What do you fear? at Saturday, October 31, 2009

This past week I heard a missionary speaking about the area he is going too and there was a point that he made that struck me. I haven't been able to get it out of my head, but I have been meditating on it for this whole week. This is what he said

"The people don't fear persecution, but fear disobeying God".

This just made me think if it came down to it would I fear persecution or fear disobeying God? The country that we live in we don't have to worry about it, but there will come a time where we will be persecuted. So my question is simple 

What would you fear persecution or disobeying God?

Greg

A Kids Love and God's Love at Wednesday, October 21, 2009

I love hanging out with my kids. I knew that when I was going to be a parent there was this huge responsibility that is now put on me. The fear rose up in my heart because I knew that I was now responsible for raising my kids up to fear God.

My son is 2 and is going to be 3 in December of this year. I love watching him trying to figure things out. He has a tough outer skin, but deep down he is very sweet in his heart. When we get onto him he knows that he did wrong and usually he will straighten up. There is one thing that I do that I absolutely love to do.

Before I leave for work or before we put him down to bed I love to tell him. Dominic I love you and the response that I get from him is priceless and that is "I love you too daddy". It makes me feel so good when my son responds that he loves me too by calling me by my name. I can't help but think how much God loves it when we tell him that we love him and spend that time with him. I know how it makes me feel when I get to spend that time with my son, but when we spend time with our heavenly father in prayer and reading the word he loves that, but I think that his heart leaps when we tell him that we love him too or we thank him for his undying love for us.

Thank you Lord I love you... Take some time today and tell the Lord that you love him.

Teaching about Sex at Wednesday, October 14, 2009

For the past few years our church has been able to get into high schools in the area and teach about abstinence. My heart as everybody else should be to go into the parts of our community and to be a light for christ. Now I can't go into the school and tell them about jesus, but its a time for someone to just be real with them. I see a huge need for us to talk about sex in the church. Three days of these talks include

Day 1: S TD's what you can get when your sexual active and pregnancy.
Day 2: How to have the best sex. Now just listen
Day 3: is all about Real Intimacy. What does this look like to kids and what should it be like.

Our kids are growing up thinking that intimacy is having sex and they done realize all the chemicals that goes into you bonding yourself to that person.

I love doing this program because if we are not doing this then its nonexistent. We are trying to change the sexual landscape for the good. I think more churches should take time and talk with their kids all about these three days worth. We see a lot of kids who are misinformed about these issues and why not inform them about the truth and make the make their decision based on the information and the word of God.
Greg Ferguson
Childrens Pastor
Grace Community A/G

Hanging out with Dom at Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Today was one of those days rainy. My son had a terrible cough and was not able to go to school. While my wife and my daughter was at there MDO program I had a great opportunity to hang out with my son.

I was up early to deliver presents to store at an elementary school in the area. I piled my 2 year old son in the car and headed to the school. We unloaded presents out of the trailer and loaded our cart then hauled them into the school while on the way back my son got to sit on the flatbed and ride the hallways back to the outside.

You might be asking yourself what is the big deal and why are you sharing this. The point is its never to early to teach your child how to give back to kids and people. I am teaching my son what it means to be a christian by taking him with me and showing him how to serve God and people. So I ask you to think about ways you can share in something with your child you will be surprised in the outcome.

Greg Ferguson
Childrens Pastor
Grace Community A/G

Missions Sunday at Sunday, October 11, 2009

Today like every second sunday of the month we had our missions sunday. I felt impressed to challenge our kids to pledge to give 100 dollars a month. If every child gave 5 dollars they would be able to give that dollar amount.

Next month the children's department at my church we are going to fast soda for three weeks and the money spent on drinking a soda they would put in a soda can and on thanksgiving day we all would break the fast. They will take all that money saved from soda drinks and give it all too missions.

