Simple Kids Ministry

What if your social media, your curriculum prep, and even your summer programming strategy could all work smarter — not harder? In this conversation, Katie Cummins, NextGen Director at Church of Hope in Ocala, Florida, pulls back the curtain on how she approaches three areas every kids ministry leader navigates: social media, AI, and summer programming. Katie shares how she uses her ministry's...

What actually produces lasting faith in kids? LifeWay has been researching that question for over a decade — and the answer keeps coming back to the Bible. Jana Magruder, Director of Kids Ministry Publishing at LifeWay, joins the podcast to talk about what that research found, what it means for the local church, and how it shapes everything her team builds. Jeremy and Jana dig into the origin stor...

In this conversation, Amy pulls back the curtain on how one of the most popular VBS experiences gets made, from the messy, prayerful brainstorming process all the way to final execution. She shares what most churches get wrong about their VBS budget (hint: it's not the stage), where leaders consistently underspend their energy, and how her thinking has shifted over the years on whether VBS is...

What does it look like to build a thriving kids ministry team — and lead the people above you just as well as the people beside you? Jeremy sits down with Andrae Jones, Kids Pastor at One Community Church in Plano, Texas, to talk community, culture, and what it takes to lead well over the long haul. Andrae shares how he helped launch DFW KidMin, a grassroots quarterly gathering for kids leaders ac...

Justyn Smith has spent decades raising the bar for kids ministry — from building Disney-inspired environments at River Valley Church to coaching leaders and writing books that have shaped how the whole field thinks about volunteers, systems, and discipleship. In this conversation, Jeremy and Justyn cover a lot of ground — from what the Disney model actually teaches us about environments and family...

What does it actually take to build a kids ministry that doesn't burn you out? Annette Safstrom — author of  Sustainable Children's Ministry  and consultant with Ministry Architects — knows firsthand what it feels like to hit the wall. In this conversation, she shares the turning point that brought her back into ministry, why the "workhorse syndrome" is silently crushing so many...

What does it look like when kids actually encounter the presence of God? Mal Corwin, Kids Pastor at The Belonging Co, shares how they have cultivated a place where children lead in worship, pray for healing, and hear from God in real and tangible ways. Mal unpacks the philosophy behind the phrase "there's no junior Holy Spirit" — and what it actually looks like in practice. From teac...

What does it look like when God calls you to something that terrifies you? David Rausch, founder of GO! Curriculum and author of Feeding Faith , shares the story behind his leap from kids ministry director to curriculum creator. Jeremy and David dig into what makes curriculum actually work: developmental appropriateness, the E.A.T. framework, and why GO!'s chronological scope and sequence was...

n this episode, Lauren Jackson from Kids Ministry Circle joins us to dig into one of the most important (and often overlooked) parts of building a healthy kids ministry: onboarding volunteers. We talk about what a great onboarding experience actually looks like, how to set volunteers up to stay, and why so many leaders skip steps that matter. We also get into the nuances of working with student vo...

What does it look like to step into a kids ministry leadership role as a young leader — especially when you're following someone with a big legacy? This episode covers the unique challenges and advantages of leading young, how to develop your own leadership identity instead of copying someone else's, and what it means to do ministry through people rather than for them. We also get into cur...

In this episode, Jeremy sits down with Dan Pollak, Kids Ministry Director at Flatirons Church in Colorado. They dig into what kids ministry can learn from youth culture, how to challenge kids without losing them, and the critical role a consistent small group leader plays in a child's spiritual growth. They also get surprisingly honest about the real cost — financial and otherwise — of buildin...

Kids ministry gets chaotic — that's a given. But how you respond when things go sideways is what separates good leaders from great ones. In this solo episode, Jeremy introduces a framework from KIDMIN U called poise — the ability to stay calm and composed when things don't go as planned. He shares three practical ways to develop this skill: experience, perspective, and preparation. This episode is...

In this episode, we sit down with Andy, Global Kids Ministry Ambassador for OneHope — the organization behind the Bible App for Kids and the Kids Bible Experience on YouVersion. Andy unpacks what OneHope's latest research on Gen Z and Gen Alpha is revealing — including the alarming gap between how many young people identify as Christian versus how many actually engage their faith. He also dive...

