When we sing together of the Lord and His great works, we are reminded of our common dreams, our common trust, our common beliefs that our God is an awesome God, He is mighty to save, and His grace is amazing how sweet the sound. Christians singing reminds us where we came from and to whom we belong. We share our beliefs in our great, creator God, our friend, savior Jesus, and our guide and comforter the Holy Spirit in shared lyrics, in rhythm. We etch these thoughts and beliefs in our memory banks because rhythm and long-term memory are right next to each other in our brains. Thank you, O great and wise Creator!

Our Bibles are filled with the songs of celebration and lament shared by God’s people. Of all the things that made it into Miriam’s backpack when she was told to pack to leave Egypt and head into the desert, she brought a tambourine. A quick evacuation was hardly the time to think of singing and dancing, yet she and a whole bunch of women thought to bring instruments for at some unknown point, they’d be singing before the Lord in praise and thanksgiving. They were right! An evil spirit took over King Saul until the boy David played his harp. The songs of a child kept evil spirits at bay! Acts 16 has Paul and Silas broken, bodies torn, chained, hungry, hurting, thirsty, dark, sore at midnight breaking into song to equip them to persevere. Colossians 3 reminds us to sing to one another of the Lord to teach and grow a heart of gratitude. When we sing, we are praying in rhythm from the depths of our souls and it pleases the Lord.

I know of small gatherings of Christians in this country who gather for worship and shut the blinds, turn off the lights, and pull their children close….just to sing praises to the Lord. They sing acapella because instruments are too loud and they’ll be heard, reported, arrested, fined, and imprisoned. This is not an act of rebellion, but rather a weekly measure of sustaining mental and spiritual health. Just think: entire genres of music have come out of human history of oppression, sorrow, disappointment, and despair to offer hope. Hope is felt when we sing these songs together.

Beth Moore wrote Entrusted: A Study of 2 Timothy in 2016. She teaches from 1 Corinthians 4:1-2, “This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed. Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.” The word servants here comes from the Greek huperetes with hupo = under, beneath and eretes = a rower. Think of the third-tier rowers, the under-rowers, of those days were men crammed into the bottom of a sailing vessel rowing without knowing where they were headed, backs to the front, all moving in sync to a common destination, moved by the muscles of many in tandem without much light, weary, sweaty, in repetition, but moving onward against the tide, together. The speed and synchronicity of movement was set by song. A song sung at times by one, at times by some, and at times by all of the under-rowing sailors.

Singing in community is a super spreader of the pandemic and who knows what else. I confess it’s terribly awkward to sing in the living room or to a laptop. When I sing, I’m just loud unless I’m in community. Then I sound pretty good. Anyone else sound better in a choir or with others or is that just me?

If we, like Paul, profess to be slaves to Christ, we are under-rowers. I’ve got to sing! Beth Moore says, “Sometimes the song reminds us it’ll be worth the work.”

A dear friend who listens to me wrestle with these tensions said just last week, “My voice has changed because it’s not being used.”

I’m not sure I want to wave the banner of rebellion. I’m a rule follower and I submit to the authority over me. Like everything else, I must find a way to do it differently because that’s what love requires of me. I have committed to sing every day in my home, in my car, and with my family. I will encourage my ministry families to sing each day. I will do my best to do no harm, but I will sing….I must sing. My heart needs to sing, my head needs to hear the music shared with the saints who have gone before me, our children know there is joy in the home when Mama sings.

I’ve brought out my CDs from the 90s and early 2000s of gospel hymns, Amy Grant, Sandi Patty, Phillips, Craig & Dean, Michael W. Smith, 4Him, and Point of Grace. I know all the words and I can sing as loud as I want in my car with tears streaming down my face in ugly cry for these were my helps when I was teaching my own children the language of our shared faith. 

