What an amazing week at Panama City Beach with our PULSE students and Elevate students from Dexter, Missouri! If your teen missed out, you DEFINITELY want to make sure they go next year!
Here is a quick recap:
*The first night, we had 14 confirmed salvations! Not to mention at least 10 more the last night.
*Friday morning, at 5:00am, we baptized 14 students at the beach during a sunrise service. It was incredible!
*I preached an entire series from the book of Jonah. The students were so hungry for the word that most of the sermons went an hour and a half and it seemed like 30 minutes. They couldn't get enough!
*Our very own student pastor taught the afternoon sessions. He did a series entitled "God's Will Is Whatever" and gave practical ways for the students to grasp God's will for their lives.
*Danya, our worship pastor, also taught a morning session on getting into the presence of God. We had 3 conference style sessions a day, and each session was jam packed with worship and the word. And the students LOVED it!
*Student pastor, Tyler Feller, and our good friend Kryst Lyke, also taught morning sessions and did a phenomenal job!
*The last night, I challenged the students with a message; "A Moment or a Movement". Many camp experiences are short lived. So I challenged them to get serious about their walk with Christ or we wouldn't be seeing them next year once the "hype" wore off. It was incredible as they stood to talk to youth leaders about holding them accountable with their walk with Christ!
*We had an "After Party" for the students the last night. We celebrated and worshipped for nearly 2 hours! The students prayed for one another, their leaders, and their pastors. Students were standing up and testifying and preaching...it was a humbling experience.
*On the bus ride home, the students began worshipping and standing to give their testimonies! We even had students standing and preaching the last night of camp that had JUST been saved this past week!
Tonight, Pastor Steven did a phenomenal job casting vision for our student ministry. He taught on our mission at Generation Church; Loving God, Loving People, Empowering Lives. He taught that 4 things must happen for the movement to continue:
1. Grow Bigger
-Be relentless in inviting people
2. Grow Closer
-Grow closer to your Christian friends, leave behind old influences.
3. Grow Up
-Leave behind all the drama, gossip, jealousy, bitterness and grow mature in your faith.
4. Grow Yourself
-Start your own worship time, Bible reading, and prayer time.
It was the best camp follow up message I have ever heard. The students did not want to go home! They worshipped until we made them leave. I was truly blown away at what God was doing in the midst of these students.
Not only that, but at LEAST 60 students stood to say they wanted to serve and be leaders in our church!!! Wake up adults, the students are leading the way! It's time for YOU to step up and get involved!
Church, this is only the beginning. This isn't just about our students, it's about what God wants to do in our church. Get ready, because the movement has just begun...
Sunday, June 9, 2013
Sunday, May 12, 2013
A Reminder from Today
As we start a new week at our jobs, school, or at home, I wanted to just encourage you all to remember highlights from today's message. Today, we discussed our core value: We Seek Those Far From God. As you encounter co-workers, family members, and friends who are far from God; remember how Jesus responded or dealt with them:
HE MET THEM
He met them in their mess, right where they were. People need to be reminded that it's not God who is far from us, but it's us who is far from Him. One step in the other direction and we see that Jesus was there all along, meeting us in our darkest hour.
Meet people where they are this week. Run to the mess.
HE EMBRACED THEM
Before He confronted their sin, He embraced them as people not just a project. Jesus never condoned sin, but He always loved the sinner. His compassion and approach to people was so incredible that people repented and followed Him because of His overwhelming love. People who are jacked up don't need people to point that out; they already know.
Remember to embrace people, their faults and all. Your compassion and sincerity will create soft soil in their hearts to receive the seed of the word of God. Love people for who they can become, not for what they've done.
HE INVITED THEM
Jesus always gave people the opportunity to follow Him. He invited them to repentance, healing, a life of peace, a life of forgiveness. If we only show people love or good deeds but never share Jesus then what's the point? Jesus' compassion had a purpose: restore mankind's relationship with God that had been broken by sin.
Who are you inviting to experience Jesus? Who are you intentionally building relationships with to influence them to become followers of Christ? Invite someone to meet Jesus this week whether in person or a church invite.