Greg Ferguson
Childrens Pastor
Grace Community A/G

Toy Box Leadership somewhat book review at Friday, October 09, 2009

Several of us children's pastors met with some of the people @ D6. We had a great time talking and sharing ideas about children's ministries. They gave out some prizes and the one prize that stuck out in my mind was the toy box leadership book by Ron hunter jr & Michael waddell.

I am already at chapter five and it is a must read. I never thought about the toys that they talk about could relate to leadership in that way. this book has made me examine my life in leadership.

I think that every leader should read this and you can even pass it along to your other leaders. That's what I plan to do with this book.
Greg Ferguson
Childrens Pastor
Grace Community A/G

Ideas What to do with them at Friday, October 09, 2009

I am the king of coming up with ideas. I have come up with hundreds of ideas, but the one thing that I am bad about is doing something with my ideas. 

Yesterday I began to think about all of those ideas that I have had and they have just been pushed aside they might be good or they might be bad who knows they have never gone from idea to implementing. 

I decided that there has to be a better way so today I got on my computer and got on excel and started to plug away columns such as ideas hatched, keeper, throw away, implement date. My goal is to write my ideas surf through them and start implementing them. What is your way that you go from Idea being hatched to researching it to possible implementing them?

Greg Ferguson
Childrens Pastor
Grace Community A/G

Busy... Busy... Busy... at Thursday, October 08, 2009

I think everyone hears this term a lot. "Hey how are you doing today"? "I am doing great I am so busy, but it's great?" I have even been caught saying this I am just BUSY. I was reading this chapter in "Toy Box Leadership" and this caught my attention "Some people feel as long as they are busy, they are making progress.

Is this really true? Ask yourself when you are busy how does that make you feel? Does it feel like you are accomplishing a lot of things? this chapter also goes on to say "Busyness makes them feel important, but Henry David Thoreau wrote, It is not enough to be busy. The question is: what are we busy about?"

The next time you have a conversation and you are about to say I am busy ask yourself what am I busy about?

I know from past senior pastors that I have had busyness was a sign of progress. I want you to have these kids up here doing stuff. I want noisy hallways. There are seasons in our lives that are going to be busy, but should that season really be every day life.

I had a pastor in Houston during our busy season came up and told me to come in the office later. He knew we had been running around to every event, prayer meeting etc. So is busyness a good thing I will leave that one up to you, but the one thing I would like to add is just because you are busy you can still be ineffective.

What are you busy with?

Getting the most out of your volunteers. at Thursday, October 08, 2009

I ask myself this question all the time. How far is to far? When dealing with a volunteer staff how far can you push them before they quit on you. I have worked at a total of three different churches and they were all completely different. I was at a church in Houston and our midweek was slowly going down the tubes what was the problem a lack of leadership. Church in Shreveport I was put in an unlikely situation and told to get rid of a midweek program and start my own from scratch (YIKES). 

I have come to this conclusion if you lead and supply a vision and keep sharing it to your people then the people will follow. Example: Hitler had a vision and he spoke about his vision over and over and the people followed him and people are still following him even though he is not around. I know that is pretty extreme, but what it boils down to is that we have to have an expectation for our volunteers to meet so that the classroom that they teach in can go over and beyond what they ever imagined. Our job is simple create a vision for your teachers and ministry and the train them up. This is how you can push your volunteers to become better.

Everyone is different, but the message is still the same. You have a vision to where you want to take your ministry, and by putting job descriptions and other things what you are trying to do is to make your volunteers better then they thought they would ever be. Communicate that to your volunteer don't be afraid to continue to share your vision and to keep sharing your vision because once people catch on then you will have a great ministry staff because of God and not you.

No fear at Saturday, October 03, 2009

I was talking to one of our students this past week and they were in a sociology class talking about genes. It got to a pretty controversial part and this student speaks up about this topic. Starts talking all about christ and the bible. She was shut down by her teacher and said that she can't talk about these things.

I was proud of her for speaking up for what she believes. The other thing I told her to not worry about it and continue to talk about this. She told me that she didn't want to get in trouble for speaking all about christ.

