Kenny Conley is proof that it’s a small world.  I did not officially meet the giant of a man (physically he’s like a giant tree…even in my own backyard) until 2009, but we’ve been dangerously close to meeting for years.  He lived in Tulsa, OK at the same time that I did in college.  He then lived in the DFW Metroplex for years at the very same time I did.  We both left churches in DFW around the exact same time, and even attended the Orange Conference in 2008 at the same time!  I remember Matt McKee telling me that I should visit with Kenny while I was there, but I guess I was preoccupied with sitting in Atlanta traffic and never got to it.

I did finally meet Kenny at the Orange Conference in 2009, and 2010.  I’ve also had Kenny and his family over for an evening in Lubbock once when they drove through town on their way to Colorado.  This summer my family returned the favor (albiet staying for much longer) and we all had a blast.  Ask him to tell you about the time he almost killed me and my oldest son on the San Marcos river in late July 2010!  My kids knew him much before they actually met him; because when we had some family medical issues a few years ago, Kenny and his wife Sara paid to have some pizza delivered to our house.  Such a special thing for my family at the time, and much appreciated!

Kenny is somebody worth following, and he can be followed at www.childrensministryonline.com.  He’s worked in small churches, and big churches; baptist churches, and pentecostal churches; and he’s been through some pretty great ministry highs, and some pretty sorry ministry lows.  For being only in his early 30′s, it’s amazing what Kenny has seen and been through as it relates to Children’s Ministry and now Family Ministry.  In Austin he’s transitioned to a more family ministry leadership role, taking the coolest job title in the word; “Next Generations Pastor” at Gateway Church.  While he no longer teaches kids with weekend regularity, or recruits 3 year old teachers with reckless abandon; he’s still committed to leading others into leading churches to intentionally equip children.

He’ll try anything, and has a closed mind about very few things in ministry.  He’s easy to get time with, and I promise if you email him…he will eventually return your email.  And when he does, I can guarantee you it will be sent between the hours of midnight at 2:00 a.m.

Gina writes over at www.ginamcclain.com.  It took her a few blog addresses to settle into www.ginamcclain.com, and we’re all glad she didn’t go with the some of the racier alternatives.  It’s a great story that won’t be repeated on this family-friendly blog.  You should ask her!  We all wish she would write more, so go over there now and leave some obnoxious comments suggesting she write more.

About 4 years ago, Gina sent me an email asking me a question about something.  I don’t remember anything from that email, but I will never forget what she started it off with.

Dear Pastor Cliff,

I still laugh out loud when I think about being called, Pastor Cliff.

But you see that’s the thing about Gina.  She asks questions.  She’s always willing to run something past you, always wants to know what did and didn’t work when you did something, and is always, always, always willing to share.  She’s an original pro-family Children’s Minister.  When she was transitioning between Lifechurch.tv and Faith Promise Church in Knoxville, it was encouraging to both Starr and I to watch God provide the large and tiny details to confirm to their family His faithfulness.

So when have I met Gina?  I first met Gina in person at the Orange Conference in 2009, and talked her into giving some of us a little bit of time when she was at Orange 2010.  I’ve even visited her when she lived in Edmond, OK on a trip my family took through the Great State (that being Oklahoma.)  Her husband Kyle and her are great people to hang out with, and we’re kinda sad we don’t have that stop now on the drive between Lubbock and Tulsa.

As Gina has transitioned to a new church in Knoxville, TN at Faith Promise Church; she has kept her passions for the family.  I know she’s building a great team out there in Knoxville.  Remember we all need her to write more over at www.ginamcclain.com, so head over there right now and tell her so!

I first started reading www.samluce.com way back when about 50% of his posts were about how much cooler I would be if I owned an Apple product.  I guess it convinced me to purchase one, because now I throw in an “Apple is better” post on my own blog every so often as well.  (I am NOT however any cooler than I was previously.)

Sam has one of the easiest to read blogs out there in Children’s Ministry, with a combination of funny posts, thoughtful posts, and a healthy dose of practical tools for the everyman (or woman) working with families and kids.  He has a real passion for the person working with kids in a small church, and I know many around these fancy Internets that look to Sam as the expert on how to make much with very little.  He’s innovative and always willing to try something new for the sake of the kids at his church.  In my humble opinion when you combine his crazy pentecostal childhood stories, his love for America’s Pastime (albiet it tainted by a desire to raise his children to root for the Yankees), his A+ skills at impersonating anyone he’s met, his superiour skinnyness, and his ability to quote from 80′s teen movies and I have myself a serious man-crush!

