This blog was originally posted in January 2011. In honor of college football starting this weekend, which is the true beginning of fall, a repost is in order.

Last night, on national tv, my beloved LSU Tigers whooped up on that precious team of Aggies at the 75th Cotton Bowl. Did I mention that LSU won? Well, they did. College football brings out the fanatic in me. I am an LSU class of ’83 graduate in Political Science with a minor in Greek and Roman history (due to 4 years of college Latin and some strangely entertaining Art Appreciation classes). I paid my own way through college working at a local bank during the day and checking groceries at the A&P grocery store at night and on weekends. I gave blood to pay for my books and parked my 1970 VW beetle on the decline so as to easily start the thing by putting the car in neutral and popping the clutch. It was a dance and a challenge everyday.

Dave Ramsey, of Financial Peace fame, says, “When you are footing the bill, you WILL finish college in 4 years.” He is so right. My college years were difficult, at times lonely, financially impossible (1 student loan my senior year). But I was on a mission. I wanted the piece of paper. I believed, and still do, that education can re-program one’s future.

Now, I have to admit that although I am a fan, I may not know each player’s name, where they come from, even which team they are playing (Bob now puts this on the fridge for me in August). But I am loyal to the max. I shared a season on land and in buildings with other LSU-Baton Rouge campus students that changed the trajectory of our futures.

It reminds me of the local church. I am also a fanatic for the local church. We come in as individuals with expectations and hopes and dreams. Then we begin to share a season on land and in buildings that will set us on a course of changing our lives and transforming the world.

May I put on my purple and gold AND the love of my local church well enough to invite others to jump on board. We are supposed to be a team, right? Working, living, serving together with one goal…to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.

“Therefore, my brothers and sisters, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, dear friends!” Philippians 4:1

What do we do after handing out a slew of new Bibles to 3rd-5th graders? We schedule a late night (6:30-9:30pm) on the following Friday for 3rd-5th graders to learn to use this new gift. Using the hugely popular tv show American Ninja Warrior as our theme, we set up bible and physical challenges that go together. Brainstorming for this event with another kidmin champion made for an awesome night.  The plan was to have it outside, but a rainstorm called for plan B – our gym.

Students were instructed to wear red, white, and blue, bring a towel (to lay on during the silence time), bring a bible (that’s why we’re here, but have some student bibles handy just in case someone forgets), bring a water bottle (the kids got thirsty quick), and use free Event Bright registration for signups (this made for quick notification emails of the change in venue and intake location).

Arrival activity: let students write names on headbands with a sharpie or a name tag for those who wore their own headbands, and lots of jump ropes.

Introduce the gathering attention chant with a leader saying, “The B-I-B-L-E” and the students respond “that’s the book for me.”

Using a Rainbow Bookmark – As followers of Jesus, we are people of THE BOOK…the Bible. 2 sections, 66 books. Testament – covenant – promise. Asking the question: What is the Bible? We pre-made 1/4 inch ribbon bookmarks knotted at the top to be placed in different places in their bibles as a large group:

• black=Table of Contents;
• red=Genesis, the first book in the Old Testament;
• orange=Joshua, the first history book in the Old Testament;
• yellow=Psalms, the 2nd poetry book in our Bible;
• green=Isaiah, the first prophet book in our Bible;
• blue=Matthew, the first Gospel book in our Bible;
• purple=to mark Romans, the first letter book in our Bible.

Quintuple Steps – Discussion and overview of the Bible. How did the Bible come to be? Play the telephone game (oral tradition).  The story of the Bible is about God and how God acted in people’s lives then and now.   Run the Quintuple side steps without touching the ground.

Agility Ladder – Creation – Genesis 1…We serve a God of order & systems. We made a creation trail mix to save for later for snack and used an agility ladder to run through the 7 days of creation in order. Joke: Where does the Bible talk about baseball? Genesis 1:1 “In the big-inning.” Then back to the bible study tables.

Flip the Tire – The Torah is the first 5 books of the Bible. Was originally written on scrolls (rolled up paper). Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy. Flip the tire 5 times and say the books that make up the Torah.

Over Under PVC Hurdles – God gave His people the 10 Commandments to live well with one another. Look up in Exodus 20 & Deuteronomy 5. Run under the pvc hurdles for the ‘do’ commandments and over the pvc hurdles for the ‘don’t’ commandments. Then speak loudly reading the commandments from a 10 commandment poster taped to the wall.

King of the Mountain – Look up the 4 gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John. Step from stump to stump without falling off.

Hula Hoops – Look up Matthew 10:2-4 and discover the 12 disciples. 4 stations of hula hoops. Jump through each hoop 3 times each saying the disciples/apostle’s names.

Bean Bag Toss – Look up Matthew 22:36-40 to discover The Greatest Commandment. Toss a bean bag into a Rubbermaid bin saying, “YOU shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,with all your soul, and with all your might. YOU shall love the Lord with all your mind and your neighbor as yourself, UMPH!”

Pass the Torch – Gotta have some water, right? Look up 2 Timothy 3:16-17 and discover the relationship between Paul and Timothy. Pass or carry a halved pool noodle with a cup taped to the end filled with water to another bucket. (We were not able to do this being inside, but the plan was there.)