So my question is if your child comes to you telling you that they got in trouble for talking about Christ. What do you tell them.

Hope to hear from all of you.
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

One Year!!!! at Friday, October 02, 2009

I was at starbucks yesterday and I looked down at my phone and it hit me like a ton of bricks I have been at my church for one full year. It was a year ago yesterday that I started at Grace Community Church in Flower Mound, Texas. My daughter was sixteen days old while we moved back to Texas. Was this the best time to move probably not, but was this a move spurred on by God? YES! I interned at this church so the good thing was I already knew the pastor, the people, and the culture. I look back and see that God has been so good to the children @ Grace. Here are the things that we have seen since coming to Grace a year ago yesterday.

1. Kids come and worship God throughout the service.

2. We have seen kids get saved for the first time

3. We have seen kids get filled with the Holy Spirit

4. We have kids getting a burden to see the lost saved

5. Kids excited about coming to kids church

6. We have brought in 4 families since coming to Grace

7. We have added a Sidewalk Sunday School that reaches the city of lewisville

8. We are almost fully staffed in the children's department

9. Parents see the need for their kids coming to kids church

I am probably missing a few things, but this list excites me every time I look at what God has done and what God is doing then I am so amazed and humbled to think that God would use me because I am so far from being anything. I am so excited for our next year at Grace. I have already felt a huge burden for all of next year and it's going to take an act of God for it all to get done, but that why it's a God Vision instead of a man vision because with God it will happen. How many of you have look over your year at being at your church and see what God has done, but most important what God is still doing. 

Kids Convention Day 2 at Saturday, September 12, 2009

Hey everyone 

If you saw yesterday's post about our Kids Convention this is what happened on our second day. I also want to thank Gina McClain for the prayer that she delivered on my blog this morning it was awesome and much needed. 

We got to see God work in a great way in the lives of our kids, but at the last service I got to pray for a couple of our kids who went up to the front to receive prayer to see change in their school. In my spirit I didn't feel like we were done and our district children's director felt the same way. They challenged all the children's pastors to start dreaming of where we could take the children's ministries in our church. It's funny because I already have been putting together my 2010 vision for the year and now I am working on the 2011 to where I feel like God is taking the ministry. Feeling a little overwhelmed, but knowing God will deliver on the vision that he give me it was then during that final prayer time where God sent one man to give me a word to where I have been for the past two years it was one of the most amazing moment in my life. 

When you least expect it God will deliver and say the most profound thing and it will be the most beautiful thing you have ever hear. Thank you Lord for your timing it can't be any more perfect.

Kids Convention at Saturday, September 12, 2009

I know I should get better and not neglecting my blog, but I have been super busy. I just started going back to school and with work and my family I am not leaving a lot of time for the blogger, but it will be okay.

The North Texas District is doing a Kids Convention and it's their third year doing it. My first time going, but I just want to say that God was moving in the lives of those kids tonight. Pastor Richard Konderla brought the word of going through the fire. It's tough when kids are facing on all this peer pressure from different sides they tend to go with the crowd. I don't believe that it's on purpose, but we have to train our kids to always do the right thing. It's okay to stand out for doing what God wants you to do and if you get teased by doing that then so be it. I know your thinking Greg that's hard I don't want my kids to get teased and neither do I, but we need to teach our kids to fear God rather then fear what your friends are going to think about you.

We had kids from our church go up and say "Hey I want to be a light at my school and risk not being cool because I want to be nice to someone who needs it."

I am so proud of our kids because I believe that God has something special planned for all of our kids tomorrow. If your reading this please pray that God does something special in the lives of our Students tomorrow.

Why read the bible? at Wednesday, August 26, 2009

This is a discussion that I wrote concerning the topic Why should we read the bible? This is just a healthy reminder on why we should be doing it. Hope you enjoy. Let me know your thoughts if you have any.