We are about to enter a season which is defined by bright lights, evergreens, the babe in a manger, and seasonal music. These words repeated year after year stick in our minds and hearts with personal memories attached and are filled with the language of our faith. The apostle Paul reminded the young Timothy to remain trained in the words, the language, of our faith. We have always used music as a vehicle to pass along the language of our faith in Jesus to littles. Music makes words and language sticky. Especially for littles. And if it’s good for littles, it’s good for everyone. It’s just going to look different.

I’m packing my tambourine….

“Standing on the promises of Christ my King, Through eternal ages let His praises ring; Glory in the highest I will shout and sing. Standing on the promises of God.”

“He’s got the whole world in His hands. He’s got the whole world in His hands. He’s got the whole world in His hands. He’s got the whole world in His hands.”

“Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord, praise His name; proclaim His salvation day after day.” Psalm 96:1-2

We started teaching the Christmas story last Sunday…in November…in the Sunday school discipleship hour….with power tools, a virus kit, six boxes of Legos, slime, stickers, gold beads, and money.

The research from Lifeway, The Barna Group, and in my own personal experiences continue to report that one of the most impactful and equipping opportunities offered by the local church community for students who never left their faith as teens or young adults was to give young people experiences in vocational discipleship….robust conversation with Titus 2 men and women who love Jesus and are living out their calling in the world.

“Vocational discipleship involves being aware of the career aspirations of teens and young adults in our communities, and helping them to connect those goals with how God designed work.” (Faith For Exiles by Kinnaman and Matlock, pg. 156)

This is how we will teach the Christmas story this season through these experiences.

Families registered their students for their top two preferences of small groups for the seven weeks of November and December. They will remain in these small groups, in these specific spaces, with this leader for all of November and December.

K5-2^nd grade – Knowing God through Sticker Art, Science, Lego building, and Games led by a musician, a scout leader, a dentist, and an evangelist. All are living out their calling to love the Lord and their neighbor in their chosen, skilled vocation.

3^rd grade – We have a rite of passage/ tradition of this age level learning and making Chrismons in November then will become part of a class of K5-5^th graders for Nativity worship art in December, as well as any students who begin attending after the November 8^th  led by an art teacher of the year who loves the Lord and her neighbor.

4^th & 5^th grade – Knowing God through Nursing Science, Power Tools, Money Matters, and Worship Art led by a nurse, a general contractor, an accountant, and another art teacher of the year. All who are living out the great commandment and great commission in their daily line of work.

Each week they’ll lead their small group in learning about the major players in the Christmas story: Zechariah, Elizabeth, Gabriel, Mary, Joseph, Shepherds, the posse of animals and angels, Jesus, and the Wisemen.

The weekly online classroom will be set up each week to learn more about each major player which will also serve as the background for each of the leaders and our families with curated online content. The leads will teach the who (basic facts of the major player), the where (find it in the Bible), and the WOW! (why it matters) along with a discussion question. Then they are off to learn the focused skill for the remaining time.

With the goals of vocational discipleship, dedicated time spent with Titus 2 men and women (the best way for kids to learn to love Jesus is to spend time with people who love Jesus), and a call to families to “come on home,” I can’t wait to see how God will continue to grow kids’ hearts and minds, hands and feet, to the One and Only who loves them best: Jesus!

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord.” Colossians 3:23

Thirty years ago, our country shut down. My last day of elementary school that year was Friday the 13th of March. Just the weekend before I was arguing with Mom for more screen time. Little did we know that we’d be spending more time in front of that screen to learn, to connect with family and friends, and not just play.

I loved it! We stayed home. We played games. If we needed something, our church gave us stuff, our school gave us stuff, our neighbors gave us stuff, and we shared our stuff with other people. We wore our pajamas every day, baked bread and cookies, and didn’t worry about cleaning up so much. Dance parties in the kitchen! Some people had a lot of toilet paper, so they shared with those who didn’t. We left bags of stuff at my grandparents, but I didn’t get to hug them. The news said it wasn’t safe. I was bummed. 

