Planning for a Supernatural Children's Ministry

Can you believe that 2011 is almost history? Wasn't it just yesterday that we were saying goodbye to 2010 and hello to 2011?

I've spent some time lately looking back at the last 11 months of this year and analyzing what has transpired in our children's ministry, looking at the goals that were established at the beginning of the year and where we stand today on those goals. Hopefully you too have or will be doing this soon. I have examined the subjects/themes that were taught, the different areas in which we've challenged the children, and the social/relational development of our children. Have we met all of the goals for this past year? Honestly? Nope. Thankfully, my ministry here isn't over. I still have 2012 to work on the areas where we didn't quite make it.

As I start looking at 2012, allow me to share with you some thoughts on how to prepare for the upcoming year ...

* REFRESH. Find a time that you can get alone, away from the hustle of the everyday gamut of unending interruptions and distractions. A respite from the bustle is essential to escape the multitude of voices beckoning for your attention. It might be a morning away from the office and taking a walk along the shoreline of the beach or finding a bench at a local park. I find that in this "be still and know that I am God" time that I begin to sense a refreshing and His voice becomes undeniably clear.

* DEFINE. In this time of solitude, God will begin to speak by His Holy Spirit. Rest assured of the fact that God has plans for you (Jeremiah 29:11) that He wants to convey by His Spirit (John 16:13). As His plans unfold, there will come clear definition for where you will lead the ministry. There might be a prompting to focus on specific areas of ministry (worship, giving, hearing the voice of God, etc.) in your teaching. There might come direction for a specific area in which the children should be challenged to provide finances (a water well in Africa, Bibles for an unreached people group, etc.). Through prayer, define and gain direction for where you want to be at the end of 2012 with your children and staff.

* CHALLENGE. Years ago, Robert Schuller preached a message that greatly influenced me. The sermon focused upon allowing the size of my God to set the size of my dream. The dream that God has for you and your ministry is gigantic. This will require you to step out by faith and take gigantic steps to pursue after that dream. Accept the challenge. With God ALL things are possible.

* ESTABLISH. Seal the deal by writing down your God-given dream (vision). (Habakkuk 2:2). This will keep you on track. Throughout the year it will also be a reminder when the going gets rough (and it does from time to time) to keep on keeping on because you have a resolution that you aren't pursuing your plans. You have heard from God!

The purpose for this week's blog is to challenge you to not just float haphazardly through 2012 and allow another year to just happen. Let's start now planning for a year that will bring God's Kingdom much fruit and cause much damage to the camp of the enemy.

Tidbits

This week, I want to deviate from the regular blog subject matter and share random thoughts and ideas ...

* I'm currently reading a book entitled "Pentecost Lost" written by Patricia Holland. It is both a great read and a must read. You can obtain a copy by going to www.patriciaholland.org/pentecost-lost

* Blogs that I consistently read and follow ...

1. Relevent Children's Ministry (www.relevantchildrensministry.blogspot.com)

2. Patricia Holland (www.patriciaholland.org/blog)

3. Leader2Leader (www.jimwideman.blogspot.com)

* We recently had Ronnie Caldwell come to minister to the children of our church through the weekend services, our christian school through our annual spiritual emphasis week, and our community through our Halloween Family FunFest outreach. The kids and families absolutely loved him. You might want to contact Ronnie to minister at your church in the upcoming year. (www.pkmi.org)

*An interesting prop that I recently discovered that has become a valuable ministry tool - the Mega Mouth puppet. (www.neatoshop.com/product/Mega-Mouth-Hand-Puppet)

*People that I LOVE to follow on Twitter...

1. Reinhard Bonnke - ReinhardBonnke

2. Perry Noble - perrynoble

3. Karl Bastian -kidologist

4. T F Tenney - TFTenney

5. Willie George - Willie_George

6. Dale Hudson - dalehudsoncm

*Favorite iPhone Games - Words with Friends, Hanging with Friends, Drop7

Was this my most "spiritual" blog entry? Probably not. Was it a practical blog entry? A great big YEP! Be blessed. See you next week!!!

