Vision Casting for Children's Ministry: 7 Golden Principles Guest Blogger: Will Mancini

Will Mancini is an author and a what he likes to call a "clarity evangelist." He also happens to be a friend of mine. Will has written a book entitled "Church Unique." This book has been one of the most influential books in my ministry. I highly recommend it for you as a church leader.

Anyway, Will has a blog at "willmancini.com" He recently wrote a post about Children's ministry that just floored me. So in place of my usual blog, I would like to share Will's thoughts in his own words.

Before my transition to coach-consulting in 2001, I led several different ministry areas at Clear Creek Community Church. An unexpected season of leading the children’s area engaged my love for vision around the importance of serving children. What I learned through this season has changed my life forever. I believe that children’s ministry is THE golden opportunity for these seven reasons:

#1 The Golden Heart: Children model the ideal kingdom participant. Each of the gospel writers record that stunning moment when Jesus rebukes the disciples and tenderly engages some young children (Luke 18:17). In the face of self-importance, Jesus shockingly points to a child as the model for how to enter the kingdom. Maybe serving children holds unexpected benefit for Christian maturity?

#2 The Golden Years: Childhood is the most effective window for responding to the gospel. Eighty percent of people receive Christ between the ages of 4 and 14. Enough said.

#3 The Golden Glow: Children have a longer life to serve Christ and accomplish more for God’s glory. If you had a candle to burn for a nice romantic evening, would you choose the one that’s three-quarters used up, or would you choose a brand new candle? (It makes you wonder why generally speaking, our children get so little attention in ministry leadership!)

#4 The Golden Baton: Serving children plants the gospel into the next generation. Yes, the gospel is always one generation from extinction. You choose if the race is all about your short window to live or the enduring story of global redemption.

#5 The Golden Gate: Winning a child is a gateway to winning the whole family. I can’t tell you how many redeemed families I have seen on the beachhead of a child’s testimony. And yes, the more our culture idolizes their children, the more we can leverage this negative tendency for the gospel.

#6 The Golden Moment: Children’s lives are moldable and full of teachable moments. There is nothing like the moment of awe and insight, when child learns or asks a genuine question. Play and plant in the rich soil!

#7 The Golden Crown: Serving children has a unique significance which leads to special blessing. In Matthew 25-31-46, Jesus shares the parable about serving, “the least of these.” It’s apparent that “the least” include people of some status or need where they cannot repay if they are served (hungry, sick, imprisoned, estranged, poor) Children, though not listed explicitly, certainly fit this list by virtue of their inability. I believe that serving children brings an unexpected treasure of blessing.

Thanks Will, for your insights and wonderful counsel to all of us.

May we all see the opportunity God has placed in the life of EVERY child. Jesus said "Let the little children come to me. For such is theirs, is the Kingdom of Heaven."

May we never forget that as we reach for Heaven . . . to not forget to reach down and take a hand of a little one. God won't forget what you did either.

Onward and upward,

Stephen

Steps

I have vivid memories of both of my children taking their first steps. Marisol is 10 years old, and Miguel is soon to be six, but the memories of watching them discover "bi-pedal mobility" is as clear as anything.

I remember the squeals! Yes, they were coming from Lucia and I. I remember the tears . . . also coming from Lucia and I. There was also shouts of joy and applause filling the room. It was all quite overwhelming for each child I'm sure. But I know their sense of accomplishment overshadowed the celebration going on around them.

But, I also remember the look of wonderment in my kid's eyes when they realized, in that very moment that a world of discovery lay ahead. There was a sense of accomplishment for sure . . . but there was also a look of "If I can do this . . . I wonder what ELSE I can do!"

I know Marisol and Miguel have long forgotten their first steps. We have moved on to scooters and bicycles now. But each time my kids take a step into the "unknown," it just ignites their passions further. I'm so proud of them. All it takes is a first step . . .

How many adventures are awaiting you . . . simply by taking a step?

Start leading that Bible study God is asking you to do.
Write that first page of the book you always wanted to try.
Schedule your first music lesson.
Start that blog.
Open a savings account for that trip you always wanted to take.
Tell that one friend about how Jesus has changed your life and see what happens.

You see . . . life is an adventure. Opportunities abound just around the corner. But how will you know if you never take that first step. It could take you from the couch to the kitchen chair (like my kids) or it could take you around the world. Who knows?

