VBS is coming, and most of the stress is not about the theme, it is about the systems.

In this episode of the Kidmin Podcast, Kenny Conley welcomes his guest, Allegra Collins, former kidmin leader at Mariners Church and current preschool curriculum developer at Awana. Together, they unpack what it really takes to plan and execute a great VBS from an operations perspective, whether you have 50 kids or 2,000.

You will hear practical ideas like building a single master spreadsheet, color-coding tasks by urgency, delegating to key leaders early (think January and February), creating volunteer roles for the weeks before and after VBS, and preparing a “VBS binder” so everything lives in one place during event week. They also talk budget basics, registration timing, schedule planning, and why the weekend after VBS matters for connecting families and recruiting ongoing volunteers.


00:00 Intro and first guest: Allegra Collins
01:10 Allegra’s background: campuses, Awana, two under two
01:23 Mariners connection and launching five campuses post-COVID
02:50 Why VBS operations matters (and how big it can get)
03:19 Allegra’s VBS memories and what changed behind the scenes
07:24 If you do nothing else: one spreadsheet and start early
09:01 Turning VBS into a task list you can reuse every year
10:40 Prioritizing prep work and color-coding urgency
12:21 Staffing beyond kidmin: security, first aid, photo, tech
13:16 Recruiting pre-week and post-week volunteers
15:31 Delegation and building a coach team (even for small churches)
16:36 When to start meeting: January and February vision + roles
18:05 Why empowering leaders makes VBS better (and backup coverage)
22:29 Budget basics: attendance goals, charge vs free, per-kid costs
26:18 Donation lists, gift cards, and scholarships
28:15 Designing schedules: space, backups, travel time, flexibility
31:05 Quick-fire hacks: margin on day one, easiest rotations first
32:31 The VBS binder: central playbook for leaders and rotations
33:35 Registration timing: open early, close 2 to 4 weeks out
34:58 Incentives for early registration and culture change
35:02 Connect VBS to the weekend: celebration, next steps, retention
36:34 VBS as a volunteer recruitment tool teaser
37:16 Wrap-up and what is coming next (articles and future bundle)

In episode 6 of the Kidmin Podcast, Kenny Conley talks about something most kids ministry leaders rarely plan for but deal with every single week: subs.

Too often, volunteer recruiting is treated as a simple yes-or-no question. When someone says no to weekly serving, we take the loss and move on. But what if a no to weekly serving could become a yes to something else?

In this episode, Kenny introduces the idea of building the bench and explains why a healthy, intentional sub strategy is essential for sustainable kids ministry. From predictable call-outs to protecting your weekends, this conversation reframes how leaders think about subs, flexibility, and playing the long game with volunteers.

🎯 In this episode:

• Why volunteer recruiting should not be a binary yes-or-no ask
• How to turn “no” into a different kind of yes
• Why subs are not uncommitted volunteers
• The difference between a full roster and full coverage
• Why overstaffing is not the best solution
• How to predict call-outs and plan ahead
• Building a healthy bench that supports your starters
• Creating margin, longevity, and joy for your volunteer team

If you are tired of scrambling every weekend and want a more intentional approach to volunteer leadership, this episode is for you.

In this episode of the Kidmin Podcast, Kenny Conley tackles one of the most overlooked problems in volunteer recruiting: vagueness.

Many kids ministry leaders feel desperate for volunteers but struggle to answer a simple question: How many do we actually need? When the need is unclear, recruiting feels overwhelming, progress feels invisible, and every “no” feels personal.

In this episode, Kenny walks through a simple, practical exercise that helps you clarify your real volunteer need, turn vague frustration into measurable goals, and build a realistic plan to get fully staffed without burning out.

🎯 In this episode:

• Why vague volunteer needs create discouragement
• How clarity builds confidence in recruiting
• A simple 10–15 minute exercise to calculate your real need
• How to count weekly, every-other-week, and monthly volunteers accurately
• Turning a big volunteer gap into achievable steps
• Why knowing your number changes everything

If volunteer recruiting feels overwhelming, this episode will help you regain clarity, confidence, and momentum.

Episode 4 builds on the ongoing conversation about volunteer scheduling by shifting from philosophy to practical execution. Kenny Conley shares three big ideas designed to help Kidmin leaders reduce stress, save time, and bring clarity to one of the most demanding parts of ministry leadership.

This episode focuses on moving away from reactive, week-to-week scheduling and toward healthier systems that serve both leaders and volunteers. It’s about creating margin, setting better expectations, and building structures that make consistency possible over the long haul.

• Why week-to-week scheduling creates unnecessary pressure
• The benefits of scheduling volunteers a month at a time
• How monthly scheduling prevents volunteers from falling through the cracks
• Using templates to build predictable, repeatable schedules
• Why consistency in rooms and age groups matters
• The hidden cost of constantly moving reliable volunteers
• The problem with chasing confirmations
• Setting new expectations around auto-confirming consistent volunteers
• How reminders replace confirmations
• Why scheduling feels heavy—and how to give it away
• Empowering trusted volunteers to help manage the schedule
• Creating systems that free leaders to focus on what matters most

• Schedule at least one month ahead instead of week to week
• Build templates around weekly and every-other-week volunteers
• Auto-confirm consistent volunteers and stop chasing green check marks
• Communicate clear expectations around availability and blackout dates
• Protect volunteer consistency by keeping them in the same rooms
• Identify trusted volunteers who can help carry the scheduling load
• Use systems that create margin, not stress

Volunteer scheduling doesn’t have to be a weekly crisis. When Kidmin leaders move further ahead, set clearer expectations, and share the load, scheduling becomes a tool for health rather than a source of burnout. Small system changes can unlock hours of time—and create better experiences for kids and volunteers alike.

