The Golden Compass

October 31, 2007

Once again, children’s ministry leaders and children’s pastors need to be on the watch and educate their parents and children. In December, a film with the title The Golden Compass is being released. It is my understanding that Phillip Pullman, the author, is an atheist and desires to pull kids and families in so he can get them to buy his triology of books where in the end the children kill God and everyone can do as they please. The fact that this movie is coming out in December is a ploy to entice parents into purchasing the set of books for their children for Christmas. Upon reading the books, they will encounter a strong anti-God theme. I have read that part of the story in the book includes a referral to castration and female circumcision. And, it’s supposed to be a kids book!

If you go to the website for The Golden Compass, you will encounter all sorts of things from the dark side, including a tab for daemons. In essence Pullman is endeavoring to sell atheism to children.

While I haven’t read the books, nor do I intend to, I think it would be wise for children’s ministry leaders to ‘wise up’ on this one so they can speak and respond intelligently.

What have you heard about this movie? Anyone read the book who would like to comment about it? In what ways could children’s pastors and leaders go about helping parents and children alike respond to this?

19 Comments | culture, family ministry | Permalink
Posted by tony l

Lemonade… it’s always good!

October 30, 2007

This past Sunday we started a three week series on Job. For our game this week, we decided to go back to an ol’ favorite… Lemonade. In this ‘relay race’ game each kid has to:

1. take a big bite of a lemon wedge

2. down a packet of sugar

3. drink a small cup of water

4. jump up and down 5 times to mix it all up

This game is an old favorite, but also perfect for the day’s lesson where we talked about taking our ‘lemons of life’ and making… you know the rest.

What game is an ol’ favorite for your kids?

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Posted by phil h

What do you REALLY want for Christmas?

October 30, 2007

In my devotional time yesterday (I’ve been using the new Men’s Devotional Bible by Zondervan), I read the story of Solomon in 1 Kings 3. It’s when God appeared to Solomon in a dream saying he could ask for whatever he wanted.

Imagine such an offer from God. What would you ask for? Long life? Health for your family? A beautiful wife? A godly husband? Musical or athletic ability? You name it. Solomon could have had it. And as a young, inexperienced 20 year old king, Solomon chose wisely and asked for a discerning heart.

So imagine. What if God showed up in your dreams tonight? If you knew you could take one prayer request to God, and He’d answer you, what would you ask for? I mean, what do you REALLY want for Christmas?

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Posted by phil h

Great E-mail Resource

October 29, 2007

If you are like me you probably receive tons of junk e-mail every day. Even from Christian-based companies, publishers, etc. But I will say that there is one resource that does provide a plethora of articles that will be a blessing to you and your children’s ministry team. It’s at Today’s Children’s Ministry and is sponsored by Promiseland.

todayschildministry.gif

This weekly e-newsletter direct links you to the website and does have some valuable tools you can use. I know that having resources readily available in our line of work is important. And even more importantly, I know how much junk wastes my time. I hope you find this resource to be a blessing to you. I would love to know what resources other’s have used that are effective. Hopefully we can establish a good archive of resources tried and true on this blog site so that we can filter out all the other stuff. If you have something that works, we would love to hear all about what it is and how it has worked for you.

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Posted by steve b

Is Childhood Disappearing?

October 29, 2007

Can you believe it?  Portland, Maine.  King Middle School.  Birth control pills available for girls as young as 11 years of age!  And, after the parents sign a waiver for medical care at the school, they are excluded from knowing about the care, including the dispensing of birth control pills to their children!  The whole rationale behind this is the assumption that kids will have sex.   The kids we are reaching and teaching are part of a generation who believes that children’s rights are more important than parental rights.  As teachers and children’s pastors, we better stand up and take notice of what is happening in the culture around us.  Fashion, music, media, and all the other cultural indicators are impacting the next generation in a powerful way!  It is our responsibility to help parents train up their kids in the way they should go.  We better not hide our heads in the sand.  We need to pray like we have never prayed before.  We need to support and encourage parents and families.  We need to provide opportunities for exposing parents to what is happening in our communities.  We need to stay informed about the issues that our families are being confronted with.  Let’s talk about those issues.  Let’s stand up and be counted for what is right!

