Are You Smarter Than the Average Bear?

If you are a product of the 1960's, you grew up watching some incredible cartoons. There's nothing on television today that remotely comes close to cartoon shows like The Jetsons or The Flintstones or cartoon characters like Bugs Bunny or Woody Woodpecker or Top Cat or Tweety Bird or Magilla Gorilla!

One of my all time favorites is the Hanna-Barbera cartoon character Yogi Bear. If I close my eyes, I can still see him looking at his Jellystone Park sidekick, Boo Boo, and saying, "I'm smarter than the average bear." Yogi snatched many a picnic basket as he showcased his brilliance.

Whether you are a Yogi Bear or an average bear like me, here is a truth found in God's Word that is so simple to understand. In praying with boys and girls to receive the infilling or baptism in God's Holy Spirit, you don't have to be smarter than the average bear to know that you know that you know that God ALWAYS wants to pour His Spirit into our children. Luke 11:13 makes His will known.

"Even though you are bad, you know how to give good things
to your children. How much more your heavenly Father
will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” 

Luke 11:13 (New Century Version)

It's so plain. It's so simple. Even Yogi would know that it is God's unequivocal will to ALWAYS baptize EVERYONE (and this includes children) who asks to be baptized with His precious Spirit. 

I love what Charles Finney stated in his Revival Lectures.

  

"God says he is more ready to give his Holy Spirit to them that ask him, than parents are to give bread unto their children. Here we are bound to believe that we shall receive it when we pray for it. You have no right to put an if, and say, "Lord, if it be your will, give us thy Holy Spirit."  This is an insult to God. To put an if into God's promise, where God has put none, is tantamount to charging God with being insincere. It is like saying, "O God, if thou art in earnest in making these promises, grant us the blessing we pray for."

Are you smarter than the average bear? If not, don't be discouraged. Luke 11 tells us to give our brain a  break. No thinking is required. When you pray with a child to receive this gift from heaven, they can and will be filled to overflowing. It's just that simple. So, go ahead and allow the children to ask. Rest assured. They will be filled with the Holy Spirit!

A Post-it Note from God

We all need reminders from time to time, or at least I know that I do. I survive a crazy lifestyle and keep on track of appointments and on top of projects because of the reminders that I place in my iPhone and the usage of a ton of Post-it Notes. My friend Jim Wideman teaches in his leadership conferences that God didn't give you a brain for memory. Your brain was placed inside your head to be creative. God gave you tools to assist you with your memory. To that I'll say a big, hearty amen!

This week, I want to serve as a Texas-sized Post-it Note and remind you about a truth that we quote and purportedly live by.

"Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit,
saith the LORD of hosts." Zechariah 4:6

I know that you know this verse. But, while many of us know this verse, somehow or another we constantly fail to heed God's instructions. Let me allow God to tell us His instructions one more time ...

"You won't «succeed» by might or by power, but by my Spirit,

says the LORD of Armies." (God's Word for Today)

And, one more time ...

"It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit,
says the LORD Almighty." (New Living Translation)

And then, one last reminder ...

"It's not by your creativity, personality, or talents nor by your
sets or props ... "  (Billy Burns Translation)

We all know that God's instruction to Zerubbabel is applicable for us today. I know that you know it. I guess that this reminder is so that you will show what you know to be true.

Make Every Lick Count!

Meet America's most adorable grand sons,
Gavin (2-years-old) and Joey (5-years-old)

Here is a Billy Burns Kid's Ministry 101 teaching point. Young kids CANNOT eat ice cream without getting it all over their face. You don't even have to be in children's ministry to know this. EVERY parent and grandparent knows that once the cone hits the lips, the ice cream will soon be all over the child's face and on the clothes, right? Fortunately, the children eventually learn how to make every lick count and not a single drop of ice cream will be wasted. That will be a bitter sweet time. The face and clothes stay clean but you won't get to experience those beautiful ice cream smiles and kisses.

Here's a question for you. Are you making every lick count in your children's services? Is every second that the children are with you being used to its maximum potential?

