Home Articles posted by kidologist (Page 129)

The Church with the Atari Logo

For the last two Sundays I’ve visited a church with an ATARI logo on the side of the building: Compare to: (Actually, it was my wife who pointed out the comparison!) and it made for a great twitter post. While we are “church shopping” and I’ve been posting comments on churches on facebook, twitter, etc. I’m not posting names or links to churches so that I can be honest and respect the churches I’m visiting and save their church websites from being pulled down from massive traffic. (ha!) But I will say, that this church so far has been my favorite. And not only because of the “Atari” logo – but because of what it might hint at. I have no idea if this symbol is from some denomination or has any significant meaning (help me out in comments if it does) but like Atari, which is dated, there are some dated things about this church I liked, besides the fact that building was a bit old and obviously one they are eager to replace or move out of, so there isn’t much point in investing too much in improving it, and they were bursting at the seams. There was…

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Mountains are Great, but the Valley Matters

If you follow my blog or facebook or twitter (especially recently) it is no secret that I love the mountains! It is one of the reasons I moved to Colorado. But I was reminded by my mentor Oswald Chambers that it is how we live in the valleys that truly matters. Let me encourage you with his words: The height of the mountaintop is measured by the dismal drudgery of the valley, but it is in the valley that we have to live for the glory of God. We see His glory on the mountain, but we never live for His glory there. It is in the place of humiliation that we find our true worth to God – that is where our faithfulness is revealed. Most of us can do things if we are always at some heroic level of intensity, simply because of the natural selfishness of our own hearts. But God wants us to be at the drab everyday relationship with Him…… when you were on the mountaintop you could believe anything, but what about when you were faced with the facts of valley? I love going to the mountains, but I know I must live in…

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The Cave Was Calling!

Yesterday I spent most of the day at the Garden of the God. (I leave the ‘s’ off on purpose!) I went to see the sunrise and to work in my new office: Colorado! This was my view for my morning staff conference call. Not too shabby! It was a little chilly, so I eventually moved to the Visitor Center across the street where I had a counter, power outlet, free refills and an elevated view: Next I headed off to Chipotle for lunch and on my way back I noticed a Navigator’s sign right before the turn to Garden of the Gods, and turned in. Soon I was at a Castle Gate being stopped by a Gate Keeper. I wasn’t sure if I would get in, but after speaking a little “Christianese” I was granted a pass and allowed to proceed into the most amazing compound that rivaled the Garden of the Gods next door! Turns out the Gen Eyrie retreat center may be one of the best kept secrets of Christiandome! Not only are there more red rocks…. and over 700 acres with lodges and hiking trails… there is even a Castle! But on to the CAVE! As…

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Leave the Shoes Behind

As I was sweeping up the empty Kidology HQ I noticed a favorite (and heavy!) puppet prop that I almost left behind! I had stashed it under the sink in the utility area so we missed it while packing. It is a pair of Gus, my puppet’s, shoes stuck in concrete! I’m sure the next tenants would have thought the previous occupants of the building were mafia that used to shake young children down for money judging by the size of the shoes! Actually, it is from a construction theme in Kids Church when Gus ignored some warning signs and stepped into wet concrete and got stuck! It took several men to carry him out and pry him loose to free him! Every time I see this prop it brings a chuckle as I remember his painful ordeal! And yet, at the same time, as I reflect on this funny prop and my silly puppet, I can’t help thinking that I too have my own reminders of times that I ignored warning signs and got stuck in my own messy situations. I too needed godly friends to pry me loose. If you ever find yourself in a situation where you…

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Teach Kids “How to Use My Bible”

I travel to many churches as a guest speaker or trainer and am very often stunned by how little need there is for Bibles in most children’s ministries. I consider teaching with and out of a Bible to be the fundamental basis of my instruction to kids. While I use puppets, object lessons, media clips, illusions, and more to creatively teach and engage children, these are never a substitute for teaching with and out of a Bible. Only the Bible has God’s promise of effectiveness. And yet, the Bible is a rare object in perhaps most children’s ministries today. This is a tragedy! Kids learn by what they see – they need to see you teaching with and from an actual Bible. And the learn by what they do – reading in and from an actual Bible. This is main reason I wrote the “How to Use My Bible“, the second installment in the DiscipleTown Kid’s Church curriculum that we’re producing in conjunction with DiscipleLand. For children, the Bible can be a very intimidating book simply due to its size. This 4-5 week unit will help erase kids’ impressions of the Bible as a giant, overwhelming volume that will take…

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