Reading the bible can be a life-changing event it’s not a mindless act, but could be life altering. The reason why we need to read our bible is to build on what God is already doing in our lives and the church. The bible is the inspired word of God and our rulebook for living a life that pleases Christ. Psalms 119:105 says “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path”. We live in a world full of darkness where temptation lies at every corner when we are reading our bibles he is guiding us with every move that we make and we can be that light to someone who is searching for the truth.

Reading the bible opens us up for the Holy Spirit to guide us and convict us. We are more in tune in our spiritual lives when we are reading our bibles on a daily basis. Just like an athlete sharpens his skills by practicing we too sharpen our lives by reading the bible.

If you want to get to know your creator then the way you can do that is by reading your bible.

The four things that we should receive when reading our bibles is a passion to go out and reach the lost. Just like what Matthew 28:19-20 says “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." The second thing one will feel is love in Matthew 5:43-44 says, “You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. The third thing you will find is a refuge in Psalms 91:2 says “I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust." Finally the last thing that one will receive is boldness it says in proverbs 28:1 “The wicked man flees though no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion.” You will have the boldness to proclaim that Jesus Christ is Lord.

Hearts Are Homes... at Wednesday, August 05, 2009

Proverbs 4:23 says "Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life."

This verse is describing what we will be talking about for this week in children's church at our church. As I was preparing this verse I have been struggling with the fact that Christians don't fully live out the scriptures. Whether it's the way they talk, the television shows that is on in our house. We really don't take the scripture literally we leave them up to our own interpretations. It's good to have an interpretation of the scripture, but what about when the verse specifically tells you to not do something we usually say well this is what it is like back then.

This verse hit me real hard this week as I prepared this lesson at the office I quickly got home and watched my usual television shows and the Lord started to stirr something in me and I was really embarrassed by the stuff that I was watching. I know for a fact that it doesn't glorify God so why do I entertain the thought of playing that in my house.

Our hearts are homes for Christ why do we entertain things that don't uplift the name of the Lord. We are possibly teaching our kids the wrong way of thinking. Let's guard our lives and make sure that we are protecting ourselves so that no matter what we do, say or watch we will always glorify the name of the Lord.

This week we started another series for the month of August it was an awesome start to the month. I have been spending more time the past few weeks on the leadership side of children's ministry. I also have been doing something that I know is a little overdue and that is to give some of the things during the service to my volunteers. It was a little hard at first, but I feel that it was the best things because God moved in a great way. During prayer we had kids ask Jesus to come into their lives and to be guided by him. It was the most amazing site ever. I will give things away for God to move in so many awesome ways.

Thank you lord for the commitments and Salvation's that were made today.

What Defines You? at Wednesday, July 29, 2009

In life we see people who God stirs something in their heart with so much conviction they become IT. God puts God size ideas in our lives hoping to define us as a person and as a child of God. Everyone has ideas on what will define them, but it's not a great idea until it becomes a God idea. So I ask you what defines you as a person or a minister? In the upcoming weeks I am going to reveal what God has been stirring in my life, but I want you to dig down deep into the word and ask the question what defines who you are or will become.

God Bless I hope you have a great day.

Ice Road Truckers and leadership at Monday, July 27, 2009

For some reason I love watching the Ice Road truckers. I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that there is always danger when they cross the ice road. One thing that sticks out in my mind is the fact that the rookie drivers have someone there to go alongside them and give them tips and tricks as they take on the Ice Road. As leaders looking for workers we have to be careful not to leave people on their own right away. (I am totally at fault for this one) when you have them working for you make sure you are constantly pouring into them. What do you think we can do well we need to check in on our leaders and make sure that we are preparing them to be successful. Here are some other things we can do to make sure that we have successful workers in the children s' department.