Several years ago, I had an adult call my office and request that I officiate a memorial service for her 10-year-old nephew who had just been brutally killed by her sister's live-in boyfriend. She shared with me that her nephew had recently been in our Easter Extravaganza service. The boy had specifically attended because we have a helicopter fly over our soccer field in each of our 3 Easter services and drop 15,000 pieces of candy per service. (Watch the candy drop http://vimeo.com/10709393). In this conversation, I learned that this was the only church service that the child had attended in his entire life. After hearing this news, my first thought questioned if we had made every lick count. Did we effectively, clearly present the good news of a risen Savior? Did the message penetrate beyond a candy-obsessed brain and reach into his heart? Only eternity will answer my questions.

How about your children's ministry? Are you making every lick count? Are licks being wasted that could have impacted a child's life? You just might have a first-time and only-time child in your service. Let's make every lick count!

It's In Your Genes!

Have you ever heard the phrase "You can't deny that he's your son" or "Your son is the spitting image of you"? It's not uncommon at all to see children in our ministry who are carbon copies of their parent or have a mixture of the distinct characteristics of their dad and mom. It's easy to notice identical personality traits or physical characteristics between a parent and a child. And, it's not a mystery that what we have noticed is genetics, or to explain it a little differently, it's in the child's DNA. It's not something that they have to make happen. They inherently have their daddy's height or their mom's quick wit or their mom's and grandmother's blonde hair color. We see this often in our ministry don't we!

Have you stopped to think about the DNA of a New Testament children's ministry? As you read through the Book of Acts, you see the distinct characteristics of the Church. While religious organizations abounded during this time and synagogues and temples were plentiful, the distinct "gene" birthed in the Upper Room became inherent and undeniable in the new Church and its lineage. And, that same unique "difference" is in you!

The reason for this week's blog post is to challenge you to take the time to take inventory of your DNA. Look at your ancestors found in the Book of Acts and define what has been passed down to you. Doing this is so, so important. What is in your genes?

I'll get you started by sharing just a few things found on my list.

1. We are a ministry of passionate worshipers.

2. We are a ministry of hilarious givers.

3. We are a ministry who knows and makes room for the Holy Ghost.

Ready for your assignment? Compile your list. Next, expound on each trait with a paragraph overview of why this is (or should be) noticeable in your DNA. For example, why do you claim to be worshipers? For our ministry, I quoted Jesus' statement that praise and worship is inherent in the mouths of babes and sucklings. It's in our genes! And then lastly, share your list with those who work alongside of you in your ministry. Doing so will cause the entire ministry to be aware of what should be undeniably noticeable!

New Testament children's ministry, be who you are! Unashamedly showcase your distinct uniqueness that has been flowing from generation to generation ever since the birth of the Church in the Upper Room. Why? It's in your genes!

The Danger of "JUST"

Whether we like to admit it or not, to some degree or another we are all very label conscious. For many of us, we walk into a department store and go straight to the clothing section that is made by our favorite designer. Come on. You know that it's the truth. Young, old, rich, not so rich, we all have "our" label. We generally don't even consider looking at clothes made another company. Why? Because that one designer or label describes who we are and what we like. I might even go so far as to say that the label "defines" us. One more time ... you know that it's the truth.

Many of this blog's readers have a label. It might be "children's pastor" or "nursery director" or "children's choir director" or "sidewalk Sunday school volunteer". Just like the labels at the department store, the labels are numerous. Children's ministry is filled with labels, labels that define who we are and what we do.

The reason for this week's blog is to issue a warning. There is an unseen danger in labels. Whether we recognize it or not, that defining label also is a confining label. It places boundaries on who we are and restrictions on what we can do. He's a children's pastor. She is a nursery master teacher.

Let me personalize what I am trying to share. My label is children's pastor. I am a children's pastor and have been for almost 24 years at Trinity Church International. I love the church. I love the children. But I am keenly aware that if allowed, this title or label given by men or organizations can place restraints on who I am and what I can do. After all, he IS (unsaid ... "just") a children's pastor. Thankfully, I guard the way that I think. I recognize that I am so much more than a children's pastor. This isn't ego talking. I just know that my God-given dreams and passion stretch far beyond the constraints imposed by being "just" a children's pastor. In writing this, I'm not minimizing the ministry at Trinity or disrespecting their perception of me. I'm just not allowing it to place boundaries that prevent me from fulfilling my God-given assignment.

