Christian educators are everywhere and it thrills me to spend time face-to-face and across the table with folks from other parts of the country. I was invited to Minnesota to share ideas to get some creative conversations to take place. Totally in my element and among friends, I walked through our discipleship plan for K5-5th graders of Meat, Milestones, Mountaintop, and Marvelous Moments. Each of these four Ms are laced with Bible reading, generosity, and serving elements. Why? Because of all the spiritual disciplines we practice as followers of Jesus, research tells us that these are the three that cause us to make strides in spiritual maturity. (Ken Willard, “STRIDE”) I want to be about making strides and moving beyond baby steps in building the faith of little people. Oh we include other spiritual disciplines in our teachings, but these three take priority in our filter for what makes a true partnership with families.

Partnering with families means we only offer what is excellent, not filling up the calendar, offering low-hanging fruit and easy wins for parents in the eyes of their kids, and Jesus in everything we do.

Meat elements – That which happens on Sundays. It’s our bread and butter. It’s what we’re known for. Sunday school, Childrens’ Church, CLUB345, Ambassadors, Parenting with a Purpose, and I’m currently working on Grandparenting with a Purpose. The average age of a new grandparent in the USA is 47 years old. This is a whole area and season of ministry that I’m deep-diving into right now.

Milestones – Those intentional teaching moments that are developmentally appropriate for specific ages/grades which are foundational to building a relationship with Jesus in the local church and at home. Holy Communion (Bread and Juice), Prayer (I Can Pray), Church language (I Love My Church), Wonderfully Made (faith and sexuality education), Moving On Up to Middle School, transitioning from nursery to children’s ministry.

Mountaintop – These are those full-on-sharing-the-gospel-experiences like VBS, retreats, and Ambassadors.

Marvelous Moments – These are the one-offs, the once-a-year or once-every-two-years specials which are invitational for next steps in discipleship including shared events like Faith Field Trips, Winter Ball Invitational, Splish Splash, Messy Church, Bible Ninja Warrior, etc.

Each local church has a culture and sustains a community, so how do you choose what might be a successful marvelous moment? (1) Dashboard research, and (2) lots of personal conversations.

Dashboard research requires a drive around the community at different hours of the day to find out what businesses are plentiful, what are the traffic patterns, how far will people drive to remain in the community, and find out what other ministries are already available by checking out online the closest churches to your church.

Engage in personal conversations asking questions of the connector folks in your church, but also the locals: grocery story clerk, the deli clerk, the coffee shop barista, the UPS store, the dry cleaners, librarian. Ask questions about what evening nothing is happening (when), when do the school buses run (start time), when do your kids have to go to bed on a school night (end time), what tv shows do you like (themes), where do you go out to eat (favorite foods), where do they go to church (tell me about your church), extracurricular activities (over scheduling is not partnering with parents, but rather burdening families), where does the local school need volunteers (outside service), and the possibility of fee-based ministry outside of Sundays and Wednesdays (recreation, fine arts, music, tutoring, relationship-building).

With the knowledge that people are always interested in new things and meeting new people, shoot some bullets before you shoot cannonballs. (Jim Collins from “Good to Great”) Try something based on your dashboard research AND your personal conversations with a specific goal in mind and JUST DO IT! Give yourself lots of grace and an understanding that you are in it for the long haul. Gather a partner or two to share in the labor because as we labor and serve together, there’s a lot of laughter. And we all need more laughter in ministry.

I woke on presentation day in Minnesota with the temperature of -11 degrees. Yeah…11 degrees below zero! But inside the home of my hostess and the church where I met these amazing Christian Educators, was the warmth of the Holy Spirit on fire for sharing Jesus with little people. Thank you Minnesota CEF for the lovely invite and your amazing hospitality.

“Instruct the wise and they will be wiser still; teach the righteous and they will add to their learning.” Proverbs 9:9

Invited to prepare stations of prayer for fifth graders attending the North Georgia United Methodist Conference retreat at Camp Glisson, we set the following challenges to be met: (1) Stations must be interactive, (2) Stations must be easy to reproduce at home, (3) Stations must involve movement. My amazing friend and colleague Kate Morris and I shared the prayer time for the retreat of a total of almost 90 minutes. We split the large group into two smaller groups and rotated in 45-50 minutes. Kate Morris prepared physical prayers using yoga moves making the yoga mat a sacred space and involved lots of movement and in community. Some of her resources included Yoga For Children and Yoga Pretzels. I presented the individual prayer component using God’s gifts of our five senses.

Smell
Psalm 141:2 May my prayer be set before you (O God) like incense; may the lifting of my hands be like the evening sacrifice.

Citrus smells bring joy, particularly lemon, orange and grapefruit can help reduce stress and nervous tension. Research, conducted by Brazilian scientists in 2013, found that people who smelled citrus scents before a stressful test or stressful situation reported lower anxiety levels.
Smelling is the one scent which never decreases as we get older which is why you will be able to recall a memorable scent from childhood into your old age.

