oh yeah! Jesus-is@live.com

Dude! I am like so geeking out!!! I just scored the e-mail address jesus-is@live.com

How cool is that? Yes, I did have to sign my life away to Microsoft. But I'll still use google for my real work. :)

Long Time No Blog - Off Topic of Kids Ministry

Wow it's been a long time since I've blogged! So what's new in my life since April when I last blogged? I'll try it in bullet points.

1. Baby Dana has grown to 8 months old.
   
1. Dana had RSV in the summertime. Dr said "Hmm I've never seen RSV in the Summer."
2. Took family vacation to Disney World at the end of July/Beginning of August.
1. Disney World was just OK
2. We have lots of luv for Disney's Vero Beach - lot's less to do there
3. Work has taken a lot of my time beginning in August.
4. We redefined Wednesday night kid's ministry - we were using Faithweaver Friends - now we use the keys of kids devotional as a "mini-lesson" and then we do something special - make your own cookie, myo sundays, talk to a missionary. It's been different. with FWF, we had so many adults required for so few kids (like 8 adults for 20 kids) that it made it difficult to recruit and keep workers and if workers didn't show, it caused some pain.
5. The Coudersport Sheetz now has deep fryers and a specialty drink machine, so we got ourselves a real life Redneck Starbucks!
   

That's all I have for now!

Hillsong Kids Supers Review

This is a review of the Super Series from Hillsong kids!

The Evangelism Linebacker is back for Easter 2007

The Evangelism Linebacker is back for Easter. Watch out Easter bunny

http://www.sermonspice.com/videos/5300/easter-linebacker/

Story by Steven James

This weekend I started reading a book by storyteller steven james. The introduction does a wonderful job of drawing the reader into 3 different mini stories that end up all coming together.

I'll have more in my next post. (which should be soon).

Flock

My last post was put up with a program called Flock.  basically it's firefox only changed a little bit.....  it allows you to quickly post to the blog of your choice.    It also has a "Blog This" on the right click menu inside the browser window so you can quickblog someone else's information.   All in all, I like it!

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Part Two of Truth or the Consequences of Internet Truth

So back in the late summer to early fall when the Trailer for "Jesus Camp" got put onto youtube. within hours there were THOUSANDS of outraged people saying how scary this "movie" is. Commentaries about a movie that was gleaned from a 2 minute trailer that wasn't even created/edited by the films directors....

So, if you watch a clip on youtube or video.google.com... maybe even a movie trailer... should you comment on the whole movie from the clip?

sure it's another one of those "you just use common sense" type scenarios.... but what about the thousands of responses to Jesus Camp?

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Truth or the Consequences of Internet Truth

So this idea has been cooking in my brain for a while. I've dedicated those brain cells that never were burned up by smoking, drinking and taking drugs to the question of validity of truth on the internet.

So here's the question/issue. In the years leading up to blogs and podcasts, we as a society got information from reference books and news outlets such as newspapers, radio and TV. We assumed that the maority of the information given by these outlets was true information, and most of the info was pretty close to truth. With the boom of the internet, with blogs and podcasts and sites such as cnn.com, foxnews.com we see the information that I glean coming more from online. So can the information that blogs/podcasts provide be taken as truth? In the beginning of the blogosphere, blogs were for providing an additional way of publishing ones opinion. Some major newsworthy thing events happened, had blogs were used to post very quick fact tidbits of what was going on (again with no ability to check for validity). This also was enhanced by the internet becoming even more mobile, where blogs could be posted "at the scene" from a cellular phone or other wireless device such as a Blackberry. Again no ability to check whether the blog post is "valid".

Let's take a step back and look at Paul Junior (there is no Paul Junior really). So Paul Junior (PJ) is 9 years old and is looking online about the names of God. In PJ's search he finds some very informative christian sites talking about the Biblical names of God. This is great information for what PJ is looking for. What PJ also finds is a blog talking about the similarities between the names of God in the Bible and the names in the Qu'ran which leads PJ to the thinking that maybe the Bible and Qu'ran are pretty much the same... His search also lead PJ to a blog talking about the Biblical names of God but adds more to it... The idea here is that in his search, PJ may get good info he might get some really bad info he might even get what looks like good info that really leads PJ down some bad paths. The problem is, what does PJ believe? He's a 9 year old and might believe everything he reads... What if PJ is a 65 year old that's new to the internet and blogging and really believes everything he reads on TV let alone on the internet?