The same can be said for you. Before you were born, God placed dreams and purpose on the inside of you. You have an assignment. Don't smother or constrain your assignment because of boundaries imposed by a label placed by others. Be loyal to your place of ministry be it nursery or children's choir or Sunday school teacher or children's pastor. But at the same time, don't be defined or confined and go through life with your wings strapped to your body. Go ahead and spread your wings. Begin now. Fly. Soar. Fulfill your assignment. Your destiny is waiting on you!

My Brain is Working Overtime - Your Responses

Last week, I posted a blog titled "My Brain is Working Overtime" in which I listed several questions that I believe must be examined by everyone working in children's ministry. If you haven't read the post, I would ask you to take 3 or 4 minutes and read my ponderings. At the end of the blog, I asked for your input. This week, allow me to share some excerpts taken from your tremendous responses. 

* "Great questions and sad we have to ask."

* "Happy to say that the Spirit of the living God is upon our children who experience His presence and been baptized, and prophesied regularly in our mist. Children continue to go deeper and deeper each week. That is so exciting to see and experience."

* "The questions you posted are exactly the ones I asked as I came here. My heart is to see these children know God and through that paradigm how to walk in the Spirit and pursue the things on Father's heart such as missions and ministry. The book "Teaching Kids Authentic Worship" was also a great confirmation and encouragement."

* "I found in my own life that I don't do the things you asked about because it's easier not to. When we choose not do those things everything can be easily controlled, predictable and BORING! It costs our flesh to step out and trust the Holy Spirit."

* "We are seeing kids more hungry for God. Children are still being baptized in the Holy Spirit. We are teaching them to enter into the prophetic realm.... (9 gifts of the Spirit). Teaching them they are hearing God's voice just that they need to recognize His voice and step out in faith. It is not easy.... but God always comes through. My deepest concern is that I may miss the mark and I truly don't want to miss the mark."

It's me again. What is your response to the questions that I posted? I'd love to read your input. You can write me at billy@billyburnsministries.com

 

My Brain is Working Overtime

Rather than share a lengthy blog entry this week, allow me to just share a few questions to ponder. The questions may not mean anyone else but me. Judging by what I am hearing from Children's Ministry leaders across the nation, these questions cause me to be very concerned.

* Why is a salvation altar call almost non-existent in children's services?
* While having fun is an essential element of children's ministry, where are the somber moments that allow the Holy Spirit to grip the very core of our children's heart?
* Why is receiving an offering just a part of the check-off to-do list of the service rather than an act of worship?
* Why is the content of teaching and ministry more like cotton candy fluff instead of life-changing Rhema (red-letter) words from heaven?
* When was the last time that you heard or taught about the full package delivered on Calvary's cross?
* Why is prayerless preparation and prayerless delivery the norm rather than the exception in our ministries?
* Why is Book of Acts children's ministry only provided to the fortunate few that can afford to attend a Kid's Camp or children's ministry retreat while the majority of children sitting in children's churches and mid-week Bible clubs are never given that opportunity?
* Why is it the greatest majority of the children (and staff) in Pentecostal/Charismatic churches would be like the Ephesian Christians in Acts 19 and would answer, "We didn't even know that there is a Holy Ghost"?
* Is the "these signs will follow those who believe" (Mark 16) only relegated to adult Christians?

Believe it or not, I have plenty more questions to ponder. But, this is enough to hopefully stir the children's ministry pastors and leaders. If you have any response, you can write me at billy@billyburnsministries.com.

Are You Getting the Bang for Your Buck?

While recently sitting at a meal with several men, I was intrigued as I listened to their conversation about investing money. I learned about a start up company that is having exponential growth in the technology field and is producing great yields for its investors. I also learned about companies that at one time showed great potential but made poor choices and is now seeing its investors bail out. It was quite enlightening to learn how these men valued their financial investments and the caution being used to maximize its returns. 

While you and I might not be in the stock market, it is safe to say that in these shaky financial times we are all careful in how we use our money. We tend to be far more frugal. We are careful to not waste what is difficult to get. We want each and every dollar to go as far as possible don't we.

Can we say the same about our children's ministry? What is the return or yield in your ministry? In our children's ministry, we have some children that are with us each and every weekend. Others come every other weekend. Then there are those that I call the CEO's (Christmas and Easter Only). This means that I have the opportunity to minister to some children 90 minutes each week. Others will be for 90 short minutes out of a 14 day period. Then there are the children that I will only have 90 or 180 minutes during the entire year. What is the return on our "investment"? What is being accomplished in those precious few minutes?