We drove by our church for surprises in goodie bags of toys, books, snacks, crayons, bubbles, and sidewalk chalk. We raised our hands and talked to God before heading home to find out what was in the bags. So much sidewalk chalk! We drew on our drive way, the neighbor’s driveway, and the sidewalks in our neighborhood. Every now and then there would be lines and lines of cars honking horns in our subdivision with signs and balloons. Like a parade!

Once it was really summer for real, we had church in our parking lot. Sometimes we drove through the drive-thru and picked up dinner to eat in the back of the car for supper. It was like Vacation Bible School, but in our car. With Mom. With Dad. Sometimes my grandma came! We heard a story about Jesus, popped balloons, prayed, played games, and danced. Even in the rain!

As much as Mom and Dad wanted us to watch church on TV, we just wanted to play. We started wearing masks everywhere we went. We went camping and made forts in the living room with flashlights and sheets.

Before 2020 I went to church with other kids and had some great church teachers, but after COVID I got to meet so many more people at my church and all over town. I met people of all ages in my church and lots of other kid’s parents. We kept camp chairs and bicycles in the back of the car so we’d always be ready to meet up with people at the church, the park, and the ball fields.

We didn’t get to visit our grandparents, but we talked on the phone and zoomed with them often. It felt good to see them. I missed them. They must have missed me, too, because they wrote me letters and mailed postcards to me. I especially remember the animal fun facts postcards about eagles and national parks. They sent postcards to my sister about princesses and famous women in science. I miss my grandparents, but I know we will see each other in Heaven one day because they talked to me about Jesus and prayed for me to love Him for my whole life. I have their Bibles all written in and read from them often, especially when I want to feel close to them or I’m going through a tough time.

My family’s traditions around the holidays came from my parents and grandparents so we’d have fun and be reminded who we belonged to. They told us over and over that God is good, God created us, Jesus loves us, and we are better together however together looks. We talked with each other. We talked to God in prayer. together We played together. We laughed together. We cooked together. We took walks and adventures together. They loved me to Jesus and showed me how to love my own kids to Jesus.

“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in the truth.” 3 John 4

Being from south Louisiana I’m wired for celebration. Serving in weekday preschool ministry for more than 15 years gave me many opportunities to set aside time and space for celebration: Red Day, Wacky Wednesday, Donuts with Dad, etc. Today is Farmer’s Day in my grandson’s preschool class. #flannelup 

Families run smoothly in routine and ritual, so any time I can equip or add a sacred holiday into the memory bank, I’m ready to order confetti cannons in bulk.

Halloween and All Saints’ Day are connected. Celebrating Halloween is a personal, family preference. Becky Kiser in Sacred Holidays: Less Chaos, More Jesus reminds us that for many families, the season of Halloween is their jam. “The day is already set aside; it’s up to us to make it sacred – holy and set apart.” (p. 103). I’m not going to get into a quarrel to celebrate Halloween or not, but I will take advantage of the church’s celebration for All Saints Sunday.

Rev.  Leanne Hadley offers a ritual of writing names on white hearts of those who now live in Heaven. I will extend that this All Saints Sunday with kids and families writing names on paper hearts.

1. Remembering those we love who now live with Jesus (names on white hearts of people, pets, whomever)

Convo starter: Who in our family is in Heaven? Share how he/she/they lived out their faith that resembles how mom/dad/grandparents model their own faith?

2. Remembering and being thankful for those who have taught us about Jesus when we were little kids (names on red hearts)

Convo starter: Tell about the people who have loved dad/mom/grandparents to Jesus before the kids were born and now.

3. Expressions of thankfulness for those who are teaching us about Jesus and helping us grow in our faith right now (names on green hearts)

Convo starter: Tell about who is teaching and loving your child to Jesus NOW.

RESPOND: Write a thank you note to someone mentioned in the conversations 2 and 3.

All Saints Day is a day we can celebrate those who have loved us and are loving us to Jesus well. Who are the saints in your life? Let’s respond with gratitude and tell some stories!

“Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story.” Psalm 107:2a

When I’m feeling pressed, oppressed, and compressed, I revert to my huge sense of curiosity and learn things. The learning curve for 2020 has taken a hard right turn. I’m learning new things every single day. Every. Single. Day. Yet in my role as the lead for ministry with children I must be learning things, sharpening my sword, in very specific areas; building on my skills and knowledge to equip not just me, but the saints who make up the church where God has called me to serve. I make it a matter of prayer and pray the Lord will lead me to keep learning….

the Gospel – The good news is (1) God created all things good, (2) Sin entered the world and made the world groan, (3) God made way for us to be reconciled to His holiness through the life, death, and resurrection of His one and only Son, Jesus, (4) God invites us to use the giftings placed within us by the Holy Spirit to make good in the world. God turns all things for good for those who love Him (Romans 8:28) Learning in developmentally appropriate language for kids makes it super easy to share it with kids.
Discipling Your Grandchildren by Dr. Josh Mulvihill
This Is The Gospel: A Kids Read Truth Story & Scripture Book
Mama Bear Apologetics by Hillary Morgan Ferrer
Kids Ministry 101 Podcast
ChurchCommunications.com 
Lord, let the gospel of Jesus burn in my bones.

to be a great teacher – Teaching in person is one thing. Teaching online is totally different. They both require skills to not just know the material. Only a great student can be a great teacher. I must learn how to present information which is engaging (music in the background is a distraction), sticky (sing it!), and transformational (keep the conversation and connections going in the relationships that matter most: kids/parents/grandparents/teachers).
Show Them Jesus
A Little Spot of…. series of books by Diane Alber|
D6 Podcast
Carey Nieuwhof Leadership Podcast
Lord, let me walk in a whole new level of effectiveness and be a great teacher.

to equip the saints – Once on staff, I can model processes and discipleship, but my ultimate daily goal is to equip the saints. I want to listen to how the Holy Spirit is speaking to, challenging, and convicting the saints of the church to live out their Jesus-following. My role is to resource (reading and learning how to be a Christian-empower-er), coach (provide processes for communication, implementation, measurement, and follow-up), and cheer them on to excellent experiences as they answer God’s call, challenge, and conviction; so much so that they want to do it again!
Resilient by Valerie Bell
Raising Boys and Girls Podcast
The Lead Volunteers Podcast
Lord, give me fresh traction under my feet to equip the saints who lead the littles.

Podcasts are helpful when I’m short on time to read a book from beginning to end. Podcasts are helpful to listen as I go throughout the day, on the drive, or walking the neighborhood. I listen at 1.50 speed. If I find an interview or conversation on a podcast particularly interesting, I then search that ‘teacher’ or ‘topic’ on YouTube. People are teaching on lots of platforms and it’s never been easier to search and learn from the best of the best. 

How are you learning new things?

“But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it.” 2 Timothy 3:14

Do you remember this fingerplay rhyme? This is the church. This is the steeple. Open the doors. And there’s all the people. Not anymore!

When Jesus invited the disciples to ‘follow me,’ He taught in the temple AND on the shore. Where are the people on the shore today? Google Insights reports that every month, more than 30,000 people search “church online.” (p. 12) This means that 30,000 people are searching for Christian connections online. The internet is not what people do, it’s where we live. And it lives in our hand.

Social Media to Social Ministry: A Guide to Digital Discipleship, written by Nona Jones, is hot off the presses with multiple references to quarantine and church life as we now know it. Nona Jones is the head of global faith-based partnership at Facebook and lives in Gainesville, Florida where she co-leads a church with her husband. She’s in the trenches.

I’d heard her several times on various podcasts and couldn’t wait to get my hands on a printed copy of her research, her suggestions, and her knowledge. I read this book in one day and it’s already so written in that I’m almost embarrassed to send it to my daughter in Oregon. We both have a heart and hunger to share Jesus with families wherever they are.

Mrs. Jones gives all the practical tips to move social media from being a billboard and Sunday-message-only to a place where discipleship and relationship grows. Though there are other social media platforms, Facebook is the best place with tools already in place to offer Christian education, Christian fellowship, and Christian pastoral care. Really!