The beginning of the answer of this question starts with the Bible, because it is the Truth. It's the beginning of Truth and the End of Truth. Every piece of information we get in a day needs to be filtered through our worldview (which hopefully is a biblical worldview) to help us discern what the truth is. It seems easy to say this here and now while I'm typing it, but that type of discernment is pretty difficult to do as an adult, let alone the 9 year old.

So this post is more like a alfred hitchcock in that there really is no conlusion to it. This is just something I am contemplating. If you see me with a funny look on my face, I'm probably thinking about that.

The Ceiling is coming down

So back in June our church had the roof replaced.  Part of that was putting new insulation in under the roof. They used some new type of insulation that is sprayed in between the roof and the ceiling.  Only one problem.  With our installation there was a "feature"...   With the spraying came the smell of dead fish.  fast forward to almost six months later (now).  The insulation maker is plunking down the money to replace the ceiling and anything else that may get damaged in the removal of the insulation (and smell).  Wow, huh!!!  

What does any of this have to do with Children's Ministry you may ask?  Well now, I get to work with the new Pastor at our church (Hi PB!) (He preached 1 week in the main sanctuary before construction starts.. - Haa!) to figure out the symantics of the next couple months worth of Sundays.  We have a multi-purpose foyer that "should" be big enough to fit all of the people on a Sunday, but it could get tight. 

So my thought is have kids dropped off directly to Children's Church.  Honestly, I've wanted to do this at the church from when Mollie (wife) and I started leading kids church.  I just haven't wanted to stir to many places with to much vigor. 

One last observation from the Sunday.  Superhero is now officially my kids' most requested song.  All I have to do is move towards the DVD player and they are squealing "Super hero! Super hero!!".  They have even gotten to love that loveable aussie accent "baaabie".  Their only question is... who the heck is the bearded guy in the boat?  :)

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Prophecy from Kim Clement 10/21 in Huntsville, TX

So I get the Elijah List and was searching through it for references to children and found this one..... Wow!!!!