Oh there's risk involved. You could fall flat on your butt. However, just like my kids, you get back up and try again . . . this time with the gained wisdom from the previous fall.

Don't miss out on life's amazing journey by putting off the first step.

One step leads to another.
Next thing you know, you are running.
Then you are flying.

Take a chance. Take a step. Before you know it . . . you will seize every leap of faith as the bridge to your next adventure. Isn't that how God meant it to be?

What are you waiting for?

Onward and upward (literally)

Stephen

STOP PLANTING CHURCHES!

While eating lunch today, I read a fascinating quote in a book. It said, "Don't plant churches. Plant Jesus! Plant the Gospel of the kingdom. Church will grow naturally from that, and reproduce organically."

As a church planter, it struck me odd for a moment, and then from out of nowhere it hit me like a speeding train. I had to read, re-read, and then re-re-read it again. The profundity of that statement was so overwhelming that I couldn't eat another bite.

It was so much more than an "a-ha" moment. It spoke to the very core of my being. It resonated in my spirit so deeply that I had to close the book and simply mediate on what I had just read.

The Bible never tells us to "build" churches. In fact, Jesus told Peter that HE would build HIS church. BUT scripture also does not tell us to plant churches either. It tells us to proclaim the Good News and make disciples.

Here's what struck me about what I read: We are called to sow. What do we sow? We sow the Truth. The Gospel. The Good News of Jesus Christ. We are not called to sow churches. Churches are the FRUIT. Fruit that is produced from the seeds of the Gospel. Think about what that means for a second. Is it possible that we are doing things backwards? I think so. I'm not saying that a vision for a new church is wrong. But I do believe the "why" and "how" we are going about it could be sadly heading in the wrong direction.

Here's the WHY:

Current thinking says: "There are no churches in this community, so let's plant one."

Biblical thinking says: "The community around us is going to hell, let's demonstrate Jesus' love to this community and see what HE produces.

Our motivation should simply be that EVERYONE needs an opportunity to see the love of God demonstrated through Jesus, and now His love demonstrated through us. It is then we are planting the seeds of the Gospel. Will a church come from that. I certainly hope so. But we are not the ones "building" it. It is truly a work of the Holy Spirit.

Here's the HOW:

Current thinking says: "Let's start meeting in a building and invite people to come and see what God is doing."

Biblical thinking says: "Let's go into the community and share God's love and message and see what HE does."

I don't know about you . . . but that really shakes my world. It makes life a heck of a lot more interesting. And let's be honest . . . it fills our life with such purpose, every moment that we have breath.

May we all be challenged to plant the seeds of the Gospel EVERYDAY. May we look for and take advantage of every opportunity God gives us to share the love of Christ. If we all did that . . . maybe, just maybe the church might begin to look like the church Jesus said it would be: "And the gates of hell will not prevail against it."

Amen and amen.

Onward and upward,

Stephen

P.S. The book I was reading was called "Church 3.0" by Neil Cole. I know some of you are going to ask :) sb.

ATTENTION TO DETAILS

I was recently at Walt Disney World, visiting the Magic Kingdom with my family. Upon exiting the park, my family and I had to wait for the monorail to pick us up and take us to our next destination. While waiting, I noticed a rather strange but refreshing sight.

I saw a woman who worked for Disney begin to clean the outside of a waste container. At first she sprayed it and wiped it down. Then she began to buff out the scratch marks on the metal part. She worked on it for what seemed to be about 10 minutes. She was determined to see this trash can shine.

Most people would not take notice of a person doing this. I found it absolutely intriguing. In fact, I was willing to wait her out just to see how long she would continue to focus her efforts. If it hadn't been for the arrival of our ride, I would have stayed as long as it took. For all I know, she might still be there.

Will anyone ever walk up to that waste container and say "WOW! What a sparkling clean trash can!" I seriously doubt it.

But, I am certain beyond a shadow of a doubt, no one will ever complain or write a letter describing the horrible experience they had at Disney World because of a dirty trash can.

Now, multiply this woman's efforts by 47,000. That's how many Cast Members (employees) Disney has working in Orlando, Florida. There is a reason Disney has the reputation that it does. I know that every cast member may not focus so hard on the details as this woman, but imagine if even half of them did (and that is a very lowball figure). Now you are beginning to learn their secret (or at least one of them).

