HOPE March/April 2016

Magazine

HOPE

IPHC Children’s Ministry

March.April 2016 Edition

E P O H Magazine

For those of us who are called to children’s ministry, there’s typically not a shortage of desire to influence the lives of kids. We sincerely love God, love kids, love their parents, and are grateful for the opportunities to share, teach, and come alongside them.

However, there are times when we may experience a shortage of resources, ideas, or help. That’s where HOPE comes in! As the Children’s Ministry of the IPHC, we have three goals this year:

Connect, Train, and Resource.

Dr. Ellen Moore

IPHC Children's Ministry Consultant Connection is vital to our lives and to fulfilling our callings. God did not create us to be one-man-shows, but rather to function as many parts of one body. We want to build a network of children’s ministry leaders across the IPHC to share ideas, resources, and encouragement. We invite you to connect with us on facebook at IPHC KId Min and/or join us for one of our regional Family Discipleship Conferences.

We’ll be much more effective, and have a lot more fun, when we do life and ministry together!

Training is also an important component of fulfilling our personal, our church’s, and our denomination’s missions. Thankfully, God promises to equip us to do what He’s asked of us. “God is working in you to make you willing and able to obey Him” (Philippians 2:13, CEV). He equips us supernaturally by His Holy Spirit; He has given us natural gifts and abilities; and He has placed us in a family of believers to be able to teach, share, and learn from each other. We would love the opportunity to be part of that process, providing training for leading and inspiring kids to become Christ followers. By engaging parents in a partnership with the local church family. We each have a significant role to play and we’ll be much more effective when we do it together.

We can’t do any of this without resources. On one hand there never seems to be enough volunteers, budget, or support, while at the same time there is a mountain of resources on Google, Pinterest, and curriculum sites that can be daunting to weed through. Our goal this year is to help you with resources. We’ll be able to provide some, as well as bring awareness to a variety of quality, affordable resources for children’s ministry leaders, volunteers, and parents.

In short, our heart’s desire is to come alongside you to help further equip you in the ministry God has called you to do. Know that we’re here for you, we’re praying for you, and we’re excited to partner together to see this next generation become all that God intends!

“May our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who loved us and by His grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.” (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17)

HOPE Photo Credits: Fotolia, Lindsey Snider, Free Camp Min.

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God is our

Father

by Michelle Anthony

G

alatians 4:6 "Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, 'Abba,Father.'”

What emotion does the word “father” evoke in you?

For some this is an affectionate term of endearment while for others it conjures up pain and disappointment. However, of all the names that refer to God in Scripture, Jesus chose “father” the most in His description of Him. Certainly, our human fathers will not and can not be perfect, but in the gospels Jesus spoke of our heavenly Father in ways that show His compassion, His goodness, His faithfulness, His protection, His love, and even His acceptance of us.

Although words from a mother’s heart to her child are an important aspect of his or her spiritual and emotional health, I have come to realize the importance of what I call “the father’s nod.” This is the moment when children receive the “nod” from their dads that they have officially become men or women.

Not just in a chronological sense, but in ways that run deeper than an age on a driver’s license.

The nod says, “You are strong and confident. You have become what I had hoped you would become, and you have what it takes to make it in this world. I believe in you and am proud of who you are and who you are becoming. Well done, son/daughter.”

Children look to their fathers for confirmation, and when they find it, they thrive. When they don’t, they seek to find it the rest of their lives.

I remember a moment that took place between my husband and my son. There wasn’t an exchange of words, to my knowledge, but it was powerful nonetheless. We were sailing as a family. My son was sixteen, and his girlfriend had come along with us that day.

We ran into some heavy winds and high waves, and things became tense for a few moments. Both of our sails failed, and the wind was preventing us from untangling the mess.

Having been the mom of two kids, my role had been to provide for and protect them alongside my husband. But in this pivotal moment, my husband didn’t call upon me for assistance; he called upon our son. My husband told my son to go to the bow of the boat and physically unwind the sail from its tightly wrapped post. The wind was howling, and the waves were crashing on him, soaking him to the bone. I could see that the force of the wind and sail was

requiring every ounce of his strength. With great effort and determination, my son was able to free the sail and allow my husband to put us back on track.

Later I told this story to a male friend of mine. I mentioned how great my son must have felt in front of his girlfriend to have “saved the day.” My friend corrected me and said, “Not in front of his girlfriend—in front of his dad.” It was like a light bulb went on in my mind. Of course! My son felt like a man in front of his dad that day. And although I did not physically see it, my son received the “nod” from his father there on that boat in the middle of the ocean.

God is our Father…and He has given us His nod.

Through the sacrifice and provision of Jesus we have acceptance and unconditional love from our heavenly Father. Every day as we walk in step with His Spirit (and on the days that we fall short) we are marked by the words, “I love you, son. I love you, daughter. I’m proud of you. You are Mine. Well done.” What a beautiful gift of blessing we can receive from our God and Father. And this beautiful gift is to be given away… given to others who have not yet experienced the acceptance of the Father’s nod.

Every day as we walk in step with His Spirit (and on the days that we fall short) we are marked by the words, “I love you, son. I love you, daughter. I’m proud of you. You are Mine. Well done.”

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NEW Fully Digital Curriculum From 3 Years to Middle School

A new digital curriculum that intentionally creates environments where the Holy Spirit is free to move and transform the heart of every student.

Ensures Spirit-Empowered Focus Empowers Family Ministry Delivers Content Digitally Integrates Fire Bible

Download free digital lesson samples at MyHealthyChurch.com/TruFire.

MyHealthyChurch.com/TruFire

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DO VS.