October 21, 2006 - Huntsville, Texas

The Spirit of God says, do not listen to some of the voices in this Nation. For God says many are saying, doom and destruction. Many are saying, it will not happen. God says, I have declared that this Nation has stood before Me many many times. I have not forgotten the prayers of your forefathers. I have not forgotten or looked away from the blood of the men that have laid down their lives for righteousness sake. Neither have I looked away from those who have cried out in the battlefield just before they died calling for their families and calling for their Nation. Would I walk away from a prayer of a dying man? No I will not. The nations of the world are trying to pull you back into another war and they shall not succeed, says the Lord. The Spirit of God says, if you would hear tonight and you would understand I will bring forth a sound that will destroy your enemies rapidly. For during the summer months I brought down many of your enemies and exposed them. But the Spirit of God says, hear the Word of the Lord. God says, I am going to bring them to nothing. There are three nations that once stood away as your enemies that will become your friends and your allies. For God said, watch, I have told you that China and the United States of America would enter into a pact and a bond and this is happening though predicted years ago. For North Korea has stood and they have prodded the giant and God said, they are now going to regret. For God says, they have already decided to send into the atmosphere which would poison and destroy My people and God says, it shall not succeed. It shall not succeed. I have listened to the prayers of righteous men in political office, Democrat and Republican. I have listened to their prayers and I have listened to some of them as they have cried out and said, "God the division in this Nation is causing too much trouble." And yes it is, says the Lord. But I am moving on the Northeast of this Nation. I am moving in Boston, Massachusetts. I am moving in New York. I am going to deal with the Kennedy family and God said, there will be a huge breakthrough. This is not a time for divisiveness. This is not a time for political division and yet it is at its highest. The hatred towards the President of the United States is at its peak, but God said, this will change. For I will take Korea, and I will take that little beast, and I will bring it to nothing. I will protect the people of North Korea but God said, China will have to enter in and I will prove Myself strong again for this Nation. For I have declared before over the season that there would be an unseasonably warm summer through to the end of October. And God said, this is a sign to you that this winter shall be winter of great rejoicing; that your new year shall a new year of great and grand prosperity, says the Spirit of the Living God. Oh would you hear, would you hear tonight what the Spirit is saying to you? There is a sound of an abundance and God said, but many have not seen it but now they shall see it. For God says, in your new year you will experience something unusual. For this October it was already predicted through My prophet that this economy would reach its peak and things would go as they did not predict. Ha! Who are those that would predict? Who are those that would say "we are the prognosticators of the economy." God said, who are those that would say "we are the prognosticators of the political welfare of this nation." God said, I AM the prognosticator. I AM the one that decrees something. For even though the deaths have been at their highest, God said, Iran, what is this that you are trying to do? Would you put nose up and say to this Nation, "no more America?" I laugh says the Spirit of God! I laugh! I am laughing, says the Spirit of the Living God, because this is My hour for the greatest harvest in this Nation EVER! This shall be the greatest harvest that you have ever experienced, says the Lord. You shall find that the atheists of this Nation shall say, "we are clueless" because of this that is happening scientifically. Huntsville and the region surrounding you, I have sent you a prophet for a very good purpose. I am rallying together true intercessors. I am rallying together true warriors that breathe clean air and I am coming outside the city of Houston to make a declaration. Even as Jesus stood outside of Capernaum and said that the high priest and the high power of Capernaum will be brought down, so outside the city of Houston, I declare that the stronghold of the principality of Houston, Texas is coming to nothing. It is coming to nothing, says the Spirit of God. I am going to make a declaration tonight that there is no power that can make a prognosis as deadly as "there shall be no United States of America, there shall be no living creature in this land." They have said this. But now I shall arise, says the Lord, and your economy shall be greatly boosted. For the discovery of oil shall continue in the land of the living, the brave, the free. For God says, hear this: Until the new source of energy is released and discovered which is soon, I will give you remarkable breakthroughs in the soil and in the earth. And people shall say, "what has happened in Israel, why is there suddenly so much oil?" Because this Nation to be rid of the pests and to be rid of those that have made you look to them for your source of energy. That day is coming to an end. 2007 you shall say, the fall, the fall, the fall has brought about the energy that we need and then the race shall swiftly be changed in favor of the people of the Living God in this Nation, says the Lord! Prophets are there to make declaration in the face of the enemy. And God said, there is an enemy that has risen up strongly and they have said "we will gather the nations against this one free land." But yet the tables shall turn, as I prove Myself to be crafty again, says the Lord. Watch Me, for when you think you know Me and when they think they already predicted how I am going to operate, My Kingdom comes and My Kingdom takes ruler-ship. Watch Me touch your children, says the Lord. Watch Me touch your children. Just watch Me touch your children, says the Lord of Hosts. And I will take them just as they are and I will raise them up to be the "Davids" and the "Daniels" and the "Moses" of this hour, says the Spirit of the Living God. Watch Me touch your children, watch Me touch your children and they will come to life. Watch Me touch your children, watch Me touch your children and they will come to life. God says, families that are represented here tonight, not only here, but on the internet shall grab a hold of these words, and this prophet has spoken from this platform in the presence of those who are calling themselves warriors of the New Millennium, God said, My warriors that know how to stand in the lion's den and praise Him, My warriors who know how to stand in the fiery furnace and yet give Him praise, My warriors who know how to stand at the water's edge and strike the rock down and open up the waters, that is the kind of warrior I am looking for. I am looking for a warrior that can do these kinds of things, says the Spirit of the Lord. These are the kind of warrior, says the Lord, that will take a little stone and bring a giant down. These are the kind of warriors, says the Lord, that will open theirs mouths and shout so the walls of Jericho can come down, says the Lord. These are the kinds of warriors that I am raising up; I am raising up warriors just like Gideon who will go with just 300 men, just like Gideon who will go with 300 men, just like Gideon who will go with 300 men. I am looking for some warriors, says the Lord, and they are in your families - they are your children. These are the ones that will stand before the kings just like Esther did. And God said, these are the ones who change history just like Deborah. These are the ones that will change history just like Ruth and Mary and Elizabeth. God said, your girls are going to become women of God and they are going to become virtuous women who will prophesy to the dead bones of this society. I am going to raise up your children and they shall be the ones who will stand before the Lord and say, "God, here I am, send me, and send me wherever You want me to go. Send me, send me wherever You want me to go. Send me, send me wherever You want me to go, send me. " There are secrets being shared with you tonight regarding a war that the enemy is trying to put up between three nations. And God said, these three nations shall do exactly what Jehoshaphat did when Jehoshaphat praised the Lord in the presence of three nations, do you remember what happened, said the Lord. I sent ambushments against the nations and those same three nations that are rising up against this Nation - I will set ambushments against them and they will begin to fight each other, says the Spirit of God. Are you ready for God to entangle them and set ambushments against them? Lord of the Universe, do it again!! Lord of the Universe, do it again! Lord of the Universe, do it again! Do it again! Do it again! Do it again! God said, I want to send a remarkable wind of My Spirit this region. Ryan, God hears you praying and calling out. Huntsville, God hears you calling out and praying. From this city, from this region, a great Senator shall be raised up amongst a family in this building tonight. He is only 9 years of age and will turn 10 in the December month. A great Senator shall be raised up who will provoke the forces, the forces that have hidden agendas, who will say "religion has no power in schools, schoolbooks, in the law" and God said, this one shall rise and they shall say "he is but a short man with a huge power." Out of this region I will raise up a Senator who will become a voice in this Nation and Huntsville will be proud. For God said, in his reign in Texas there shall be less crime than in any other state in the United States of America. I am waiting for your children to be Mine. I am waiting, I am waiting for your children. They shall be Mine. They shall be Mine. I am waiting for you, I am waiting for you, I am waiting for you to come in. I have made a place only for you next to Me. I have a made a place by My side. God is saying, suddenly there was this volume from the book that came out from the prophetic voice regarding your children, regarding your children, regarding your family, regarding your future, regarding this Nation, regarding your finances. And God said what He is about to do in the release of a wind will raise this soil up and the people of this region and from it will come a political leader and great, great leaders shall come from your children. Evangelists, prophets shall come from your children. And now He's saying there's a place I've created for you. Just like He told Moses, He said, there is a place by My side, there is a place by My side and by My side is a Rock and in that Rock is a cleft. By the Rock, but in the Rock there is a cleft. The Spirit of God says, I will place you in the cleft so I can show you the glory of tomorrow. My altar is open for you and your house. If you desire this that I have promised, come to My altar, stand before Me, says the Lord, you, your children, your family and I will give you that promise, says the Spirit of God. Right by My side there is a place for you. Right by My side there is a place for you in the Rock, My Son. Right by My side there is a place for you in the Rock, My Son. Right by My side there is a place for you in the Rock, My Son. … in the Rock, My house. Right in My heart, there is a place for you in the Rock, in My house. Right next to Me there is a place for you in the Rock in My heart. The Spirit of acceleration is upon this Nation. The Spirit of acceleration has been given to every house and family and anybody who would receive it and say "yes and amen." God said, it is yours!

