NickBlevins.com

In addition to my post reflecting on 20 years at Community Christian Church, I wanted to share something more personal about my family.

When Jennifer and I were praying about joining a new church plant, there was one already thriving that many of our friends attended. It was mostly college-age students. That was our season of life too, but we knew we wanted to be part of a church that was multi-generational and reaching families. We believed we would have kids someday, and we wanted a church that would grow with them.

At the same time, I was learning about a different approach to kids and student ministry.

Kids in small groups with consistent leaders, just like their parents.
A strategy built on partnering with parents.
Environments designed so kids would run to church, not be dragged there.

We did not have our first child, Isaac, until CCC was already six years old. But long before that, I would walk through our environments and think, if we build this well, our kids will grow up in something healthy.

Because of incredible staff and hundreds of faithful volunteers, that is exactly what has happened.

This is all our kids have ever known. It is what my niece and nephews have experienced. It is what so many of your kids have experienced.

As they grow, they will each decide for themselves what they believe about Jesus. But they will not make that decision in a vacuum.

They will have seen lives changed.
They will have watched baptisms.
They will have served and led.
They will have had peers and adult leaders who point them toward Christ.

They will have had a church family.

They have all of that because of you, CCC.

As I look at pictures of them while writing this, I am overwhelmed with gratitude. I pray they will know, love, and serve Jesus. And I pray we never forget that the faith of the next generation is worth everything.

We had a great time at CPC again this year. We launched Kidmin.com and had a blast doing breakouts, connecting with friends, and learning from children’s ministry leaders from all over.

Let’s be honest—volunteer ministry often feels like a never-ending cycle.
➡️ You need more volunteers.
➡️ The ones you have are stretched thin.
➡️ When someone steps down, you scramble to replace them.

It’s exhausting. And the truth is, recruiting volunteers isn’t just a numbers problem—it’s a culture problem.

Most churches only tackle symptoms (a one-time push, a last-minute announcement), but the deeper issues remain:
⚠️ unclear vision
⚠️ barriers that discourage serving
⚠️ structures that limit growth

Without a plan, the cycle never ends  .

👉 But what if the “volunteer problem” could become your church’s biggest opportunity?

Here’s the good news: your church can build a thriving volunteer culture.

When you recruit consistently, clarify your mission, and empower people to serve in their sweet spot, everything changes:
✨ Teams grow stronger.
✨ Leaders multiply.
✨ Volunteers stay longer.
✨ Ministry impact expands.

That’s why I wrote The Volunteer Playbook—to give you a step-by-step plan to solve the volunteer problem and unlock the full potential of your church.

Your ministry doesn’t have to struggle week to week. With the right framework, you can build a healthy volunteer culture that lasts for years  .

👉 Ready to equip your church with a proven strategy? Grab your copy at volunteerplaybook.com.

Fun time in Dallas recording a workshop for the We the Church free digital event happening on September 23. When you record next to you need a big pancake box (what I’m standing on in the last pic). In fact, it’s taller than it looks. And we can’t visit without stopping at . Register for the event at thinkorange.com/wethechurch

Had a great 30 hours in Dallas. Met with a bunch of NextGen leaders, made plans for the , met with and from Amazing Life, and enjoyed some great BBQ (twice!).