Could you imagine we as Christians taking that kind of ownership in our churches? Taking such care of the details, no matter how menial or unnoticed? It is my hope and prayer that the Church will be filled with such a desire to see Christ glorified, that the smallest task will be done with the greatest dedication.

Walt Disney said "You can dream, create, design, and build the most wonderful place in the world . . . but it requires people to make the dream a reality."

Imagine if our churches understood the weight of that statement? Let's take pleasure in paying attention to the details. Let's take delight in the small things that might not even be noticed by any one else. But let me assure you . . . someone does notice And HE's the reason we do it to begin with. HE's the reason we pay attention to the details. It is for HIS glory we labor. It is for HIS recognition that we serve so diligently.

It may be just a trash can. But SOMEONE is watching and taking delight in your labor.

Onward and Upward,

Stephen

A Status Quo Heretic

"Some men see things as they are and say why. I dream things that never were and say why not."

George Bernard Shaw is credited as the first person who made that statement.  Robert Kennedy made it famous by quoting the author.  It has been quoted in the context of business, politics, education, world events, etc.

I like it.  I like it a lot.  Because I believe it defines those of us who believe that we are called to live our lives in such a way that the world around us is better for it.  I don't mean this in an egotistical way.  What I'm attempting to say is that if we look around us . . . there is an infinite amount of possibilities to make life more . . .

Interesting . . .
Meaningful . . .
Productive . . .
Safer . . .
Healthier . . .
Enjoyable . . . and on and on and on.

"Some men see things as they are and say 'why' . . . "

But to be honest . . . it is a lot easier to sit back in the comfort of our own familiarity and sigh deeply . . . "that's just the way it is."  We look at the way things are and wish for something different but admit that it is most likely easier to accept the current state of things than actually do anything about it.  The status quo may not be what we like but . . .  let's face it, it is the status quo.

Why rock the boat?
Why challenge the system?
Why upset the apple cart?

The truth is most people like the status quo.  They may not like what the status quo produces . . . but at least it is what they are familiar with.  It is always easier to complain than to actually do something that improves.

Is it fear?
Is it laziness?
Is it complacency?

I'm sure it is different for each person.
But whatever the reason is, we accept what we are given and limp through life wishing things were different.

Just wishing.

". . . I dream things that never were and say why not."

Then there are those who see wishing as a waste of time.  These are the people who challenge the status quo and risk the resistance and the ridicule of those who sit on the sidelines.

They experiment with different solutions while the others say "it can't be done."

They are not afraid to fail while the others laugh at each attempt.

They speak their dreams while the others shake their heads in disbelief.

Maybe those who sit on the sidelines feel exposed for their fear, laziness, or complacency.  Or maybe . . . they just don't understand.  Maybe they really aren't called to be what Walt Disney called  "dreamers and doers."

For those of you . . .
who believe there is ALWAYS a better way;
who KNOW there is more to life than can be seen;
who are CONVINCED the best is yet to come;

For those of you . . . who are CERTAIN that Jesus is "able to do immeasurably
more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us . . ."

 I toast you and say "never stop."

Of course you don't need me to cheer you on because that is not why you do it.

It is WHO you are.
It is WHOSE you are.
It is HOW God works through you.

Because of you and people like you . . .

Who challenge the religion of "the way things are;"
Who refuse to bow at the altar of the average and acceptable;
Who dreams the dream and says "why not" . . .

 . . . I say to you, 'do not be afraid to be the status quo heretic that you were created to be.'

May God bless your efforts.
May He give you continued boldness.

But with this encouragement comes a word of caution:

Do not boast in your own strength . . . but trust only in He who gives you the ability to dream and do.
Do not take pride in yourself as one who challenges others.  That would be foolishness and your gift will not be taken seriously.

Yet a person who walks with God, lives for Christ, and is led by the Holy Spirit will undoubtedly be given visions and dreams for things that never were and will undoubtedly say, "why not?"

Never stop dreaming.  Never stop doing.
You have it in you to be a world changer . . .
. . . a status quo heretic.

Onward and upward . . .

Stephen

A Golden Opportunity for the Church!

Found a great video on TED.com of Sir Ken Robinson talking about how the American education system has failed miserably over the years in helping creative artists flourish. I won't take the time to defend his stance since you can hop over to that website and watch the 20 minute presentation yourself. But if you are willing to accept his point then I think you will find this interesting.

