What's Really Happening in Children's Ministry

Have you ever wondered what really happens in the classrooms of the Children's Ministry? I know that at a lot of churches when you drop your kids off in their classrooms, there are lots of things going on. Some kids might be playing video games, others might be playing 4 Square or Air Hockey. Maybe a group of girls are sitting on the couch giggling.  Whatever it is it looks fun and inviting to most kids.  And sometimes when you come back to pick your child up they are doing the same thing they were doing when you dropped them off - but does that mean that is all they did?  

In my time in Children's ministry here at Seacoast, I have had parents ask me that question...Is that all they do in the classroom? Because when I ask my child what they learned they say nothing.  And maybe they didn't learn anything and there are reasons for that - maybe what they were being taught that day they already knew. How may times have you sat in BIG church and it was a great reminder, but you already knew what the pastor was teaching? You might not be walking it out, but you knew it and what you should be doing.  Same is true with kids.  Or maybe they didn't learn anything because they weren't paying attention, maybe they were distracted by someone sitting next to them who was talking (or maybe they were the one doing the talking).  Asking, "What did you learn?" is a great question, but sometimes you have to dig deeper.  Even with my kids when I ask what they learned in church they usually tell me: " You know dad, you're the children's pastor." And usually they are right, I do know, but I want to know they know too.

I can promise you that children at Seacoast church are having church themselves while you are in the adult worship. It may not look like what you do, but they are doing the same thing. We have a time of worship in each of our rooms from 2 year olds up through 5th grade. Sometimes their songs are the same songs you are singing, sometimes they are different, but the point of the importance of worshiping God is taught. We have lessons that teach a characteristic of who God is with Biblical backing on what we call our Virtue of the Month. These teaching come from a group of talented writers and creators at ReThinnk.  This month our elementary kids are learning about kindness and the importance of treating others the way they want to be treated. As a parent I love this, because I can use it throughout the week with my kids when they aren't being so kind to one another at home. Reinforcing what was taught on the weekend is always good. 

Several years ago Pastor Greg introduced response time at the end of the message, it is a time in the service after the message that you can respond to what God is saying to you about what you just learned.  You can take a prayer or struggle to the cross and pin it there, you can light a candle for a friend or loved one or get prayer from the prayer team.  We have carried this over to our elementary areas as well.  (Okay, maybe not the candles, but we could use the battery operated tea lights). We do allow kids to go to a cross and put a prayer request on the cross, or ask a leader for prayer. This is a very powerful time and lots of our kids look forward to going to the cross.

After the large group time is over we have small group time where we take and break the lesson down for the kids. What did this story that happened over 2000 years ago apply to my life as an elementary student? This to me is one of the most important times in the ministry.  Kids want to connect and know they can trust the person leading them. I am so thankful for the dedicated Kidscoast Dream Team members who lead small groups every weekend. (side plug... WE NEED MORE!) In order for this to work properly we need to make sure we have one leader for every 8-10 kids but sometimes it is more like one leader for every 20+ kids - and I know that it is not just our church, other churches struggle with this as well. If you are not connected to serving in Kidscoast and have the heart and time for it, please sign up. These kids need you.  Just like adults, kids who don't feel connected won't stay. We want kids connecting with kids their own age as well as leaders they can trust and who care about them. Okay, I’m off my soapbox...

Bottom line, just because it looks like the kids are playing when they come in and maybe when you pick them up, they aren't playing the whole time. Here in Kidscoast we take teaching kids about who God is and how much He loves them very seriously, we just believe you can have fun while doing it because God is just that AWESOME! If you have never been to a Children's ministry service at Seacoast or at your home church, talk to your children's pastor, I'm sure they would love to have you sit in and see what they are doing.

Just my thoughts - hope you got something out of it!

When we get out of God's way...

Some of you are aware that we have been in the process of adopting - it has been a long process and journey. However, the night we returned from our trip to Alaska Meghan and I were talking about the adoption and I said I was done, finished, did not wish to go on. You see I had found two boys on one of those websites they have for kids available for adoption and spent a lot of time thinking about them, emailing caseworkers to find out information, but just was not getting any answers. So I was giving up. In reality I wasn't giving up, I was getting out of the way. I was trying to do all of this on my own. I was pursuing (well, us as a couple). I was the one who found the children, I was the one who put the request in for these children...ME, I, US- not God.

So as I was saying, I gave up - that is when God was able to do something, when I got out of His way. The same night I said I give up I received an email concerning some children that were available for adoption, three to be exact. It would be a private adoption, not something we even considered because of costs. Plus the youngest child was younger than we wished to go. I didn't tell Meghan about the email right away, partly because she was asleep when I received the email and I was still asleep when she left the house in the morning. So that afternoon I told Meghan about it and we decided we would look into it a little more.