like I said.. Wow! there's a 9 year old that will become a Senator..... wow!!

I'm kidologically famous!!!

I was perusing the sights and sounds and wonders of kidology.org when what to my wandering eye should appear but a link to my blog. Look... see:




Wow maybe someone might even read my blog!!! Of course I'll never be at the pastorkarl.com level... :)

CMA Ministry Workout - Puxy, PA 10/28/2006

I attended a CMA (Christian and Missionary Alliance) Workshop on Saturday. I sat in on 2 presentations by Dick Crider who represents Discipleland and is goes all over the US speaking at Children's Ministry Conferences and Seminars. He talked about preteens in a class called "Catch them at the back door" then talked about Connecting the Church with Home. He was pretty straightforward about the crises in our churches in regards to young people leaving the church. He mentioned a book be Josh McDowell (The Last Christian Generation Book).

He also mentioned that he is a Dad again at 60 to a 6, 3 and 2 year old. He has his grandkids and is raising the right now. That struck a chord with me, because I was raised by my grandparents. In talking with him, he considers it a priviledge from God to get to witness what he's talked about for 20 years again modelled right in front of his eyes.

The thing he hit me with was the numbers.... 64% of "Christians" don't beleive in the total truth of the Bible.... that is almost as high as the non-Christians (90%).

