[Kid Inspiration]

I just finished reading the transcript of a discussion with Rick Warren — senior pastor of Saddleback Church in California (for link see previous post).

It is a fascinating read where Rick is responding to a whole bunch of media types… reporters, journalists etc. I just had to comment on a coupld of quotes made by Rick regarding the reason he is a pastor.

…God called me to be a pastor, not a politician. If I believed you could change the world through politics, I’d run for government. But I don’t think you ultimately change people’s hearts through legislation. I think you change people’s hearts through personal transformation.

- Rick Warren

It seems that society, especially in Western nations, now look to the government for the solutions and the answers. And if you want to change the world and make it a better place for mankind, you gotta get in a political party.

Now being a politician is a great calling, but for me I am called to be a pastor. I want to invest my life in service that has greatest impact in the Kingdom of God. I want to serve and influence the politicians, the musicians, the entrepreneurs, the business people not only of today but tomorrow. That’s why I lead children!

I firmly believe it is the most fertile harvest field in the entire world, worthy of my full attention. Worthy of my best efforts, the best resources, and a standard of excellence that demonstrates the love Jesus Christ has for children.

It is not enough to see kids as a training ground for ‘real’ ministry you can’t get more real than a child grasping for the first time the meaning of the cross, or the power of the Holy Spirit.

I have to shepherd everybody. I have a church full of both Republicans and Democrats. And you know what, I love them all. And I don’t care how they vote; I still love them. And that’s my job, I’m not a politician, I’m a pastor.

- Rick Warren

The church is not peripheral to the world, the world is peripheral to the church. Not the building, not the crowd, not the denomination but you and I serving Christ around the world and looking after the widows and the orphans — the marginalized of society.

Some of the nation’s leading journalists gathered in Key West, Florida, in May 2005 for the Pew Forum’s biannual Faith Angle conference on religion, politics and public life. Conference speaker Rick Warren, pastor of the largest church in America, addressed misconceptions many Americans have about mega-churches. He also discussed his best-selling book, The Purpose Driven Life, as well as current trends in the evangelical movement, the work his church is doing for AIDS and poverty relief in Africa, and some of his views on hot-button political and cultural issues.
Click here to read the transcript…

It’s a cool thing to hear Rick’s global perspective.

The unmistakeable Simpsons opener, but with live people — very clever!
Real Life Simpsons Opener

If you have been reading this blog for a while you may notice that I often quote Perry Noble, senior pastor of NewSpring Church in South Carolina, when he says cool stuff. It is GREAT to hear a senior pastor talk about children and families like this on his blog.

More Power to ya Perry!

What does your music library say about you?

Try this out:

iTunes Signature Maker (iTSM) analyzes your music collection and creates a short audio signature to represent who you are and what you listen to. After it checks your system configuration and asks you a few simple questions, iTSM will spend a few minutes analyzing your collection and generating the audio signature.

Well, I haven’t heard much about the mark of the beast for a number of years. After a number of commentators completely mucked up the millenium bug in 2000 (There was no worldwide meltdown in finance), it seemed like they have been lying low.

Now I grew up hearing messages about the end times. The eighties were a particulary fertile time for all things conspiracy… remember rock music is from the Devil! (Hells Bells etc.)

From Wired News…
…Albrecht and co-author Liz McIntyre have written an introduction that says that RFID chips, particularly the VeriChip subcutaneous implant designed for humans, bear an uncanny resemblance to “the mark” described in the Bible’s Book of Revelation.

Maybe this is it!

Only time will tell.

I just posted this on the kidology forum, If you are new to the blogging thing, then read on!

The uses for blogs a wide and varied, but lets look at it from a ministry point of view.

Imagine being able to hop on the net and read a dozen messages written by people you respect and admire in ministry. Cutting edge research, inspiring ideas, thought provoking theology, challenging ideas that keep you fired up and inspired to go for it in your ministry… and it is all fresh, written that morning or last night.

Well, that is what blogs will do… I have 78 blogs (currently) that I read regulary… not all ministry related, some just completely for entertainment!

(Note: I don’t visit 78 websites every day, just one… to find out how watch this.

It’s like reading a newspaper customised completely for me.

I even have blogs or ‘feeds’ that I read that come from mainstream media (newspaper, TV). Every time an article mentions a keyword (like children’s ministry) I am interested in, I get notified. That is from media from all around the WORLD, not just Australia where I live.

There are a lot of other things people use blogs for, but for me it is ministry insight and news, and making a lot of cool friends all over earth.

Well, I just remembered something that I need to let everyone about. I was waiting for the US, South America release of Super Strong God on the 28th of Feb… but with the new baby and all that I completely forgot!

In the DVD there are short ‘segments’ between all the songs featuring a bible verse and intro to the song. In the background of each of these segments there is a big ol’ screen with the verse on it. As a little bonus I got the authoring team to put the images of those screens on the DVD.
If you put the DVD of “Super Strong God” in your computer DVD player and explore the contents of the disk you should be able to see the images right there on the disk.

NOTE: You will need a computer with a DVD-ROM drive to view these files.

Mac users: You should be able to see these images by clicking on them right away.

PC users: You may need image editing software to use these files (Photoshop etc), very sorry.

You can use these images in your ministry to teach kids the bible verses… or as your computer wallpaper to learn the verses yourself… or whatever your mind can dream up for them.

