My friend and fellow blogger Kenny has been doing a great series about the getting a job in children’s ministry and sharing a bit of his journey. I interned as a youth pastor and thought I was hired to be a youth pastor but due to semantics and devine providence I became a children’s pastor through a less than traditional path. I thought what might have helped me and may help you is a score card to know if your are called to kids ministry. It is pretty simple really the higher you score the more likely you are ment to work with kids. There are a few ministry score cards out there. The most famous being the Metrosexual Worship leader. I thought that children’s ministry deserved one.
The Children’s Pastor Scorecard.
You have bought your body weight in candy at wal-mart = +2 points
You can name more than two makers of glue sticks = +3 points
You find puppets disturbing = -2 points
Part of the interview process you ask if the church has a choir = +1 point
You can juggle = +1 point
You can juggle on a unicycle = +3 points
You wear a scarf with a tee-shirt = -3 points
You know what american apparel is = -1 point
You can recuit volunteers and do prison ministry at the same time = +2 points
You watch cartoons for fun = +1 point
You have a gotee = -2 points
You call church “big church” = +2 points
Two weeks before VBS people avoid you (no seriously they see you and walk on the other side of road) = +3 points
You know any lyrics from any Fergie song = -4 points
You know all the lyrics from the pirates who don’t do anything = + 4 points
You have ever wore a Bob the Tomato tee-shirt in public = +2 points
You use product = -3 points
You have no idea what “product” is = +3 points
You can turn any object around you into a lesson with a biblical basis = +5 points
You have ever seen an episode of the “The Hills” = -3 points
You have ever used a video clip from “The Hills” to set up your bible story = -6 points
You have ever said “Lets say the verse so loud they hear you in Big church” = +1 point
You print money with Jesus’ face on it and don’t think twice about it = +2 points
You want to put your fist through someones face when they say “They are just kids” = +4 points
You blame the youth group for anything that goes wrong at church = +2 points
You own a pair of designer jeans = -2 points
You own a pair of girl’s designer jeans = -10 points
You have more kids music than adult music on your iPod = +1 point
You have stayed at the church cleaning up after a Halloween alternative till 3:30am = +2 points
You think finnis and ferb are Greek gods = -2 points
When you hear the orange you think of fruit = -3 points
You can keep 140 kids entertained for and hour with a piece of felt, a picture of Jesus and a rock = +4 points
When talking to adults in “big church” you refer to them as boys and girls = +3 points
You have ever received a pie in the face = +1 point
You can turn any piece of cloth into an impromptu puppet = +2 points
You work full time at a secular job so that you can do what you are passionate about, teach the next generation that God loves them and has a plan for them = +50 points
You are just being the kids pastor to get experience so you can one day be a youth pastor = -50 points
You can name all the characters on Yo Gabba Gabba = +3 points
You just said Yo whaty what? = -3 points
You have seen Phil Vischer at a conference and tell him who your favorite talking vegetable is and why = +4 points
You had no idea vegetables could talk = -4 points
You have built something using PVC pipes = +1 point
You dry heave at the sight or mention of “goldfish crackers” = +2 points
You have been known to wear fanny packs on mission trips. = +2 points
You have visited Disney world more than 5 times = +2 points
You tweet the hashtag #kidmin more than Perry Noble tweets about food = +3 points
You eat coco crispies for breakfast = +1 point
You eat cold pizza for breakfast = -1 point
You have ever worn a pair of sunglasses indoors ever = -4 points
You think ultimate frisbee is awesome = -2 points
You think can remember the last 5 years worth of VBS themes from group but don’t know who won the superbowl = +10 points
You think let people volunteer based on their vibe and think background checks are over the top = -20 points
You have ever had to coax a kid out of the churches indoor playground using food = +3 points
You get an instant migrane when your phone rings before church = +1 point
You own a marshmallow gun, tee-shirt canon or fog machine = +3 points each
You can do at least three different voices on command = +3 points
Have ever dreamed of switching places with the speaker in “big church” and going 20 minutes longer because you had one last good story = +5 points
Can turn a snack into a craft and explain the resurrection of christ to a 2 year old all in 10 minutes. = +3 points
When the guest speaker asks when he is suppose to finish and you yell something other than “right now” = -5 points
You have used the letter Z instead of the letter S in the past 2 years = +4 points
You thing it’s weird that youth pastors are so fixated on the letter X. = +4 points
If you have ever felt the pressure that your kids have to be perfect because you are a “kid professional” = +5 points
If you remember Kidology’s logo before it was a lightbulb = +1 point
If you don’t know what Kidology is because you think you might have skipped that class in school = -3 points
If you have ever told a bible story to a group of kids with a Starbucks in your hand = -2 points
If stuck on an deserted island even though you lack the skills to survive more than 3 days within 1 hour you have 2 crafts, 3 object lessons and 4 bible stories using just 1 coconut. = +5 points
If you have ever taken a job because the pastor hired you to work with “youth” and you thought he ment teens so you move 3,ooo miles to find out when he means teens he says “young people” = +100 points
Add up your score.
