My Long Lost Brother (in the Lord)

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A few weeks ago my family got to travel to Waterford, MI to minister to kids as part of a revival week at Williams Lake Church of the Nazarene. The children’s pastor is a part of Kidology’s CP Team and happens to be the first student in Kidology’s Coaching program.We are so alike! As we swapped stories of children’s ministry – it was like we’d done so many of the same (crazy) things. Once, as I said I needed to go use the restroom before the program began, I called him over and whispered, “why don’t you have all the kids hide while I’m out, like they are playing a joke on me?” and he said, “I was just going to do that!” It was like finding my long lost brother separated at birth. But my mother was spared having two of me around!

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I was pleased to see Eric had in his office his Coaching Notebook, Kidology Online Training Notebook, and Kidology Handbook Notebook! He truly has a servants heart and a teachable spirit! We asked me to feel free to tell him what I thought he could do better, but I honestly was very impressed with his ministry. It’s a small church with a big heart for kids! He not only does a wonderful job making the environment welcoming and fun for kids, but more importantly, it is obvious that the kids love him. Before I began a week of ministry he filled me in on what has going on in the lives of the kids so I could be sensitive as I taught. He got down on their level and it was clear they viewed him as their friend as well as their teacher. One of the things he does to connect with his kids is use Webkins. They can get virtual Webkins prizes at church – they simply pick a slip of paper with a prize on it and write their Webkins screen name, and he gives them the prize later online! He sends notes to his kids via Webkins and has even found a way to rack up points all night long while he sleeps so he can give away goodies to his kids, but I promised not to tell how!

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When I entered his office I had to laugh – if I didn’t know him better, and if he didn’t live over five hours away, I’d think he robbed me! He had a bunch of stuff in his office that I have! Great minds think alike, well, goofy kids pastors anyway!

Over dinner Eric asked what I would have done differently early in my ministry if I could have it to do over again… what a question! I wanted to give him something deeply profound and life-changing, that would forever change the course of his life from that dinner at the Lion’s Den until Jesus returned! But the reality is that my answer was rather simple:

Pursue God more, and ministry less. Spend more time with my wife, and less time at the church building doing stuff for God. Worry more about what kind of man I am, than what kind of minister I am. Be more of a human being than a human doing.

It may have taken me too long to learn these things, but I’m learning!

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2 Comments:

  1. That is a great post with some great pictures!!

  2. Oh, one more great story… I have this thing where I can hold out a note for a loooooooong time when leading the kids in singing. Well, not only does Eric do this too, but he challenged me to a dual and WOW!!!! he held out his note over 30 seconds longer than me, nearly a minute! The kids loved it!

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