Today, four people publicly professed Christ as Savior. That should never get old to us church. As we start our new week, may we never forget to seek out those who need Jesus. It's why we do what we do. Have a blessed week church, I love and honor each of you.
Pastor B
Monday, May 6, 2013
Weekend Review
I don't even know where to begin. What an amazing weekend, church! I hope and pray that the message truly impacted each person that came this weekend. I'm telling you GC, if we will all develop that servant's heart, we will see our city turned upside down! It was such a powerful experience; especially talking to people throughout the day who were impacted by the worship experiences. Here's a recap of the weekend:
Attendance: 740 people at our morning worship experiences...that's a non-holiday record! We had 205 GKids! We had our largest 3rd worship experience ever at 230 people. There were 74 5-11 year olds alone in the 2nd worship experience. Unreal!
Our student ministry; PULSE, saw an attendance record of 201 people! It was THE best student worship experience of the year!
Salvations: In the morning worship experiences, we saw 5 people come to know Jesus as their savior. 2 of those were baptized as well! At PULSE, 13 students stood to their feet to place their faith in Christ as their savior!! It was incredible!
Baptisms: We baptized 11 people yesterday morning. And 9 of the 13 students that received Christ signed up for the next baptism! We saw mother/daughters being baptized, coaches baptizing their players, 2 men who were saved following through immediately with baptism.
Generate Ownership: This is our class to join the church and get involved to become an owner (not a member). We had 24 people taking their next step and joining one of our serve teams. Nearly every class this year has been full every month! As our teams grow, so will our church, which in turn grows the Kingdom.
Life Change Stories: As I mentioned already, there were 2 gentlemen who were saved/baptized yesterday.
*I spoke with a man who had not been to church in 45 YEARS! He lost 2 children in a fire and has had trouble coming to church. He said that he's never been impacted by a church as he has since he started coming 2 weeks ago.
*I spoke with someone who has been out of church for 5 years and was living with her fiancee, but recently broke up. They both agreed that they needed God in their relationship and lives. They both were VIP's yesterday and rededicated their lives to Jesus and are excited about their next steps in their faith journey. She even came back to PULSE and loved it!
*One gentlemen, who just started coming a few weeks ago, said he had never been to a church that accepted him. He has a lot of tattoos and piercings. He has been saved and baptized since attending GC! His sister came and was baptized yesterday!
*We had VIP students who came, got saved, and are now going to attend camp with us at PCB this summer. It was an incredible night of life change at PULSE.
*We even had a retiree sign up to go and help with camp because he was so inspired by his first visit to PULSE last night!
In just 1 year's time we have seen 59% growth. That's not normal church! The thing that excites me most is continuing to see double digit baptisms and full Ownership classes. That means our Dream Team is growing and people are following through with next steps. The Code is being lived out in all that you are faithful with church. If we will dedicate ourselves to doing what God has called us to do, God will always be faithful with His part.
As I shared in yesterday's message, God wants to share the miracle with us. When He blessed the food to feed the 5,000, He placed it in the hands of the disciples. I believe He finds great joy in sharing the miracle and allowing us to be a part of the bigger picture. Remember to stay grateful and faithful. Our gratitude will produce Godly attitudes and our faithfulness will bring fruitful results. Give God the glory and He will let us share in the miracle.
Have a blessed week and get fired up...because we get to do it all over again in 6 days :)
Attendance: 740 people at our morning worship experiences...that's a non-holiday record! We had 205 GKids! We had our largest 3rd worship experience ever at 230 people. There were 74 5-11 year olds alone in the 2nd worship experience. Unreal!
Our student ministry; PULSE, saw an attendance record of 201 people! It was THE best student worship experience of the year!
Salvations: In the morning worship experiences, we saw 5 people come to know Jesus as their savior. 2 of those were baptized as well! At PULSE, 13 students stood to their feet to place their faith in Christ as their savior!! It was incredible!
Baptisms: We baptized 11 people yesterday morning. And 9 of the 13 students that received Christ signed up for the next baptism! We saw mother/daughters being baptized, coaches baptizing their players, 2 men who were saved following through immediately with baptism.
