Christianaudio.com provides a free book download per month. They are usually pretty good. Check them out and grow your walk!

I think Alan Nelson may be on to something and us Children’s Ministry leaders must listen! Alan was a pastor and leadership guru for many years and has recently discovered that developing children as leaders is really the best way to develop leaders. His organization, KidLead, is devoted to this cause and his principles are outlined in his book, KidLead: Growing Great Leaders.

I have begun reading the book that Alan kindly sent me and I really like where he is going so far. He has had recommendations of the book by the likes of Craig Jutila, John Kotter, and Les Parrot.

Alan is giving one of his books away to a lucky Free CM Stuff reader. Simply leave a comment in this post with your name (be sure to fill in the email part) and I will do a random drawing next Wednesday to determine the winner. Alan will send the winner a signed copy of his book. Good luck!

You may also be interested in:

1. A book by my friend Jon Slone called Riggleberry Bloke.
2. Connect with Kids–Research Based Newsletter

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Alright friends, it is time for another Wednesday Give Away (WGA). My friend Jon Slone has written a book of poems called Riggleberry Bloke. Many of them are Christian in nature and the rest are just downright fun. I like to say that his work is a mix between Dr. Seuss and Shel Silverstein. Jon is very talented and I pray the Lord will take him very far with his work.

I use his book in my own home and in my ministry. After reading a Bible story each night with my two preschool daughters, they always ask for a “siwwy pwum” (translated, silly poem!). They love the whole book, but some of their favorites are “Stormie Mol Bean” and “Homemade Traps.” In ministry, I’ll use a poem that is pertinent to worship or a funny one that might make a good lesson illustration. It’s also a handy book to have around if you have an extra 10 minutes before parents pick all your children up from your mid-week program!

Here’s how you can win this book. All you have to do is comment with the words: I want Riggleberry Bloke! Didn’t win the book, buy one, they’re less than $11 at Amazon.com, Half.com and BarnesandNoble.com. Next Wednesday I’ll put everyone’s name in a hat (or basket, or pot, or iron cauldron, or carved out watermelon rind) and draw out a winner. You have one week to submit your comment. Go!

If you are like me, you spend a ton of time with children, preparing lessons, working with your volunteers and running around looking for last minute subs. Unfortunately, the position of Children’s Pastor often does not lend itself to regular time in corporate worship. I listen to my pastor’s messages weekly, but also get spiritual growth through other pastor’s messages. John Piper’s website is full of incredible resources I wanted to be sure you knew about. I love the spirit of sharing, which is why I love John Piper’s work so much.

On Pipers site, you can download messages of his from 3 decades ago, articles he has written as well as conference messages of which he has been a part (like the recent Advance ‘09 Conference in my town of Durham, NC). You can also download Scripture study guides and virtually every book which Piper has written in PDF. Yes, the books are all free. I have to say that the Desiring God site is one of the most comprehensive of any ministry I have seen. It is definitely worth bookmarking and using as an occasional resource for your own spiritual growth or for study materials as you prepare to teach children.

**Please, no comments about Piper’s Calvanism or my affinity for him. I am not a follower, I just think he has some great resources!

There is still one day left to win a free book from the National Center for Biblical Parenting. Simply go to this post, comment on it, and you’ll be entered into the drawing. With only one comment, your odds are looking pretty good!

Even though I point my loyal readers (that’s you!) to a ton of free resources for Children’s Ministry, I thought I’d offer up some tangible give aways as well. That’s why I have started the “Wednesday Give Away.” You will find that on the 3rd Wednesday of the month, I will be giving away a product that can help your ministry. It could be a book, software, curriculum, CD’s or anything else I can scrounge up from a resource provider.

This week, I’m giving away a copy of the book “Say Goodbye to Whining, Complaining and Bad Attitudes” from our friends at the National Center for Biblical Parenting. Here’s an excerpt from their website regarding the theme of the book:

Honor is more than just behavior change. Honor comes from the heart. It affects the way people think, the way they act, and the way they treat others around them. Honor motivates parents to treat children differently. It gives children more constructive ways to interact with their parents. It helps siblings develop tolerance and patience. Honor builds incredibly strong bonds that, in turn, benefit all members of the family. This book shows you in practical ways how honor can transform your family.

Families can thrive today. But success is more than just having two cars, a nice house, a dog, and 2.5 children. It has to do with character development and how equipped family members are to relate to others outside the family. It involves creating homes where children and adults are able to make mistakes and learn from them, growing spiritually, emotionally, and relationally with each other. Even families that have broken apart or who have suffered significant wounds can develop the qualities necessary to be successful. Single-parent families, blended families, and reconstructed families are all finding real solutions through honor.

This book offers a hands-on approach with specific ideas and strategies to change the way your family relates. As you implement these ideas, you will see amazing results and your family will grow closer together.

Here’s what you need to do to win it. Simply leave a comment on this post describing a family that is in your church who you think could benefit from this book. Briefly describe in a paragraph or two why they need it. I’ll give you until next Wednesday (May 27th) to submit a comment. I’ll choose the most riveting comment as the winner and have Dr. Scott Turanski mail you the book to give to the family you mentioned. So let ‘em rip!