Walking the Plank – Look up  Luke 11:1-4 The Lord’s Prayer. We’ll discuss the many aspects of prayer using a gift from Mark Burrows, the Children’s Ministry Lead at FUMC of Ft Worth, WITH (Wow, God….I’m sorry, God….Thank you, God…Help me/another, God), then a 10 minute period of silence. Walking raised lengths of wood for balance beams.

Silence – At some point on the course have a rest time for a period of silence (10-15 minutes, depending on time) to eat the trail mix and a cold Powerade on their towels spread throughout the space.

Drag A Tire – Look up the Parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:25-37 and discuss who is my neighbor. Drag a tire with a rim by rope across a long space.

Perform Sword Drills for a whole host of things. (We did not have time for this, but we were ready just in case we did.)

Closed out the evening with awards of “Take 5” candy bars on 1/4 inch ribbons as we discuss taking 5 minutes each day to read the bible and pray.

My kidmin brainstorming partner’s husband came to pick up at night’s end. They have scheduled their American Ninja Warrior: Bible Edition late night at her local church in two weeks. With the help of parents and some gracious 5th grade boys, we had everything except the largest quad step packed in the van and ready to go within 20 minutes.  Most everything will be returned for next year’s event, because this turned out even better than I imagined. When parents arrived for pickup, they were able to watch their students ‘run the course.’

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” Hebrews 12:1

I grieve the loss of colleagues who have thrown in the towel and decided to leave professional ministry. Seven colleagues in the last 6 months. Five colleagues in the last 2 weeks. Each one led fruitful, effective ministry. All but two served in multiple local churches. One went through the process and was ordained.  Understanding that some are called for a season and life changes make for priority shifts, I still grieve the loss of their leadership.

According to an ongoing Lifeway survey, the average term of a children’s pastor is 3.6 years. The #1 catalyst which offers a longer term of service in the professional call into ministry: connection outside your own local church.

In a conversation several years ago with a preschool director involved in weekday ministry with children, I asked why she didn’t come to the monthly preschool director networking lunch. She replied, “I don’t need anything.” The way I saw it?  She had so much to share! Within 18 months of that conversation, she, too, left professional ministry. I don’t even know if she’s worshiping anywhere or using her gifts within a local church anymore.  Sigh…

Hebrews 3:12 reads in the NIV “See to it, brothers (and sisters) that none of you (y’all = a statement meant for the group of us) has an unbelieving heart (our tendency to discouragement, unbelieving, needing something more, and disillusionment) that turns away from the living God (because without one another, we drift.)”

Without one another, we drift. How far we drift depends on the relationships we build face to face, not Facebook to Facebook, or Instagram to Instagram, nor blog to blog. Social media is not enough. Building connection is time consuming, intentional, inconvenient, and uncomfortable. But O the value of sharing table life, a meal, a trauma, losses, disappointments, gains, ideas, celebrations, words of truth and encouragement with one another face to face .  I mean truth like what was shared with me a few years back, “I don’t know why in the world you are letting that situation take up so much space in your head. Let it go, girl, let it go!”  I let it go.

I challenge each of you reading this to make building professional relationships outside your own house (local church) a priority where throwing in the towel is not even an option. Network with others regularly in face-to-face gatherings. Join professional organizations not for what you can get out of them, but for what you can bring to the table. Make gathering for lunch or breakfast a priority in your continuing education. Linked-in doesn’t count, social networking doesn’t count, face-to-face counts. If there isn’t a gathering in your area, call the church down the road a piece and ask to speak to their children’s ministry lead. Invite him/her to lunch, or tea, or coffee, or breakfast….share some table life. Start one. Go ahead….you can do this!

“Leadership is the most complicated thing you will ever do in your life, why do you think you can do it alone?” Simon Sinek

The last week of the summer at Wesley Chapel was hopping, singing, playing, and laughing because of the efforts of a whole host of planning, praying, and commitment from the Camping & Retreat Ministry arm of the North Georgia United Methodist Conference. All of this in the faces and from the hands and feet of two amazingly organized college-age site directors and six fabulously energetic high-school-age (rising junior and senior) counselors who have ‘applied and interviewed for and been accepted to Grow Day Camp’s sibling ministry, the Experiential Leadership Institute.’ All this to bring faith-based camp to our kids so they experience the week in living groups of 3-10 campers with 2 counselors focused on building Christian community. Bringing a week of summer camp to our house!

‘Counselors plan each day’s activities with the theme of the day and week in mind. Each summer’s theme is based on professionally developed camp ministry curriculum that is age-appropriate, based on scripture, and respectful of God’s creation.’ Activities at our site included chapel, archery (love the sense of danger), group games, bible stories, drama skits (Grow Factor talent show happens on the last day of the week with our kids drawing houses, counting to 20 in Chinese, playing a game, dribbling a basketball, a Civil War monologue, etc.), arts & crafts, and the most amazing day trip to Camp Glisson. Such a fabulous day trip that parents were quick to sign up kids for the fall 3rd-6th graders retreat in September just to get their feet on Camp Glisson soil again. Sweetness!

