16 - Beth Cunningham – Kids Volunteers, Gen Alpha & Confident Leadership

In this conversation, Jason sits down with Beth, a longtime kids and next gen leader at Church of the Highlands, to unpack how you build a thriving kids ministry that actually recruits, retains, and disciples volunteers and families. Beth shares how she went from music major and worship leader to executive assistant, then into leading Highlands Kids across multiple campuses—without a traditional kids ministry résumé. She talks about why Pastor Chris chose her anyway, why "heart of the house" beats past experience, and how one small group called "Baby Praise" changed the trajectory of her calling. They dig into the real challenges of recruiting kids volunteers, how Highlands built a team of nearly 5,000 kids Dream Teamers, the power of story-based vision casting, and why students are your secret weapon. Beth also unpacks what she's learning about Gen Alpha, why questions are central to discipleship, and how Highlands redesigned kids ministry around circles and conversation instead of just content. Finally, Beth speaks directly to leaders—especially women—about walking into male-dominated rooms with confidence and humility, dealing with insecurity and pride as "two sides of the same coin," and what she's most excited about in this new season of life and ministry. 0:00 – Worship Leader to Executive Assistant: Beth's Ministry Journey 4:30 – From Baby Praise to Leading Highlands Kids Across 12 Campuses 9:30 – Heart of the House vs. Experience: Why She Got the Role 13:30 – Recruiting with Confidence, Not Desperation (and 5,000 Kids Volunteers) 18:30 – Students as a Secret Weapon in Kids Ministry 23:30 – Building Healthy Volunteer Rhythms, Belonging, and "HK for Life" 28:30 – Understanding Gen Alpha: Questions, Authenticity, and Circles 35:30 – Training Leaders to Handle Hard Questions and Say "I Don't Know" 41:00 – Confidence, Humility, Pride vs. Insecurity, and Walking into Any Room 46:30 – What to Prioritize in a New Kids Ministry and Beth's Vision for Her Next Season   About Sidecar Leader: Sidecar Leader is committed to helping church leaders move further, faster—without going alone. Through strategic coaching, creative services, and a proven three-phase process (Discover, Design, Deliver), Sidecar partners with pastors and leadership teams to clarify their vision, overcome challenges, and execute with purpose. Whether you're scaling your church, shifting your strategy, or simply need clarity in your next step, Sidecar helps you lead with confidence. Learn more at sidecarleader.com  Contact: [email protected] Follow on Instagram: @sidecarleader