Wow! It's taken me awhile to get caught up (I'm really not yet) from the Large Church Conversation. We had a great time exploring the top-four trends in children's ministry (according to an article I wrote in CMMag last year called "Trend Quakes").
For safety, it didn't surprise me that all together the groups listed 117 things that they're doing to keep kids safe in their ministries. We talked about "due diligence" as opposed to providing for every single possible danger. "Due diligence" is that we've done everything reasonable to do. We all agreed that background checks need to be the norm instead of the exception.
A surprising thing: Many of these churches have armed security onsite. But, here's the shocker for me, one of the churches actually has an armed sniper in the balcony to protect the pastor who's had threats on his life.
In the area of Wired Ministry, it was surprising to hear how many of these high-tech churches are concerned about not letting technology replace relationship and relevance for kids. They see the use of technology as part of their ministry, not all of it.
In the area of Family Ministry, not surprising, they're all trying to figure out how to impact today's families. We had a great discussion about learning from the "go green" movement. Matt McKee suggested that we do "value adds" and make spiritual nurture look natural for parents. There are four key areas to do that: getting faith conversation into the home, family events, everyone on the same Scripture each Sunday, and maximizing milestones. (We'll actually be doing an article on this in the Sept/Oct 08 issue.)
In Experience Required, some of our folks got scolded for starting a fire on the LaQuinta's property. Long story. But it's part of the creative experience we do to make the point.
Volunteers are a challenge, as they are for churches of all sizes. In the end, we all need to cry out to God. Jesus said "the harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers"! There's no substitute for prayer. And we all need to be cautious of running around looking for the next program/solution/strategy apart from the power of God!
Wow! We had a great time! Looking forward to our next conversation with denominational children's ministry leaders this fall!
Isn't it wonderful that will all come full circle and end up in prayer?
Posted by: Lisa Burney | May 22, 2008 at 06:54 AM
Totally agree, Lisa.
It also makes me concerned for where we are in the church, though, that it's sometimes our last thought (mine included). We try to figure things out, research them, find a program/method that's working somewhere else. And all the time, God knows what we need to do and can make it happen.
It reminds me of the verse that says that some people have the form of godliness but deny the power of God. We need a fresh touch from God more than we need the latest resource or program.
Can I get an amen?
Posted by: Chris Yount Jones | May 23, 2008 at 08:41 AM
Amen and amen!
Methods and programs are a dime a dozen compared to the value of one dedicated, inspired godly person to implement them.
I admonish my team and myself every year to spent as much time in prayer and equipping the saints as we do discussing the merits of this method or program over the other. If we did, I KNOW we'd have a huge harvest of saints equipped and ready for ministry. We just haven't been able to discipline ourselves to actually doing it that way 100%, not even 25% of the time!
Is it because, as you point out, that we deny the power of God or worse yet, we like to play God? (Selecting, evaluating, choosing methods and programs vs. asking, relying upon and waiting on God to supply and equip the saints?)
Posted by: Lisa Burney | May 24, 2008 at 09:35 AM
Safety and volunteers are high on our priority list but we're starting to feel that push towards family ministry too. We've decided to start focusing primarly on volunteers - even over programming. We can do all kinds of cool things for the kids, but if we're the only ones leading them, we're going to burn out before the year is through.
I am dumbfounded a church would need a sniper - it's a sad commentary on the state of our society today. Even sadder is the fact that more churches probably need something similar. I pray for our safety... all of us.
Glad you had a good time!
Posted by: Courtney Walsh | May 24, 2008 at 10:40 AM