Archive for May, 2008
Clarification: Opportunity of a lifetime
Posted on 20. May, 2008 by Kenny.
Last week I read an incredible post from the Access: Elevation blog. It concerned how you communicate available volunteer positions to potential volunteers. Again, it’s one of those “don’t communicate the need, communicate the vision” ideas. However, Larry Brey communicated perfectly how serving is the opportunity of a lifetime. It’s a personal invite to participate in the single most powerful movement and organization in the world. The Church!
Bravo, it’s a great post that many can take and adapt to their volunteer/recruiting process.
However…
There is something I need to clarify. Something that appears to be missing.
Yes, I think it would be incredible if we communicated this message to potential volunteers. Yes, I believe that serving in the church (especially in the kids ministry) 
IS an opportunity of a lifetime.… Read the rest
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Parent involved baptism
Posted on 19. May, 2008 by Kenny.
Several weeks ago I wrote this post about involving parents in significant moments in their child’s life.
Yesterday I had a really cool moment. I don’t know that it would have happened if I hadn’t been thinking so much about what family ministry really means.
Like I posted yesterday, we baptized a lot of people yesterday. After one of the services, a family was directed to me. They had a little girl who wanted to be baptized. She was six. I got down on one knee and talked with her about baptism. She had already make Jesus her Lord and Savior and her parents had already been talking to her about baptism.
I looked up at the dad. He was holding his younger daughter in his arms.… Read the rest
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Baptismpalooza
Posted on 18. May, 2008 by Kenny.
Today we had some baptisms at Gateway. I think it was the most fun I’ve ever had at a baptism service… and I really love baptizing kids!
Gateway Church doesn’t have a built in baptismal. In Texas, a lot of churches actually build them outside. They’ll build a fountain or other water feature that can be used as a baptismal throughout the year. For some reason, we don’t have one, so once the weather warms up, we bring out a big pool and baptize as many people as we can. Today it was just over 100! Woo Hoo!
This week I met with several families. It’s so important to me to meet with kids before they get baptized. I feel it’s:
- A great opportunity to connect with a family.
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A HUGE favor: Helping someone discover their passion
Posted on 18. May, 2008 by Kenny.
Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve been hearing some interesting stories from some of the men who serve in the Children’s Ministry here at Gateway Church.
One guy told me about how he and his wife responded to a plea for help in the Children’s Ministry. One day the Children’s Pastor turned to him and said, “I think you’d be perfect to operate and voice the Elmer puppet (our preschool character).” Now this guy is incredibly passionate about “being” Elmer and is also overseeing a dad’s group.
Another guy started volunteering in the classroom where his daughter attended. At that point in time, he was an agnostic. Now he’s one of the lead teachers (no, he’s not an agnostic anymore).… Read the rest
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You Version… still waiting
Posted on 17. May, 2008 by Kenny.
Several weeks ago I discovered YouVersion. It’s a project being developed by the guys at LifeChurch. It’s actually a really amazing concept. It’s an online, collaborative Bible.
No, this is much different from Bible Gateway. It allows you to tag verses and passages. You can keep a journal and even share thoughts on scriptures that you’d like to make public or keep private. It’s all brilliant!
Today I discovered a new YouVersion trick. I just signed up for the “Yearly Bible” reading plan RSS feed.
However…
YouVersion is still in beta. There are a lot of features that will be added soon that is going to make YouVersion absolutely amazing. I think that once they add the “groups” feature, I’ll be able to use this as a collaborative Bible Study with others.… Read the rest
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The first promotion I’m really excited about
Posted on 16. May, 2008 by Kenny.
I’ll be honest. I’ve always hated “Promotion Sunday.”
I’ve always hated losing my 5th graders. By the time they’re ready to move on the 6th grade, I just love them too much to want to let go. I’ve invested so much into them. I’ve also hated promotion because inevitably, many of them won’t make the transition. Because the program is so different, some of the kids don’t adjust well to the difference. Sometimes it is even the parents who resist sending their kids to a program that is so different with teenagers that are so much older. So, many of these kids who don’t make the transition end up sneaking back into kids church for a few weeks or months. Eventually, many of them feel like they don’t fit and eventually stop coming.… Read the rest
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Dysfunction and Death
Posted on 15. May, 2008 by Kenny.
That’s a title that will get attention!
Two weeks ago at Orange, I attended a breakout with Nancy Ortberg about creating healthy conflict. I sat amazed about this new paradigm (I thought we were all supposed to get along). Apparently we’re supposed to duke it out in staff meeting. I like it!
After the breakout I asked Nancy for more information. I wanted to grow in this area. She gave me the names of three books. So that week I went to the bookstore and came home with five (not sure how that happened exactly). So far I’ve read two. Death by Meeting and the Five Dysfunctions of Team. Incredible books. I’ve heard of Death by Meeting and a previous employer recommended the Five Dysfunctions.… Read the rest
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Is my vision leaky?
Posted on 14. May, 2008 by Kenny.
I’m not exactly sure that “leaky” is a real word. But I think it’s a question we all have to ask ourselves. Actually, there are many questions that have to be established before asking this one.… Read the rest
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Vision Leaks
Posted on 13. May, 2008 by Kenny.
A similar thought as been thrown at me from many different directions this last month. This though involves vision. Steven Furtick in one of his audio blog talked about speaking vision so much your throat is hoarse. At Orange, Craig Jutila spoke about how without vision, people run wild (Craig does a great job helping people develop mission and vision to present to their organizations). Then just yesterday, I was confronted with a powerful example of vision working the way it is supposed to. Vision when it leaks down and saturates the organization.… Read the rest
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Week one… complete!
Posted on 12. May, 2008 by Kenny.
Sorry it’s been kind of quite on the blog lately. As most of you know, I started my new job as Next Generation Pastor at Gateway Community Church last week. It was a great first week. Really, of the first weeks I’ve had with new jobs, it definitely ranks at the very top.
On my first day in the office, I came with a suitcase. Yeah, the first time I’ve done that. We left that day for a Texas Large Church Forum in Dallas, TX. The forum was pretty good, but I had a lot of time to get to know fellow staff members who I’ll be working with. I roomed with the new Student Pastor (he’s a trip) and got some good hangout time with everyone.… Read the rest
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