Here is the litmus test that shows the return on your ministry's investment. I draw this test from a quote attributed to Smith Wigglesworth. "If you leave people as you found them, God is not speaking by you." At the end of those precious few minutes of ministry, have the children's lives been changed? Has the Holy Ghost spoken and drawn the children closer to Jesus? Has the Word of God touched the very core of the children's hearts? If not, then it is safe to say that we are wasting our investment. Those 90 minutes aren't yielding what God wants from our ministry. 

Take a few minutes and examine your "stock" portfolio. It might be wise to do some shifting and changing so that you can maximize the yield and return. Boys and girls destinies are depending on your choice.

Let's Eliminate Wacky Tabacky Ministry

A few years ago, I came across an individual who had attended one of our Ignite the Supernatural Conferences. In reconnecting with this person they were so kind in their compliments of the conference. It truly had made an impact in their life. Everything was great until they made a statement telling me that because of their relationship with the Holy Spirit, they no longer studied before they went in to minister to the children. Now, they just "flowed" with the Spirit and whatever happened was a result of His leading. Believe me when I write that I did correct that error. We teach that flowing is a direct result of time with the Lord (prayer) and time in His Word. This time in His Word is also called preparation or study. That is why Paul told Timothy to "study to show yourself approved unto God". This preparation in the Word will prevent doctrinal error and keep the ministry balanced and not wacky and weird.

I came across this quote from R.C. Sproul's book The Mystery of the Holy Spirit. It is great counsel for those desiring to flow with the Holy Spirit.

"The Holy Spirit may be distinguished from the Word, but to separate the Word and the Spirit is spiritually fatal. The Holy Spirit teaches, leads, and speaks to us through the Word and with the Word, not apart from or against the Word. How grievous it is to the Holy Spirit when unbridled spirits mock God by claiming the leading of the Spirit when they are acting against the Word."

If you truly want to a Holy Ghost children's ministry, STUDY and PREPARE. Find a Word-filled curriculum or create a teaching series that will usher in the desired move of God. Walk into the service with both YOU and YOUR team ready to teach the lesson all the while being subject to the prompting of the Holy Spirit, the One who aided you in your preparation. In doing so, here will be the results.Powerful ... yes. Biblically sound and balanced ... yes. Holy Ghost sensitive ... yes. Wacky and weird ... no!

Let's keep the Holy Spirit and the Word together. In other words, place the FLOW with the KNOW and then you and your children will GROW. (I'm a poet and didn't know it.)

Are You a Tweeter?

Rather than share a brief teaching this week, allow me to share an insight into "Billy world". We all know that we aren't able to give out unless we are also taking in. So, with that in mind, I want to share a way that I receive ministry each week. It's a given that the Bible and prayer are first and foremost. And, if you've followed this blog for any period of time, you know that I am a reader. I have books everywhere ... on my desk at the office, by my chair in the family room, beside my bed, on my iPad, etc. But, what is another way that I energize my spirit?

I know that this won't sound spiritual, but Twitter provides a constant source of encouragement. The tweets are short, to the point, and thought provoking. If you haven't entered into the land of Twitter, you are missing out on a great tool. Here are some of the people that I follow:

Reinhard Bonnke - @ReinhardBonnke
Robert Morris - @PsRobertMorris
Patricia Holland - @RevPatHolland
Becky Fischer - @kidsinministry
Steven Furtick - @stevenfurtick
TF Tenney - @TFTenney
Michael Hyatt - @MichaelHyatt
Mark Batterson - @MarkBatterson
Mark Driscoll - @PastorMark
John Piper - @JohnPiper
Tommy Tenney - @TommyTenney
Lee Grady- @LeeGrady
Brian Tracy - @briantracy
Jimmy Evans - @PsJimmyEvans
Willie George - @Willie_George
Dale Hudson - @dalehudsoncm
Jim Wideman -@jimwideman

I'd love to be among the people that you add to your Twitter list. You can easily connect with me. @IamBillyBurns

I hope that you'll add this invaluable tool to your life. Right now, go to www.twitter.com and sign up. I know that you'll thank me for the suggestion.

