A couple of weeks ago I started watching the following video on YouTube and I was moved to watch another, including the one following. If you’re short on time, just watch the second one and pay close attention at 4:40…

First:

And another:

Did you see the family bow? It didn’t seem like they were involved in the mob.

Anyhow, I wound up watching video after video. At times, I was scared by the power that these mobs could have…but I was also moved to think of the power that the Church has in proclaiming the name of Christ: Especially if we would do it outside the walls of our meeting space.

This year, do you have a plan to do something outside the building? Have you considered how you can make an impact in your community as a group?

Last week I noticed Howie Mandel is hosting a new show, “Mobbed.” (How will he deal with being around all those people?) I’m not sure if I’ll watch it, but I’m certainly inspired by the notion of group influence.

How do you think we can use the power of people?

I was at a conference lately where the speaker challenged the attendees to place a piece of candy in our mouth representing the sweetness of Jesus. I had a small problem that led me have a quick God-moment. I had gum in my mouth and honestly didn’t want to lose it. But I didn’t want NOT to participate so I pulled the gum out of my mouth. As I placed the gum into the candy wrapper, the Lord spoke to me, “How much do you really want me? Are you willing to give up the good that you have for the good that I have for you?”
Ouch! Sometimes I get so comfortable or so focused on the ministry tasks or family agenda. I wonder how many times I’ve missed the better things God had for me.

How about you? Do you need to get rid of a goof ministry goal, something good that fills your time in order to have what Jesus has for you?

I ran across this article this week on sounds that our kids have never heard.  Come to think of it, I’ve never heard of a couple of them – well one of them anyway. My how times are a’changing.  But this isn’t a blog about strolling down memory lane – it’s about things are don’t “fit” in our culture anymore.

What are some things in your ministry to kids or youth that you are using that don’t fit anymore?   I know of hundreds of churches (and I’m sure you do, too?) that are still using technology and other methods to disciple children that don’t make sense.  Just because something is new doesn’t mean it’s bad!  Now, granted, I’m still a parent who doesn’t think my kids need a cell phone until they start driving – and they don’t have an iPod or personal computer – but are there areas in our discipleship of kids where modern inventions can be used?

I’m not just referring to technology, but about our methods as well.  We seem to have stuck our churches into doing things a certain way and to a specific demographic of people.  Are there things that need to change to better impact the future generations?

We meet for services on Sunday mornings, have Wednesday night programs, and various special events throughout the year.  Some churches have responded with adding Saturday night services (and even some Sunday afternoon services), but I’m thinking even more radical than that.

• What about doing away with weekly services and moving to monthly ones?  Then, on the “off” weeks, having families connect to minister to the needs of their community?
• Or how about ONLY meeting once per week for worship and assigning families into gospel community groups for fellowship and being on mission?

I’m gonna take a break from the “Where do we get our info?” blog series and switch gears….cool?  Cool!

I’m sitting at home watching the Vietnam special on the History Channel and finding it fascinating and heart-wrenching – and it’s just the first episode.  It’s not only telling the story of the war, but of individual men that fought for their country.  Men who were killed right after hearing about their son or daughter being born at home.  Black men and white men fighting side-by-side in 1967!  Young boys leaving their families (some boy choice, some not) to go half way around the world to fight in an almost never ending war. It defined an entire generation and era!  It was their purpose!

What is our purpose?

For as far back as our written history takes us, we’ve been wrestling with the questions of purpose and humankind existence.  Of course, as Believers, we know the answers to that: to bring glory to God, to be and make disciples of Christ and so on.  That is almost to grand of an answer to comprehend, so perhaps we should talk a little bit about behaviors and practices.

What actions define someone looking to fulfill their purpose?  How will they act?  I’m genuinely interested in hearing what your thoughts are.  Also, once we figure those out, how do we pass those actions and passions onto the next generation?  Let us know what you think.

“I want to make sure I’m ready to tell my friends about Jesus at school but I’m afraid I won’t remember what to say.”

Here are some ideas to help your kids be ready to share about Christ when asked:

1. When a friend begins to share about a tough experience; listen to their story.
2. Connecting their story to your story.  Share about a time when you went through a similar experience.
3. Connecting your story to God.  Share how God helped you in your experience.
4. Connecting their story to God.