What do you think about this issue?  What can children’s pastors and children’s ministry leaders and workers do to combat the enemy when he attempts to deceive and destroy the moral barometer of our community and country?  What have you found to be effective?  How do you discuss these issues with your families and with the kids in your ministry?

Leave a Comment » | culture, family ministry, misc | Permalink
Posted by tony l

The Show

October 27, 2007

There’s an interesting article in the latest issue of Children’s Ministry Magazine on page 50. It’s entitled “The Show Must Go…Off” and written by Larry Shallenberger.

It touches on a topic that leads me to this post…children’s ministry programming. The article calls attention to programming that has a large amount of video, drama and other ministry elements that keep kids in their seats for an extended time period. I believe Larry’s goal is for all that read it, to really evaluate our programming methods and ensure that we are not leading our kids into a “passive faith.”

As we disciple our kids it is prudent that we allow kids to engage physically as well as mentally. This could easily be a marathon post, but I’m interested in hearing from you as to what your thoughts are on the programming method of “the show” as described by Larry.

Also, what are your methods of children’s ministry programming and your means of evaluation.

What do you think…should the show go?

Leave a Comment » | leadership | Permalink
Posted by phil b

The Quotable Lewis

October 25, 2007

Especially since the release of the motion picture “Narnia”, many have become a fan of C. S. Lewis. Quite frankly, I was surprised at how many people I knew personally had never heard of him or some of his famous works (i.e. The Chronicles of Narnia, Mere Christianity, The Screwtape Letters, etc.). I have been a Lewis fan since grade school. In fact, for my exit exam from middle school, I remember having to write a final paper that I did on the writings of C. S. Lewis. I am sure that paper has been long lost and though I passed the eighth grade, I am even more certain those pages were not worthy of crossing the great author’s desk. Even still, I’ve never lost my fascination of the man behind Narnia.

There are few figures in history that seem to stand out in terms of those you might say were without a doubt a person of great wisdom. And some would argue that with some of the controversial seasons of Lewis’ life, to place him among these “few” would be erroneous. I beg to differ. In fact, not only would I say Lewis was a man of profound wisdom; but, to use a relevant term for today, this man was “authentic.” This man said what he meant and meant what he said. He was real. He was human. And I admire that.

I recently acquired a book. No, not one of those 150 page lessons for the day books you find dozens of at every conference (by the way, I buy those books too). I’m talking, one of those books that you can see on the shelf from across the room. This book sits right next to my Hayford’s Bible Handbook and Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance. It’s called “The Quotable Lewis.” Its an encyclopedic selection of quotes from the complete published works of C. S. Lewis. Now this is stuff to chew on folks.

Well, now that I’ve bragged a bit about my main man Lewis, I’ll get to the inspiration for this blog entry. lewisbook.jpg

The following quote is tagged under Children’s Literature and I think has the fuel to ignite some practical thinking on how we do children’s ministry.

“I am almost inclined to set it up as a canon that a children’s story which is enjoyed only by children is a bad children’s story. The good ones last. A waltz which you can like only when you are waltzing is a bad waltz.”

I am curious: what do these words say to you about children’s ministry?

1 Comment | culture, family ministry, leadership, resources | Tagged: , , | Permalink
Posted by steve b

Don’t Give Up!

October 25, 2007

Recently, I ran across a prophecy that was shared in one of our past children’s ministry conferences.  I thought someone might need to hear it and be encouraged by it. 

Don’t give up. Don’t give up.  Put that dream back together.  Put it back together, and do what you know to do and it will come out all right.

Don’t lay it down.  If you lay it down, I don’t have anybody else to pick it up, saith the Lord.