1. Give them resources
2. Meet with them on a regular basis
3. Put them with great teachers

Welcoming Home Troops... at Saturday, July 25, 2009

Thursday was our last day of VBS, but with every VBS we have done a missions project of some sort. This year our missions project was to make gift bags for incoming troops. Today we made it to the airport with bags in hands along with signs. They gave us brief instructions such as: don't touch the soldiers you can shake their hand if they let you, some of them might be overwhelmed so make sure that you keep your distance. After all of the instructions the doors finally opened and troops flooded out into the crowd and we just stood their giving a huge applause as they walked through us. I handed them a bag and said "Thank You for your service". It was overwhelming for me because I began to think of all the troops that were coming our way and what they have done made me ask myself what have I done for them? Have I prayed for them or thanked some of my friends who serve in the military.

I saw family members united with their family, husbands united with their wives, and finally boyfriends united with their girlfriends. These family members are giving up their loved ones for them to fight for our freedom. We might not agree with the war, but are you welcoming our troops home.

I challenge each and everyone of you reading take time and thank the troops for their dedication to our country and to the families that are giving up their loved ones so that we could have freedom.

Excellence.... at Sunday, July 19, 2009

Last tuesday I was in charge of giving our staff a devotional before staff as I thought about what to talk about I had a list of the things that I could talk about, but there was one thought that I could not get out of my head and that was EXCELLENCE. We hear about this word all the time, but on this day I thought about all of the people who have in my book has a ministry built on excellence and they have reached many lives.

We had this boy in our kids church who went to camp and on the first night during the service he leaned over to me and said "He is a very good magician". I looked at him and was like yeah he is. a few minutes later the same boy leans over and says "He is a very good ventriloquist". Again I said yeah he is. moments later he came up to the alter and gave his heart to Christ. I believe this is because the camp speaker has made sure that he used and practiced the abilities that God has given him and the Holy Spirit used him to reach out to this boy.

No matter what you are doing do your best at everything don't just coast and get by to what is comfortable.

I asked myself this question about how I can change and show excellence and that would be time management and developing leaders.

God working in the lives of our Kids. at Thursday, July 09, 2009

I have been back from camp about a couple of weeks now and it was an amazing time. The games were fun, water slides were amazing, but the one thing that stuck out in my mind was the part that we had two of our kids saved for the very first time. It was like a huge light went off in their minds and they knew they had to give everything up to Jesus. They have been so different because of this newness in Christ Jesus.

We had five of our kids filled with the Holy Spirit for the very first time once again it was amazing. One boy was at the altar speaking in tongues and just crying walking around. Tears came to my eyes looking at this boy thinking this is what this is all about. Children's ministries is not about baby-sitting, but about getting kids to experience God in an awesome way.

Don't ever say kids won't get it just pray that kids will get it and get everything that God has for them.

Keep Him the focus of your life.

How Segment in Kid's Church at Saturday, June 13, 2009

This is a video that I created by the creativeness of God. I am looking for ways to shorten up my sermon, but have the kids be able to retain everything that they just learned for the week. I decided to put a little video element in our Kid's Church to spice it all up.

Hope you enjoy.

My conversation with Vic at Wednesday, June 10, 2009

This week is our district council in the North Texas District. I thought that I would never say this, but I love being in the North Texas District. I went to our night service where Pastor Crabtree spoke. It was also our ordination service and we were also honoring those who have gone before us and have been ordained for 50 years. I sat there about thirty minutes before service started and I starting speaking to an older gentleman. We got to talking and I noticed that his tag said ordained. I ask him how long he has been ordained and his reply was "50 years, but I look much older then that". He starting doing ministry when he was 15 years old. I asked him what is the greatest thing that he has learned in all of his years of ministry. His reply "Patience" he continued to say "you have to be patient and let the Lord guide you in ministry or you will make some bad decisions". 

Lord knows I am not a patient guy, but it started to ring something in my head. I need not to look in the far distant future, but prepare myself everyday for the task at hand. When the time comes and God calls me I will go, but I have prepared myself for that opportunity.