Generate Ownership: This is our class to join the church and get involved to become an owner (not a member). We had 24 people taking their next step and joining one of our serve teams. Nearly every class this year has been full every month! As our teams grow, so will our church, which in turn grows the Kingdom.
Life Change Stories: As I mentioned already, there were 2 gentlemen who were saved/baptized yesterday.
*I spoke with a man who had not been to church in 45 YEARS! He lost 2 children in a fire and has had trouble coming to church. He said that he's never been impacted by a church as he has since he started coming 2 weeks ago.
*I spoke with someone who has been out of church for 5 years and was living with her fiancee, but recently broke up. They both agreed that they needed God in their relationship and lives. They both were VIP's yesterday and rededicated their lives to Jesus and are excited about their next steps in their faith journey. She even came back to PULSE and loved it!
*One gentlemen, who just started coming a few weeks ago, said he had never been to a church that accepted him. He has a lot of tattoos and piercings. He has been saved and baptized since attending GC! His sister came and was baptized yesterday!
*We had VIP students who came, got saved, and are now going to attend camp with us at PCB this summer. It was an incredible night of life change at PULSE.
*We even had a retiree sign up to go and help with camp because he was so inspired by his first visit to PULSE last night!
In just 1 year's time we have seen 59% growth. That's not normal church! The thing that excites me most is continuing to see double digit baptisms and full Ownership classes. That means our Dream Team is growing and people are following through with next steps. The Code is being lived out in all that you are faithful with church. If we will dedicate ourselves to doing what God has called us to do, God will always be faithful with His part.
As I shared in yesterday's message, God wants to share the miracle with us. When He blessed the food to feed the 5,000, He placed it in the hands of the disciples. I believe He finds great joy in sharing the miracle and allowing us to be a part of the bigger picture. Remember to stay grateful and faithful. Our gratitude will produce Godly attitudes and our faithfulness will bring fruitful results. Give God the glory and He will let us share in the miracle.
Have a blessed week and get fired up...because we get to do it all over again in 6 days :)
Sunday, April 14, 2013
Encounter
"In Your presence, there is freedom. In Your presence, there is hope. In Your presence, there is healing, love restores me; I am whole. No matter how far I run, You are with me. No matter how far I fall" As we sang that song tonight, I was reminded of the message this morning how that true change comes from being in the presence of Jesus. Tonight, we sang, we worshipped, we soaked in God's word. We were in His presence. I was thinking about the moment when Jesus showed up at Martha and Mary's house in Luke chapter 10. Martha is so upset that Mary isn't helping with all of the household chores, the cooking, the cleaning. I mean it was all for Jesus, right? She was so annoyed at the fact that Mary just sat at Jesus' feet, listening to every word.
But Jesus comforts Martha and says "My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all of these details! There is only one thing to be concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken from her."-Luke 10:41-42 (NLT)
Wait, what's that one thing? Could it be that we have traded the presence of God for busyness? More Christians feel "spiritual" when they're running around doing "ministry", but we forget that the only way we encounter Jesus is simply being in His presence. If we don't take time to worship together, pray together, be encouraged by the Word together, we tend to burn out. In our ashes, we blame everyone around us for not "doing" more or working harder.
As we lifted our hands and sang our hearts out tonight, I thought of this:
1. Never Underestimate the Power of Worship
Worship is powerful. When we come together and lift our voices to God, it awakens the heavens. After all, that's all the host of heaven is doing...worshipping the King. God loves it; I mean absolutely loves it when His people pour their hearts out in worship. Worship unites hearts, ignites passion, and empowers lives. Never forget that.
2. Worship is Tied to Our Gratitude
I know, there's that word again, right? But it's true. People who aren't grateful have a hard time worshipping. When your gratitude is low, so is your worship. It's hard to lift your hands with clinched fists. People who learn the power of gratitude worship with freedom, passion, and authenticity. If you want to increase your worship, start by increasing your gratitude.