Make Your List & Check It Twice!

This coming June will mark our 34th anniversary of being in children's ministry. That's a long time isn't it! Along the way, I have accumulated a lot of ministry props and pieces of equipment. I'm sure that you can image what it would be like to purchase a few items at this convention and a few more at the next conference and then even more at the next meeting. Thirty-four years of buying has created quite an inventory of ministry tools. I have a specially made cabinet filled with object lessons with surprise endings (gospel magic), trunks filled with puppets, file cabinets lined with boxes of object lesson props, racks of costumes, a custom made cabinet for storing black light Scene-O-Felt flannel stories, etc. And books? Yep. There's a bunch of books about children's ministry.

I recently came to the realization that most of these pieces of equipment aren't of any value to me. While they are in my possession, most of them haven't been touched in years. Why aren't they being used? For the most part, I have so much that I don't even know what I have. And, if I can't remember what I have, I won't ever use it. So, to eliminate this problem, I began to create lists. I now have a list that tells me what flannel stories that I own, another list for gospel magic tricks, another list for props, etc. Now, as I'm writing a lesson, I can go to my lists to see what will enhance the teaching. I'm so excited that those formerly unused pieces of equipment are being incorporated into the ministry and adding a whole new dimension to the teaching.

What does this have to do with your ministry? Have you recently taken inventory of the ministry aids provided for you by the Holy Spirit? I'm sure that for many of us, we are so busy just putting together our day-to-day lives that we've pushed to the side the awareness of all that is readily available and accessible to ignite a mighty move of God in you personally and in your ministry. And, like with my children's ministry props and equipment, if we aren't conscious or knowledgeable of what we have available, it isn't be used.

Do yourself a gigantic favor. Stop what you are doing. Take some time to list of the God-given "tools" at your disposal. To make it easy, I'll provide a couple of items on the list and ask you to continue the itemizing. First, there is the ability to walk into a ministry opportunity filled with supernatural power (Acts 1:8). Next, God has made available the ability to see things that are unseeable to the natural eye (John 16:13). Next, ... you can pick it up from here.

One more thing. Once your inventory list is complete, start using the formerly unused "tools" from heaven. It will add a whole new dimension to the ministry!

Words With Friends Anyone?

They say that confession is good for the soul. And so, here's my confession. (I feel like I am at an AA meeting.) I am Billy Burns and I am helplessly addicted to word games on my iPad and iPhone. I absolutely love playing games like Words With Friends, Hanging With Friends, Scramble With Friends, etc. By far, my favorite game is Words With Friends. I have 12 games going right now and I am winning in 9 of the games.

Why is this Scrabble-like game my favorite? Because I've learned the strategy of the game. It's not just placing letters on the screen to form a word. It's not about playing a word just to play a word. Many of my opponents haven't discovered this secret. Good players know the importance of strategically forming words that will give maximum points while not setting up their opponent and enabling them to form Double Word or Triple Word possibilities.

Many children's leaders are just like my Words With Friends opponents. They just do a service because it's time to do something. There is no foresight and planning on their part. They fail to be strategic in their planning.

Have you looked at 2013? Do you have a vision where you want to be 12 months from now? Are there specific goals and dreams for your ministry? I know that I do. That's why we kicked off this year with a series that I wrote called The Blood, The Word, The Name. At the end of this year, I want to see children who are boldly standing for God and using the powerful God-given weapons against our enemy. After this series, we'll spend time teaching On Assignment with the Holy Ghost. I can foresee a powerful year ahead of us.

So, will I be doing services just to do services? Are you kidding me? No way! There is a strategy. Each and every service will be pointing towards the end goal. There will also be fun weekends mixed in-between the series. That's a part of the strategy. I know that the children are spirit, soul, and body. They need variety. But, I have the services lined up to make 2013 be a year of destiny. I've heard from God. I'm making strategic moves and being fully aware that He will also be making strategic moves.

Bring on 2013. I'm ready!

Be Bold? Who Me? YEP!!!

