A Learning Culture

I've been thinking a lot lately about what it means to have a learning culture on our staff team.  Mostly because I feel like this is something we are not doing well right now.  Of course reading a book, listening to a podcast, or attending a seminar never screams as loud as that sub you need for the 3-year-old room, the event you have coming up next Saturday, or the recruiting flyer you are designing.  But what happens when we don't take the time to learn?

• Our vision becomes limited
• Our creativity is stifled
• Our innovation is crippled
• Our growth points aren't challenged
• Our ministry slips into maintenance mode

I hope to spend some time at our upcoming Kids' City Staff Retreat talking about what it would look like to become better learners.  I would love your help in challenging our team.  How would you answer one or more of these questions:

• What books have been most helpful in developing you as a leader?
• What books have been most helpful in developing your expertise in children's ministry?
• What blogs do you follow that you find most helpful?
• What podcasts do you listen to for training or new ideas?
• What magazines do you find helpful?
• What other practices or resources have you found most helpful in your development as a Children's Ministry Leader?

Learning is critical to leading.  Maybe sometimes reading that book really is as important as that 3-year-old's sub.

Comments

[kathryn]

My favorite leadership book was Courageous Leadership by Bill Hybels

Blogs - Children's Ministry and Culture; Jim Wideman.com

Podcasts - Craig Jutila, Willow Creek, Nuclearity, Parents Magazine, Focus on the Family, The Orchard

Magazine - Children's Ministry Mag.

I always benefit from the Promiseland Conference. Orange was great too!

[Nick Blevins]

Books (Leadership) - 21 Laws of Leadership, Next Generation Leader

Ministry - 7 Practices of Effective Ministry

Blogs - Way too many, but this one, Orange Families, LifeChurch.tv, Perry Noble, Tony Morgan, Carey Nieuwhof, Pudge Huckaby, Tim Stevens

Podcasts - Catalyst, Maximum Impact, Passion, Fermi Project

Magazine - Leadership Magazine & Relevant

Resources - I try to learn as much from other churches as possible through conferences, blogs, books, interviews, etc.

[Todd McKeever]

I am all for that learning environment. I encourage that to take place with all of my workers and with myself as well.

One quick thought is, how do we (those who get paid to do cm) make it easier for our volunteers to incorporate a learning environment into their daily lives? Or a learning environment with material that will be beneficial for them in the ministry they are helping us with as well?

I find that my workers are all learners (because we draw who we are not what we really want) but what they are busy learning is not always what will help set them up for success in the ministry areas they are volunteering in. They usually just don't have any idea with all the possibilities of stuff to listen to and read where to start, so they don't. That is where I come in. I spend my time researching this, reading this kind of stuff, listening to this stuff.

Maybe if we can find a better way to help them with sorting through the stuff. Maybe give them cliff notes then they would pursue those things that interest them in that way as well?

BTW, love the books you have listed on your side bar. I have read them as well and enjoyed them all.

[Tammy Melchien]

Some good points, Todd. I think at times I probably sell our volunteers short by not thinking about how they might be interested in learning more about children's ministry and leadership. Are there ways you are trying to do a better job of this in your cm?

[Keith Johnson]

I have worked in learning cultures where people have the intellectual humility to ask questions and manipulative cultures, where any question is a form of dissent, disloyalty or spiritual immaturity. The leader sets the tone! Some invite "what if" questions with all the ambiguity and tentativeness. Willing to embark into the unknown for the ultimate prize of effectiveness and God's blessing!

There is no finer book than Peter Drucker's old "The Effective Executive" to prod the leader into the unknown, yet hoped-for goal!

[Buy Viagra]

I think at times I probably sell our volunteers short by not thinking about how they might be interested in learning more about children's ministry and leadership.

[Cialis Online]

Oh great post. I'm really interesting in it. Culture..oh yeah! LOL
Thanks for sharing.

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