If June is Kingdom-building month through Vacation Bible School, then July is meant for “Champion Hunting.”

It is my belief and experience that the LORD places within every disciple a desire to make a difference in the world around us. It is also my belief and experience that the local church is a fabulous place to try new things in making that difference. Short-term (mini-camps) or long-term (Sunday School), the local church is the perfect place to get the chance to “whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”

Coming off a high (“ain’t no high like the Most High”) of VBS service, is the best time to invite folks to prayerfully consider what their “do it all for the glory of God” thing may be for the next school year or even through December:  aka “Champions” of local church ministry.

Tools for Champion Hunting:
1. Calendar with holidays, school schedules, local church traditional events (ex: Chili cookoff that follows Thanksgiving).
2. Bible with scriptures claimed for the previous season to re-read (Psalm 143:8 and 1 Corinthians 10:31) for this has been the momentum and the filter of a fruitful season
3. Prayer list of those who have stepped up and permitted the Holy Spirit to show up and show off in the previous season
4. Email
5. Cell phone

Champion qualifications in no particular order:
1. A teachable spirit as evidenced by submitting to Safe Sanctuary training (submitting to the process including the “Sweet Spot Application”)
2. Active in worship (our presence in response to God’s presence – it’s what we do and who we are)
3. Joyful service (serving below their “pay grade” aka committee membership and overheard in the vbs kitchen “you know, I’m just here to serve.”)
4. A Spirit of “Yes!” (a sense of fearlessness to just “do it all for the glory of God” no matter the “what ifs,” or the all the details aren’t ironed out – a champion of a ministry should be able to set those details as an opportunity to take ownership and truly champion the ministry as their own for the next season)
5. Spiritual and Personal Integrity (not perfection, but we all know the “uh-oh” feeling we get when something’s just not right or the servant is just not ready . . . yet.)

July is Champion Hunting month – inviting specific disciples to answer God’s call on their lives to prayerfully consider their committment for the next school year or through December to throw themselves in to a season of “doing it all for the glory of God.”

Then I get to serve these humble servants as cheerleader, investor, resource provider, keeper of the fearless vision, and prayer warrior.  Short skirts aside, I have my pompoms ready.