I will admit that I have been an obnoxious begger to get the program at WC ever since the program began just a couple of years ago. Perseverance paid off when another church had to back out and we were blessed to get the week before school started….everyone is back in town not to miss Meet & Greet…and the parents who reported to pre-planning had a great place for their kids to go. Needless to say the followup survey is completed and I will commence to begging for the same week next year.

The coordinating leadership from Camp Glisson provided banners, marketing materials and paperwork to be completed for the site (do we have fire extinguishers, closest hospital number, showers, etc.) FAR in advance. They were very clear on their expectations of us and what we could expect from them.  We don’t have showers, so they bring a trailer with an outside shower that fit our water connections. If we don’t hit the minimum of campers, we have to pay for the difference.

The ELI leader-students slept over at the church, debriefed each day, and planned for the next as they were able to make their own meals in the church kitchen. Another kidmin champion provided dinner one night (her son was our representative for the Experiential Leadership Institute), we provided dinner one night, and I picked up Starbucks love one morning for every leader.

Camp Glisson did an amazing job of training the students. At the end of the week, they provided a slide show, gave it to me on a flashdrive, gave me a framed group photo, and a precious thank you note at the communion (led by our senior pastor) and celebration ceremony at the end of the week. Their training, energy, compassion, kindness, and faith exceeded my expectations. They cleaned up so well it looked as if they weren’t even here…made me kinda sad.

At the end of each day my kids were exhausted, sweaty, and challenged to go outside their comfort zone which resulted in confidence and powerful memories. A week of sacred moments developmentally appropriate with great joy and energy. This I know: the rising juniors and seniors who served on this their 3rd, 4th, or 5th week of their summer were gracious, kind, creative, helpful, and totally confident in their roles as leaders in ministry with children. Gosh, I wish this program was around when my kids were juniors and seniors in high school!

Both programs going on simultaneously, Grow Day Camp for littles and Experiential Leadership Institute for bigs. A true partnership. Can’t have one without the other. My campers want the ELI’s jobs when they grow up.

Henrietta Mears had a definite philosophy about camping ministry that could be summed up in one word: decision. “If Sunday School was the place where people were built up in the faith, then camp was where they made their decisions about following the Lord.”

This last week of the summer, our kids got to see what it looks like, smells like, sounds like, moves like, tastes like, feels like to be a young person who is sold out for Jesus and the local church in the faces of our site leaders and ELI students. Their home churches have done well. Man….I can’t wait until next year!

Each year on the Sunday before one of our school systems begins, we hold a Blessing of the Backpacks. We invite anyone with a backpack, rollercart, lunchbox, briefcase, etc. (and those who use them) to come forward to the communion rails to receive and participate in a blessing. The liturgy is simple and it takes only 3-4 minutes of the Sunday service. The liturgy was originally shared with us by the gracious folks at Covington First United Methodist Church in Covington, Georgia.

Liturgy for the Blessing of the Backpacks

Leader: We are gathered together today in thanksgiving for the gift of education – a gift that we respond to in different ways. Some of us find the following from Ecclesiastes to be true:  Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh. (12.12). For others, the excitement of  Proverbs sums it up better: Happy are those who find wisdom, and those who get understanding. (3.13)

Leader: In our weariness, and in our excitement; for those of us continuing, and those just beginning; for all who prepare for another school year, let us abide by this scripture above all:  Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart.

Leader: Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise. Bind them as a sign on your hand, fix them as an emblem on your forehead, and write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. (Deuteronomy 6.4-9)

Leaders: Today these people bring forward their backpacks, book bags, lunch boxes, pencil boxes, briefcases and other carriers that they might be blessed and dedicated to the glory of God.  Come, children and listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord.

 All:  Teach me, O Lord, your ways.

Leader:  I will bless the Lord at all time; his praise shall ever be in my mouth.

All:  Teach me, O Lord, your ways.

Leader:  I will glory in the Lord;  let the humble hear and rejoice.

All:  Teach me, O Lord, your ways.

Students and Educators:  We dedicate these items, our work, and ourselves to the glory of God. We thank you, God, for the opportunity to learn, to teach and to serve, so that your work may be done in the world.

Leader:  May God, the maker of all things, bless these things for the kingdom, and may their use be a blessing to all!

Congregation:  O God, source of all goodness: We give you thanks for the gift of reason and the opportunity for education. Bless our schools, that they may be places of learning and safety where teachers challenge the minds and nurture the hearts of students.

Grant that teacher, students, administrators, coaches and support staff may work together in mutual respect and find joy in the challenges of academic life; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.

After the service, these same folks are invited to meet on the front lawn to pick up a carabineer and a tag as a reminder of this blessing and God’s call and challenge for them in this new season. I order the tags and carabineers from Share-It Tags.com. 2016 tags read “1 Corinthians 16:13 Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.” Ordered online last Sunday. Approved a proof received by email on Monday. Had them in my hands on Thursday. Be aware: They come in strips of three. If you place an order for one, you will get three. Of course the more you order, the cheaper they are, but they really look nice and we’ll add others throughout the year for special events.

“I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.” 1 Corinthians 9:23