the kids — they quit because of what's (or isn't) happening around them. We're getting honest about the real reasons children's ministry volunteers walk away, and what actually builds a team that stays.   Want someone to talk to about this? Kidsministrycollective.com 

In this episode, the KMC Team welcomes listeners back to the KMC Collective Podcast for Season 3, discussing their commitment to the kids' ministry community and previewing upcoming topics. They delve into the importance of building confidence in leadership, sharing personal experiences with imposter syndrome and the challenges of people-pleasing. The conversation reflects on highlights from Seaso...

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...

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 Arms — kids worship songwriter, worship director at Springwell Church, and creator of Dylan Arms 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...

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 le...

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 hones...

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. H...

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 fra...

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...

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. Be...

You weren't meant to lead kids ministry alone — and this episode is your wake-up call to stop trying. In Part 2 of our "Tools for Kids Ministry Leaders" series, Tom, Cole, Ben, and Vickie get real about the tools that aren't apps or calendars — they're people. If you caught Part 1 (featuring the legendary Jim Wideman), you already know the power of systems and AI. Now we're going deeper into the h...

What does it really take to lead in children's ministry for the long haul — and actually enjoy it? In this episode of the KMC Collective Podcast, the team sits down with legendary children's ministry leader Jim Wideman, who brings more than 50 years of hands-on experience to the conversation. From his early days watching Bozo's Circus for programming ideas to introducing children's ministry concep...

What are the best tools for kids ministry leaders to save time and reduce stress? In this episode of the KMC Collective Podcast, Tom, Ben, and Vickie share the practical, everyday tools that make children's ministry leadership easier — from calendar time blocking and AI for curriculum writing to Canva for church design and Bible study resources like Logos and BibleProject. We break down how to use...

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 s...

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...

In this episode of the KMC Collective Podcast, Tom, Cole, Vicki, and Ben continue their “Called or Confused” conversation, responding to a listener's question about whether being “called to ministry” applies only to pastors. They emphasize that every follower of Jesus shares the same calling to follow Christ, love God and others, and make disciples through the Great Commission, regardless of job o...

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 pers...