Since this was going to be a private adoption, and would cost us money and adding three kids to the family was going to mean we need a new vehicle to be able to transport us all around, and we would need some kind of added income to feed three extra children...we knew that the only way this was going to even happen was for God to take charge of it all.

The next step that needed to happen was for us to submit our home study, if we were approved we would receive more information about the children and the mom. We decided to step out in faith and say; God if this is of you then we trust you will provide for all our needs and open all the doors that need to be open.  You see our desire is to see children in a forever family, our family if that is what God wants, so we submitted our home study trusting God.

We got word our family was being considered for the adoption of these three kids and we received more information about them.  We are continuing to move forward until God closes a door. We are looking into grants, fundraising and any other means we feel God is calling us to as we move forward with this adoption. I ask that you would join us in praying and seeking God's Will in all of this for our family.

The part I want you to hear in all of this is how I needed to move out of the way. I was trying to push the adoption on my own. I was getting frustrated by lack of communication and the length of time the process was taking. Once I threw my hands in the air and said I give up I was out of the way for God to do what He needed to do.  Now I don't know if this adoption will go through or not, it is totally up to God.  I once heard Derwin Gray say; "Attempt things that only Jesus could do so only He can get the Glory." That is what we are doing. This adoption would never be a possibility in our own rite, but only by God doing some really BIG things!  What are you attempting that is so huge it could only be accomplished by God? Maybe it isn't working out cause you are still in the way.
Just my thoughts and I hope you get a nugget out of it!

What kids want from church isn't much different from adults...

So if you read my last post you know that I was in Alaska last week for a Holy Spirit Conference at MCA church. One of the speakers, Randy Hurst, shared some information about what people look for in a church - and as I listened I thought the same is true for kids in Children's Ministry. I thought I would share some of my notes I took from Randy's talk.

Things Kids want from Church -

1. Practical/Biblical Teaching - Are we teaching kids things that are practical and biblical? It is one thing to tell them a Bible story, but are you helping them understand how the story that took place 2000 years or more ago applies to their lives today?  That is one of the reason I really like the curriculum from reThink. (no I don't get any kind of kick back from Reggie Joiner for saying these things). I really do enjoy the curriculum. I like how they use everyday values to teach biblical principles. I love being able to say to families: "Today in our elementary department we are talking about Respect, or Discipline, or Determination..." these are all things parents would love their kids to learn about.  And most kids don't want to just memorize what the virtue of the month is, they want to know how it applies to their everyday life and situations.

2.  A Sense of God's Presence - Kids too want to know that they are going to get to meet with God when they come to church.  No not every kid, but if they were honest, most kids do want to have that special encounter with God at church.  While I was at the conference this past week a little girl came running into the classroom and right up to me and said, with a HUGE smile on her face, "I hear we are going to be filled with the Holy Spirit tonight!" She was excited about meeting God in that place. Kids want what adults want when it comes to their relationship with God - to be close to Him, to feel his presence and know he is real.  To get this we must take on the posture of prayer! Prayer really does change everything. I know when I am more intentional about praying for our children's ministry and over the classrooms and volunteers, God does big and amazing things in and through the team those weekends.  Not to say He doesn't move other weekends, but I am in more of the mindset to see Him move when I'm in a posture of prayer.

3.  Church on a Mission - is your church missionally focused? That is one of the things I love about Seacoast, they are missional - always reaching out to the community and the world. The kids of Seacoast love it too. They love outreach projects. We have a serve team for our kids called Nerve2Serve. It is for 3rd - 12th graders and the focus is on serving in the church, in the community and around the world. We usually have a great turn out of kids when we do community outreach activities. Kids, just like adults, love to be a part of something bigger than themselves.

4.  Being Able to Find One Friend - This is why I feel small groups in Children's Ministry are important. Kids want to connect with other kids that are like them. They want to connect with other adults who can help lead them and guide them in life's big decisions. They may not act like it when they are in the room carrying on, but they do. Seacoast is a big church and I have heard many times of people leaving to go to a smaller church. They say they like the feel of the smaller church better, and maybe they do. However I think the root of the problem is that they didn't get connected with at least one person in their time at Seacoast.  I know I have seen over time at Seacoast, kids who did not wish to stay in the classroom because they did not know anyone. But if one adult would have reached out to that child, invited them into the room and introduced them to a group of kids, in no time they would be friends.  One thing that helps kids connect with other kids and leaders is parents being consistent in which service they attend. When you jump service times then your kids never really get to build lasting relationships.We are all the same, we all want to know that we will have at least one friend in the room when we get to church.

