For us, summer means June and July—and those two months are a perfect opportunity to experiment, train, and take the church on the road through meaningful partnerships. Our campus will still be open for office hours and Sunday mornings, but the rest of the week? We’re hitting the streets!

PARTNERSHIP #1: Family Movie Nights in the Park

We’re teaming up with our town’s Family Movie Nights, happening five times this summer. Each evening gives us nearly four hours to play, connect, and pray with our neighbors—right where they are.

It might be hot, but we’re coming prepared:

• Hand-fans, hula hoops, and bubbles
• A portable netted Gaga ball pit
• Mini Jesus figurines and prayer chairs for meaningful conversations
• Smiles, joy, and open hearts

Other churches and local businesses will be there too—so this is truly community in action, living up to the name we carry!

PARTNERSHIP #2: Community Driveway Parties

We’re also partnering with the neighborhoods of our own congregation! Throughout the summer, church members will host one-hour driveway parties for their neighbors—kids, families, seniors—anyone nearby.

Here’s how it works:

• The host connects with their neighbors and provides freeze pops
• Our team brings the fun: music, games, Jesus stories, crafts, and takeaways
• It’s simple, joyful, and deeply relational

We want to show up where people already are—and celebrate the good news of Jesus in ways that feel natural, neighborly, and joy-filled.

We’re Prepped and Ready

We’ve stocked up on:

• A branded tent, table cover, feather flag, and car magnet
• Portable netted Gaga ball pit, prayer chairs, and lawn games
• Sidewalk chalk, Lego bricks (thanks, senior moms!), storytelling tools, and rebus salvation bracelets
• Bluetooth speaker, custom summer t-shirts, and lots of love to give

Everything we bring is designed to spark conversation, stir curiosity, and make space for gospel moments in everyday places.

Why Are We Doing This?

Three big reasons:

1. To be a good, loving neighbor,
2. To train our littles, middles, and bigs to share the gospel clearly—and to practice doing it with confidence, kindness, hospitality, and joy,
3. After training we plan to take our kids on the road to assisted-living homes this fall during their school breaks to host a morning VBS with seniors.

We don’t need to copy what other churches are already doing well. We’re a new church with a great message, deep relationships, and a bold desire to make disciples right where we live.

Ready or not, here we come to share Jesus with neighbors and nations!

“When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near.” Luke 21:30

There’s something powerful about pausing to reflect right after a big ministry moment. Whether it’s a special Sunday or a seasonal event, taking time within a day or so to debrief can lead to rich insights for the future. Think of it as a joyful experiment—an opportunity to learn from spaces, supplies, staging, and what God has already placed in our hands.

Here’s one simple tool I use: a Google Doc with three honest, hope-filled columns.

Hiccups | Wins | Discoveries

Here’s what each column means and why it matters:

Hiccups are those small snags or delays that don’t derail the event, but do interrupt the flow. 

• A misplaced TV remote
  
• Using insider language without clear signage
  
• A broken dress shoe while setting up a Storywalk with bubbles and eggs on brand-new mulch (thank you, backup flip-flops in the car!)

They’re not disasters. They’re just real-life reminders to tweak, prep, or bring extras next time.

Wins are those heart-lifting moments when things go better than you imagined:

• A youth boldly sharing the gospel with a preteen guest over Legos at lunch
  
• A dinner team noticing a need and stopping at the grocery store unprompted
  
• Spotting someone absolutely shine while leading a station—and inviting them on the spot to lead a ministry in the fall (and they say YES!)

These moments remind us that God is always doing more than we can see, and that teamwork is truly a beautiful thing.

Discoveries are the unexpected delights and insights you want to tuck away for future planning:

• Guests came because they noticed a roadside banner or a Facebook ad
  
• One building entrance worked best in daylight, another after sunset
  
• You might need to shift the date next year to get access to a better space; if the space is unavailable perhaps an alternative event is what’s called for

These are gold nuggets of information—little “a-ha” moments that shape wiser, more effective ministry down the road.

Celebrate the Good. Don’t Take the Rest Personally.

President Ronald Reagan and Coach John Wooden both famously said, “There is no limit to the amount of good you can do if you don’t care who gets the credit.”

I’d like to add: “…and if I don’t take hiccups personally.”

Hiccups aren’t the place for finger-pointing—but wins and discoveries? Celebrate those loudly and often. Name names, thank people, and give the credit where it’s due. It builds joy, trust, and a culture of celebration.

This past Sunday was a big one. And the Lenten season? Full of moments worth remembering and learning from through discoveries.

So… what would make your list? What were the hiccups, wins, and discoveries?

Open a fresh Google Doc. Take ten minutes. Jot it all down. Then, revisit it during your next planning season. It’s one of the most effective, joy-filled ways to keep growing as the innovative discipler God has called you to be—hiccups and all.

