Episode 232: Bringing Real-Life Faith Heroes to Your Kids' Ministry with Ellen Vaughn

Episode 232: Bringing Real-Life Faith Heroes to Your Kids' Ministry with Ellen Vaughn

Kids are hungry for heroes — and too often, culture hands them fictional ones instead of the real, flesh-and-blood believers whose stories can shape their faith for a lifetime. In this episode, Hannah Augustine sits down with New York Times best-selling author Ellen Vaughn to talk about her children's biography, Elisabeth Elliot: The Brave Girl Who Chose to Love, and why stories like Elisabeth's still matter for kids today. Get your copies of The Brave Girl Who Chose to Love at thegoodbook.com [https://www.thegoodbook.com/elisabeth-elliot]. Visit rnow.me/kidzmatter [https://www.rightnowkids.org/?utm_source=kidzmatter&utm_medium=magazine&utm_campaign=june&utm_content=ad1] and try out God's Kids, the latest kids' ministry curriculum from Right Now Media, for free. 📌 SUBSCRIBE for weekly children's ministry resources, podcast episodes, and KidMin Word devotionals:  YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/kidzmatter] | Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-kidzmatter-podcast/id1466061387] | Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/6IbO7ZCGdBQONSETCzeZ5f?si=6841689930fe4ee8] | Other platforms: kidzmatter.com/podcast [https://www.kidzmatter.com/podcast] 📫 Sign up for our newsletter [https://www.kidzmatter.com/newsletter-km] to stay in the know about all of our LIVE events. 🎟️ JOIN US at the KidzMatter Conference 2026 [https://www.kidzmatterconference.com/] — NEXT — October 6–8 in Evansville, IN. 🌎 Discover more children's ministry tools, training, and curriculum: kidzmatter.com [https://www.kidzmatter.com/] 📱Follow KidzMatter:    Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/kidzmatter] | Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/kidzmatter] | TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@kidzmatter] | Join our Facebook Community [https://www.facebook.com/share/g/18q1kUiusC/]

Episode 231: Why Fun is Essential in Kids' Ministry with Kayla Fowler

Is fun a distraction from real ministry — or the doorway into it? Hannah sits down with Kayla Fowler (Team Lead for Hyfi, Lifeway's next-gen curriculum) to unpack why fun isn't optional in kids' ministry — it's foundational. If you've ever wondered whether the games and goofiness "count" as real ministry, this conversation will change how you see it. Visit KidsGoBible.com [https://sites.tyndale.com/gobible/] to learn more about the GO! Bible and to get your free curriculum resources. For a free trial of Hyfi by Lifeway, visit myhyfi.com. [https://myhyfi.com/] 📌 SUBSCRIBE for weekly children's ministry resources, podcast episodes, and KidMin Word devotionals:  YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/kidzmatter] | Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-kidzmatter-podcast/id1466061387] | Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/6IbO7ZCGdBQONSETCzeZ5f?si=6841689930fe4ee8] | Other platforms: kidzmatter.com/podcast [https://www.kidzmatter.com/podcast] 📫 Sign up for our newsletter [https://www.kidzmatter.com/newsletter-km] to stay in the know about all of our LIVE events. 🎟️ JOIN US at the KidzMatter Conference 2026 [https://www.kidzmatterconference.com/] — NEXT — October 6–8 in Evansville, IN. 🌎 Discover more children's ministry tools, training, and curriculum: kidzmatter.com [https://www.kidzmatter.com/] 📱Follow KidzMatter:    Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/kidzmatter] | Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/kidzmatter] | TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@kidzmatter] | Join our Facebook Community [https://www.facebook.com/share/g/18q1kUiusC/]

Episode 230: Read the Room | Engaging Your Large Group in Kids' Ministry with Steve Bloom