For my daily devotions this year, I've chosen to just read through the New Testament. I'm doing this for several reasons. First, it's not an overwhelming amount of reading each day. Like you, my life is full and extra time just isn't in my schedule. Secondly, I am using a program (Laridian PocketBible) on my iPad that allows me to have a screen showing three panels. I have it set up so that the Scripture is in the full left panel and then the two right panels (one on top of the other) are two commentaries. Thus, I'm not spending too much time each day because my reading is usually just one chapter PLUS I get to dig a little into each reading. Pretty cool!

Here's something that I've discovered in reading in my readings in Matthew's gospel. In the first 16 chapters, I've noticed twice that the people marveled at Jesus' authority. (Matthew 7 and 9). What's significant about this? Many of these people knew Jesus personally. After all, in His childhood, Jesus had played with their kids. He perhaps lived in a nearby town and they had bumped into each other from time-to-time. They knew that He was Joseph and Mary's son. For some 30 years, there wasn't anything significant about Him. He was just Jesus of Nazareth. Now, for some strange reason, this Jesus guy is different. There is a boldness and power about Him.

They same could be said about Peter and John in the Book of Acts. After the miracle found in Acts 3, we read that the Jewish leaders marveled at the power and authority demonstrated at the healing of the lame man. In Acts 4, the astonished leaders begin to discuss what they knew about Peter and John. They had known these men for years. As kids, they had dealings with each other. Peter's mom knew their mothers. They used to skip school together. They knew for a fact that Peter and John weren't the most brilliant guys around. But now, for some strange reason, Peter and John are different.

Here is the common denominator. The "change in life" occurred after the infilling of the Holy Ghost. It's the truth! Read through the Gospels and you'll notice that nothing of significance was recorded in Jesus' first 30 years. But, after the infilling of the Holy Ghost, people began to take note of what He said and what He did. The same could be said about Peter and John. Up to the Day of Pentecost, their bio sheet wasn't anything to brag about. Right? Failures and disappointments abounded. But, after being filled with the Holy Ghost, things were different. A new-found boldness and authority permeated from these men.

I'm writing this blog today to remind you that the same Holy Ghost who turned insignificant, unnoticeable individuals into men who changed the world now lives on the inside of you. That same boldness is abiding inside of you. That same authority resides in you. So, don't sit back. Stand up. Speak up. Dare to believe God. History is waiting to tell your story!!!

Dead Form? Here's the Cure!

Last week, I shared some thoughts from John Wesley's Advice to a People Called Methodist. As we begin this new year, I want to share another quote from Wesley taken from his message The More Excellent Way. Consider his observation concerning the gifts and workings of the Holy Spirit:

It does not appear that these extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost were common in the church for more than two or three centuries. We seldom hear of them after that fatal period when the Emperor Constantine called himself a Christian, and from a vain imagination of promoting the Christian cause thereby heaped riches, and power, and honour, upon the Christians in general; but in particular upon the Christian clergy. From this time they almost totally ceased; very few instances of the kind were found. The cause of this was not (as has been vulgarly supposed,) "because there was no more occasion for them," because all the world was become Christian. This is a miserable mistake; not a twentieth part of it was then nominally Christian. The real cause was, "the love of many," almost of all Christians, so called, was "waxed cold." The Christians had no more of the Spirit of Christ than the other Heathens. The Son of Man, when he came to examine his Church, could hardly "find faith upon earth." This was the real cause why the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost were no longer to be found in the Christian Church -- because the Christians were turned Heathens again, and had only a dead form left.

What does this have to do with children's ministry? It is easy in children's ministry to take the easy way and buy into fads and Spirit-less trends. After all, we are busy, right? And, we all know that children's ministry is demanding. It takes a lot of work to make this ministry function, right? Plus, much is pulling for our attention, etc. Often, the "easy" way to survive is to hurriedly throw together a service with some kind of/sort of "Bibley feel" or purchase a trendy curriculum eliminates the need for connecting with the Holy Spirit. Without exception, the Spirit-less, prayer-less, powerless services become what Wesley called "a dead form". 

Children's leader, as we begin this new year, take some time to determine where your ministry is in relationship to the gifts and workings of the Holy Spirit. According to Wesley's message, if there is no movement or working of the Holy Spirit, it is due to our state of being. Here's a suggestion. As many of us are beginning this new year with extended times of prayer and fasting, it might wise to repent of becoming a "dead form" and then cry out for a fresh wind of the Spirit to blow upon us. Selah.