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me.” John 14:1

While listening to episode #63 of the FamTime Podcast I was introduced to the encouraging voice and wisdom of Beth Meverden. It was such a joy! In that episode, Beth shared four Biblical, simple, and deeply practical keys for helping kids stay engaged in church. Her 74-page book, Church(ing) Kids, published in 2024, is a treasure for families and church leaders alike. This little book packs a punch.

Beth has been loving families to Jesus for over 25 years, and she brings both wisdom and warmth from her home base in Colorado. Here are the four keys she outlines—each one packed with purpose and possibility:

Key #1 – Intentional Spiritual Training at Home

We get the parental responsibility as the primary spiritual trainers of their own children, but I really liked her emphasis on conversations. She says:

“It is giving the answers before they have to ask you the questions. Because sometimes when we do not talk about spiritual things with our children, they think we do not know the answers and will seek answers somewhere else. If we are not talking about our faith with them, they will assume it is not important to us since we talk to them about other things that we think are important for them to learn.”

So simple, yet so powerful. Talk to your kids about your faith like it matters—because it does.

Key #2 – Involvement in Big Church

We get the idea that kids should be involved with multiple generations of Christians, but I really like her emphasis on modeling today for the future:

“You are modeling what it looks like to be an engaged Christian adult so they know how to become Christian adults participating in church. God will seat us next to the people He wants us to serve.”

What a beautiful reminder that our kids are watching and learning what adult faith looks like in real time.

Key #3 – Developing a Church Skill Set

We get the idea that kids can serve, but I really like her emphasis on God’s people training God’s people for life skills inside the church house to also use outside the church house. She explains:

“A ‘church skill set’ is a set of skills and gifts a believer uses to serve God and His people at church. We do our children a disservice when we train them that going to church is all about them, thus laying a foundation for a lifetime of service.”

This is apprenticeship in action—raising up faithful disciples of Jesus through meaningful service.

“The best benefit of your children serving at church is this. Upon graduation, your children will look for a church family to serve instead of a church that will serve them.”

Beth offers pages of practical ideas for involving children and youth in service at church. If your kids are bored at church, get them serving! As she puts it, serving is the ultimate boredom killer.

Key #4 – Age/Stage Group Involvement

We get the idea that most families are looking for age/stage activities, but I really like her emphasis on belonging. She says:

“Youth group is an awesome place to remind your teens they are not alone in their faith.”

And there’s more. When children and teens are involved in age/stage ministries….

“We build a team of spiritual cheerleaders in our children’s lives. These servant leaders support you as you disciple your children toward being like Christ. When your children learn alongside other children, they have built-in spiritual conversation topics to discuss with them at school or as they play together. When children invite their friends to church, they’re also inviting their friends’ families.”

How encouraging is that? Belonging leads to conversations, friendships, and kingdom invitations that can ripple out to whole families.

While each of these keys can stand strong on its own, it’s when we use all four together that they create a wholistic path for our kids and teens to engage with the whole church—the whole Body of Christ. Beth Meverden offers us a hopeful, practical vision for raising up the next generation of faithful, joyful disciples.

Let’s take the keys—and unlock a faith-filled future for our children.

Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right. Proverbs 20:11

This Lenten season, our church journeyed through a rich and meaningful theme inspired by the 40-day devotional Soundtrack by John David Walt of Seedbed. It’s a beautifully curated playlist through the Psalms—the ancient sounds of God’s people offered in rhythm and rhyme, through voice and instrument, lifted up in worship to the One and Only: our Creator, our Rescuer, our Redeemer, and our King.

The Psalms are more than poetry; they’re a holy playlist stretching from the time of the pop-up tabernacle in the wilderness to the majestic temple of Solomon—songs for every season of the soul.

But what is it about music that makes it so powerful?

Music adds strength to a story.
Think about it—the #10 movie soundtrack of all time is Disney’s The Lion King. Can you even picture the story without humming Hakuna Matata or hearing Rafiki’s iconic shout as he presents baby Simba? And the #1 movie soundtrack? Whitney Houston’s The Bodyguard. Unforgettable. Whose workout playlist doesn’t include Rocky’s Eye of the Tiger?

Music stirs our emotions.
Just a few notes of Garth Brooks’ Callin’ Baton Rouge and I’m transported back to LSU—friends, classes, football games on humid Saturday nights. Music has that power. Think of alma maters at national championships, songs played at memorials of loved ones, or the national anthem at the Olympics—each one stirs something deep in us.

Music helps us remember.
It shapes the soundtrack of our lives: the first dance at a wedding, a lullaby hummed by a tired mama in the middle of the night, or a family favorite like You Are My Sunshine. My high school years were set to Fleetwood Mac, Bread, and the movie soundtrack of Grease. My young mama days? Wayne Watson and Amy Grant. We even learned civics with Schoolhouse Rock (“I’m just a bill, yes I’m only a bill…”), and we remember the Fruit of the Spirit through a hand-jive rhythm.

