It’s already time to be thinking about Halloween. Here are a few blog posts I’ve done over the years on the topic. I hope they’re helpful and spark great conversation. I would love to hear your thoughts about Halloween! Let’s reach our communities this Fall! -Justyn
First impressions and customer service has always been a big deal to me. I believe it’s a massive contribution to what separates good from great, especially in today’s world. I’ve always been a fan of getting rid of the counter that separates an employee from a customer, a guest from a ticket agent, a new…
“You don’t build it for yourself. You know what the people want and you build it for them.” Walt Disney One of my favorite Walt Disney quotes. What would our ministries look like if we created ministries and met the needs of people versus meeting our own needs. The first thing I do when I…
The best way to take your children’s ministry to new heights this year is to release authority, create ownership and become an owner yourself. EVERYONE who works at Disney is a part of the customer service experience. Justyn Smith, If Disney Ran Your Children’s Ministry Have you been to a store and noticed a lack…
It’s that time of year again when some church leaders try to figure out what to do about Halloween. Do we do a “Harvest Fest”? Do we let kids dress up? Do we not care about Halloween? Do we even say the word ‘Halloween’? Wherever you land on the spectrum—just own and run with it….
The Walt Disney Company recently announced that one of their most popular shows, Andi Mack, will include a storyline in which one of its main characters discovers he is gay. In the season premiere, a middle school boy named Cyrus finds he has romantic feelings for a male friend named Jonah. Over the next several…
I’m often asked what my top recommendation for parenting books are. I have a few favorites for different reasons. I hope if you are ever in need of a great resource that these recommendations will help: Don’t Miss It: Parent every week like it counts by Reggie Joiner and Kristen Ivy This is a very…
What are you believing for in 2017? I want to encourage all my children’s and family ministry friends to dream big and hope for much. Some of you have thought about throwing the towel in, but I’m believing that this is your year. This is your year of breakthrough, your year to reap what you…
Our pastor has said to our team many times that it’s more important for parents to be the heroes in the lives of our kids—not the kid’s pastor. Most leaders would agree with this statement, however few take steps to make it happen. We all want to be great leaders, to impact kids and create…
“What happens when the leader is wrong in a top-down culture? Everyone goes off a cliff…” (Leaders Eat Last, p. 143) This phrase resonated within me while reading through Leaders Eat Last for a second time. Leadership is such a big deal in any culture. Most reading this are probably children’s leaders or pastors. I…