Pedro Carrion

Leadership, Travel, and International Affairs

7 Ministry Principles Your Volunteers Need to Know

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7 Ministry Principles Your Volunteers Need to Know

If you’re in church ministry, then you are absolutely dependent on your volunteers. You won’t survive a Sunday without them! This isn’t just true for Children’s Ministry, but for any ministry in your church. Leading volunteers isn’t what they can do for you or for your ministry, it’s about partnership. At Operation Christmas Child (A Project of Samaritan’s Purse), we have thousands of volunteers who serve with us every day, every week, and every month.

As I think through the types of things volunteers should know, there are hundreds, if not thousands of them. However, here I’ve boiled it down to 7 high level principles that your volunteers need to know in order to be successful. This isn’t an exhaustive list, I could’ve gone on forever, but knowing these 10 principles will move your volunteers toward success.

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Reasons Kids Wild Out in Children’s Ministry

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Reasons Kids Wild Out in Children's Ministry

If you’ve been in Children’s Ministry for just one month, maybe even just one day, you’ve had some trouble on your hands. You’ve had kids that were straight up wild’n out. Don’t know what wild’n out is? It’s similar to the word, “crunk”. I was going to post a link to the Urban Dictionary meaning of it but the examples and related terms really took a nosedive, so I decided against it.

So here we are, it’s Sunday Morning and you are ready for a great day of ministry to the kids in your church. Your awesome volunteers are all there and everything is ready to go. However, the train starts to derail and things quickly spiral out of control. Little boys wouldn’t stop running around, little girls wouldn’t stop talking to each other, all this before your teacher even starts.

Are you mentally reliving this? When this happens, you have a choice to make. You can get angry, you can get frustrated, you can quit, cry, or just keep going like nothing is happening.

Let’s briefly talk about why this may be happening.

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Predictions for the 2020 Church

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Way back in 2012, I wrote a series of blog posts titled “Predictions for the 2020 Church.” The purpose of this series was to explore the ways working at churches will have changed over the following 8 years. In this post, I’m going to go through all 11 predictions and let you judge how close I am to accurate predictions.

Here’s a list of the 11 blog posts and links to the original posts.

  1. Reputation Capital
  2. Mobile Devices
  3. Talent Shortage
  4. Social Network Recruiting
  5. Reinvention of Offices
  6. Hiring Entire Teams
  7. Blogging for Ministry Leaders
  8. Video Games, Simulations, and Alternative Reality
  9. A Global Network
  10. Lifelong Learning
  11. Work-Life Flexibility

They’re short blog posts, probably averaging about 200 words each. So in this post I’m going to put them on here in their entirety and quickly recap what the results are.

Predictions are in H2 (large font) in order to make them easy to scroll to.

Results are in H3 (slightly smaller than H2) for the same reason.

Let’s get started.

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How to Appear Calm while Freaking Out

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how to appear calm pedrocarrion.com

Do you have a tendency to freak out? Are you a leader? Let me ask you a better question. What do you do to appear calm while freaking out on the inside?

I’d like to say that leaders don’t freak out, but that’s just not true. Leaders do freak out, but the best leaders have the experience and wisdom to navigate even the most difficult challenges. This either makes them stay calm through the storm or allows them to give the appearance of calm through the storm.

I’d like to share with you tips on how to appear calm while freaking out on the inside. These tips are in no particular order on focus on the appearance of being calm.

30 tips on how to appear calm while freaking out!

  1. Smile

    Smiling released endorphins, even if it’s a fake smile. Also, it gives those around you a sense of peace.

  2. Walk slower

    Walking fast likely won’t save you any useful time, it’ll just make you appear nervous and frazzled. People don’t like interacting with individuals who are constantly nervous and frazzled.

  3. Arrive early

    Talking about being frazzled, do you know that person that is constantly late to everything? They’re also likely never prepared. Don’t be that person. Even if you’re not prepared, arrive early.

  4. Compliment someone

    In the middle of the storm, give someone a compliment. Tell someone what a good job they’re doing or how you’re happy they’re on the team. Do it publicly, it’ll allow people to see that you have vision beyond your current crisis.

  5. Sit down and have a cup of coffee

    Are you serious? Yes, I am. Coffee stimulates the mind, so take a breather and have some coffee.

  6. Don’t fidget, even if you normally do

    I normally fidget, even when I’m not nervous, but many people see this as a sign of being nervous, so don’t do it.

  7. Don’t be short with people

    There’s nothing worse than a person who snaps at others as soon as they’re under stress. I see this as a sign of weakness and an inability to control one’s emotions. I can also tell you that after working in surgery for years, the best surgeons are the ones who don’t snap at people when under stress.

  8. Laugh at yourself

    Or at least laugh at the situation. Note, a life or death situation is probably not something to laugh at, but you’d be surprised what happens in an operating room.

  9. Don’t assume people understand you

    It’s easy to gloss over details when you’re stressed, especially in conversations with people. Don’t assume that someone understands what you’re saying or what you mean.

  10. Speak slower

    A key to getting someone to understand you is to speak slower than you normally would. It also forces someone to listen more intently.