I also got to meet some other Children's Ministry folks that are in the CMA in our district which was pretty cool.

It wasn't a Kidology U or anything, but it still was really good for me.

CMUOnet blog test

Hopefully my blogspot posts are now feeding into cmuonet.org. This is a test to see if that works.

Quick hit from Craig Jutila's Leading Edge Podcast

This is just some notes to the 7 things that give us balance - which was a podcast from Craig Jutila:

Podcast #1
Margin - don't want to give out of our depletion.
Savings account - build up a reserve (margin)
7 things that give us balance

1. Read God's word daily
2. Look for accountability
3. Reduce expectations of yourself and others
4. Practice being good enough
5. Invest your time
6. Plan Free Time
7. Underbook your calander

The flesh is weak, but the Spirit is willing

The following is kind of a debriefing.... it's not about me.. it's mini-testimony of the work of the Holy Spirit in me:

So Last Wednesday night the Faithweaver Friends topic was John 3:16 - How God Saves You. We have on average 30-40 kids on Wednesday nights with around 15 or 20 being unchurched kids. I've felt the last couple of weeks that God's been drawing me deeper. With this lesson in view, I felt this was a time to give these kids an oppurtunity to step out and say they wanted Jesus as their saviour. We've talked and talked to them about how Jesus came to save them but never gave them an "alter call" situation. So this was the night. Because of something taking up our normal meeting space in the main sanctuary we set up in the next biggest room. So we get all the kids in the room, we do a praise song, and I talk about John 3:16.... As I am going along I am telling about sin and how it makes us dirty, and some other stuff... and it's pretty good. I don't know exactly where God's taking it... but I am hoping in Him that these gets will get it. As I start up a slow worship song ("Night Song" by Hillsong Kids) I tell the kids that God wants to speak to them... I start to worship... let God speak to the kids.... My wife nudges me, kinda saying "OK now, do it... bring them the part about Jesus's salvation"... so I turn the music down.... And start to talk more about the Salvation that Jesus brings... and it seems half the kids are snickering and laughing... and BAM! God Spirit hits me. All I remember is this feeling of "It's not funny!!! This is life and death!!!" and telling one of the snickerers that if he were to run out in front of a car, I'd be yelling - "NO!!! Don't do it!!! you're going to get hurt!!!" The whole time, my eyes were closed... Like I say, I don't remember everything, but I do know there was an alter call... a time for boys and girls to acknowledge that they in fact were ready to accept Jesus. Then I led them everyone in the "repeat after me prayer".

I asked Mollie (my wifey) about what she saw and she said there were a number of kids that raised there hands... and for that I praise God!! and pray that this only be the beginning of His Spirit breaking through in my life/ministry and His Church!

Ta Ta for now!

Found great Video from conference at Toronto Airport Fellowship Church

While perusing the TACF.org website, I found a conference from February 2005 called "Raised Up and Set Apart". The conference speaker is a lady named Becky Fischer. Wowsers! here are the titles:

Kids are Hungry for the Supernatural
What to Teach Children and Why
Children and the Holy Spirit
A New Twist on the Harvest
The Joshua Factor

I am just finishing up the 1st one... and I am getting charged up from it.

The Candidness of Unchurched kids

My wife and I have been helping with the mid-week Faithweaver Friends time since September. Since school started in September, we have seen an influx of unchurched kids. We're talking 50% to 75% of the kids on Wednesday nights are unchurched kids. We have been so blessed at how true and sincere they answer questions. Where the church kids expect whats coming and can answer questions with the "correct" answer, while the unchurch kids give answers... from the heart. Mollie was leading one of the rotation centers and the 4 grade girls (makes up most of the newbies) were talking about how Jesus sure was great! That He had done great things! That they really loved Him. That's the meat that drives us. It makes me inspect myself. Do I come to church or to God with just the "correct" answers or the answers from my heart?

I have a couple of past blog posts, from March of 2005. That was before blogs were cool! I will be trying to blog once a day or so.

