I’m a part of the fellowship of the unashamed. I have Holy Spirit Power. The dye has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I’m a disciple of HIS. I won’t look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still.

My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, my future is secure. I’m finished and done with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed visions, mundane talking, cheap living, and dwarfed goals.

I no longer need pre-eminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I don’t have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded. I now live by faith, lean on His presence, walk by patience, lift by prayer, and labor by power.

My face is set, my gait is fast, my goal is heaven, my road is narrow, my way rough, my companions few, my Guide reliable, my mission clear. I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, deluded or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of the adversary, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity.

I won’t give up, shut up, let up, until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, preached up for the cause of Christ. I am a disciple of Jesus. I must go till He comes, give till I drop, preach till all know, and work till He stops me. And when He comes for His own, He will have no problem recognizing me – my banner will be clear.
(written by a young African pastor and tacked on the wall of his house; sits in a frame on the living room shelf of the Reilly Bed & Breakfast)

Just feeling the need to name it and claim it.

Shaking hands with folks during the “meet and greet your neighbor” minute of a Sunday worship service offers precious face time with people who are faithful to join in worship to a Savior we all share. But it doesn’t hold a candle to seeing the gifts shining on His behalf when people gather for a few short hours to welcome children into the local church.

I have been shaking hands with some fabulous people on Sunday mornings since April. But I have shared life and seen the gifts of others shine on Christ’s behalf so brightly in the last week and a half that I couldn’t have anticipated. These are just a few of my discoveries:

– When people wear panda ear headbands, they begin to raise their hands in worship and praise.
– A soft voice from one who LOVES His Word can captivate the attention of even the most rambunctious of little boys
– A kind word of inclusion will break down the walls of fear
– The environment and decorated space matters for children AND adults
– When 2 or more servants decked out in all their black and white regalia go to dinner afterwards, they can make a table waiter’s night
– Just because someone always has an opinion doesn’t mean that it or they translate into action
– Just because someone doesn’t have an opinion could mean that they are ready for the task, purposeful in their preparation, and completely engaging with every child they meet
– Rain is just weather and will not keep folks from doing what they need to do
– VBS is not a chick thing, but a “called disciple” thing
– Preschoolers just make me happy because they are naturally charismatic
– Men in VBS bring an element of inclusion like nothing else

Seeing the gifts of others poured out onto children are a drink offering as unto the LORD.  May I be found faithful in saying “thank you” to a God who gifts us all differently.  And may I also be found faithful in expressing to each and every servant that their very presence has been the perfect visual that “God is WILD about every child.”

I’ve been reading “Teacher: The Henrietta Mears Story.” This biography was given out as a take away at the Gospel Light’s breakout sesson at January’s Children’s Pastors Conference.

For a progressive thinking woman in 1928, she came to set the stage for a movement in Sunday School in Hollywood, of all places.  Her influence on Billy Graham, Bill Bright (Campus Crusade for Christ), and others instrumental in the discipleship of God’s people has earned her a place in the “saints who have gone before us.”   Check out some of her writings . . .

“How seldom the Sunday School teacher is asked for his credentials! A public school teacher is not questioned as to whether he will teach but rather, can he teach. Our request in securing Sunday School teachers is invariably, ‘Will you take a class?’ And good-natured men and women, much against their wills, answer, ‘I will keep the class going until you can find someone else.’ If a math teacher is absent, can you imagine the principal going out in the neighborhood, ringing doorbells and asking a housewife, ‘Will you come over and take a class in mathematics because the regular teacher is sick?’ Absurd! He notified the superintendent’s office of this need, and a trained person comes.'”

“Will you stop looking at your problems and wringing your hands in despair? Faith and despair cannot remain in the same heart. Take your choice; trust God or worry. You cannot really do both.”

In her research into teaching methodologies and the available curriculum of the 1920’s led her to describe the Bible as “the most poorly taught book in the world.” Where was the action, the color, the truth, the depth? Where was the passion to know an ever-living, all-powerful, all-amazing Christ?