Kidmin Website
https://kidmin.com

Subscribe to the Kidmin Weekly email
https://kidmin.com

Email us your topic ideas
mailto:hello@kidmin.com

CHAPTERS:
00:00 Welcome & why scheduling feels overwhelming
04:30 Big Idea #1: Stop scheduling week to week
12:30 Why consistency and monthly planning matter
18:30 Big Idea #2: Stop chasing confirmations
26:30 Big Idea #3: Give your schedule away
35:30 Final encouragement & next steps

Episode 3 builds on the previous conversation about volunteer schedules and discipleship by offering practical, real-world strategies to help kids ministry leaders move volunteers toward higher consistency and deeper ownership.

Kenny and Nick address common barriers—like one-service churches and Sunday school structures—and share ideas that have worked in real ministries, even in difficult contexts. This episode is about leadership courage, vision casting, and doing what’s best for kids over what’s easiest for systems.

• Recap: Why volunteer schedules reflect discipleship philosophy
• Identifying real vs. perceived “immovable” obstacles
• Creative solutions for churches with one service
• Using a volunteer service as a pathway to growth
• Navigating Sunday school and adult group conflicts
• Why consistency increases relational discipleship
• Moving from once-a-month or every-other-week to weekly
• Setting weekly service as the new standard
• How to talk to existing volunteers about change
• Why losing volunteers isn’t always a loss
• Building momentum one room or service at a time
• Celebrating stories that reinforce weekly commitment

• Decide what the new standard is before offering options
• Recruit new volunteers directly into weekly roles
• Move existing volunteers through personal conversations
• Start small: one room, one service, one age group
• Tell stories that highlight the impact of consistency
• Create meaningful roles for those who can’t serve weekly

Increased frequency and consistency create more opportunities for discipleship, trust, and life change. Moving volunteers toward weekly service takes effort—but the fruit is worth it.

Questions or want help thinking through your volunteer strategy?
Email Kenny@kidmin.com or Nick@kidmin.com

More Kidmin Podcast episodes coming soon.

In episode 2 of the Kidmin Podcast, Kenny Conley and Nick Blevins dive into a topic every kids ministry leader wrestles with: volunteer scheduling.

From once-a-month rotations to complicated multi-week schedules, Kenny and Nick explore why the way we schedule volunteers may say more about our philosophy of ministry and discipleship than we realize. Drawing from real conversations at the Children’s Pastors Conference, they discuss the tension between making volunteering “easier” and creating the most effective discipleship environment for kids.

This episode isn’t about quick fixes—it’s about mindset, leadership conviction, and asking better questions that lead to healthier ministry long-term.

🎯 Topics include:

• Weekly vs. monthly volunteer schedules
• Why consistency matters for discipleship
• The real reasons churches choose complex rotations
• How attendance trends affect kids ministry strategy
• A challenge for leaders heading into a new ministry year

If you’re a kids ministry leader who wants to build something healthier, stronger, and more sustainable—this conversation is for you.

HELPFUL LINKS:

Kidmin Website
https://kidmin.com

Subscribe to the Kidmin Weekly email
https://kidmin.com

Email us your topic ideas
mailto:hello@kidmin.com

CHAPTERS:
00:00 – Welcome & CPC Recap
02:05 – Ministry Boost Coaching & Why It Matters
04:18 – Why Volunteer Schedules Are So Complicated
06:49 – The Craziest Scheduling Models We See
09:56 – What Scheduling Reveals About Discipleship
12:38 – Real Church Constraints That Shape Schedules
15:10 – Why Weekly Volunteers Create Better Discipleship
19:05 – Changing the Mindset Before Changing the System
22:19 – Practical Next Steps for Ministry Leaders
23:52 – Closing & What’s Coming Next

Welcome to the very first episode of the Kidmin Podcast 🎉

In this inaugural conversation, Kenny Conley and Nick Blevins kick off the Kidmin Podcast by sharing the story behind Kidmin, why this podcast exists, and what children’s ministry leaders can expect going forward. From the origins of the Kidmin community to the launch of Kidmin.com, this episode sets the foundation for a podcast designed to serve, equip, and connect kids ministry leaders everywhere.

The Kidmin Podcast is built around short, focused conversations on real kids ministry topics—volunteers, systems, events, leadership, resources, and everything in between. The goal is simple: make it easy to find helpful conversations for the challenges you’re facing right now in kids ministry.

If you lead in children’s ministry, family ministry, or Next Gen ministry, this podcast is for you.

In this episode, we talk about:
• Where the word “Kidmin” came from
• Why Kidmin.com exists
• What makes the Kidmin Podcast different
• The vision for short, topic-driven conversations
• How Kidmin is becoming a shared space for the kids ministry community

HELPFUL LINKS:

Kidmin Website
https://kidmin.com

Subscribe to the Kidmin Weekly email
https://kidmin.com

Email us your topic ideas
hello@kidmin.com

CHAPTERS:
* 00:00 The Launch of Kidmin.com
* 07:21 The Kidmin Podcast
* 14:09 Kidmin Weekly
* 20:23 Free Resources and Store