One of his contentions is that when the current education system is functioning, at best it creates future college professors. With all the focus on Math, Sciences, Language Arts, etc, the creative potential that flourishes in every child (yes, EVERY child) is slowly squeezed into a cerebral cookie cutter over time and the creative elements simply are buried and become dormant.

So how do we change this tragic direction? Overhauling the educational system is difficult and daunting. It is hard to fix a system when the system doesn't believe that it is broken. Not to mention that the DNA of a system is almost impossible to change without years and years of intentional alteration.

BUT . . .

Imagine if the Church became a place where artists, young and old could find a community where it is safe and encouraging for one to explore their creative expressions.

I'm not talking about adding more dramas to Sunday morning.

I'm not talking about making the bulletin more colorful.

What I'm asking is what if the Church became a place where artists would gather and be challenged to develop their gifts to the fullest potential God has placed in them. A place where all forms of art were allowed to flourish. A place where an artist could grow, ask questions, try new things, offer new perspectives, be challenged, and even given the freedom to challenge the status quo.

Imagine the Church becoming the center of the art community in its location. And as those artists come, they have the opportunity to see Jesus in the lives of those who create all around them.

Imagine a movement of churches that use art to influence the world beyond the church walls. How awesome it would be to see Christ-centered art hanging in museums (or drawn on sidewalks for that matter). Think of the impact of Christ-centered dramas (or comedies) showing up in community theaters or street corner theater. Picture Christ-centered films presented in independent film competitions. Envision secular coffee houses blossoming with songwriters and singers offering new and original psalms which shine the light of hope into the darkest of situations. I could go on and on and on. The possibilities of art are limitless.

The church has been handed a golden opportunity directly from The Creator Himself. As the vision pastor of a new church plant in San Antonio focusing on the artistic community, my team and I are committed to seeing the most innovative and creative forms of art come out of the Church, illuminate Christ and influence a confused and lost world.

EVERY human being is made in the image of God. Of course all of us are creative because God is creative. He has given everyone of us that gift. Benjamin Franklin was creative. Walt Disney was creative. Madonna is creative. Tom Hanks is creative. YoYo Ma is creative.

BUT . . .

When an artist has a relationship with THE CREATOR through Jesus Christ . . . His or her creativity is now empowered by the Holy Spirit. There is something supernatural that inhabits the working of that creativity.

AND . . .

Now whatever work of art is shaped, written, painted, performed, filmed, or drawn . . . not only makes an impact on the moment . . . but it will send waves of influence throughout eternity.

The church has a golden opportunity. Let's take it while it is being offered to us. For the Glory of God, let us embrace the artist and give them the tools and encouragement to become exactly who God designed them to be. Encourage and empower them to create . . . and the church will carry the Glory of Christ (creatively) into the world like never before.

Onward and upward!!

Stephen

Seth Godin Goes To Church

I am one of those people who reads constantly. In fact, I average about 3 books at one time. I am an information junkie. I love when people recommend books to me and I love to offer things I have learned from my own reading.

I am currently reading (and regretfully, almost finished) Seth Godin's book entitled TRIBES. An awesome book about becoming a leader. I found it to be encouraging and "get off your butt" challenging. Here is the book in a nutshell . . . everyone is looking for something to believe in.

Because of the technology age we live in, there are NO obstacles to forming a tribe of people who share a common belief. This is incredible news for the church. We CAN be all things to all people because as the church we can exist in different tribes (groups), each one bonded together by traits shared within the group (Age, Culture, Hobby, Passion, etc.) and still share in the beauty of being part of the Body of Christ.

This is what excites me about launching our new church, THE ADVENTURE. We are targeting creative, artsy types of people. In essence, a tribe. We can focus our efforts on presenting Christ to this particular community or culture and know that we are still part of the greater Body of Christ which includes hundreds of thousands of other tribes which are completely different from our tribe. HOW COOL IS THAT?

Here's a challenge: What's your tribal call? Are you part of a tribe? Are you being called to lead a tribe? Answer those questions and you might see a future unfold before you that goes beyond your imagination.

May God bless you as you follow whatever call He has placed on your life. Live it out and live it out loud!

Onward and Upward!

Stephen

I invite you to pick up Seth Godin's book (Amazon, Borders, Barnes & Noble, etc.) and see if you aren't being called to lead a tribe.