“I think of Jesus as vital, alert, enthusiastic-full of zest and zeal. So much emphasis is placed on the suffering and dying Christ – and certainly that is essential – but rarely do we see paintings or hear sermons that reflect the vitality of Christ’s personality and life He wants us to have. Christ is the ideal leader – men leave their professions, their homes, their companions to follow Him. He inspired them to do their best, to be their hightest self. Jesus must have been a physically vibrant person, radiating energy and confidence, mental alertness and interest in everything about Him. Think of Him being able to speak to a crowd of many thousands of people without a microphone! See Him walking through cities, His head high, His shoulders thrown back, bursting with good will, kindness, courage and faith! No wonder the multitudes followed Him!”

I’m only on page 52. Can I get an Amen?

June & July are truly Kingdom-Building months as vacation bible schools or similar programming reaches out into the community of little people to offer a snack, a craft, a new song, and a fresh word all for the cause of Christ. All this and you don’t have to wear a tie.

Tips:

SHARE – one of the first things we teach little people in weekday preschool is that Jesus likes it when we share. If you are a smaller church, call a larger church and ask what you can do to help. If you are a larger church, call a smaller church and ask what you can do to help. The children’s director at my home church does this exceptionally well. She invites smaller churches to coffee/tea gatherings in March (immediately after confirmation retreat) to begin encouraging smaller church directors with all the tips she has learned over the years. She also invites these folks to take a small part in the decorating at her church (100 paper lanterns) only to be blessed beyond measure with sets and props and extra resources to be picked up on the last day of her VBS. “Blessed to be a blessing.”

SERVE – another one of those things we encourage of our own congregations.  Ever consider serving in someone else’s VBS? It is a guarantee of getting fresh ideas and learning more about how to provide an excellent VBS in your own house when you serve in someone else’s. AND it blesses the socks off of a Director to have a section leader or crew leader who comes with experience and an enthusiasm he/she doesn’t have to provide herself.  AND it let’s a director “PLAY,” which few get to do anymore.

VISIT – This year I have the pleasure of sharing our multi-vbs-at-other-church experience with a family friend who has chosen to spend her summer following graduation serving the LORD through vacation bible school.  On the 3rd day of VBS, at the church we are helping this week, the church invited her to serve at their church on Sundays.  They had no idea she came all the way from Massachusetts to serve in vbs’s and didn’t even attend that church.  Made us both smile.

NETWORK – Use facebook/social media to find out when and where other churches are having their Vacation Bible Schools (we used Children’s Ministry of North Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church).  Then begin making phone calls to find out what you can share, where you can visit, even where to go when you are blessed with 10 more kids than you had planned for and need memory buddies or tshirts or whatever.  Then, be willing to make the drive to make it easier.

PASS IT ON – We are helping one church (new church start, just moved into a permanent building, presenting their first vbs to their community), who were blessed with leftover resources from a larger church, who will be passing their leftover resources (and those they didn’t use from the larger church) onto to us.  After our week of VBS at the end of June, another church will pick up our goodies (and the leftover goodies from the other 2 churches) from our house to bring to their house to present their vbs 2 weeks later.  Blessed to be a blessing.

INVITE – Invite the community to get involved. If you go to Stevi B’s, they’ll give you certificates for your vbs attendees AND your helpers/leaders/teachers.  Our local Steve B’s actually came to the church we are helping this week and asked if they could drop off some certificates.  If you fill out a “donation request form” at your local Chik-Fil-A 2 weeks before your VBS, they will graciously give you these huge paper “VBS Graduation Certificates” for a free 6-piece nugget for your students.  When we were talking with the manager, he told us that he was helping at his church’s vbs this week during the day and working at night:  “I offered to serve in the snack area since I work in the food business.”

Then when you go to  pick up these precious donations, be sure to treat yourself to a small Banana Pudding milkshake because that’s how we roll for VBS in the south.