  11. Speak softly

    Another way to force someone to listen more intently is to speak softly, but only do this when you have their full attention. Also, learn how to command a room with your voice.

  12. Take the time to think through challenges

    Nothing is worse that reworking, make an attempt to really think through things in order to avoid this.

  13. Be decisive

    When you make a plan, stick to you and move forward. Don’t second guess yourself.

  14. Make as few unnecessary decisions as possible

    When things really get crazy, don’t waste your mental abilities on what doesn’t really matter.

  15. Be grateful

    Be appreciative for what you have, even the challenges.

  16. Don’t worry about what you can’t control

    You could spend your entire life worrying about possibly getting a disease only to die in a car accident. That’s out of your control, so don’t worry about it. Just about everything is outside of your control, so don’t worry.

  17. Don’t worry about what you can’t influence

    You can influence a lot, some you can’t. For those life or work decisions that you can’t influence, just go with it.

  18. Don’t worry about what will likely not happen

    Beyond what it outside of your control or influence are things that likely will not happen. Don’t spend energy worrying about these things.

  19. Share your concerns with the appropriate people

    If you’re part of a team who takes on responsibility together, then you would be a fool to take things on by yourself. Don’t be a fool.

  20. Don’t share your concerns with inappropriate people

    If your concerns are private, don’t share them with work people. If your concerns are work related, don’t share them with your family.

  21. Don’t overeat

    The easiest thing to do when stressed is to overeat. Doing this won’t help you at all and will show everyone that you have no willpower.

  22. Don’t overdrink

    I’m not just talking about alcohol, that would be obvious. I’m talking about overdrinking coffee, which will make you fidgety and even overdrinking water, which will make you constantly have to use the restroom.

  23. Eat the right foods

    Don’t eat too many carbs and try to stick with high quality meats. It will energize you and keep you fuller for longer. Also, think about this. Who elicits more respect, someone eating a steak or someone eating a crepe?

  24. Stand up straight

    Don’t slouch. Stand up and sit up straight, others will respect you for it.

  25. Don’t do anything that’s unnecessary

    When it’s crunch time, don’t waste physical or mental energy on something unnecessary.

  26. Do something unnecessary

    This is a caveat to number 26. Sometimes you have to do something unnecessary to give your mind a break. This also serves to show others that you’re in control.

  27. Take a nap or zone out

    Again, this will refresh your body and mind. If you’re really stressing out, you won’t be able to take a nap, but you could zone out and achieve a similar response. Here’s the thing about this, don’t zone out because you’re stressed out and need to get away. Zone out so you can come back stronger.. get it?

  28. Be understanding when others do the opposite of these tips

    Everyone handles stress in different ways. Be understanding of that and don’t hold it against people when they can’t stay calm or even appear calm.

  29. Wake up earlier than usual

    Waking up earlier allows your brain to start processing necessary information without feeling constantly rushed. It also sets you up to arrive early and look prepared.

  30. Always Keep Calm and Carrion

How do you appear calm on the outside while freaking out on the inside?

3 Things to Consider in a Children’s Ministry Curriculum

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improving your children's ministry - pedrocarrion.com

As a Children’s Ministry leader, your job isn’t easy! It’s your passion to help children become life long followers of Jesus. Part of that is getting kids excited about the Word of God. Over the years as I’ve been involved in Children’s Ministry, I’ve developed a passion for equipping those who equip others. I’ve also seen how critical curriculum is when it comes to Children’s Ministry, and along the way, I’ve researched and chosen my fair share of curriculum. I’d like to share with you 3 things to consider when choosing a Children’s Ministry curriculum.
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Simple Ministry versus Easy Ministry

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simple ministry - pedrocarrion.com

 

I once heard a pastor friend of mine describe the difference between Apple and PC as this. Using an Apple product is like driving an automatic car, it’s what most of the population needs. Using a PC is like driving a stick shift, it does much more but is more complicated that what the majority of people need.

When speaking of volunteer management, what you really need is simple ministry, not easy ministry. Don’t mistake simple ministry for being easy and don’t mistake easy ministry for being simple. There’s a stark difference.

I’d like to share with you the difference between simple ministry and easy ministry. The difference is stark but still easy to miss.

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Guest Post: Paleo Travel Hacks

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Paleo Travel Hacks by MidEast Paleo - pedrocarrion.com

Hello everyone! My name is Priscilla Carrion, I’m Pedro’s wife. I’m a stay-at-home mom and a food blogger at MidEastPaleo.com, where I create Paleo cuisine with a Middle Eastern twist. I’m honored to be guest blogging today sharing my Paleo Travel Hacks.

My husband and I travel often, he travels for work and I travel for fun. He does many short trips a year while I do a few short trips and one long trip a year.

Traveling and still maintaining a healthy lifestyle can be quite intimidating, especially when you’re not sure of what you’re doing. I’ve been living a Paleo lifestyle for the past few years and during my short trips, I always avoid dairy, gluten and legumes.

I also try my best to stay away from grains and processed foods. Unlike Pedro, I’m usually not one to be tempted with non-Paleo food that may be around me!