In Scripture, as God’s people ascended to worship in Jerusalem, they sang the Songs of Ascent—15 psalms, psalm 120-135, preparing their hearts for communal worship through a shared ministry of presence, food, music, sacrifice, repentance, and their shared identity as God’s people. As one of our pastors shared last Sunday, “These are songs worth singing.” I have a Spotify Sunday Hype playlist I sing to at the top of my lungs on my drive into church every week which includes songs like Church Kids by Natalie Layne, Big God by Terrian, and That’s My King by CeCe Winans.

And now it’s baseball season.
Even little league batters have walk-on songs! So here’s a question for you: What would be your walk-on song? The one that gives you strength, stirs your soul, and tells the world something about who you are and what matters to you?

Music is sticky—it helps us hold onto truth. It brings hope. And it’s a good gift from the Lord to His people.

So go ahead—sing the song.

“Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, ‘The Lord has done great things for them.’” Psalm 126:2

Spring in Atlanta brings two things in abundance—Lenten celebrations and a whole lot of pollen. The pollen? I could do without. But intergenerational Lenten experiences? I wouldn’t miss them for anything.

The liturgical year draws us into the life of Jesus, reminding us of the moments that define our faith. But why do the Old Testament stories matter just as much?

Dr. Sandra Richter explains it beautifully: “The great narratives of the Old Testament have been preserved for us for a reason. Rehearsing these stories to each other reminds us of who we are. It reminds us of who our God is. ‘Stories that matter’ strengthen us… If the God I serve is the God of the exodus, the conquest, and the resurrection, then there is real hope, real strength, a real reason to get back in the game. But what if I don’t know the God of the exodus, the conquest, and the resurrection? What if the God I’ve come to know is the God of shallow pop songs and feel-good motivational speeches? … Then I’m in trouble. And so is the kingdom.” (The Epic of Eden: Deborah, p. 102)

Part of our family tradition during Lent is to watch The Ten Commandments with Charlton Heston: the OG when it comes on network television (4/12/25 on ABC). Part of my personal tradition is to watch The Passion of the Christ (Netflix). This year we have access to The Chosen’s presentation of The Last Supper, Part 1 (opened 3/29), Part 2 (opens 4/4), and Part 3 (opens 4/11). As a visual learner, I’m here for it all.

Another powerful way to experience the season is through discovering Jesus in the Passover, both in the classroom and at home. Faith formation that engages all five senses deepens our understanding, making these traditions come alive:

• Wonder Ink offers a series of five Easter-themed Sunday School lessons, culminating in an Around the Table Passover Event using candy to give the account of the plagues. Families and children journey through the Easter season while experiencing elements of a traditional Jewish Passover meal that point to Jesus. But why limit this to Lent? Imagine using these lessons for a VBS at a local nursing home, with kids and youth as teachers! We’ll be inviting our senior saints and women’s ministry team to join us to take this on the road.
• Chosen People Ministries recently led our entire church in a Passover Seder. For a little over two hours, we shared a meal, honored the roles of men, women, and children at the table, and explored how every part of the Seder points to Jesus. Children delighted in interactive elements—stickers representing the plagues, plastic locusts, flies, and frogs—while one thoughtful hostess even provided coloring books and a plush lamb for the little ones at her table. It was a night filled with laughter, learning, and deep connection as we discovered more about the Messiah of the Passover. Free children’s resources can be found here. One of our moms of three littles, two very littles, set her dinner and table that night in a way that worked for her family committed to starting this tradition.
• Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper is more than just sacred art—it’s storytelling through paint. Da Vinci, a scientist, artist, and master of detail, wove layers of meaning into his famous work. Last week, in our kids’ Sunday school, we explored this masterpiece alongside objects that tell Jesus’ story. We compared an original darkened print with a lighter version, discussing how artists of faith once shaped Biblical storytelling. My co-teacher, an incredible art educator, helps our students see the beauty of sacred art. Last year, we introduced them to the Mona Lisa, inviting them to “do the Mona” by sitting still with hands folded in their laps, ready to receive instructions. My unruly rosemary bush provided the stalks of rosemary for the lingering smell of the woman with the alabaster jar of perfume.

Each of these traditions—whether through art, food, film, or storytelling—points us to the God who still rescues, hears the cries of His people, gathers us in community, provides, restores, blesses, and calls us to a believer’s obedience through His Son, Jesus.

From our tables to our classrooms, from sacred art to sacred meals, we are invited to tell the story of our Savior—because it’s a story that matters.

“One generation commends Your works to another; they tell of Your mighty acts. They speak of the glorious splendor of Your majesty – and I will meditate on Your wonderful works.” Psalm 145:4-5