Opening with a general session is genius. It’s gives me a chance to let the caffeine kick in and eat a clementine … true meaning of “breakfast on your own,” and begin the day with some fantastic music.

Yesterday (day 2) sent me to Steve Adams who serves at Saddleback. Very funny, yet very authentic fella who asked, “What does a spiritually healthy child look like?”….gave us a few minutes to write out our own definition…then never answered it for us, leaving the challenge hanging in my heart on a chain. My first “to do” when I get home. He spoke of intentionally balancing our opportunities for little people to grow, worship, serve, and share… and belong. Belonging. Love that word! Are we intentionally offering opportunities for our little people to belong…belong to the church, belong to each other, belong to their spiritual leaders? “Health comes from a balance of resources to promote growth, service, sharing, worship, and belonging.” I’ll be checking out the KidMin calendar when I get home to be sure we are offering enough “belonging” time.

The second workshop was led by Billy Graham Evangelstic Assn’s Chad Miller…fantastic presenter who gave me a B12 shot in the arm for modern day missionaries.  Got some statistics, he outlined Satan’s strategy (“We have a generation of ‘christian’ kids who don’t live for Jesus. They are over-entertained and under-challenged.”) and scriptures to back up our motivation to step it up.  Strategies to equip our kids for the work of the gospel:  scriptures (use them often), sharing stories (ours and their’s), field trips (“While I was going to …”), being vulnerable (be willing to share my failures and hangups), and to be on mission myself.  “I don’t want to get to heaven and have excelled at the wrong things.  Where are the disciples Jesus told me to make?”

Lastly, attended an information workshop about a new partnership with Bethel Seminary and INCM to offer a certification in global children’s ministry.  100 hours of instruction (online and at CPC and KidMid Leaders Conferences) from 2014-2015 with projects to be implemented in my own house/church at an incredibly reasonable investment.  Praying that one through as we have the upcoming Discipleship Team’s training endeavor for best practices that will begin this fall.  It may be the next step for someone wanting to go further.  Further investigation is necessary.

Headed off for another full day of CPC.  I am so grateful to be serving at a church with spiritual leaders who see the value in education and making this investment in me.

“God is not the ‘I was’, but the ‘I am'” – Chad Miller