RELEVANT CHILDREN'S MINISTRY

Looking for an amazing way to reach new families for Christ?  FX Live is the way to go!

It's an event for the whole family.  With lights, fog, a unique sound track and loads of action, families experience Biblical truths communicated through high octane games and challenges.

Conducted by one of their highly trained event directors, it is the easiest event you will ever host in your church.

Last week we hosted the event.  We provided invite cards and posters our families could use to invite their unchurched neighbors, co-workers, and family members.  They got the word out and over 3,200 kids and parents came to the event at two of our campuses.

We asked how many people in the audience had never been to our church before and at least 30% of the audience were first-time guests. 

My friend, Roger Fields, who founded the outreach 17 years ago, presented the Gospel clearly and we saw over 400 children and parents walk forward to accept God's gift of salvation.  We are now following up with those who made decisions and helping them take next steps.  There are already over 300 kids/parents who have started signing up for our baptism class.  In addition, there are hundreds of new families that we are now connecting to our church family.

Behind the numbers are so many stories of individuals who were invited and came to Christ through the event.  Here's one story.  A 3rd grader who attends our church had been bullied by a girl at school.  She had been very hurt emotionally, but decided to go to the bully and tell her she had forgiven her.  She then invited the bully to come to the event with her.  The bully came and walked forward to accept Christ as her Savior.  That story could be told many times over.

So if you're looking for an event that will bring new families into your church and help you reach them with the Gospel, FX Live is a great way to make it happen.  You can connect with Roger and the FX Live team at www.kidzblitz.com.

Here's some pictures from the event that was held at our church.

With millions of people watching world-wide, a 12-year-old girl named Julia Dale, recently sang the national anthem at the NBA championship game.

Normally at a game of this magnitude, a famous adult singer would have been chosen.  But not this time.  This time, it was a 4 ft. 3 in. little girl stepping into the spotlight.

There is much the church can learn from this.

God has given children gifts...and they can use them now.  Yes, kids have gifts.  And they don't have to wait until they are adults to use them.  In fact, now is the time to help them begin to discover and cultivate the gifts God has given them. 

Children are not just the church of tomorrow.  They are the church of today.  There is no "Jr. Holy Spirit."  Kids are just as much a part of the church as adults are.  A healthy church family is made up of grandparents, parents, and children.

God can use children in amazing ways.  Throughout the Bible, we see God using children.  Samuel, Naaman's handmaid, the children praising Jesus in the temple, David, and the boy with five loaves and two fish are just a few examples.  God wants to use children today as well.  He's just waiting for us to give them the opportunity. 

Children can lead the way.  I have seen children lead the way in giving, serving, prayer, and more.  I have seen God use children to bring an entire family to Christ.

But how many times do we tell children to "sit still and be quiet?"  And then we wonder why they are "sitting still and being quiet" when they become adults.  It's time we empower kids to lead.

Involve children in the life of the church now if you want them to be in the church when they are adults.  We've all seen the stats of how many kids drop out of church when they graduate from high school.

Could it be because they never felt connected to the church body as a whole?  Could it be because we isolate them as children and students?  And when they graduate they can't relate to the rest of the church and drop out?  We must find ways to involve and include them in the entire life of the church.

So there's the big picture.  If you'd like specific ways we are empowering kids to do the above, feel free to leave questions in the comment section below and we will be glad to share.