I just want to thank Vic Ostrom for spending time with a 27 year old minister who has only been doing this for about four years know. It was a wonderful time talking with him.

God Bless you all.

Greg 

The Holy Spirit helps me follow Jesus at Sunday, May 24, 2009

This was this week's lesson in our kid's church on the Holy Spirit. We read the scripture Acts 5:17-29. The apostles have gone out in Jerusalem to tell people about Jesus and by doing what the scripture tells them they were being arrested. What would happen if by sharing your faith put you into immediate danger? Would that make you think twice about sharing your faith?  If you were thrown into prison and an angel led you out telling you to go back and share your faith would you do it? Right now we are not in any immediate danger if we do share our faith with other people. People might hate you or think your a coward for putting all your trust in a God that we can't see, but what we have to do is to not be phased by it keep sharing your faith to all. We are not trying to convert anyone because we hate you, but we love you and want to make sure that you have everlasting life through Jesus Christ. Go ahead and read this passage and pray that God will give you the strength to tell others about Jesus.

Lord give us all the boldness and the strength to go out and tell everyone that we know about Jesus. We love our neighbors and want them to have everlasting life. Soften the hearts of those that we speak too.

Prayer at Monday, May 18, 2009

I just started to read the book of Nehemiah and throughout the first chapter there was one thing hat really stuck out into my head. God gave Nehemiah a burden to rebuild the wall of the city. Nehemiah didn't just run over there and start doing it. He made it a matter of prayer.

God gives us all visions and so many times we rush it and the plans fall apart after awhile. It's not because God's vision didn't work out, but I believe that we didn't make it a matter of prayer before hand.

Take notes from Nehemiah in order for us to hear and see the heartbeat of God we need to make things a matter of prayer before we make a move. Make sure that God is in every decision that you make towards the visions that he gives us and I bet that everything will work out for the Good.

Lord help us to never forget to make things a matter of prayer before we make a move. We want to make a difference in the city, but help us to hear your heartbeat so that we can make a difference and continue to do the work that you have placed on all of us.

Family Picnic at Saturday, May 09, 2009

We were in College Station this week, and went to the Texas A&M baseball game. The best part of the whole trip was the picnic that we all decided to have. It was extremely hot, but well worth it. Every time I go to the park with my family I see my beautiful daughter, my wife and my son. It makes me realize how blessed I really am. I might not have all the gadgets or the coolest car, but I have an awesome and healthy family. I can get bogged down by work and other issues life throws my way, but the time that I go to the park all of the problems that I possible have go away. I look around and nothing matters anymore, but my family that God has given me. I want to challenge all of you to take some time out and hang out with your family. Don't worry about the problems that you possible have just enjoy the time you have with your spouse or even your kids.

Thank you Lord for the many blessing you have given me. Help us all to realize how blessed that we actually are. I love you amen.

Stop and thank God for the many blessings he has given you.

7 Pounds at Monday, May 04, 2009

I just recently sat down with my wife and watched the movie 7 Pounds, and I will say that it was probably the most depressing moving ever, but it had a lot of good things to think about. If you haven't seen the movie well you might want to stop reading because I will probably ruin it for you, but proceed with caution. SPOILER ALERT...

Will Smith is the main character in this movie he takes the life of Seven people. One being someone real close to him. From then on his whole motive is to give someone a chance to live. A good person who wants to do good in the world. He goes through asking personal questions to weed out the one's that he feels don't deserve it. This is everything that he gave to people:

A Heart
Eyes
Bone Marrow
Kidney
Lung Lobe
House
Liver

All of these things is life changing for the seven people, but for some of these donations one person is going to have to give up his life. As I watched the movie myself I began to think if I had a opportunity to change 7 peoples life would I be as committed to doing that.