0-25 You are not a kids pastor you are a youth pastor who received this link from your kids pastor.
25-50 You are a summer intern who is working with kids because you think it will help you score points with the ladies. Well your cover is blown. You have two choices grow a gotee and work with “young people” or buy a pair of women’s designer jeans and a scarf and start leading worship.
50-100 You are starting to learn the ropes you still tell people that you are a youth pastor. You haven’t fully embarrassed the christian sub-sub culture that is children’s ministry. You have one foot in kids ministry and one in youth ministry. You could go either way.
100+ – You are a die hard veteran, you live and breath all things kidmin. When you cut you bleed marshmallow. You can name every character on ever veggie tales movie. You are crazy enough to think that the future of the church is located in the basement of the church. That the future of the church depends on the church learning to equip, train, lead and inspire a generation of kids.
I like it. Very funny/clever.
Thanks Roger.
I like it. Very funny/clever.
Right on Sam! Love it
Right on Sam! Love it
Ever talked to Nest Family representatives on the phone +10 points
Ever mailed back Nest DVD's to Nest -10 Points
Ha! How about having a NEST family representative attend your church = +25
Ever talked to Nest Family representatives on the phone +10 points
Ever mailed back Nest DVD's to Nest -10 Points
Ha! How about having a NEST family representative attend your church = +25
I think this just became my favorite blog post of all time.. except you can have a gotee, and where a scarf with a tee-shirt, and be a die hard veteran..just sayin.. you're the man Sam!
I think this just became my favorite blog post of all time.. except you can have a gotee, and where a scarf with a tee-shirt, and be a die hard veteran..just sayin.. you're the man Sam!
ummm i do own designer girls jeans, not sure i should deduct points for that???!!?!
Yes
Ever shaved your head in front of screaming kids. = +3
As parents are (finally) arriving, you know the secret to getting every kid out of the game Simon Says. = +10
Ever shaved your head in front of screaming kids. = +3
As parents are (finally) arriving, you know the secret to getting every kid out of the game Simon Says. = +10
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You correct the spelling of "finnis and ferb" to "phineas and ferb" = +10 points
You correct the spelling of "finnis and ferb" to "phineas and ferb" = +10 points
Ha! That's a good one. What was your score?
This was awesome! Love the Kidology logo reference! Here's a +10 question – who can tell me what the old Kidology Logo was?!?! Since the Light Bulb logo has been in use since 2000! I was trying to find it to post a link, but I'll have to dig for it, its on some back up drive, its rather embarrassing! I did it myself in Print Shop. (did I just admit that??)
This was awesome! Love the Kidology logo reference! Here's a +10 question – who can tell me what the old Kidology Logo was?!?! Since the Light Bulb logo has been in use since 2000! I was trying to find it to post a link, but I'll have to dig for it, its on some back up drive, its rather embarrassing! I did it myself in Print Shop. (did I just admit that??)
I think I do remember. It was a guy on a unicycle wearing a hat and juggling. I'm old Karl I remember pre-2000's kidology like it was yesterday.
Karl, Thanks for the comment. I think I remember the old logo it was a guy on a unicycle juggling. I remember you site pre-lightbulb. I must be getting old.
Wow! Good memory! Although, that wasn’t our logo, that was my caricature, but that was on the home page too, and I think I even animated it for awhile which was probably really annoying and distracted from the logo.
Karl, Thanks for the comment. I think I remember the old logo it was a guy on a unicycle juggling. I remember you site pre-lightbulb. I must be getting old.
Wow! Good memory! Although, that wasn’t our logo, that was my caricature, but that was on the home page too, and I think I even animated it for awhile which was probably really annoying and distracted from the logo.
This is probably my favorite blog post that I’ve ever read to date! FUNNY!
Glad you like it I stole the idea from Stuff Christians Like. He does a worship pastor score card.