Option A: Then say, “If God can help me, I know He can help you.”  Would you like me to pray for you?

Option B:  I remember hearing a story (from the Bible or from church) that is like your story.  Tell the story of God’s care as it relates to the story.  Then ask to pray for your friend.

Helping our kids feel confident that they can share their faith is important.

I talk to lots and lots of parents every weekend.  And at my home church (Christ Community Church in St. Charles, IL), we’ve found that the more parents we talk to, the more people we find who are lost in their parenting.  They question their decisions, they don’t know how to share the Gospel, and they wonder if they are making wise choices.  By far, the parents I interact with have a heart to reach their kids for Christ and they work very hard.  However, the longer I spend in ministry I have found that many, many parents work to reach their kids for Christ without having made a decision for Christ themselves.

Two weeks ago we did a baptism weekend.  It was incredible!  We baptized over 100 people at our main campus and we had the largest group of 4th and 5th graders baptized ever.  When we held the baptism class, we found that parents would march their kids to the class and have them fill out a testimony, only to find that it was pretty clear that neither the parents or the child had ever made a real decision to follow Christ.  At Christ Community baptism has become an evangelistic tool for families.  The same thing happens when we do child dedication.  We are pretty intent on making sure that the parents who dedicate their children to serving God have a strong and growing faith in Christ.  Many times, parents come to faith through this process.  It’s important to be intentional when it comes to the Gospel.

How are you doing with sharing the Gospel and empowering parents to share the Gospel in your ministry context?  This week, we launched a parenting series at our church and we kicked off the first week with a message about sharing the Gospel using the wordless book.  Here’s a link to the series downloads page.  Each week, the notes, audio, study guide, and streaming video will be made available.  We’re covering The Gospel, Truth, Modesty, Media, and Dating.  Maybe you’ll find something helpful for your ministry to families.

I’m always trying to find ways to make the story of Easter creative and fresh for the kids who have tuned it out. It’s sad how repeated truth loses its value to the hearer (is that how trite sayings are born?).  This year I was challenged to see if I could write a mini-saga.  A mini-saga is a 50-word story.  I’m sure you’ve heard of the Six Word Memoirs, a web and print sensation where people see if they can write their life story in only 6 words.  It was Ernest Hemingway who set the precedent, writing a classically sad story (not a memoir), “For sale: baby shoes, never worn.”

Clearly, I am not Ernest Hemingway. (Six words for those of you keeping score on Twitter).  I thought it would be fun to collect 50-word mini-sagas of the Gospel.  We’re going to take these mini-sagas and share them with our 2nd-5th graders this Easter.  I’m praying that hearing the whole story in exactly 50 words from different people will bring the story alive in a way many kids have never heard before.  I’m praying that the stories submitted will impact the kids on the margins.

I asked lots and lots of people to contribute, a few helped out.  I’ll post what I have so far and invite you to join the discussion.

God loves you.  God hates sin.  Everyone sins.  God sent his son, Jesus, to pay for your sins.  It’s a free gift.  You need to say, “Jesus, I’m sorry for my sin. Thank you for dying on the cross for me.  My life belongs to you.” Would you like that?

God created people to worship God. We sinned separating us from God. Jesus, who never sinned, died on the cross to pay for our sins. God raised Jesus from the dead. We can receive forgiveness of sin; have a relationship with God worshiping him again now and in heaven forever.

The gospel in fifty words; you’re crazy.  Wait.  “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”  Good huh?  A guy named John wrote that.  He knew Jesus really well.  You can too.

For me, believing in Jesus was like standing at the foot of the cross. As Jesus was crucified, he was shedding tears for me. The tears ran down his blood stained face and fell into my heart, washing away everything bad. For the first time I felt clean; free; forgiven.

Everything started with God: the universe, time, humanity.  But evil crept in.  All was lost.  Yet God chose a people and struck a deal no one could ever break.  Jesus was the sacrifice to bring humanity back into relationship with God.  Redemption!  By grace I can know God now, evermore.

This is a really powerful exercise.  Take your time.  Only 50 words.