Before you get all ‘There’s nothing good on Facebook’, “Right now three out of four Americans are on Facebook. If 75 percent of your community were located on one side of town, in one neighborhood, would you refuse to put a location there?” (p. 16) Relationships are the basis for discipleship. Our roles are to provide intentional opportunities for ‘building relationships and facilitating connections so discipleship can happen.’ (p. 25) Discipleship happens when a more mature, disciplined person walks alongside in robust learning and conversation with a less mature, less disciplined person to help them along their way based on Ecclesiastes 4:9-10, 12 which begins, “Two are better than one….”

Online ministry to families is walking alongside the bigs with teaching and conversation so fully it overflows into their littles in everyday life. It overflows into their conversations, their prayers, their practices, their habits, their hopes, their dreams, and their laughter. Facebook groups offer the feedback loop that is crucial to sticky discipleship online. The author offers multiple suggestions to grow a church’s discipleship even within the livestream. Because I am ‘on’ during the livestream, I can’t do a thing about that, but I can do other things.

On a Saturday night I started a Facebook Group for grandparents to make sharing their faith a priority with their grandchildren. I have an event coming up, but decided to start the community beforehand. Tying it to our children’s ministry page, I invited a handful of folks I knew were grandparents. Following the tips provided within the book and multiple online conversations, that handful of grandparents had grown the group to 30 by Monday morning. I’ve never had a small group grow to 30 within two days of open registration. You? This is a new small group, they have begun the conversations, and the discipleship has begun. One week in and we are at a small group of an active 46.

More to think about…
“People under age thirty-four make up 63% of Facebook users.” (p. 51)
“Eight out of ten Americans actively use Facebook.” (p. 53)
“People may leave other social platforms with new information, but not necessarily with new friendships.” (p. 57)
“The Church is called to be more than a ‘house of content.’ We are called to be the light of the world.” (p. 55)
“The reason so many pastors (and staff) limit their online churches to livestreaming is because we have forgotten what church is: people.” (p. 67)
“Online church has the capacity to minister to people’s lives 168 hours per week. Every second. Every minute. Every hour. Every day. Every week. Every month. Every year. Life transformation doesn’t happen by osmoses every Sunday, so why would we think it could happen that way online?” (p. 67)
“Online church is real church because it’s filled with real people who need a real Savior.” Nona Jones, Social Media to Social Ministry, p. 33.

“Go and make disciples of all nations.” Matthew 28:19a

Another tropical storm system was traveling through. It was cold and wet and windy. Yet families came to Camp Chair Meetings. Two of the last three weekly outdoor gatherings were surrounded by rain and changing temperatures, yet families bundled their children and left their dry, warm homes to gather for thirty short minutes, in community, to read the word, toss some discussion questions in the air where children were full-on participants with the adults, prayed together and sang a benediction.

With the previous Sunday’s sermon as the jumping off point, families are gathering in small groups each Thursday evening to extend the message offered by our clergy team. Each Monday following the message, I am curating the sermon and other sensory elements onto a bitmoji classroom which we call the virtual parking lot for families to access on-demand. It sits on our social media pages and on the church website on the Children’s page.

Information to curate might include a Chuck Knows Church teaching on baptism if we had a baptism or John Wesley if the message is on Wesley’s Three Simple Rules. We’ll collect a couple of read-aloud children’s books related to the theme, a science experiment on the physical benefits of doing good, or a song with motions or the story of it’s making when our senior pastor ended a sermon singing I Have Decided To Follow Jesus. Linking all the references from YouTube videos already online to the virtual parking lot (bitmoji classroom) arranges the plethora of materials for what we find to be specifically relevant and developmentally appropriate for children of all ages and stages. Why children? Because I believe, “What’s good for kids is good for everybody.” (Mark Burrows)

The agenda or any text that is not available online is placed in a Google Sheet and linked within an image in the virtual parking lot for easy reference. In the agenda we place scripture reading, discussion questions, and any next steps we are offering for individuals or families to take the sermon message from the seat to their street.