Enjoy!

P.S. Please let me know if this doesn’t work for you, as I personally have a DVD authored here in Australia and not in the US, England etc.
P.P.S. If you are REALLY annoyed that your PC won’t let you view these files… buy a Mac

At 6:51am on Friday the 3rd of March, Brooklyn came into the world after a truly blessed pregnancy and even more blessed labour.

Click HERE to see the rest of the photos!

Mum and Dad are doing well. This is baby No. 1, and what a number 1 he is!

“It is time to become culturally aware, intellectually sound, and spiritually alert. I am interested in asking who has a song not about bringing art into the safety of the church but about taking it into the streets — and into the refugee camps, prisons and hovels? Where are the laments and the dirges as we stand beside those who are suffering? How do we ‘groan’ with all of creation about this polluted planet? And where are the victory marches and the parades on the streets — or the rooftops — that declare the goodness of God with joyous shouts and a sense of play?” – Betty Spackman, A Profound Weakness

Apparently

I don’t live in South or North America – but Integrity Music assures me Super Strong God is being released today… so visit your local Christian Music Store and pick one up…

(HINT: the DVD is SO much cooler than the CD)

Okay, funniest ad of the year award (and it’s only Feb):

Improve your English

Ha.

Every time I need to explain something twice to a leader/volunteer/staff member… it says something more about me than the other person…

“I obviously did not explain it well enough the first time”

Now of course its not always me with the issue, maybe people don’t listen to me, maybe they cannot understand my Australianised New Zealand accent, maybe I mumble… hang on, they are issues with me.

But anyhoo…

In a day where we see 1500 marketing messages a day, and spend most of our time listening to iPods clear communication is vital!

Scott Hodge writes about “Leading in Times of Change & Transition” from the Centre for Creative Leadership

The Center for Creative Leadership’s Michael Wakefield recently gave some “communications fundamentals” when leading in times of change and transition:

• Communicate relentlessly. Now is not the time to keep quiet.
• Listen. Pay attention to what people are saying, thinking & feeling.
• Explain the change.
• Make an appeal. Draw on a sense of loyalty, courage, morality or other principles that tie the organization’s change strategy to what is important to people.
• Articulate expectations. Clearly explaining why, how and when things will need to happen will set expectations and create a healthy level of stress and pressure.
• Be visible. Find ways to interact!
• Confront problems and conflict. Don’t postpone dealing with challenging issues or conflict. Avoidence will only harm you, your co-workers and your organization.
• Be honest and open. An effective leader will ask the hard questions and foster an environment of honesty and candid discussion.
• Show respect. Treat people with genuine concern and sincere consideration.
• Make room for doubts. Don’t dismiss, write-off or label employees too easily or too quickly.
• Don’t dismiss the old. Help people through transition by acknowledging their history and attachments.
• Be sincere and authentic. Don’t try to bury or deny your own reactions to ongoing events.
• Trust people to handle the truth. Tell them what you know and own up to what you don’t know.
• Demonstrate that you can handle the truth. Stay connected to a broad circle of people and make it clear that you want them to share their concerns and ideas.

I have taken sooo long to get my Podcast going. It is coming… (and so is christmas).

The great news is, others have started producing podcasts for Children’s leaders and pastors.

Tal Burdine is on episode #3 of his Kid’s Konstruction Site Podcast.

Check it out in iTunes and get it on your iPod.

NOTE: His site takes a LONG time to load. His images are huge, but hang in there (maybe get a coffee while you wait).

Or you can subscribe direct from iTunes.

To find it:
1) Open itunes (Free download at Apple.com)
2) Go to the music store
3) Select podcast in the pull down menu on the left (where it says choose genre)
4) Just below that pull down menu is a podcast search window – Type in Kid’s Konstruction Site
5) You can listen and subscribe there. – And by clicking the title in the above, next to the art, you can get more info and a link to the website.

Even if you don’t have a iPod or similar MP3 player, go to the website and listen online.

Well… my blogging buddy and fellow Hillsong Children’s Pastor Nathan McLean got married yesterday in ‘The Blue Mountains‘.

You can read about their engagement here.

Myself and a VERY pregnant Beci.

Now Nathan is not the most ‘prolific’ blogger… in fact I have known pieces of belly button lint post more that him… but he is a top bloke, and had a very beautiful wedding! It was an honour being one of the grooms men!

So Nathan… have a great honeymoon and we will see you soon!

Maybe now he is married he will have more to say on this blog

Kids forget most of what I say to them during our weekend services.

Right now I am in between Sunday morning and Sunday night church… and I can guarantee that any kids that came to our morning services would have already forgotten most of what I said.

Studies would indicate 95% of information is lost in three days.

Man!

If you are not committed 110% to presenting the gospel of JC in mind blowing, unforgettable, inspirational and educational ways – turn the lights out and head home.

Most of the stuff I remember from ‘Sunday School’ (watching Star Trek IV??? What the…?) isn’t worth the space it takes up in my brain. I want the stuff my kids remember in 23 years from now to be the kind of memories that define their walk with Christ!
The most important truths ought to be communicated in the most unforgettable ways.

Read on from an article by Mark Batterson at SermonCentral.com

Whew!

Nap Time before tonight.

Dave out.