3. Worship Leads to a Hunger for the God's Word
I always tell our worship pastor, Danya, that my job is easy when the band is on their A game. When they do their job and lead worship with passion and presence, people will amen through my entire message. Why? Because worship is what connects us to the heart of God. And when you connect to His heart, you can't wait to hear from Him. People value the Word of God when they learn to value a life of worship.
I think Mary figured that out.
What an amazing night. I pray that everyone applies the message to their lives and starts this week with an attitude of gratitude and worship. Invite someone to experience Jesus themselves next weekend. This is only the beginning of many "Encounters".
But Jesus comforts Martha and says "My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all of these details! There is only one thing to be concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken from her."-Luke 10:41-42 (NLT)
Wait, what's that one thing? Could it be that we have traded the presence of God for busyness? More Christians feel "spiritual" when they're running around doing "ministry", but we forget that the only way we encounter Jesus is simply being in His presence. If we don't take time to worship together, pray together, be encouraged by the Word together, we tend to burn out. In our ashes, we blame everyone around us for not "doing" more or working harder.
As we lifted our hands and sang our hearts out tonight, I thought of this:
1. Never Underestimate the Power of Worship
Worship is powerful. When we come together and lift our voices to God, it awakens the heavens. After all, that's all the host of heaven is doing...worshipping the King. God loves it; I mean absolutely loves it when His people pour their hearts out in worship. Worship unites hearts, ignites passion, and empowers lives. Never forget that.
2. Worship is Tied to Our Gratitude
I know, there's that word again, right? But it's true. People who aren't grateful have a hard time worshipping. When your gratitude is low, so is your worship. It's hard to lift your hands with clinched fists. People who learn the power of gratitude worship with freedom, passion, and authenticity. If you want to increase your worship, start by increasing your gratitude.
3. Worship Leads to a Hunger for the God's Word
I always tell our worship pastor, Danya, that my job is easy when the band is on their A game. When they do their job and lead worship with passion and presence, people will amen through my entire message. Why? Because worship is what connects us to the heart of God. And when you connect to His heart, you can't wait to hear from Him. People value the Word of God when they learn to value a life of worship.
I think Mary figured that out.
What an amazing night. I pray that everyone applies the message to their lives and starts this week with an attitude of gratitude and worship. Invite someone to experience Jesus themselves next weekend. This is only the beginning of many "Encounters".
Monday, April 1, 2013
Easter 2013
Ok, who's ready to do all over again??!
Haha! What an amazing weekend! I hope everyone got some rest yesterday evening, because this weekend we get to do baptisms :)
I just wanted to take a moment and thank each of you for your hard work to prepare for Easter. I hope you see the fruits of your labor. 80...yes 80...kids gave their hearts to Jesus this weekend!!!! I think everyone should encourage Bekah & all of our GKids crew & let them know they are greatly appreciated! We definitely have THE best children's ministry! We saw a total of 95 (we believed for 100) salvations this weekend! That is crazy awesome! Over 1,300 people attended GC this weekend with over 100 VIP packets handed out. So that's not including family units. Incredible weekend!
A special thank you to DJ Say So who kicked off each of our services with her amazing talents. And also the band who KILLED it this weekend! We had several guest band mates who did amazing. Thank you Danya for working hard to make our music excellent. And also to Production who had to work with brand new equipment for the first time. You all did amazing in the face adversity Saturday afternoon. Thank all of you for being amazing!
A few things to always remember:
1. Keep the Mission in Mind
Easter weekend is always huge, but let's not get caught up in thinking we've arrived. We celebrate what God has done, but we must realize that if we don't move people through their next steps then Easter was a failure. Our mission is a marathon, not a sprint. I've read the Tortoise and the Hare and guess what? The tortoise always wins! Slow, steady and with purpose team. That's how we have to stay focused. Let's make our phone calls, emails, and follow ups this week. We had over 30 people sign up to go through our Ownership class...amazing! But we have to do a good job of getting them connected and serving.
