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Category: Kidology

Baptism Like Being a Bronco Fan? Really!

Today I was guest teaching at a local church – and it happened to be the divisional play off game between the Broncos and the Chargers… which the Bronocos ended up winning later in the afternoon 24-17, though I didn’t know that when I was teaching! My topic was John’s baptism of Jesus – I explained that sports “fans” originated from religious “fanatics” and  I compared how a fanatic, in the words of Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill, is “someone can’t change his mind and won’t change the subject.” We stick with a team, often even after moving, because we are loyal, and sports fans often “won’t stop talking about them.” What if it were that way with our devotion to Jesus? We were sports gear to show our team spirit, what do we do to show our “Jesus spirit?” Of course, we can wear Christian t-shirts or put bumper stickers on our cars, but God came up with something better. It’s called Baptism. Below is a video of the lesson, and my lesson plan is linked below. The only thing not in the lesson plan is the magic appearing/disappearing dove and much of my puppet routine, but the basics…

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Balancing the Sacred vs. Silliness

In kids ministry we try to connect with kids in order to reach them – Kidology is a philosophy of ministry that strives to minister to kids from within the culture of kids. In order to interest, engage and even at times (dare I say it?) entertain kids, we will do the craziest things, won’t we? Dunk tanks! Drop eggs from helicopters! Pies in the face! All manner of craziness and silliness goes on in children’s ministries. And this is good! But there is also a danger. We can risk losing the sacred. We can risk being flippant with holiness. And at some point, all that FUN needs to decrescendo down to some sacred seriousness, or else it loses it’s purpose and was all for naught. Fun isn’t the goal, it is a means to a greater end. We aren’t in the business of giving kids a great time. We are in the business of making disciples. Consider: “Don’t be flip with the sacred. Banter and silliness give no honor to God. Don’t reduce holy mysteries to slogans. In trying to be relevant, you’re only being cute and inviting sacrilege.” Matthew 7:6 MSG I’m not going to offer the answer…

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FREE Family Devotionals on Victory!

As you may (or may not!) know, every unit of DiscipleTown comes with 12 family devotionals – 3 per week – in a cool “Table Talker” design like you see on your table when you eat out at a restaurant. I have now written 288 of these devotionals with the upcoming 24th DiscipleTown “How to Walk in Victory” to be released soon. I wanted my BLOG READERS to be the FIRST to get a sneak peak! So enjoy these FREE THREE DEVOTIONALS! Here is what they look like: Download THREE COMPLETE DEVOTIONALS for your family. There are nine more with the unit that will be released shortly, and 12 with every unit of DiscipleTown – but I encourage you to use these with your family and enjoy the fun you will have and the engaging conversations that will result.

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The Hunt for Odd Ministry Props

As I write in extensive detail about in the Kid’s Church Cookbook, Part 5: Getting Creative, creative teachers are ALWAYS on the look out for unique teaching items. So I thought I’d share one I picked up over Christmas Break: iWipers When I saw these I cracked up! The potential for this prop is fantastic! Teaching on Noah and the flood! Teaching on Jesus calming the storm! Simply wear on a rainy day at camp or VBS Do I know when I will use these? No. But they are now in my collection of creative kidmin props! You can’t wait until you need something to find it – you’ll never have a lesson and say, “Boy, sure wish I had some glasses with windshield wipers on them!” But when you own a pair and are preparing a lesson, one day you’ll say, “HEY! This is when I can use those cool windshield wiper glasses!” And you’ll be so glad you have them. The point of this post isn’t to go and get yourself a pair of iWipers. (Though some of you might!) The point is, always keep your eye out of unique props as they engage kids, create memories and…

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Angry Kids and Crime

Responding to the School Shooting Near My Home This past week just a few miles from my home yet another troubled teenager entered his school, armed with weapons and explosives, fired on fellow students, before turning the gun on himself as the police closed in. While the rapid response of law enforcement minimized the potential harm to students, a young classmate now lies in a coma fighting for her life. While her parents and our nation pray for her recovery, there is another set of parents who have lost a son – and a nation asking once again, “Why?” While the radio waves are filled with the predictable arguments over gun control laws – some have brought up the broken home this young man came from and the fact that nearly all school shootings have been committed by children of divorce. While we certainly don’t know the complete reasons for this most recent attack, we do know divorce is an attack a child’s world. On Kidmin Talk this week I invited Wayne Stocks from DivorceMinistry4Kids.com to join me as we discuss what children’s ministers can and should be doing to better meet the needs of these kids to help them…

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