We go through our days and sometimes don't even carry on a conversation with that customer service agent, neighbor, sales clerk, cashier. We have a chance to help change someone's life, but it did cost a life to do that. His name is Jesus who died on the cross for all of our sins, and he gave up his life so that you may have eternal life. Life won't get easier when you surrender your life to him, but you will be able to make it when the road seems to get smaller.

Will Smith gave up seven things that would alter someone's life, but Jesus gave up his whole life for you.

God Bless Everyone

Seizing the Day at Saturday, May 02, 2009

We had our annual church clean up day today, and I had the task to clean the chairs. I did a lot of praying and thinking just about what it means to be a Christian and to truly live for him. There was this lady in our church that talked about her son that got an award and for the date it said 3003-3004. I made the comment back to her saying something like this "I hope we are in heaven by then."

I began to think of the comment that I made, and I was brought back to my childhood about a song that is titled "Seize The Day" It talks about seizing every moment that God gives you.

Should it be our passion to just get to heaven or seize every single day that God gives us to minister to someone. Should we want Jesus to come back now or wish to continue to tell people about Jesus.

Don't get me wrong I do want Jesus to come back so I can get to heaven, but once Jesus comes back it's over for us.

Seize every opportunity that you have to tell others about God's great news!!!!

Parents and their job at Sunday, April 19, 2009

As I look into my family I have a few different characters. My son is a natural born comedian. My favorite word that he says right now is this. Dominic would you like a sandwich his response would be "Oh boy peanut butter and jelly sandwich". 

My daughter on the other hand is very mellow for right now, but nudges Dominic to keep going until he is about to hurt himself.

The dynamic of my family is awesome I love everything about my family. As everyday passes they get older and more dependent on their own skills and it's awesome to see.

I know when the kids get older they will eventually move out and go onto better things. I look around at the different dynamics of families, but realistically do we eventually hurt our children when we continue to do the same things we did when they lived at home. Have the parents in today's society hurt our kids are so dependent on their parents that they can't even go on vacation by themselves or get a job.

It seems when the nest is empty that is a time to enjoy your husband or even wife. Now am I saying that you should never see your child no, but what I am saying is let your children grow and be the best adults they can be if they fail pick them dust them off and get back in the game.

Being A Successful Leader..... at Sunday, April 05, 2009

What does it take to be a successful leader. You can look around and hear about these good leaders in the business realm, church realm. Look around you and work hard at being a good leader. You can get more done in the long run if you are a good leader.

Pouring into the people around you is another aspect of being a good leader. 

What can you do to become a good leader?

Ultimate Frisbee at Saturday, April 04, 2009

As a person studying children's ministry I have seen a lot of different people doing the ministry. I have also looked at how a lot of  youth groups have done their stuff. I always asked myself the question why do the youth groups go out and do things throughout the week and children's pastors just see their kids on Sunday or even at Camp or the occasional school lunch. Since going into children's ministry I have made it a personal goal that we can do things outside the walls of our church.

We just got done having an ultimate frisbee day for our 4th and 5th graders. I think I fell off my rocker because the postcard said from 10- 2 that's a long time to play ultimate frisbee with the kids because they start to get bored and want to play something else.

It was a great time because I got to hang out with our kids and get to know them better and I even heard one child say this is cool because we get to know you better.

We only had eight kids, but it was fun and I really enjoyed asking the kids questions and to be shocked at the same time.

I really don't know how to end this blog so I am just going to end it.

Connecting With Others.... at Friday, April 03, 2009

I love going out and eating lunch with Children's Pastors and even former Children's Pastors and talk with them about kids ministry. The last few weeks I have asked myself the question what is my job as a cp. Is my job to write up curriculum and focus so much on the service part what am I suppose to be doing.

I know that building people up is important, but once you get going you start looking around and your not doing that. I have asked people this question and I feel that I have to start changing my thought process and the way I am doing things. I need to be a PM (Project Manager). I have so many things under my umbrella that I can't focus on just one thing, but I need to be really pouring into our volunteers so that when I am out on vacation everything runs fine. It's not about me more then it's about reaching people for the Kingdom of God.