2. Celebrate Because God is Moving Everywhere
Stories from churches all over reporting incredible numbers yesterday! It's not just about GC, it's about God's Kingdom growing. New Walk in Tampa saw 240 people get saved! Incredible! Relevant in Georgia saw 6,000 people at their egg hunt and numerous salvations. Revolution just down the road saw nearly 600 people show up and their largest gift offering to date. Real Life in Arkansas also saw nearly 600 people with tons of new people. Newspring church had nearly 50,000 attend an Easter service!! Victory Hill where I youth pastored saw over 1,300 people show up for Easter!! I LOVE hearing stories of God moving! Be grateful that we get to be a part of what HE"S doing!
3. We Are Not Done
No time to let up on our city. Keep inviting people, loving people, telling people the glorious gospel. We have thousands that still need reaching. The best is truly yet to come, let's not let up! Put your foot on the throat of the enemy and let's win our city for Jesus!
From the Petty family, we love each of you heart and soul. Have an awesome week and remember...He's still alive :)
Pastor B
Sunday, March 24, 2013
Better Together
I have had the great honor and opportunity to travel over the last 2 years and speak at different places. Mostly because of relationships and networking. In the process, God has taught me the valuable lesson of not only networking, but networking to build HIS Kingdom and not just MY church.
Last weekend, I was grateful to travel to Mountain Home, Arkansas and preach to a 2 year old church; Real Life. They are also in our Association. Here's a church that has seen supernatural growth in just 2 years running 2 services. It was amazing to see what God is doing in other churches and get to experience it first hand. Four people gave their lives to Christ! Not only is this church not even two years old yet, but this church also helps fund Generation Church. How cool is that? A new church that sees the value in Kingdom building and giving back.
My family and I also were honored to worship with Genesis Church the Saturday night before. Pastor Jeff Smith, my church planting coach, leads this congregation of nearly 900 people...and they are just over 3 years old! They also have financially supported us and are a part of our Association. Through these churches and pastors, I have had the opportunity to meet and be blessed by other pastors and leaders. All of them have taught me the value of working together and giving back; living open handed not only as an individual but as a church.
This week, God showed me more than ever the value, favor, and humility that follows generosity and networking. When an individual business owner who attends one of our partner churches sent us a check for our "All In" offering. Here is what the letter said:
"God always works in mysterious ways. I think it was Tuesday or Wednesday morning (donor) says 'I want to send $20,000 to Generation Church.' And walks out of the room! I only say this because experience says someone was probably fasting and/or praying. God answered it quickly, it just took me a few days to get the time and chance to send it out.
We are so excited to hear the number of people who get to hear the Word each week, through you! It's humbling that God uses us, isn't it?"
That was not a typo...$20,000....I wept. What's amazing is that as a church, in our original budget for 2013, we had planned on giving away around $20,000. Tell me God isn't faithful when we practice generosity! Today in our "All In" offering, we totaled $43,838.89!!!! OUR LOAN DEBT IS PAID! We have prayed since December for today's offering to be enough to pay our start up costs off of over $41,000. Church, we did it! And I can tell you this, we will ALWAYS give back to the Kingdom!
Here is what I wish every church leader would know:
1. It's Not About You
At the end of the day, we all play a small part of the big picture. The sooner we stop trying to build our own Kingdom, the faster we grow God's.
2. We Are Better Together
Many churches prefer being "loners" and it's really sad. What could the local church do if all denominations, churches, and leaders would stop fighting each other and actually work together? The results would be catastrophic for the devil's kingdom! But too many leaders are caught up in egos, insecurities, tradition, pride, and personal vision. Even the Son of God had friends. So glad God has blessed me with friends in the ministry.
3. Teach Your Church to Live Generously
The reason why people don't give in most churches is because the leader never teaches on it or displays it in their own life. I pray that God always reminds me and my family to lead the way in generosity. I want our church culture to be one that celebrates Kingdom successes and not just our own. God can not, and will not, put blessings into closed fists. So open those hands and be in awe of God's favor.
God's favor always follows faithfulness. Church, let us be grateful, humble, and intentional with the blessings God has given us. This is only the beginning. For the best is truly yet to come. Not just for us, but for all of those who strive to build God's Kingdom. Now that we've completed that phase, let's continue toward the mission God has for us. Invite someone to one of our 5 Easter services: Saturday at 4:00 & 6:00pm or Sunday at 8:30, 10:00, or 11:30am. I can NOT wait to see what's in store for Generation Church!
