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The KidzMatter Podcast

The KidzMatter Podcast

Ryan Frank 244 Episodes Aug 24, 2026

Join Ryan Frank each week as he interviews some of the brightest minds in children's ministry on The KidzMatter Podcast. Gain valuable insights and inspiration for your own ministry journey.

Episodes

Episode 238: First Impressions in Children's Ministry—Welcoming Families Back with Martha Harvey
Episode 238: First Impressions in Children's Ministry—Welcoming Families Back with Martha Harvey Aug 24, 2026 3171 What if your kids' ministry environments told your theology before you ever opened your mouth?Martha Harvey from WITH Families believes that first impressions aren't shallow—they're spiritual. When a family walks through your doors, they're experiencing your values in real time: Is my child safe? Am I welcome? Does this community care about excellence?Get practical tips from Ma
Episode 237: Feeling Alone in Kids Ministry? The Conference That Changes Everything with Ryan and Beth Frank
Episode 237: Feeling Alone in Kids Ministry? The Conference That Changes Everything with Ryan and Beth Frank Aug 17, 2026 2107 If you're a children's pastor feeling alone, overwhelmed, or questioning whether you can keep going, Ryan and Beth Frank want to meet you at The KidzMatter Conference. This conversation isn't just about breakout sessions (though there are 170+ of those). It's about sacred space. It's about discovering that you are not alone. It's about hearing God's voice again.
Episode 236: Accurate, Goal-Oriented, Engaging Kids' Ministry with Curt Hale
Episode 236: Accurate, Goal-Oriented, Engaging Kids' Ministry with Curt Hale Aug 10, 2026 2163 Sunday is always coming, and it's easy for kids' ministry to run on autopilot. The same games, the same songs, week after week. But what if there was a simple framework to help you evaluate every element of your large group ministry and ensure it's moving kids toward lasting spiritual impact?In this episode, Hannah Augustine sits down with Curt Hale, curriculum writer and developer
Episode 235: Emotionally Intelligent KidMin Leadership with Shelby Honeycutt
Episode 235: Emotionally Intelligent KidMin Leadership with Shelby Honeycutt Aug 3, 2026 2736 Conflict is part of ministry — you can't avoid it, but you can lead through it well. In this episode, Hannah sits down with certified coach, speaker, and DISC behavioral analyst Shelby Honeycutt for a sneak peek of her upcoming KidzMatter Conference breakout on emotional intelligence. Whether you're navigating a tough conversation with a volunteer or trying not to bring your worst self h
Episode 234: Kids' Ministry on a Budget with Melanie Ringle
Episode 234: Kids' Ministry on a Budget with Melanie Ringle Jul 27, 2026 1839 Big budget or no budget — what matters is how you steward it. In this episode, Hannah Augustine sits down with Melanie Ringle, a 10+ year KidMin veteran and self-proclaimed "thrifting" expert, to talk about stewarding your kids' ministry budget with creativity and intention. Melanie shares her top strategies for planning ahead, building a team of deal-hunters, and getting maximum mi
Episode 233: Crawl, Walk, Run - Growth as a Ministry Leader with Charlie Alcock
Episode 233: Crawl, Walk, Run - Growth as a Ministry Leader with Charlie Alcock Jul 20, 2026 2045 Comparison is a thief of joy — and so is trying to run before you've learned to crawl. Charlie Alcock (Good Days with Eddy and Charlie, youth pastor track leader at this year's KidzMatter Conference) and Hannah Augustine dig into how leaders can grow at their own pace, help their teams do the same, and build real partnerships between kids' and youth ministries.Save 25% when you preo
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 Jul 13, 2026 2290 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 Elisabet
Episode 231: Why Fun is Essential in Kids' Ministry with Kayla Fowler
Episode 231: Why Fun is Essential in Kids' Ministry with Kayla Fowler Jul 6, 2026 1766 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 KidsGoB
Episode 230: Read the Room | Engaging Your Large Group in Kids' Ministry with Steve Bloom
Episode 230: Read the Room | Engaging Your Large Group in Kids' Ministry with Steve Bloom Jun 29, 2026 3127 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, 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 mini
Episode 229: What Actually Keeps Children's Ministry Volunteers Coming Back
Episode 229: What Actually Keeps Children's Ministry Volunteers Coming Back Jun 22, 2026 2584 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 April coaching call featuring three KidMin Academy students: Dave, Rose, and Christi. All three are dedicated kids' ministry leaders at their local ch
Episode 228: Start Here | The Building Blocks of a Fruitful Kids Ministry
Episode 228: Start Here | The Building Blocks of a Fruitful Kids Ministry Jun 15, 2026 2085 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 ba
Episode 227: From Copycat to Context - Your Ministry Doesn't Have to Look Like Theirs with Charlie Alcock
Episode 227: From Copycat to Context - Your Ministry Doesn't Have to Look Like Theirs with Charlie Alcock Jun 8, 2026 1955 The 2026 KidzMatter Conference is launching its first-ever Youth Pastor Track, and in this episode, Charlie Alcock explains what you'll learn and how it differs from traditional conference teaching. Instead of copying tactics, you'll discover the biblical principles that unify all ministries and practical ways to implement them in your unique context. Use the code YOUTH2KM for up to five

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