OK. So I got your attention. That’s a good thing. Because when you begin to talk about inviting volunteers to complete Criminal Background Checks and Servant-Leadership Applications the backlash begins.

Criminal Background checks are required by Scouts, School Systems, and Ball Teams and no one thinks twice. But to ask a church volunteer, the fear of “offense” can sometimes be overwhelming. And anyone over the age of 60, who already lives with the fear of identity theft (my mother in law won’t even mail her bills from her own home mailbox), the reluctance to provide a social security number is asking too much. But it is a fact of life and absolutely necessary to due diligently screen those who will have direct influence over little and vulnerable people.

There are companies now whose sole purpose is to provide Criminal Background Checks, maintain the records, and notify you when updates are necessary that will also offer Safe Sanctuary online training (Trac1) for a much more reasonable fee (less than $15) than several years ago. It’s an investment that should NOT be considered as part of the Kid Min budget, but more along the lines of security or office supplies.

But Criminal Background checks alone are not enough.

Servant-Leaders Applications go hand-in-hand in providing due diligent screening. But here’s the good part: These applications (kept confidential by the ministry lead/head) offer the greatest insight in placing folks in their “sweet spot.”

As a new staff member required to recruit and train volunteer servants, I can not know one’s gifts and graces by offering a handshake and a polite conversation in the parking lot or worship service in a few minutes on a Sunday morning. These applications are fabulous for finding out if volunteers can serve seasonally (VBS/got band in the fall) or are better to serve for special events (Christimas play) or are available during the school year (they travel during the week with their work.) This also lets you know where they’ve been “a-learning” their Jesus information, what spiritual disciplines they practice (and have no clue what you’re talking about as in, “Tithe? What is that?”)

And my favorite part, the personal non-kin references, give a ministry leader the chance to hear others toot the horn of a fantastic youth or adult. They will tell me stories about how you live out your faith in areas that a servant is usually too humble to share or don’t even recognize in themselves.

Criminal Background checks AND Servant Leader Applications . . .now that’s due diligence and a treat.

In the words of Loralee Boe, “The subject of safety and security in Children’s Ministry is one often overlooked or not emphasized enough. Sometimes this is from a lack of knowledge or from a desire not to offend. As those called to teach children the Gospel, we cannot ignore the environment in which we care for them.” (from “It Worked for Us: Best Practices for Ministry with Children and Families”)

Over the last 6 months I have logged some serious miles sharing the guidelines of what the United Methodist Church calls, “Safe Sanctuary.” What used to be considered a Kid Min thing, the audience has changed and I am speaking to more and more Administrative Councils. That’s a very good thing.

The architect for Safe Sanctuary, Joy Thornburg Melon, an ordained clergy-person as well as an attorney, comments that “Justice and hospitality are essential elements of the covenant between the people and God.”  We can truly do both.

Some of the basic goals of any local church to offer a safe haven and sanctuary for children, youth, and vulnerable adults would include:

1.  The 2 adult rule, where 2 adult team members are present in a classroom or environment at all times.

2.  Use of classrooms/environments with windowed and open doors.

3.  Institute a 6 month hospitality rule – this gives the congregation a chance to love on pre-servants before they run head-long into leadership roles.  My experience has also shown that anyone new coming into a congregation has some grieving to do, as well, as they say goodbye to their old family of faith and begin to build relationships in a new one.

4.  Servant leaders making classroom management decisions should always be adults over the age of 18.

5.  Name tags and/or identifiable clothing let others know that “you are safe to approach to get questions answered.”

6.  Check-in and release of students are in place and age-appropriate.

7.  Appropriate touch boundaries are understood.  (When are full-on frontal-body hugs appropriate for church staff and leadership?)

8.  Appropriate adult behavior (especially regarding social media, communication, and sharing of information).

9.  Adequate ratios of adults to minors and anyone in any sort of leadership role must be at least 5 years older than the oldest minor in the the room (and if under 18, the minor is considered part of the “minor” number in those adequate ratios.)