Last weekend, I was grateful to travel to Mountain Home, Arkansas and preach to a 2 year old church; Real Life. They are also in our Association. Here's a church that has seen supernatural growth in just 2 years running 2 services. It was amazing to see what God is doing in other churches and get to experience it first hand. Four people gave their lives to Christ! Not only is this church not even two years old yet, but this church also helps fund Generation Church. How cool is that? A new church that sees the value in Kingdom building and giving back.
My family and I also were honored to worship with Genesis Church the Saturday night before. Pastor Jeff Smith, my church planting coach, leads this congregation of nearly 900 people...and they are just over 3 years old! They also have financially supported us and are a part of our Association. Through these churches and pastors, I have had the opportunity to meet and be blessed by other pastors and leaders. All of them have taught me the value of working together and giving back; living open handed not only as an individual but as a church.
This week, God showed me more than ever the value, favor, and humility that follows generosity and networking. When an individual business owner who attends one of our partner churches sent us a check for our "All In" offering. Here is what the letter said:
"God always works in mysterious ways. I think it was Tuesday or Wednesday morning (donor) says 'I want to send $20,000 to Generation Church.' And walks out of the room! I only say this because experience says someone was probably fasting and/or praying. God answered it quickly, it just took me a few days to get the time and chance to send it out.
We are so excited to hear the number of people who get to hear the Word each week, through you! It's humbling that God uses us, isn't it?"
That was not a typo...$20,000....I wept. What's amazing is that as a church, in our original budget for 2013, we had planned on giving away around $20,000. Tell me God isn't faithful when we practice generosity! Today in our "All In" offering, we totaled $43,838.89!!!! OUR LOAN DEBT IS PAID! We have prayed since December for today's offering to be enough to pay our start up costs off of over $41,000. Church, we did it! And I can tell you this, we will ALWAYS give back to the Kingdom!
Here is what I wish every church leader would know:
1. It's Not About You
At the end of the day, we all play a small part of the big picture. The sooner we stop trying to build our own Kingdom, the faster we grow God's.
2. We Are Better Together
Many churches prefer being "loners" and it's really sad. What could the local church do if all denominations, churches, and leaders would stop fighting each other and actually work together? The results would be catastrophic for the devil's kingdom! But too many leaders are caught up in egos, insecurities, tradition, pride, and personal vision. Even the Son of God had friends. So glad God has blessed me with friends in the ministry.
3. Teach Your Church to Live Generously
The reason why people don't give in most churches is because the leader never teaches on it or displays it in their own life. I pray that God always reminds me and my family to lead the way in generosity. I want our church culture to be one that celebrates Kingdom successes and not just our own. God can not, and will not, put blessings into closed fists. So open those hands and be in awe of God's favor.
God's favor always follows faithfulness. Church, let us be grateful, humble, and intentional with the blessings God has given us. This is only the beginning. For the best is truly yet to come. Not just for us, but for all of those who strive to build God's Kingdom. Now that we've completed that phase, let's continue toward the mission God has for us. Invite someone to one of our 5 Easter services: Saturday at 4:00 & 6:00pm or Sunday at 8:30, 10:00, or 11:30am. I can NOT wait to see what's in store for Generation Church!
Monday, March 18, 2013
GKids: Why It Matters
My girls love to watch their favorite TV shows when given the opportunity. My six year old loves Disney Channel shows such as Shake It Up, Good Luck Charlie, and Jessie. My three year old prefers Nickelodeon shows such as Dora the Explorer, Team Umizoomi, and Bubble Guppies. They love the characters, the music, and how the shows engage them. Especially for my three year old. Each morning after breakfast, you can hear her answering Dora's every question; yes my child talks to the TV. (So do I occasionally when my team is not winning.) One year, we took our oldest to the Nickelodeon park at King's Island in Ohio. She absolutely loved it! There was people dressed as all of the famous characters. There were rides just for her, water parks, train rides, music, dancing, parades, and more! To see the joy it brought her was worth the trip alone.