What does it look like to build a kids ministry curriculum completely from scratch — original songs, music videos, lesson plans, and more? In this episode, Jeremy sits down with Kelli Ayotte, who spent 10 years in children's ministry co-leading a creative team alongside her husband Jordan at Sandals Church. Kelli shares how they identified the "gap" that drove their decision to creat...

In this episode, Jeremy sits down with Kirsten Hitchcock to explore one of the most overlooked—but critical—topics in kids ministry: understanding ages and stages. From cognitive development to spiritual formation, Kirsten shares how kids actually learn over time—and why that should shape everything from your teaching to your environments. Together, they unpack what it looks like to distill truth...

How do you measure success in kids ministry? For many leaders, talking about numbers feels uncomfortable. Ministry is about people, not metrics. But ignoring the numbers can actually make it harder to serve families well. In this episode, Jeremy sits down with longtime kids pastor turned lead pastor David Reneau to talk about the role data can play in healthy ministry. David shares how tracking th...

When you think about a 1,200-kid VBS, it’s easy to assume it’s all hype and high energy. But what actually makes an event like that work? In this episode, Jeremy sits down with Amanda Peck, Children’s Director at The Grove Community Church, to pull back the curtain on what it takes to execute VBS at a high level year after year. From leadership structure and volunteer empowerment to signage, regis...

Kids ministry is facing a leadership crisis—and most churches aren’t prepared for it. In this conversation, Vance Martin from Slingshot shares what he’s learned from helping hundreds of churches hire and develop NextGen leaders. He explains why kids pastor roles are some of the hardest to fill, why many leaders struggle to gain support, and what separates those who burn out from those who last. Mo...

In this episode, we sit down with Kim Botto to talk about what it really looks like to build kids ministry environments where every child and every family feels seen, safe, and supported. Drawing from decades of experience as a kids pastor, adoptive mom, and advocate, Kim shares powerful insights on foster care, adoption, trauma-informed ministry, and disability inclusion. Together, we unpack why...

In this episode, Corinne Noble shares her journey into kids ministry — feeling called at age 10, earning a degree in children’s ministry, and stepping into a full-time kids pastor role at just 21. She reflects on leading young, building confidence, and navigating the internal barriers many leaders face. The conversation dives deep into kids ministry environments: whether churches should compete wi...

Brittany Nelson from Deeper Kidmin joins us to talk about planning a kids ministry year with purpose. We dive into how to start with clear goals, filter events through real value (not just tradition), and build a meaningful ministry calendar. Brittany shares practical insights on evaluating events, planning around family rhythms, collaborating with staff, and creating space for both structure and...

What if the volunteer shortage isn’t a people problem, but a systems problem? In this episode, I sit down with Nick Blevins, one of the most trusted voices in kids ministry when it comes to building healthy volunteer teams. Nick shares his story and unpacks what actually works when it comes to recruiting, retaining, and caring for volunteers over the long haul. We talk about why having too many vo...

In this episode, Jeremy sits down with Christen Clark (host of the Collide Kids Podcast and Seven Minute Devotions for Busy Parents ) to talk about what real partnership with parents actually looks like in kids ministry. You’ll hear why encouragement matters more than information, what parents are truly looking for right now, and how to build simple, sustainable rhythms that help families grow spi...

In this episode, we’re joined by Lauren Jackson , founder of Kids Ministry Circle , for a practical conversation about one of the most overlooked parts of building a healthy kids ministry: volunteer onboarding . Lauren shares her origin story in kids ministry, what she wishes she knew in year one, and why onboarding isn’t just paperwork — it’s leadership, discipleship, and protection. We talk thro...

What does it take to lead in kids ministry for decades… and still love it? In this very first episode, we sit down with kids ministry legend Jim Wideman to talk about the stuff that actually makes leaders last. Jim shares how he accidentally got started in kids ministry over 50 years ago, what he wishes he knew in his early years, and why the key to sustainable ministry isn’t doing more; it’s buil...