I need to start getting things out and focusing on building up people and communicating with our volunteers so that we can be more affective in the long run.

In essence I will be doing less, but overall be doing more for the kingdom of God.

Have a wonderful day.

Doing Something out of the Ordinary at Saturday, March 28, 2009

When is the last time you truly did something that was totally out of the ordinary for you. I was asked about a month ago to be in an Easter Musical called "The Cup". I have never been in a musical let alone sing for the public. I have found out that I am very uncomfortable with it all. I have learned a lot from this experience of doing something that is totally out of the ordinary. It makes us feel uncomfortable and insecure about oursleves. The positive side is that you are getting out of a rut in life by waking up, going to work, eating lunch and going home. We live our lives in a routine so I challenge all of you to do something to get out of that routine. You might like it.

Go out and do something out of the ordinary for yourself.

We are doing a sermon series call "The road map of life" it talks about reading our bible. The first episode of lost is about me trying to find the Lake, but since I don't have a map I can't find it. Kind of like when we don't read our bibles we are lost and we won't be able to find our way around.

I like it this video I think it get's the point across to our kids, but the next one will be better. I am also starting a video series of Intro videos I will try and post them. Make a comment tell me what you think about them. I am calling them Rewind.

Busy Week!!! at Monday, February 23, 2009

This week has been an extremely busy week. I took friday off and spent all that time with my wife and kids. I love spending all that time with the ones that I love, and not worry about what is happening at the church. I will say I think my brain has been working overtime because I have done a few things that I never did. The first thing that I did was that I was a time keeper for our JBQ meet it was new and really made me think a lot about what I was doing. I enjoyed it would do it again if I was called upon. I was recently asked to be in a play at one of the area churches. So I decided to do it and I was totally out of my element. Stage right, stage left, it was crazy confusing, but once again I enjoyed it because it was all something new.

Even though saturday was busy didn't know when I woke up I would not return back home for awhile, but with it being such a busy day a lot of new things came my way and it was refreshing to use that side of brain that rarely happens.

I challenge you guys to do something that makes us leave your comfort zone it is really refreshing when you are out of your element.

Neglected Blog... at Friday, February 06, 2009

Alright so I haven't written a blog in like one hundred years. Okay it's not that bad, but I haven't written a blog because I took this fast back in January and I tried to get rid of the things that keep me from being a good husband or even not listening to God. So I took a fast that got rid of all of the distractions in my life. In doing that  I read a bunch that I need to give reviews over, but I will get around to that. This fast was difficult, but also very rewarding and I felt that we have to much stuff out there that is a distraction, but I realized that anything can be a distraction such as reading books. So I think that I have learned that anything can be a distraction in our lives we just need to have that healthy balance in our lives.

Look Around... Pause and thank God for his creation... at Friday, January 02, 2009

I have been doing a lot of reflecting this year. I can't remember ever just looking around and being amazed at what I see. Everyday we wake up and go through a routine, but everyday that we wake up it's a miracle because everything is working in our bodies. Our heart is still beating, blood is flowing through our veins our lungs are inflating. It's a miracle that keeps happening.

I have been preparing a message on creation this week in church, and I look around and I can't believe what I see trees, grass, sun, moon and stars. 

I remember when I was growing up I would sit in the front yard and watch the clouds go by and try to figure out what kind of shapes they are. I remember seeing a dog or a cat I was amazed at all of the different clouds that went by.

I took my son on a walk today and I was just praising God for all of his creations, and my son was amazed shouted out words like WOW, WHOA, LOOK... He was amazed at all of the things that we walked by. We walked by a cactus and he wanted to know what it was. 

We need to get back to thinking like a child and being amazed with everything that we see that God has created.

John 1:3

Everything was created through him; 

nothing-not one thing!-

came into being without him.

The word tells us who created it so lets take the time to celebrate everything that God has created for us to enjoy.