5. FUN! (I added that) - I grew up in a church that wasn't so much fun. I remember never wanting to lift my head in class because I was afraid I was going to be called on to speak or read from the King James version of the Bible.  Church was not fun for me.  I decided at a young age that I was going to make church fun for kids. We serve a very exciting God - the God who created the universe and knows all the details of everything is a God to get excited over.  Kids should not be lectured in Kids Church they should be excited about coming and learning in fun engaging ways.  That is one of the biggest reason I started serving in children's ministry at the age of 16. I wanted kids to be excited over who God is and what he is doing in their lives.  It is also the reason I cringe when I see kids go into "Big" church with their parents. Big Church is for adults, Kids Church is for kids - no matter how exciting you think Big Church is - its not for kids!

So as we start off 2015 I'm going to look at the children's ministry here at Seacoast and see how we are doing with these five things, and seek out God's guidance for what we need to change and get better at as we move forward.

I hope you got some nugget of information out of this - these are my thought, no one put me up to this!

North to Alaska...

So it has been a LONG time since I have posted on my blog - I love writing, I may not do a great job or be grammatically correct but I do love to put my thoughts and ideas on "paper"?! Anyway, as I sit drinking coffee out of my new Orange Alaska Bear mug I started thinking about all the exciting things I have experienced here in Alaska this week and wanted to write them down. I hope they bless you and speak to you in some way and that you might get some nugget out of what God is doing in and through me.

So I'm not gonna lie, I was not too excited when I first agreed to come to Alaska in JANUARY! It is cold enough for me in Charleston, SC in January why would I want to go north? But the more I talked with Greg Jones, Children's Pastor of MCA church in Anchorage, Alaska the more excited I became. Every time Greg and I talked on the phone or emailed each other I felt like I was talking to my best friend. I even said to Meghan on our flight out here; "I'm kind of nervous to meet Greg face to face. We have connected really well on Facebook, email and phone calls but what if we don't get along when we meet?"  I don't think I could have chosen a better host here in Alaska. Greg, his wife DeAnna and their four wonderful kids are what I call the Kinney's of the north! We have so much in common from homeschooling, our way of living, young living essential oils...and so much more. Meghan and I have been blessed by this family and are plotting ways to get them to move to Charleston, SC and be our neighbors, we just love them that much. I have seen many things here in Alaska, many beautiful things, but the best part of Alaska for me would have to be the Jones Family! Blessed to call them brother and sister in Christ, but more so - FRIENDS!

Another thing that God has blessed us with is the Beauty of Alaska. Before coming I knew nothing about Anchorage or Alaska for that matter other than it was cold. We have seen so much of God's craftsmanship here in Alaska. The mountains, the wildlife, the glaciers...the list goes on and on. We go driving around and I find myself just staring out the window in awe of the beauty and majesty of the mountains. I keep saying over and over in my head; "I shall lift up my eyes to the mountains, where does my help come from..." (Psalm 121) God is the creator of the whole universe and it just blows my mind at how awesome He is when I look at all he has created.

I'm  also in awe that God would have allowed me to come and speak about who He is as the Holy Spirit. I have grown in my understanding of who the Holy Spirit is, how He works and moves in our lives. I love seeing the faces of these kids as they connect with God the Holy Spirit and hunger and thirst for more of Him.  Last night one little girl entered the room all excited and came running over to me and said; "I hear tonight we are going to be filled with the Holy Spirit, I'm so excited!"  Faith like a child! I didn't see that much excitement on the faces of the parents. I have really been blessed to have this opportunity.

I thought I was coming to Alaska to pour into the lives of children at MCA church - I was wrong! I have come to Alaska to experience God in a new and fresh way. To have a new hunger and desire of learning more about Him as the Holy Spirit. To want more of Him in my life, to see His power at work in my life, in my family and the people I have influence over.

Thankful for my time in Alaska especially with Meghan. I never thought I would say I can't wait to come back to Alaska some day! - Thank you Greg, MCA Church and God for this opportunity! I am a blessed man!

DSAL Buddy Walk!

Hey Gang the Kinney Family will be joining many other families in the Buddy Walk on October 5th. For more information check out our Buddy Walk website at http://www.dsalowcountry.org/buddy_walk/fundraising.html

This has become a yearly family event for us! It is a fun event with jump castles, food, face painting and so much for. The best part is getting to hang out with other families who have been blessed with a child with DS. And the support from friends at the event is overwhelming. 

As for Coleman she is doing great! She loves playing games, especially Go Fish and Slap Jack. She loves jumping on the trampoline, singing and watching movies. 

If you would like to help support the Buddy Walk - the Kinney's are trying to raise $500 in support of all the things the Down Syndrome Association of the Lowcountry does to support families of children and adults with Down Syndrome.  Please help us in our quest to raise awareness and support by clicking the link below and donating!  http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/Colemankinney-/2014 or just come out and enjoy the afternoon with us and join us on the walk!

Thanks again for the continued prayers and support for our family!

Children Are A Gift From God!!!!