Repeat Psalm 141:2 ten times.
Write down ten things that bring you joy. One on each piece of paper. Fold paper in half, then place the ten pieces of paper into the bowl.

Application: A simple smell can change how you feel. Recording joys on paper can change how you feel like counting your blessings. Inviting God into your feelings can change how you feel.

I diffused a good bit of orange essential oil in a smaller room throughout the day. The overflowing bowl of joys were used as a visual element of the worship tablescape on Sunday morning in our worship space.

Taste
Psalm 34:8 Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge (safety and security) in Him.

Choose a lollipop. Unwrap and toss your wrapper in the trashcan. Find Psalm 34 in your Bible. Find a place to sit and just read. No biting, chewing, or crunching your lollipop, but read Psalm 34 over and over until you’ve eaten your lollipop until you are to the stick. Throw your stick away in the trashcan.

Application: Quick reads of the Bible are helpful, but long reads help us to enjoy reading the Bible and hearing God’s voice. Reading the Bible regularly help us to know God’s voice among the other voices in our world.

The smallest dumdums possible will still provide a lengthy time of reading Psalm 34 and plenty of selection for kids to make a personal choice.

Touch
2 Timothy 1:6 Let me remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.

Sit in a chair. Don’t get up, no matter how long it takes.
Wait for someone to come behind you, lay a hand on your shoulder and speak one of the blessings tied to the back of the chair.
After you’ve received a blessing, go to another who is sitting in a chair. Lay a hand on their shoulder and speak one of the blessings tied to the back of the chair.

Application: The hunger for genuine acceptance is common. A blessing provides that much-needed sense of personal acceptance. Jacob in the Bible waited until the Lord blessed Him. Wait for the blessing. Then speak a blessing over someone else.

Various prayers from the Psalms and Aaron’s blessing from Numbers 6 were printed on cards and hung to the back of each chair for the ‘blesser’ to choose. The waiting to be blessed and the voice of someone speaking over someone required patience and indeed ended in delight.

Sound
2 Timothy 3:14-17 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Pick up a copy of the scripture.
Carry it to the stairwell.
Read the personalized scripture aloud as you walk up and down the stairs 3 times…slowly.

Lord, But as for me, I will continue in what I have learned and have become convinced of, because I know those from whom I learned it., and how from infancy I have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make me wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, SO THAT the servant of God (I) may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Application: Prayer is a way to serve God (Luke 2:36-38). Through prayer, we have the opportunity to glorify and praise Him for all He is, all He has done, and all He is doing (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Praying scripture helps us grow to become overcomers.

The echo of the children as they spoke the scripture aloud was to help us focus when our mind tends to wander. And it sounded awesome!

Sight
Psalm 101:3 Don’t put any vile thing before your eyes.
Vile = extremely unpleasant; morally bad; wicked; of little worth or value.

Which of these images are you drawn to?
How might you enter into this picture?
How might God enter into this picture for you?
Once you have chosen an image, take the card to the station leader for a picture of you with the image.

Pick up a hand-mirror and find a place to stand/sit. Pray through your face.
Lord, about my eyes….
Lord, about my mouth….
Lord, about my ….

Application: Visual images can prompt us to pray, to think, to feel something, and to respond. Can you choose what you set before your eyes?

Using images from the children’s pack of the The Visual Faith Project was the perfect resource.

Debrief: Ask, “Did you sense a theme with the prayer stations?” Our great God has generously given us all the gifts we need to follow Him and reset our hearts and minds to do and even feel what will please Him which will please us. What was your favorite station? Fingers pointed to all five stations.

“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Mathew 26:41

Last Friday evening I watched with wonder how my amazing colleagues served our Lord by serving one another and people they’d just met with such compassion and humility that the visual images will stick with me for the rest of my days. Many of these folks have been in professional ministry for more than twenty years using their gifts and graces, not their position, to be fully present for whomever God set before us. We registered early for the event. We attended the required training. We loved our colleague who led the charge so much that she didn’t have to worry about when or where we’d be. We’d be right there to do whatever was needed to provide an exceptional and unforgettable experience for our honored guests and their families. We arrived early. We set up. We stayed late. We mopped. We took instruction. We served. I’d never been so excited to be dressed all in black in all my life!

The weekend prior to Valentine’s Day is Night to Shine. Night to Shine honors teens and adults with special needs by giving them their own special night of games, dancing, food, fellowship, where every boy and girl, man and woman is crowned prom king or prom queen. The Tim Tebow Foundation started Night to Shine six years ago with 44 churches in 2014, now more than 700 churches around the world host the prom. My local church, in partnership with two other United Methodist Churches in our district, provided this special event for 125 honored guests.

Yes, our honored guests were celebrated and their families offered respite and an amazing dinner. But let me tell you what else I saw…

The event-leader was a part-time staff member who is a full-time Jesus gal who led a multi-church team which led hundreds of volunteers to be the hands and feet of Jesus. This didn’t even fall under her role on staff, but organized, encouraging, super-prepared, and all-in, her colleagues joined her in the charge because we love her deeply and whatever she leads, we know will honor the Lord. Her husband guided and directed all things transportation with an awesome team, loaded, carted, escorted, and ….