With the sermon fresh on my mind on Monday, the Camp Chair Meeting virtual parking lot and agenda are prepared for Thursday, but published online on social media and the website for the in-person meeting on Monday afternoon, as well as available on-demand for anyone wanting to take it on the road, on vacation, or to the ball field to be shared at the tail-gate dinner before or after practice.

Two of the last three weeks we’ve been covered in rain and dipping temperatures, yet at least three families remain faithful to attend outdoors with their camp chairs under the entrance portico. Just found out that one family changed their Tae Kwon Do night to make Camp Chair Meetings a priority for their family for this season.

When I was a band mom, you would always find me in the stands every Friday night to support my son and his drum line. Rain, storm, freezing temps, melting heat or sunshine. The best part? There were plenty of others doing the very same thing! It’s what we did. It’s what we do. I will always do for even one what I would do for 100. It’s always about the ‘who’.

Each Thursday evening in September and October, families are gathering in small groups with camp chairs. Rain or shine. It’s what we do. It’s who we are.

“You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.” Psalm 139:2

There are local churches ‘saving’ spaces for when we ‘get back to normal.’ This means, there are spaces unused and off-limits to ministry with children and families. If ever there was a time for territorial caution tape to be torn down, it’s now. It will require hard phone calls to church saints, awkward zoom meetings with trustees, and not everyone is up for the challenge. I want to encourage you to have these courageous conversations. The days of playing it safe and walking away from a table (or zoom meeting) content or settling for whatever you are given, are over.

Perhaps you were chosen for such a time as this. (Esther 4:14) David Kinnaman of the Barna Group of researchers made the bold statement last week that one out of five churches will close in the next 18 months. Not one to jump down a hole of negativity, let me just proclaim in my loudest voice with a megaphone, for me and my church, “Not on my watch!”

There’s a great church whose reservations for their first Sunday in the building for the children’s services filled up in three hours. Three hours! All because the space the Children’s Ministry Lead was offered could only hold twelve kids. What happens to kids #13, #14, #15….#25? What happens to their family? What subtle, but very loud message is being conveyed? Loving families to Jesus doesn’t just happen in the Sanctuary. Faith formation is not just providing content and a distant sense of normalcy in a space that is not kid-friendly, but rather saying, “We stand with you, Mom, Dad!”

Several hours later, this warrior-for-kids texted me to share the senior pastor made those hard phone calls and the larger spaces will be available to kids the following week. She and I had prayed for that and God blessed it with a resounding, “Yes!” Maybe we should have prayed for more! Oh Lord, let us not be limited to what we can see. If Jesus came back tomorrow, would I stand before His precious face and say, “I tried, but they wouldn’t let me.” I just can’t!

Recently we enjoyed two infant baptisms at our outdoor, in-person worship service on the lawn. We said aloud, together, “With God’s help,” we will faithfully stand with these families to love their kids to Jesus with our lives. I gave party blowers to the siblings, the cousins, and the great-grandparents, because we stand in celebration for their legacies of faith. They can trust that I will speak up, wave the banner, and though I will submit to the authority over me, I will push the limits of what is comfortable to make sure kids hear other voices in their heads saying they are,“fearfully and wonderfully made.” I know this is your heart, as well.

Let’s be creative. Let’s be innovative. Let’s find out what it would take to get a YES and then work within those boundaries all the way to the margin. Andy Stanley shared at a Catalyst conference in 2017, “A single act of courage is often the catalyst for extraordinary.” We share the stories of courageous people with our kids all the time, but what about your story? Are you ready to be courageous?

Let’s give ‘em something to talk about!

Whatever you are facing, this may be your Esther moment, your Daniel moment. Put on the armor of an exile and I encourage you to prayerfully go with what you know and not with how you feel. I can’t imagine the anxiety Esther or Daniel must have felt, but whatever you are wrestling with to make more noise for your families will not get you killed. I am standing in the gap for you. Are you ready to step up, step out? Just don’t step aside! Don’t miss your shot (Hamilton!) You do know what hangs in the balance: Loving kids to Jesus!