Let's Not Apologize!

This past weekend, I had the privilege of visiting the church in South Texas that I attended when I was growing up. Throughout the service, my mind was flooded with memories. To be honest, I had trouble paying attention to the guest speaker that Sunday. My mind was constantly thinking about different things that happened at the Christian Center in my childhood and youth. I could almost visibly see my pastor, Brother B.B. Hankins, flowing in the anointing and working together with the Holy Spirit.

Also during that service I reflected on the wit and wisdom of Brother Hankins. Among the dozens of "Hankinsisms" that I remembered that Sunday, I could picture him telling the teenagers of the church that when they were asked the question, "Do you speak in other tongues?" to answer with the question, "Do you mean that you don't?" In other words, he was telling us to not apologize for what should be the norm in the life of the believer.

I thought about that bit of wisdom quite a bit yesterday as Vickie and I flew back to South Florida and how it applied to our ministry to children. In many Pentecostal/Charismatic children's ministries, leaders and workers act as though they are embarrassed by what should be a normal, every service occurrence. Many have apologetically made the normal to be abnormal when it relates to children being filled with the Holy Spirit and praying aloud in their heavenly prayer language. What was considered to be the norm at the founding of the Church has become something that we are apparently embarrassed by.

Come on children's ministry leaders! Let's quit apologizing for being a Spirit-filled, tongue-talking Church. If today is the day of the Holy Ghost (and it is), then let's demonstrate it! Let's boldly and consistently encourage our children and staff to unapologetically demonstrate that we are a New Testament Church that flows with the Holy Ghost by praying ALOUD in your services in a heavenly language. Let's stand in front of our children's church congregations and Sunday school classes and mid-week Bible clubs and declare like the Apostle Peter "For this promise is for you and your children" (Acts 2:39) and then demonstrate that this is a normal, every day way of life by encouraging the children and staff to pray ALOUD in their heavenly prayer language.

Let me wrap up this entry by challenging the readers in the 60+ nations that are reading today's blog to be a present-day B.B. Hankins. When asked the question about your children's ministry, "Do you speak in other tongues?" your answer should be the question, "Do you mean that you don't?" Let's boldly be a Holy Ghost children's ministry!

A Free Gift For You!

I shared in the October 17th blog an overview of our Wild and Wacky, Don't Be Tacky weekend. In the October Billy Burns Ministries Ignite Connection newsletter I provided a link for a download of the entire service. I'd love for your children to enjoy what is one of our children's ministries favorite weekends. So, as a gift to you for following this blog, download the service outline and have a fun break from your regular type of ministry.

http://www.billyburnsministries.com/downloads/W&W.pdf

The Command

While reading through Acts 1 last weekend, I could sense the urgency in Jesus' time with His followers. Look at this ...

And, being assembled together with them, commanded
them that they should not depart from Jerusalem,
but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he,
ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water;
but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost
not many days hence. Acts 1:4-5

Did you notice that He commanded them to remain in Jerusalem and wait for the promise of the Father? Jesus didn't suggest that if it was convenient or if they might be able to rearrange their schedules to hang around Jerusalem for a few extra days. The urgency shows that this directive wasn't something that He said as a passing statement that might be considered questionable or be easily misunderstood. Why? Because Jesus knew that the furtherance of the Kingdom depended upon His followers being endued with power (verse 8). Jesus knew that no "when the Holy Ghost is come upon you" would equal no "Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth."

The reason for this week's blog entry is quite simple. Have you shared this same urgency with your children? Have you shared the command that your children not leave your "upper room" (a.k.a. your children's church auditorium or Sunday school classroom or midweek Bible club) until they have received the promise of the Father? Perhaps your lack of urgency might be the reason that there is no Jerusalems and Judaeas and ....

Let's follow Jesus' example and, in doing so, we will see children leaving your upper room and begin to turn their worlds upside down. (Acts 17:6)