The Recreation Ministry Lead was assigned the most personal interaction as a buddy. I watched that man laugh, talk with, enjoy the company of, cut the food and hand feed his honored guest, then stayed for hours afterward to mop the floor.

The Youth Ministry Lead took photos and took down decorations. The Nursery Ministry Lead and her husband took professional photos for guest take-aways.

The Financial Department Lead greeted guests with energy and excitement and was the event lead’s gopher for the night, never leaving her post. The Head of the Finance Committee directed traffic in 30 degree weather.

The Worship Minister ran for the medical team when needed, ran messages for food allergies, danced with guests, announced the prom kings, and worked the room of buddies and guests making sure everyone was comfortable while her Choir and music ministry team provided a red carpet experience like no other.

An Admin served in the Sensory Room while another placed crowns on the heads of God’s precious.

One of my Super McEachern Kids Dads took bathroom duty. One new Sergeant and a new Dad took on security like the City Police Officer bosses they are. Another Super Dad shined shoes. A Super Mom cheered along with the Choir and Joyful Singers along the red carpet with her own Mom. Two Super Moms led a team to turn a gym into a Tiffany Blue Ballroom. Almost my entire team of McEachern Kids Sunday Morning Leaders were buddies, served food, played corn hole, ran the karaoke room, or danced all night long.

I didn’t see all the other 200 servant-leader volunteers, but what I did see reminded me how good the leaders of God’s church can be. I serve the local church with die-hard, hard-working, servant leaders who are the 6am workers Jesus talks about in Matthew 20 and the faith-builders in Nehemiah 6. I love these people so much as they live out 1 Corinthians 13 every single day.

In the words of our special musical guest Elvis, “Thank you. Thank you very much.”

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 1 Corinthians 13:4-5

One of the most profound general sessions of the 2020 Children’s Pastor’s Conference was led by Darren Whitehead. Darren Whitehead along with Chris Tomlin wrote Holy Roar: 7 Words That Will Change The Way You Worship. Though I’m still in the middle of this small, yet delightful book, I keep coming back to how I felt when I heard Pastor Whitehead share about the seven Hebrew words for PRAISE. We have one word PRAISE in the English language. The first people of Jesus have seven very distinct words.

Yadah, yaw-daw’ – to revere/worship with extended hands. It is natural to raise our hands in celebration, but not everyone raises their hands in worship. Extending our hands up in celebration is natural on the ball field, at an intense board game with the family, and can be in worship. Psalm 67:3

Halal, haw-lal’ – to boast, shine, celebrate, to be clamorously foolish. It’s where we get our word ‘Hallelujah’. Think about the crazy, demonstrative joy of friends and family dancing at a wedding. There is great joy and we dance in celebration. Psalm 149:3

Tehillah, teh-hil-law’ – A hymn, a song of praise, a new song, a spontaneous song. Ever felt the need to spontaneously praise the Lord out-loud, in public, in gratitude and open joy? Ever listened to a song on repeat because you just couldn’t get enough of it?

Zamar, zaw-mar’ – to make music. Think of a soundtrack that would guide you through a remarkable moment of life. Or when God is in the music you hear at a time of celebration. Johann Sebastian Back was often quoted as saying, “I play the notes as they are written, but it is God who makes the music.” Psalm 144:9

Towdah, to-daw’ – an extension of the hand in thanksgiving for things not yet received; a sacrifice of praise. Ever been in a season where you sing yet your heart is broken? Ever choked through a song with tears streaming? Though my heart does not feel it, I will sing through the tears. Psalm 42:4

Barak, baw-rak’– a posture of praise to salute, to thank, to kneel, to bless God as an act of adoration. Jesus is THE King, but more importantly, Jesus is MY King.  Psalm 103:1-2, 20-22

Shabach, shw-bakh’ – to address in a loud tone. To shout. To declare glory and triumph. Pastor Whitehead shared a video clip of the spontaneous roar that took place when the Chicago Cubs finally won a World Series after waiting 108 years. Yeah…THAT spontaneous roar of praise. Psalm 63:1, 3-4

This little book has personal and group reflection questions at the end of each chapter AND after Chris Tomlin shares personal testimony about how he has written music and shared music which practices each one of these seven Hebrew words for praise.

After this teaching, I can’t listen to music the same as before. I can’t even worship the same as before. I’ve already purchased this book for others and I know of colleagues who have passed their own personal book to leaders admired. I have a freshness for worship today that reminds me of my first experiences of Christian music outside the local church and even before Christian radio. That CD made my car, my home, and my classroom a sacred space. My first? Phillips, Craig & Dean.

“Worship at its best is a social experience with people of all levels of life coming together to realize their oneness and unity under God.” Martin Luther King, Jr.