HOW

by Lindsey Snider

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A

s a working mother with a four year old "little," I like to get creative in how I approach spiritual parenting. I like to think of myself as the next cool parent who has all her glitter and glue together that creates the next best Pinterest post on how to teach spacey preschoolers about Jesus. Yet when it's time to come up with something to do with my little girl, I often find myself wandering around the caverns in my brain feeling like I might be failing as a parent and preschool church teacher because I can't think of the next best visual teaching aid. There are times when I can feel that perpetual word stumble coming on when I begin talking to her about Bible stories that I have heard my entire life. I have talked with countless adults about the Fruits of the Spirit and what they all mean but when it comes to dissecting it to a preschooler, my mouth can hang open like fish and I can't seem to remember the most basic words to explain the greatness behind it all.

I know so many parents who like the idea of teaching their children about Jesus, but when it comes time to formulate the words there is a break in the communication line. I want my child to not only know who Jesus is but also know what it is to have relationship with Him. It's when I stop my overthinking and begin to reevaluate my intentions in being a spiritual parent, I begin to see more of God's heart in my purpose as a parent. My true intentions and purpose

are not to be the most creative, have all the right words, or entertain my child. My purpose

above all else is to please God and He is pleased when I spiritually pour His words into my child's heart.

If I choose to do that simply by choosing a scripture to memorize with my child or communicating God's love through a craft, I am fulfilling the role God has commanded of me. God has asked me to speak His truths, telling my child about the characteristics of Christ and how she is called to be like Him. That's what parenting is all about. It's about fulfilling my role as the spiritual leader of my child in whatever means possible. Making sure that these "littles" know who God is and how much He loves them.

So during this Easter season, remember that there is no pressure on HOW to communicate Christ's resurrection. There's only DO. Do make sure you talk with your child about Christ and His sacrifice, whatever that may look like for you.

As you tell your kids about the Resurrection of Jesus, throw in these inexpensive items to make the story come to life!

Resurrection Terracotta Plate Terracotta Planter Green Moss Twine or Yard

6 Sticks Pebbles Small stone Glue (optional)

Steps to making the Bible come to life: As you lay down your planter (tomb) in the plate, you can choose to glue the moss on top of the planter. It is not required. Place moss around planter. Place pebbles in front of planter. Find sticks in your yard and tie them into the shape of a cross. Stick them around the planter. Place stone in front of planter to use as roll away stone in your story.

Read John 20:1-18 When talking with preschoolers, be sure to use reassuring voices. The point is to communicate that because Christ loved us He died on the Cross for our sins. Yet the stone rolled away and he rose three days later out of the tomb!

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Youth Discovering a New Destiny

by Jake Bunn

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n 1990, Gary and Carolyn Burd, who currently lead the Mission: M25 movement (based out of Matthew 25) across the United States, were sitting around the living room watching a movie. At the end of the movie, Gary was in tears and Carolyn asked what was wrong. Gary stated that the LORD was convicting him about the kids in the community who did not have the money to go to the kid’s camp they held at Christian Heritage Church. Gary got up that Sunday and said, “We are going to do a FREE Camp!” The problem was they had never done one before.

So, Gary had his associate pastor, who had never before been to a church camp, draft the structure. (However, he had been to boot camp!) This created not just a camp, but an evangelistic arm of the church where social, racial, and economical barriers would be broken down over the next two and half decades.

In 2005, I went with a team from Goldsboro, NC and was introduced to this concept of Free Camp. Free Camp reaches out to elementary age kids that are churched and unchurched. No one pays to get in. So many kids who do not know Jesus nor the extravagant love that He holds for them gather at this camp. Those that serve at Free Camp (13+) possess the John 3:30 heart where we decrease so Jesus can increase. Those serving at Free Camp look for opportunities to put the kids first and to leave them feeling like part of a team (cadences), valued (ACE awards), and able to hear the voice of God (devotions).

Free Camp was a life changing experience for me when I saw kids wearing the same clothes every day and telling me that they had never been to a swimming pool before. One story came in my first year. There was this camper named Byron who already possessed a servant’s heart. At the end of camp, Byron begged to stay as a janitor and clean up the kitchen and sleep there.

Wow! This experience, along with many others, started to cultivate my heart. A few years later, I found myself in Petersburg, VA. This was when Free Camp began to branch out in the nation. There, Gary asked me and Chelsea if we would consider leading Free Camp on a national level and maybe even internationally one day. So, here we are with

10 + camps a year and 1,000s of kids reached for the kingdom and connected to local churches. The dream of going into international territory is no longer a dream; it became a reality last year in the Philippines. Now we dare to dream more.

If you are reading this, then know that there are many ways to help with Free Camp. First, you have the opportunity to serve. We are going to do 2 camps in 1 week this summer. The Free Camp staff will take teams into El Paso, Texas and Juarez, Mexico - crossing borders and breaking barriers. If you are 16+, then you are welcome to join the team. The cost will be a passport and traveling expenses.

We will take care of you once you are there. Another camp opportunity is in Amarillo, TX or a Free Camp site closer to you, depending on where you live. Secondly, we can use donations. We do not pay people salaries in Free Camp; it all goes towards the cause. We desire to see as much potential possible maximized in the Free Camp locations.

Thirdly, we need your prayers. Prayer is such a powerful opportunity to put our trust in God and see spiritual awakenings through the mind of Christ. Come join in us in advancing the kingdom through the ministry of Free Camp.

If you would like to give: Free Camp 900 S Nelson St Amarillo, TX 79104 If you want to bring a team to volunteer, email Jake Bunn: jakembunn@gmail.com

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