Integrity Music CM Newsletter

From Integrity Music website 9/4/2004:

Kickin’ it up a notch in Kids Worship!
Lest you get too comfortable with the zone you're currently in, I say, let's shake it up and get ready to move forward in Kids Worship! It is our tendency to find something that we feel works for us and make our theme song, "I shall not be, I shall not be moved"! So, if you're ready to dive in a little deeper, read on...

Planning & Vision: A New Theme
If you haven’t done so already, get into the Word and into God’s presence. Ask Him to show you where your kids are now and where He wants to take them during the coming year. A clear theme will emerge as you pray. Write it down! (Habakkuk 2:2) Let everything you do in the coming year reflect the goals God has set for your children; communicate them clearly to your Team, and plan everything around it. Someone has rightly said, "If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will take you there."

Make it Relevant
Live in the constant awareness of making everything you do relevant to where your kids actually live. Know what’s happening in our culture with the kids in the age group to whom you are ministering. Check out what video games they’re playing, what movies they’re seeing, notice what they are wearing and discover what they are saying as they interact. Once you know where they are, make sure that the way you teach attracts and keeps their attention and is relevant to their everyday life. Ask yourself this question: "How will this lesson (or these songs) help ‘Anna’ tomorrow at school?"

Authentic Worship
Praise and worship should be done with purpose. Not just to sing a few fun songs, or to perform. We must praise an Audience of One…we must worship to an Audience of One. People often ask, "How can I engage my kids in real praise & worship?" The answer is simple, YOU must enter into worship. When you do, they will usually follow. Keep movements simple, to enforce the words and message of the song and to add to the fun. Where hands go, eyes go. Following this simple rule will help your kids to focus on the One to whom they are singing; they will be less distracted by their friends or mindful of who might be watching them. Your purpose as a worship leader is to stand out front, to sing and worship, to lead the children (and other adults there) into God’s presence --- and then as they enter in and become aware of Him, you fade into the background. Kids interact in worship much as they do in a love relationship with their parents. They want to play, play, play (praise, praise, praise) and then love/hug (worship, worship) and then they’re off to play (praise) again! We need to know that it’s really ok that kids at worship look different than adults at worship. It’s a developmental thing. Give them time --- and give them opportunities for authentic worship. Just keep it real.

First Things First
Most of us want to get right to the "GROW" part and skip the "Ready, Set…" parts! Make sure you put first things first. Plan a training time for your Team. Don’t assume that everyone knows what you know or that they have your heart for the kids. Know that when we’re all on the same page, amazing things can happen! Write down your God-given vision for kids worship, for your particular kids and ministry.

Make sure you share things that are important to you. Here are just a few things I always like to share with my Team:

1. We are in the business of helping kids enter into God’s presence. We’re in the business of life transformation. We’re going to have fun, but never forget that this is about 'forever'.
2. Be attentive and in the moment. Be watchful for things that may come up.
3. Love kids. Period.
4. We don’t need any "kid police" or anyone to hold up the walls. Just worship with us. So many behavior challenges are eliminated if we have a good plan and then just enter into worship. If someone needs redirecting, do it gently and draw as little attention to it as possible. Often just a look, hand on a shoulder or quietly moving to stand beside a child does the trick.
5. We will plan an upbeat and interactive time of praise & worship, fun with a purpose (games, drama, snack) and Bible lesson and scripture memory. Here’s the checkpoint: if you’re having fun, the kids probably are too!
6. If a child raises his hand to ask a question during praise and worship or during the Bible lesson, the team member nearest him should go immediately and assist him. (Unless I’ve asked a question and instructed them to raise their hands) To interrupt the flow of worship or the spiritual time isn’t fair to the group. When a teacher (other than the group leader) goes to him, 2 great things are accomplished: the felt need of the one child is met AND the needs of the group are uninterrupted. Very cool.
7. The Leadership Team is important; you are the hearts and hands through which God will love the children. Through the fire and the passion that they see in you, they will be drawn to want to know the Jesus that you know.

Where to Start

I'm starting a new blog on Children's Ministry. My wife and I have been volunteering in Children's Ministry for 9 or 10 years now. We started out doing a sunday school type format with elementary age kids. Later our church changed formats and we worked with preschoolers (4 and 5 year olds). After a while of that, we moved on to working children's church with the children's pastor. Now we've moved churches, and are waiting on God to see how we can get involved.

And so it begins!