I first met Sam in Atlanta at the Orange Conference in 2009 when we all shared a hotel room.  He’s always the most popular person in the room wherever he goes, yet I’ve watched him make everyone around him comfortable.  He’s drawn to that person that needs the most encouragement, and always made time all week long to give everyone who needed attention just what they needed.  But we warned…Sam has an unbelievable gift of discernment.  He’ll sniff out an impostor and self-promoter faster than anyone I’ve been around.

I consider Sam one of my best friends, and over the past few years I’ve come to consider his voice one worth listening too.  He’s a person that is who he says he is.  This fact alone makes him special in a world of people that can sometimes be hard to figure out.  He loves God, loves his church, loves his family, and it’s easy to see that the things he lives out make him somebody worth following.  Go today and read his blog at www.samluce.com and spend some time making a new friend!

By the way…if I had never met Sam and saw a dude walk up to me in an alley with this look on his face I would just hand over my wallet and run for my life.  Do not talk with the messed up hair guy in a black jacket with the collar propped up.  Seriously!

Your absence has gone through me
Like thread through a needle
Everything I do is stitched with its color.
~W.S. Merwin, “Separation”

Have you noticed, I’ve been missing from this blog in the past two weeks?  The combination of Orange Conference over-posting, and a busy personal life has created a vacant blog schedule.  Sure I knocked out something on Mother’s Day, and you saw an already scheduled update of our newest Kidsplace Promo video…but really nothing about me.  That’s why I have this blog, right?  Because there are people out there that want to know about me!

If you’re still reading, then let’s hope that you know my tounge is planted firmly in my cheek.  It’s not all about me, and being at the Orange Conference reminded me of that.  I met so many of you guys that read this lame website, that I feel obligated to fill you in on much of what has been occupying my world lately.  Can I share what’s up in my Ministry life?

• I’ve hired a new Early Childhood Coordinator at Trinity!  About three months ago I made a staffing change, and my entire team and I have been scrambling ever since.  I’m real excited to have Deborah Winkler on our team in this role, but hiring her has created a new opening.  Now I’m hiring an Administrative Assistant!
• When I get my Admin Assistant hired, it will finally complete my 6 person team for the first time since early this year.  It’s stinks to be operating at full throttle, with less than a complete staffing team!  Whew!
• I smell a curriculum change coming!  In our Elementary areas we have used Elevate! for almost 3 years.  It’s been an overall good experience, but some recent changes in the creation of Elevate! have rendered it unusable for us.  (Send me an email, and I’ll explain in private.)  In August of 2010 we will transition to 252 Basics in Elementary, and are looking closely at starting First Look in our Early Childhood environments.
• Since we are moving to 252 Basics in August, we were in search of something to get us through the summer months of programming and have settled on BIG by Hillsong Kids.  We’re one week into the BIG experience, and so far so good.  I love it’s flexibility, and long 13 week (with 3 segments) schedule.  We’re using the Follow You package through BIG, and the kids are loving it right now.
• The Summer events are starting at the end of this month.  We will be continuing are Family Fun Day events from last year, along with a couple of “drop the kids” events squeezed in between.  We will also run a special 4 night event that will run in conjunction with our Holy Spirit Inspire church conference (we like to think of this as our VBS-alternative.)  We have also created a special over-night bonding event for our 4th and 5th graders that will happen in late July.  We’ve designed it so that the Jr. High leaders can be involved in getting to know the kids that will be in their areas in August, and the year after.  This is a first-time event for us, so fingers are crossed!

That covers most of the ministry things happening in my life.  Now, admit it.  You feel like you know me better, right?

1 Samuel 16:7 For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart

There are so many more things happening on Sunday Morning then I can see with my physical eyes.  It’s important that I put myself in a place to see things the way God sees them.  I know that my reaction to things is burdened by my flesh, and it is my prayer that I let God use me each weekend to see the spiritual side of things.  This is super hard for me, promise!

I pray that I will see God’s children as he sees his children, that I will react to others the way God would react to them, and that I will forgive others the way God forgives them.  Please Lord, give me the eyes of you.  Help me to be the instrument and vessel that you need this morning!

This is part of the discussion started HERE, and HERE, and HERE, and HERE and HERE and concludes the Sunday Morning Prayer Series.