You’ve got to do the job. I gave it to you to do.  Don’t transfer it to somebody else. You do it.

Many have I called.  Many have I spoken to.  Many have I showed the dream, buy they have rejected; they have turned Me aside.

To you I have given what they would not take. To you I have given because you said, “Lord, here am I; send me.”

When others turned aside because it wasn’t big enough. When others said, “Lord, I want the big ministry,” you did what I told you to do.

Relax in Me, and quit comparing yourself with your fellow minister and your peers. Quit comparing your ministry with their ministry.

Compare your ministry with what I told you to do, and you’ll rejoice, because you’ll see that it already has surpassed what I told you to do, and you have gone on to a bigger dream. You have advanced to another dream.

Keep moving with My Spirit, and I will show you the greatest victory of all.

Obedience to the call of God is all that is required for His favor on your life and ministry!

Isn’t it easy to think that a certain model or style or approach is THE approach that will bring about success?  But, His plan for us and our ministry is unique.  How can we stay in touch with Him in order to hear when He is speaking?  What are some of the keys you have found to obedience to His direction? How have the words of this prophecy encouraged you?

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Posted by tony l

Family Ministry

October 24, 2007

GC.ufc.champAt GenesisChurch.tv, we’ve been employing a ministry concept spelled out in Dave Ferguson’s book, The BIG Idea. At our worship experiences, we teach on the same subject matter for all ages from elementary kids and up. We just closed out the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Champion) series for the adults where we focused on three champions of the Bible: Jacob, Samson, and David. In the corresponding GenesisKIDS series, entitled CHAMP!, we focused on the same three stories, but the content was tweaked in order to be age appropriate and relevant for that age group. While this is not the only aspect of our family ministry, we’ve discovered this to be a valuable tool in our efforts to minister to our kids and parents. When families leave church together on the same page spiritually, it helps set the table for spiritual discussions at home during the week.

What model or tool have you found to be effective for ministering to the entire family? Have you had successful events that reach the entire family?

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Posted by phil h

It’s Time To Be Real!

October 22, 2007

My favorite children’s story is The Velveteen Rabbit. I have given several copies of this book away through the years. I like it because the story of the book reveals a characteristic of effective leadership. As I look at the emerging generation of leaders, I believe I see a call and cry for authenticity. They aren’t interested in the fake. They want the genuine. I think the old Skin Horse gave the Velveteen Rabbit some outstanding advice about being an authentic person. I take the time to share a portion of the book with you for the benefit of those who haven’t read the story or for those who haven’t read it in a long time.

The Skin Horse had lived longer in the nursery than any of the others. He was so old that his brown coat was bald in patches and showed the seams underneath, and most of the hairs on his tail had been pulled out to string bead necklaces. He was wise, for he had seen a long succession of mechanical toys arrive to boast and swagger, and by-and-by break their mainsprings and pass away, and he knew that they were only toys, and would never turn into anything else. For nursery magic is very strange and wonderful, and only those playthings that are old and wise and experienced like the Skin Horse understand all about it.

“What is REAL?” asked the Rabbit one day, when they were lying side by side near the nursery fender, before Nana came to tidy the room. “Does it mean having things that buzz inside you and a stick-out handle?”

“Real isn’t how you are made,” said the Skin Horse. “It’s a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real.”

“Does it hurt?” asked the Rabbit.

“Sometimes,” said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. “When you are Real you don’t mind being hurt.”

“Does it happen all at once, like being wound up,” he asked, “or bit by bit?”

“It doesn’t happen all at once,” said the Skin Horse. “You become. It takes a long time. That’s why it doesn’t often happen to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don’t matter at all, because once you are Real you can’t be ugly, except to people who don’t understand.”

Something to think about and to respond to:

What can we as leaders do to encourage authenticity? Is it possible for a leader in today’s world to actually ‘be real’? Is it permitted? What are some of the dangers, the pitfalls, when you are real?

1 Comment | leadership, misc | Permalink
Posted by tony l

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