Psalm 127:3 says; Children are a gift from the LORD; they are a reward from him. Now I’m not going to lie to you – this scripture is not always on my heart when it needs to be. You know those times your children are just being, well, children!  Fighting with each other, being a little whiny, not doing what they are told to do, showing some attitude… you know what I’m talking about!  But at the end of the day, when you really look at your life with your children, you realize that this scripture really is true! Children’ are a GIFT from the Lord!

One of my favorite stories in the Bible is when Jesus took the little children into his arms and blesses them. The church I grew up in has a beautiful stain glass window of this scene from the Bible.  But do you know the story behind the story? You see before the disciples tried to stop the parents from coming, they had had a little conversation with Jesus about Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Here is what it says in Matthew chapter 18:1-6…

“At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"

 He called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.”

Jesus goes on in Verse 10 to say…

"See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.”

So, the highest realms of heaven include angels who are representatives for these little ones! Sounds like children are a big deal to God! Well, you would think after a talk like that, the disciples would remember that Children are important. I mean, remember the stone around the neck, the angels looking out for them? But the next day, we find out that they had missed the whole point of what Jesus was trying to get across.

Here is what happened….some Pharisees had been trying to test Jesus by asking him questions about divorce. In the middle of this important discussion this is what happened:

Mark 10: 13-16 says, “People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them.”

Did you catch the word “indignant” in there – some versions say “rebuked” – here is what Dictionary.com lists as the meaning for the word Indignant: feeling, characterized by, or expressing strong displeasure at something considered unjust, offensive, insulting, or base:

When I hear the “indignant” term used to describe Jesus, I think of the time Jesus went into the temple and cleared out all the money changers. I see in my mind, thanks to Hollywood and other sources, Jesus flipping tables, shouting and yelling.  So when I think of Jesus being “indignant” with his disciples, I picture him saying something like...

“Guys what is wrong with you? We just talked about this yesterday, were you not paying attention. This, this over here, my discussion with these Pharisees: not important.  These, these kids right here: VERY IMPORTANT!!! The discussion can wait; these kids can’t. Wake up and pay attention disciples!” (At least that is what I would have said if I were Jesus – and thank God I’m not!)

Then, I imagine Jesus getting down on one knee and motioning for a child to come over to him. First one and then another and soon all of them are running to Jesus, hugging him.

You see, this is why I’m so passionate about Kidscoast. Kids are important to God, so they are important to me. That is why I am always challenging the Kidscoast Staff to take things to the next level of excellence. To always make sure that we do the best job we can to teach the kids about WHO God is, and THAT God is! I want kids to know that the God who created the universe is the same God who loves them very much and hears them when they pray. I want them to know that God’s Word, the Bible, is exciting and not just a boring book of rules.  Some say we add too much fun to our lessons in Kidscoast and not enough substance. I disagree. I want children to think church is fun, because guess what? Learning about God should be fun, and if we keep it fun, they will want to come back and learn more!

But you know we can’t do it alone. Last weekend, we had almost 1,000 children come to Kidscoast! I love that, not because 1,000 is a big number, but because 1,000 kids heard about Jesus Christ this past weekend, and 1,000 kids had a seed planted in their hearts that God will water and grow. How would you like to be a part of a team that reaches that many kids a week with the Gospel of Jesus Christ? After serving in Children’s Ministry either in a volunteer position or a staff position for the last 28+ years I can tell you it is life changing! My plan is to serve in Children’s Ministry for the rest of my life. I may not always be a Children’s Pastor, but I will always serve, because it blesses me more than I could ever tell you. 

How about you – are you up for a life changing experience? Then join us on the Kidscoast team! If after six months of serving with us you don’t see a change in your life, I’ll buy you lunch. What do you have to lose?

Robin Williams

I know that there are a lot of injustices going on in this world. I pray for the people involved in war around the world. But the death of Robin Williams is a great loss to so many.

Robin Williams was, in my opinion, an amazingly talented individual. There was not a film I saw him in that I did not like. I know Facebook is blowing up with posts about his death, and yet many others struggle and deal with depression and addiction and go unmentioned.  My prayer is that through Robin Williams passing, people will look closer at those around them, see the signs and get help for those who need it. Make yourself aware of the warning signs, for your kids, for your loved ones, for people you may meet on the street. Depression is a silent killer. Its not as easy as saying; "just cheer up, everything will be better." It doesn't work that way.  If you deal with depression or addiction, please reach out for help - talk with a professional, a friend, a parent, a teacher or a pastor. Get help, ask for help before it is too late.

Robin's passing will leave a large void in the entertainment world. He made so many people smile, yet on the inside he was struggling and dealing with so much that we, the general pubic, never knew.

Thank you Robin Williams for sharing your gifts and talents with the world and may you rest in peace. And my your family and friends find peace in this difficult time.
I would like to share my favorite scene from Dead Poets Society:  O Captain my captain

Just my thoughts on a man I admired as an actor. Hope you found a nugget in there somewhere.