If you've ever stood in front of a room full of kids and felt the chaos creeping in, this episode is for you. Hannah Augustine sits down with Steve Bloom, executive producer of The Park Curriculum [https://parklearning.com/], to talk through practical strategies for large group ministry — from classroom management and behavior challenges to putting the right leaders in the right seats. Steve brings 16 years of kids ministry experience and a refreshing honesty about what actually works (and what doesn't) when you're leading elementary kids in a large group environment. Visit parklearning.com [https://parklearning.com/] to check out The Park's sample lesson today! And get 25% off your KidMin Academy [https://www.kidminacademy.com/] tuition with the code PODCAST at kidminacademy.com [https://www.kidminacademy.com/], or email support@kidzmatter.com [support@kidzmatter.com] to try a FREE class. 📌 SUBSCRIBE for weekly children's ministry resources, podcast episodes, and KidMin Word devotionals:  YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/kidzmatter] | Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-kidzmatter-podcast/id1466061387] | Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/6IbO7ZCGdBQONSETCzeZ5f?si=6841689930fe4ee8] | Other platforms: kidzmatter.com/podcast [https://www.kidzmatter.com/podcast] 📫 Sign up for our newsletter [https://www.kidzmatter.com/newsletter-km] to stay in the know about all of our LIVE events. 🎟️ JOIN US at the KidzMatter Conference 2026 [https://www.kidzmatterconference.com/] — NEXT — October 6–8 in Evansville, IN. 🌎 Discover more children's ministry tools, training, and curriculum: kidzmatter.com [https://www.kidzmatter.com/] 📱Follow KidzMatter:    Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/kidzmatter] | Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/kidzmatter] | TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@kidzmatter] | Join our Facebook Community [https://www.facebook.com/share/g/18q1kUiusC/]

Episode 229: What Actually Keeps Children's Ministry Volunteers Coming Back

What if the real problem in your kids' ministry isn't a lack of volunteers — it's that you can't keep the ones you have? In this episode of the KidzMatter Podcast, Hannah Augustine shares a sneak peek inside a KidzMatter PRO [https://www.kidzmatter.com/pro-trial] April coaching call featuring three KidMin Academy [https://www.kidminacademy.com/] students: Dave, Rose, and Christi. All three are dedicated kids' ministry leaders at their local churches, and they bring raw, real insight into what has kept them committed to kids' ministry for the long haul — and what leaders can do to care for and retain their teams. Visit thegoodbook.com [https://www.thegoodbook.com/] and use the code KIDZMATTER to get 30% off the Seek and Find Bible Series, now through July 31st, 2026! Get your free trial of KidzMatter PRO at kidzmatter.com/pro [https://www.kidzmatter.com/pro]. 📌 SUBSCRIBE for weekly children's ministry resources, podcast episodes, and KidMin Word devotionals:  YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/kidzmatter] | Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-kidzmatter-podcast/id1466061387] | Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/6IbO7ZCGdBQONSETCzeZ5f?si=6841689930fe4ee8] | Other platforms: kidzmatter.com/podcast [https://www.kidzmatter.com/podcast] 📫 Sign up for our newsletter [https://www.kidzmatter.com/newsletter-km] to stay in the know about all of our LIVE events. 🎟️ JOIN US at the KidzMatter Conference 2026 [https://www.kidzmatterconference.com/] — NEXT — October 6–8 in Evansville, IN. 🌎 Discover more children's ministry tools, training, and curriculum: kidzmatter.com [https://www.kidzmatter.com/] 📱Follow KidzMatter:    Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/kidzmatter] | Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/kidzmatter] | TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@kidzmatter] | Join our Facebook Community [https://www.facebook.com/share/g/18q1kUiusC/]

Episode 228: Start Here | The Building Blocks of a Fruitful Kids Ministry

How do you build a children's ministry from scratch — or step into one and make it better? In this special collaboration between the KidzMatter Podcast and the Cross Formed KidMin Podcast, hosts Hannah Augustine, Hunter Williams, and Tim Beilhartz give you a practical, theology-grounded roadmap for starting strong. Whether you're brand new to kids ministry or a veteran who needs to get back to basics, this episode is packed with frameworks you can apply right away. Visit https://crossformedkids.com/podcast [https://crossformedkids.com/podcast/]/ to listen to the Cross Formed Kidmin Podcast! 📌 SUBSCRIBE for weekly children's ministry resources, podcast episodes, and KidMin Word devotionals:  YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/kidzmatter] | Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-kidzmatter-podcast/id1466061387] | Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/6IbO7ZCGdBQONSETCzeZ5f?si=6841689930fe4ee8] | Other platforms: kidzmatter.com/podcast [https://www.kidzmatter.com/podcast] 📫 Sign up for our newsletter [https://www.kidzmatter.com/newsletter-km] to stay in the know about all of our LIVE events. 🎟️ JOIN US at the KidzMatter Conference 2026 [https://www.kidzmatterconference.com/] — NEXT — October 6–8 in Evansville, IN. 🌎 Discover more children's ministry tools, training, and curriculum: kidzmatter.com [https://www.kidzmatter.com/] 📱Follow KidzMatter:    Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/kidzmatter] | Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/kidzmatter] | TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@kidzmatter] | Join our Facebook Community [https://www.facebook.com/share/g/18q1kUiusC/]