“On the day I called, You answered me; You increased strength within me.” Psalm 138:3

Parenting With A Purpose classes offer tribe-building among our families with shared values and intentionality. The 90-minute classes include a parenting hot-topic, some dessert, discussion time, and no judgment. We started in 2018 with Sharing Your Faith With Your Family. As our families are navigating COVID-world, there is an even greater need to equip parents to be disciple-making-disciples. 

• Promotion Information: Parents, grandparents, and caregivers of children are invited to a discussion of practical ideas to navigate holy habits at home as we lead our children to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength AND love our neighbors as ourselves on Tuesday, 6-7:30pm. Dessert will be served.
  
• Take Away: Power of a Praying Parent by Stormie Omartian
• A McEachern saint’s famous homemade fudge. (Thank you, Rebecca McCoy!)
  
  Primary Resources:
• Resilient: Child Disciples and The Fearless Future of the Church by Valerie Bell
• Faith for Exiles: 5 Ways for a new Generation to Follow Jesus in Digital Babylon by David Kinnaman and Mark Matlock (Barna Group)
• Settle For Nothing Less: Engaging Kids in a Lifetime of Faith by Jana Magruder (Lifeway)
• Stride: Creating A Discipleship Pathway for Life by Mike Schreiner and Ken Willard
• Biblical exiles who ‘won’ at following God (Joseph, Jeremiah, Nehemiah, Ezra, Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, Daniel, Esther, Peter, John)
• Plenty of personal stories

The goal of the evening was to give research and personal testimonies to the resilient disciples who continued to remain in Christian community and a growing relationship with Jesus through the remarkable moments of life at all stages and in all ages. There is more than enough information about children who left the faith or left the church once they aged into their teens or twenties. I wanted to share the remarkable stories of those who remained faithful to grow in their relationships with God and in Christian community. These exiles are the resilient disciples who lived, are living, in the tension of culture and have continued to love Jesus and His people through it all.

A person is described as resilient who is able to withstand or recover quickly from difficult conditions. A resilient disciple is a follower of Jesus who remains active in Christian community and Christian service when culture and geography would encourage them otherwise. The biblical prophets write throughout the scriptures of the remnant of God’s people who sought to live faithfully loving God for the rest of their lives no matter what their circumstances. We tell the stories of these brave few with wonder and admiration. There is not a Christian parent or grandparent who doesn’t want that for their own children, but what does it take for us to grow those muscles in our kids? What really matters, over time?

Major info to share:

Three practices of soul training which equip disciples to make the greatest strides in their faith in Jesus:
– Bible Reading
– Generosity
– Service

The #1, by far, best predictor of spiritual health for young adults is regularly reading the Bible as a child.

Screens disciple.

That which dictates our schedules, finances, and conversations is a family liturgy. The local church can provide the resources to equip families so that whatever they do, they can do all of life to the glory of God.

What does a resilient disciple look like?
(1) Meaningful relationship with Jesus: through community and holy habits they find JOY in Jesus. Bible Reading & Prayer
(2) Cultural discernment: they participate in a robust learning community where they can think and talk of the scriptures.
Share testimony and stories of God’s faithfulness
(3) Meaningful intergenerational relationships with Jesus-loving people: the best way for kids to learn to love Jesus is to spend time with people who love Jesus.
Active in community
(4) Vocational Disciples: a theology of work, activity, leisure, time, learning/education
Calling to honor and please the Lord
(5) Countercultural Mission: a resolve to live differently than culture though a full-on participant in culture as the light of Christ.

In this season where children are part of the Body of Christ, though not together or included in many local churches, they are indeed exiles. This research is a perfect starting point to determine priorities in the local church’s partnership with parents/grandparents to disciple their disciples. Lord, let me be found faithful to equip my families to have a robust, vibrant, joyful faith that will fuel how they nurture their children into resilient disciples: to love Jesus their whole lives for the rest of their lives.