10.  Reporting requirements and expectations (before something happens.)

The adoption of Safe Sanctuary guidelines is just one more tool that the local church provides to better equip the disciples of Christ to serve without fear.  And there is nothing like serving our risen Savior without fear.

You can order materials at www.discipleshipresources.org.

Last year I picked up the newest tool for implementing Safe Sanctuary in the local church specific to Ministers, entitled “Safe Sanctuaries for Ministers:  Best Practices and Ethical Decisions.”  This is a must-read for anyone, not just ministers/clergy persons, who serve on church staff or in covenant leadership roles as laity, as well.

Remembering my comment at interview that I am a rabid reader, let me share what I’ve read in the last 2 weeks. This does not mean that I am studious, only that my family has eaten more cereal than normal.

Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Connelly- read from my man’s Kindle and a page turner from the get-go. Of course reading it as if the dialogue is voiced over by Matthew McConaughey kept a grin on my face throughout.

Rock Solid Volunteers by Larry Fowler – corner foldover and underlined with a star beside it . . .”Drive past a church in America that has an unkept lawn, and what do you think? Here’s what I think, because I am a product of middle-class American culture: ‘That church is tired and visionless, and probably not much spiritual is happening there.’ In our American thinking, an unkept lawn can tarnish God’s reputation…We need to be familiar enough with the culture in which we are living and ministering to recognize the aspects of our lives, churches and ministries that damage God’s reputation in the eyes of those around us.'” Thus asking myself, do I have a passion to be culturally excellent so as to protect God’s reputation?

Energizing Children’s Ministry in the Smaller Church by Rick Chromey – My second read-through as it’s the children’s council’s summer read, “God loves to use the small, insignificant, unappreciated, disenfranchised, impoverished, quirky, and dysfunctional to do some of His best work’   (whew, I’m still in this.) “Children want to feel and taste and smell, not just hear and see.” “Children need as much as 4 times the space of an adult.” “Budget $50-$100 per child annually.”

The Twelve Sacred Traditions of Magnificent Mothers-in-Law by Haywood Smith (and published by Belle Books of Smyrna, Georgia) – is a very Southern mother-in-law’s humorous advice to mothers-in-law everywhere, including tried and tested tips on how to bite your tongue and mind your own business. Tradition One: Magnificent MILs Cut the Apron Strings. (this was a referral by the Right Reverend Pat with more than few chuckles.)

Priscilla Shirer’s “Life Interrupted: Navigating the Unexpected Interruptions aka A Study on the Life of Jonah” – although only 81% finished according to my Kindle, these 3 items were of special note . . .

1. Repentence is four-wheel drive

2. God sees relationship with us and obedience from us, not just a religious reaction. He would prefer that we get right with Him rather than just behave for Him. (deciding to go back to church is not the point, but go back and remember what He asked you to do when you jumped off the track in the first place and just do it)

3. William Fay, a Southern Baptist evangelist, cites statistics in his book, “The Sin of Silence,” from his own denomination that in a recent year 1/3 of churches welcomed NO new believers into their fellowship, 1/3 baptized less than 6 people, and the estimated percentage of Christians who will go to their graves without ONCE telling another person how they can be saved through Christ Jesus is 97.4%. That’s almost everybody!

And THAT is why we dedicate the month of June as kingdom-building month in our house. Vacation Bible School begins on Sunday at my home church and will run throughout the month at churches all over the country. Want a guaranteed opportunity to speak “good-news-ease?” Stop by a VBS, lend a hand and a cheerful witness. It’s not about what you say, it’s about telling the next generation that you and God are WILD about them!

I don’t care who you are, how old you are, or what you already have planned . . . there is a spot for you at your church’s VBS and don’t wait to be invited or asked, Matthew 28 is your 24/7 invitation.