I say all of that to say this; what is the church doing to engage our kids and inspire them the way that Disney or Nickelodeon are doing? I have seen too many churches offer absolutely nothing for their kids and then wonder why they grow up and leave the church. Nothing to engage them, nothing to inspire them, nothing to pull out their gifts and talents. My six year old loves Shake It Up because she can stand in the center of our living room and put on her own dancing performance as if she were performing in front of thousands. She expresses herself out of inspiration and joy. The same should be for the church.
If you're a parent, you know one thing to be true: it's really hard. But you also know another truth; it's totally worth it! You see, some people look at it like we have to "compete" with Disney and Nickelodeon. But that's not true. Because if God, the ultimate creative being, is dwelling inside of us then no one else stands a chance. It's no competition if it's God inspired!
One of our core values is that 'We Invest in the Next Generation'. Here's what I want you to know about our kid ministry and what we strive to do:
1. The Kids Should Have the Time of Their Life
Most kids that we deal with come from very tough homes. No father, maybe no mother, broken home, abuse, neglect, substance abuse, you name it. They sit at school all week in a seat and are told to be still. Then, many of them go home to an environment that is not very encouraging or inspiring. Then, if they do get taken to church, many of them tell them to be still and be quiet.
I want our kids to come to church and think; "this is the greatest place on earth" because we are extension of what heaven will be like! I want them to express themselves, I want them to be passionate, to dance, to sing, to shout, to be too loud, to be a part of something that's inspiring and life changing! Yes, it's okay to have fun in church and don't let any pruned up, negative, ungrateful, bitter "christian" tell you otherwise! Jesus drew children to Him:
13One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could lay his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him.
14But Jesus said, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.”15And he placed his hands on their heads and blessed them before he left.- (Matthew 19:13-15)
Kids aren't drawn to boring people who are not fun. I believe Jesus was fun and loved kids.
2. Kids Can Learn and Serve
The 2 questions we want every kid to answer when they leave GKids is simple: Did you have fun? What did you learn?
If they can answer the 1st question with a "yes" and then tell their parents what they learned then it's a huge win for our ministry. Kids learn better in an environment of inspiration and excitement. Not only that, but kids LOVE to serve! Heck, some of our kids love to serve more than the adults. Why? They have the heart of Jesus. Don't sell kids short, they have a huge purpose for the Kingdom.
3. Be Creative and High Energy
We want Disney and Nickelodeon to pale in comparison to the church. My kids love coming to church. They love GKids. There's no place they would rather be and as a parent that makes me extremely happy. Have you ever been to an animal exhibit or a zoo show? The performers/trainers are so good at capturing kids' attention and engaging them. They speak on their level and with excitement. That's exactly what we strive for in GKids. Creativity, Passion, Love, and Preparation should drive all we do.
4. We Need As Many Team Owners As Possible
We will have hundreds, yes hundreds, of kids at Easter. One thing you see at many churches is that no one wants to work with kids. But they want you to fix their kid. I challenge every person that can to sign up to serve in GKids. I want there to be an army of people serving to make GKids THE place to be each week! Many people don't realize all of the volunteers it takes to make a ministry like this happen. We need teachers, ushers, team leaders, small group leaders, worship leaders, actors for skits, and just people who love to encourage kids.
In less than 2 weeks we will transform the gym into a Willy Wonka style Fun Factory. Golden tickets, lollipop trees, chocolate fountains, zoo trip giveaways, King's Island giveaways, candy, and more. Not only that, but at each station a different part of the gospel story will be shared and kids will have a chance to respond to the gospel message. It will be the biggest and best service yet for our kids. This Saturday, so many of our kids will be hitting the streets of Portland to "Egg the City". Passing out plastic eggs filled with candy and Easter invites, our kids know the value of inviting others to church. Especially during the biggest celebration of the year, the resurrection of our Lord, Jesus!
So parents, please know that GKids matters. And we have barely scratched the surface in what we want to see happen with this ministry. It's going to be huge, influential, and innovative. Because we believe that we are raising up world changers that will one day carry the legacy that is Generation Church.
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