“We want to welcome you to the resilient church of 2050…the church that has been loving Jesus for all of their lives.” Valerie Bell, from Resilient: Child Discipleship and the Fearless Future of the Church, pg 205

This season of intense yet innovative faith formation looks nothing like the job description I was given when I was originally hired. What about you? Each of us brings something more to the table once we get our sea legs under us after the first year. When we dock our fishing boat at a new harbor we are given that original job description, then we typically don’t see it again. Understanding church culture, I got into the habit of updating my job description, even if only for myself, each year in January.

In that update, I assign percentages of how much time it takes weekly to accomplish each task with many bullet points assigned “seasonal”. Each year we learn new skills, adjustments take place in organizational charts, new services or buildings or leadership are added to the mix. All affect how we live out our roles and the realistic time it takes. I’ve heard of churches making a person’s job description a one-liner, but it’s not been my experience. My one-liner might read, “to create safe, irresistible and transformational experiences for children to love the Lord their God with all their hearts, souls, minds, and strength, and love their neighbors as themselves for their whole lives.”

We are naive to think that local churches aren’t going to be making changes in the weeks and months to come. Changes in leadership, budgets, space, updates to organizational charts, processes, systems, security, safety, school schedules, all have a part to play in the rhythm of church world. Rather than waiting with anxious breath and fear taking up space in your head, take an hour this week to take a fresh look and edit your job description.

No one knows what you do, but you. Make it a matter of prayer and release your leadership from knowing all that you do or how long it takes to do it. They already have in their heads what you do and it’s not even close. In all fairness, we don’t know what all they do either, and that’s okay. Don’t get caught in the comparison trap or the weeds of disappointment.

I spent time with a dear Kidmin champion recently who lost her admin and her part-time hours were cut in half. There is no animosity. She gets it. Her only instruction for what she should focus on moving forward was, “Just pick something and do it really well.” Well, part of her original job description included Safe Sanctuary compliance for the entire church, all-church special events, as well as all family ministry education in addition to typical children’s ministry tasks. Just since March she’s added online weekly children’s moments which include script writing for others involved, weekly recording and editing film, coordinating weekly practices for online church, parking lot kids events, an online family ministry presence, personal visits and various connections to her volunteer team and her students. How does she just pick something?

Re-writing her job description of what she is doing before the cuts can help her partner with her leadership to choose and communicate priorities #1, #2, and #3 moving forward. It’ll give her and them a starting point to move forward to organizational health. They already have in their heads what #1 is. What if her #1 is their #52 or wasn’t even on their radar? Remember, the goal is organizational health. Her personal goal is ensure ‘surely goodness and mercy shall follow her all the days of her life,’ and wholeness. 

What are you doing and how long does it takes to do it? A fresh look at your job description will help. One way it’ll help is to see how far you’ve come, what you’ve learned, and the amazing way in which you have pivoted to continue sharing Jesus in fresh, new ways. Insert the well-earned confetti cannon here!

Where you are in September 2020 is way different than where you were in September 2019, and it’ll look differently in September 2021. Fix a cup of something warm and tasty and take an hour this week to update your job description, even if just for yourself. Editing your job description now will help you and your leadership prioritize when and if any adjustments need to be made in the future. 

You Just Gotta Know: Struggles and challenges look differently today. I’m standing in the gap for you. Perhaps you are facing your Esther moment, your Daniel moment. That moment when you feel a push to bravely speak up, wave the banner for your families with a louder voice, even fight for spaces and places to love your kids to Jesus. I’m standing in the gap in prayer and support for you. This blog post is the result of someone reaching out. I fully believe God wants to hang your picture in the gallery of faith between Hebrews 11 and 12. Can I help? Need a Mordecai or a Shadrach or Meshach to your Abednego? Let’s share the journey, the struggle, and the celebrations. You are in the World’s Toughest Race!  I’m on your team! Let’s give ’em something to talk about! If you can get to me, let’s do tea on my back porch. Who’s in? Reach out to dedereilly@comcast.net. 

“I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1:3-6