When it comes to healthy eating, I usually do a better job to stay on track than he does. Since he travels more than I do and struggles to keep Paleo, he asked me to share my hacks for maintaining a Paleo diet while traveling on short trips.

Paleo Travel Hack #1 – Plan-ahead

Whether your travel is taking you by plane or car, make sure you are planning ahead of time and doing your research. If you know that you have a long day of travel, bring some food along.

Airlines allow food aboard the plane, so you can pack your own meal and snacks (see #3). Smaller airports don’t usually have Paleo friendly options, so having your meal packed with you ensures that you won’t go hungry.

The most important decision you can make is to start your day off right. Starting your day off with a Paleo breakfast will help you make better decisions about food during lunch.

Most hotels offer free breakfast, but sometimes the eggs look sketchy and more like cardboard than real scrambled eggs. If that is the case, go for a couple hard-boiled eggs and fruit, if available, or see #2.

When eating out, whether it be with a client or a group of people, read the menu online prior to arriving at the restaurant. In most places, waiters are usually willing to help you alter dishes from the menu.

The meal options I gravitate toward for dinner usually involve a grilled protein and a roasted vegetable, baked sweet potato, or side salad. As far as drinks, order water– flat or sparkling and obviously skip dessert and alcohol.

Paleo Travel Hack #2 – Visit a local grocery store

We’ve joined Pedro on a handful of work trips before. If we can, we’ll go out and explore the city we’re in. There have been a couple instances where we’ve been unable to go out and were in a hotel room for the weekend. Many hotels don’t have Paleo food options or non-fast food restaurants within walking distance.

Before I find myself in an uncomfortable situation, I find a healthy grocery store, like Whole Foods. Whole Foods is my go-to grocery store while traveling because I trust that they will always have healthy, organic options for us.

Every grocery store has a fresh deli section where they sell prepared food. I personally love the Hot Bar at Whole Foods, they label their dishes and they have many Paleo options. I usually get a whole organic cooked chicken, hard-boiled eggs and I load up on greens and vegetables.

Paleo Travel Hack #3 – Snack Foods

When I’m home, I eat three large meals a day and I mostly avoid snacking. I do, however, make an exception while traveling. There are two types of snacks to consider during a food emergency, pre-packaged and fresh.

Pre-Packaged Paleo Travel Snacks

I love guacamole! I would eat it everyday, if I could. Besides my homemade guac, I love the one they sell at Whole Foods. Wholly Guacamole is another great Paleo-friendly guac. I enjoy eating it with chips or pre-sliced vegetables; my favorite chips are the Terra plantain chips and Boulder Canyon potato chips.

Let’s talk about some Paleo Travel snack bars. EPIC has great protein bars that are made from grass-fed animal protein and are antibiotic-free and hormone free. Pedro’s favorite EPIC bar is the Beef Habanero Cherry Bar.

RxBars are by far my favorite and in my opinion, the most delicious. These bars come in an array of flavor options and are loaded with protein. RxBars receive this protein from egg whites and have no artificial sugar.

Lara Bars are the most affordable of the bunch. They’re the easiest to find as they are readily available in most grocery stores. If you’re looking for a quick grab-n-go snack, Lara Bars are it. However, make sure you read the labels because they’re not all Paleo approved, as some contain peanuts.

Applegate has a variety of great antibiotic-free and non-gmo meat products. Their deli meats are a great protein snack with no cooking or heating required. You can heat up the hot dogs in your hotel microwave for a quick snack or meal. The Natural Uncured Beef Hot Dog and The Great Organic Beef Hot Dog are our favorites.

Raw or roasted nuts and seeds are a Paleo favorite. They’re a good source of protein and healthy fat and best of all, they’re mess free.

As far as drinks, my favorite indulgence is La Croix. LaCroix is a calorie-free, sugar-free, naturally fruit essenced sparkling water.

Fresh Paleo Travel Snacks

I love fresh fruits and vegetables as a healthy snack. Carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, celery, and bell peppers are hassle free and don’t require much prep. Some grocery stores even have them pre-washed and packaged which makes them great during travel. Vegetables and guacamole make a delicious Paleo travel snack.

Apples, bananas, pears, and berries are also delicious and mess free fruits. Fruit bowls are great and are available at most grocery stores. Just make sure you’re getting a fruit bowl fresh from the produce section.

Hopefully these Paleo Travel Hacks will help you maintain your Paleo diet during your next short trip. These hacks have helped Pedro and I maintain our Paleo lifestyle during our travels. Visit my blog for Paleo friendly recipes. What are your Paleo travel hacks and what has worked for you in the past?

Safe travels and sahtain!

5 Steps to Equipping Volunteers

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Equipping Volunteers well is a challenge - pedrocarrion.com

The above image is of two Navy Seals. Navy Seals are elite American Special Operators who are not only volunteers, but who are recruited widely, selected from the many, and then equipped with the best. Leading volunteers isn’t only about recruiting the right individuals, leading volunteers is also about those equipping volunteers to succeed. There are a variety of ways to equip volunteers. Volumes could be written on the subject. However, I’m going to share with you 5 Steps to Equipping Volunteers. These steps are not in order of importance, they’re all important and all must be done in order to equip your volunteers well.

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