My husband claims that I can name a movie title under 5 seconds or even with a passing glance walking through the living room. I love the movies. Tuesday nights are “Stimulus Tuesdays” at the local theater, so I invite my new daughter-in-law often and head to the cheap show when finances and time permit. It has been particularly wonderful that more and more movies are coming out with biblical topics.

I had the chance to see a pre-screening of Courageous, Facing the Giants, The Lost Medallion, even The Passion of the Christ. Just last week I was invited to a pre-screening to see Heaven Is For Real. It comes out across the country on the Wednesday of Holy Week. Our Tweener Saints Book Club chose the book for this month’s reading. My kids are already talking about it. The Youth Director and I are planning to have a Good Friday event for 3rd graders and higher to watch the movie, walk back to the church, and dive into the scriptures as a followup.

It thrills me to hear the conversations that get started as a result of these movies.    I can’t make movies.  I can’t publish books.  I can’t write screenplays.  But I can support anything that encourages conversations about the scriptures.  Our family watches  The 10 Commandments every Palm Sunday and each year I take a day (it takes me that long to get through it) during Lent to watch The Passion of the Christ.

After a fellow Christian blogger posted his thoughts about a pre-screening of a similar movie this week, some of his blog followers started tearing the movie apart.  It broke my heart.  I will not slam those who have access to such influence because their interpretation of the Holy Writ may be different than mine.  I recall reading multiple negative comments from my own Christian community about The Bible mini-series.  Frankly, I kinda liked the idea that the angels that came to deal with Sodom and Gommorah in the mini-series looked like ninjas.  I won’t publicly criticize the efforts of those who offer me and others the opportunity to pull out our Bibles and have meaningful discussion because the biblical topic wasn’t dealt with “completely,” or over a character’s costume, or…or…whatever.

I will spend my money to show my support so that more and more movies come out relating to Jesus.  And I will bring my kids out to go instead of waiting until it comes out on dvd.  This is a perfect way to grow their discernment muscles.  I will act and speak with joy that the testimony of our Christian community can be one of unity.  It breaks my heart when we turn on one another.  What kind of testimony is that to the lost and the hurting?  Lord, please remove any critical spirit in me.

In James Bryan Smith’s The Good and Beautiful Community, he writes, “It is misguided to think that we Christians are always going to agree on every issue.  Accepting our differences is imperative, but they are not grounds for division.  The true narrative, I believe, goes something like this:  If you do not look, act, worship, or believe as I do, but your heart beats in love for Jesus, then regardless of our differences, we can and must have fellowship with one another.”  I would add that because a movie is not “spot on,” doesn’t mean I have to place it in the same bin as those that have nothing at all to do with Jesus or biblical topics.  It’s hard enough to find entertainment that is clean.  Need it be biblically perfect?  I don’t think so.  I am no bible scholar, only a satisfied customer of the scriptures.

There are other movies coming out that I want to see with my kids and my family of faith:  Noah with Russell Crowe, Son of God, and Mom’s Night Out.  And I hope they keep on coming.

“In essentials, unity; in doubtful matters, liberty; in all things, charity.” – Saint Augustine

It’s been almost a month since I and several of my colleagues attended CPC East in Orlando. There are still 3 orange bags, 2 boxes, and 3 tables (yes, furniture) that are along the wall in our kitchen filled with goodies that were shared, won, gifted, or gleaned; all resources to further our cause to minister with children.

We go down a day or so early to catch up with friends in the Lord and glean from one another our challenges, and celebrations over the last year. We laugh, we take notes from each other, and we eat. This year we even chose to have afternoon tea at the Grand Floridian. We spoke of the power of modeling level 5 leadership, purchasing science materials from Steve Spangler, and using Blessing Balm (chapstick) on the back of a child’s hand to offer a weekly blessing at the end of class.

Pre-Conference focused on self-care with Beth Guckenberger, author of Reckless Faith. My personal summary: God has an adventure for me and my kids, and if I can extract the precious from the worthless, then I can be His spokesperson. (Jeremiah 15:19) There is nothing I can do that can take me out of the game; no story He can’t redeem, and He does make all things new. Moses was 80+ years old when he walked up and down a 6,000 ft mountain repeatedly to bring others to the summit. The whole bible is filled with COME and GO.  We come to the Lord, but then forget to go back into the chaos to escort others into the Kingdom.  We forget that God has more than just my chapter in His hands.

These are my personal summaries of CPC 2014:

I can still lead when I am limping.  Just as in the story of the 10 lepers, all were healed.  Only one came back.  Only one was thankful.  That one was made whole. – Harvey Carey

Story is king.  If you work with kids, you have to tell a good story with a character changing into something better (redemption.) – Matthew Luhn

Joseph embodies the young person we want our kids to be.  There is no greater challenge for kids and adults than to decide where wisdom comes from.  It comes from God (2 Corinthians 5:17.) Ministry with children includes a focus on respect, wisdom, and grace.  Grace is the greatest social skill we can teach little people. – Larry Fowler

Have I built in space in our teaching schedule to celebrate? – Dawn Heckert

When grace becomes touchable it becomes costly.  An abstract grace has that new car smell.  Touchable grace smells like dirty diapers and vomit.  Every orphan’s story begins with a tragedy. – Jedd Medefind

Why network and collaborate with others?  Even on my worst day, I could be someone’s best hope. – Craig Johnson

There are many who serve children in the world in ministry who have nothing but a call on their lives.  Advancing Native Missions helps to filter those global missions that are safe and legit. – Bo Barredo, Alex Mitala, Joji Barredo.  The UMC community has ministry around the world and if it’s water scarcity, hunger, or orphanages that tweek our hearts, we can go to Advance UMC.com to find a place and a people to support in partnership with the United Methodist Church.

The rest of my notes include: What 10 scriptures do I want my kids to know before they go to youth?; I’m paying WAY too much for Sunday School curriculum; great large group games and illusions (magic tricks) to practice for object lessons; some local scarcity opportunities to take my kids to this summer as day trips; and a recipe for a fabulous Broccoli Cheese Cornbread.

Children’s Pastor’s Conference 2015 is in Chattanooga, TN.  The purchase of my discounted ticket was approved by text.  And I am so grateful.  Attending this conference is like drinking from a fire hose, so I made sure to send a Mickey Mouse postcard to my Staff-Parish Relations Committee thanking them for investing in me and our ministry with children.  I hope you’ll join us next year!

Let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance. – Proverbs 1:5