Orange Main Session - Andy Stanley

Here are my notes from Andy Stanley's main session.

I want to encourage you to rethink your approach on how you teach and talk about the scriptures to kids and students. We have for generations perceived ourselves to be the majority. It effects the words we use. We aren’t the majority anymore, but we are so accustomed to speaking as the majority. I wish we could all take a big step back and not act as if we were the majority. In the first century they knew they weren’t the majority. They were lion food. Outcasts. Once upon a time there were a handful of people who believed that Jesus rose from the dead.

 

Our approach determines people’s response to what we have to say.

-  We have to approach each child differently.

We must adapt our approach depending on who our audience is.

-  In 1 Corinthians 9:19-23, Paul adapted to speak to each person’s differences.

-  His goal wasn’t to be right, and make a point. His goal was to reach some.

- The approach may change, but the goal always remains the same.

You inherited an approach that assumes biblical authority.

- You do not believe what you believe because the Bible says so.

7 Guideline to Communicate Scripture

- Choose a passage of scripture and stay there. Bible story – is it a story? Its better than a story. It’s history.  Make it interesting and clear. Bring your energy to the text. Stop using all your energy for the illustration. You read things to discover if they are true.

- Give people permission not to believe or obey the scriptures. We do not want our children to think that the reason we do this is because it is in the bible. 1 Corinthians 5:12-13 – What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church. All the local church is supposed to do is one another one another. When people see that, they want that. Let’s be so good at what we do they can’t help but lean in. The attraction of the church is look at all those one anothers one anothers not this is what is in the bible. The authority of the local church was look how they love one another not this is what the bible says.

- Teach in a manner that emphasizes the identity of Jesus over the authority of scripture.  They believed in Jesus because He rose from the dead not because the bible says so. The foundation of our faith is a moment in history – Jesus rose from the dead.  People must come to terms with the identity of Jesus and his authority before they can believe. The foundation of your faith is a group of people that expected to find a body and didn’t.

- Don’t refer to the bible as a book. Never say god wrote the bible. It’s way better than a book.

- Cite authors not the Bible. James was the brother of Jesus. What would you have to do to convince your brother that you were the Son of God? We should not expect people to believe that Jesus rose from the dead because the bible says so. We believe because the witnesses said so and they saw it.

 - Acknowledge the odd as odd. There are some odd things in the Bible. Just say they're odd. We believe the Old Testament is true because Jesus believed that it was true. Anyone who predicts his own death and resurrection, I just go with what he says. Jesus said the Old Testament was scripture.

- Don’t create the impression that one must choose between faith and science. You want people who understand why things work like they do. 

And so my judgment is that we should not make it difficult 

for the Gentiles who are turning to God.

Acts 15:19 

Let's not make it difficult for our kids.

Wednesdays with Women in Kidmin

Wednesdays with Women in Kidmin is about bringing together some of the leading 

women in children's ministry to share their knowledge and passion. 

For us to gather and learn from each other...to sharpen each other.

As iron sharpens iron,

so a friend sharpens a friend.

Proverbs 27:17

The Rewards & Challenges of Leading a Team

- Robyn Collins

I think the most rewarding thing for me in leading a team is seeing people discover their hidden talents, and encouraging them in their gifts.

Every summer we get new interns. The first thing I ask them is "what do you want on your resume when you leave?" We make a list and then we make sure we get to these things. They don't always know what I mean by the question, so I will give them ideas. Because I'm a creative minister, we get to do some awesome things. I have had people write scripts, produce music videos, act, edit, lead teams. For example, with my tech intern, I turned over the tech team communications to him for the summer. This equipped him, pushed him into problem solving, and allowed him to put "managed a tech team for 10 live performances" on his resume. I think anytime you can help people understand their value and their worth, they will give you their best. The same is true with volunteers. Equipping and giving them room to explore gives them greater joy, and they end up being even more useful to you, as a bonus.

The thing that lets you know you are having an impact is when they come back to you with more questions, even if they have moved on physically.  I try to create an environment where everyone knows that our number one goal is to tell the true story of Jesus in as many ways as we possibly can, anything that doesn't fit into that filter ... doesn't happen.

The most challenging part of leading a team would have to be rogue volunteers. Every once in awhile you will have a volunteer that doesn't want to be led. They think they know better than you, and they don't mind sharing that. This might manifest itself in several ways. Maybe they don't stick to the curriculum you have given them, or they are adding things without checking with you. When that happens you start out by gently correcting and guiding. 

However, at the end of the day, if they still don't want to submit to the authority that God has given you... it is time to cut bait. Your senior pastor would never allow a naysayer or someone that was in continual disagreement with his procedures and beliefs serve on the pastoral team. 

The same is true with you. The tricky thing here is having a respect for authority yourself. If you are submitted to your pastor, then it's easy to say to the problem volunteer that you can't have someone on your team that doesn't agree with you. If they see you bucking your pastor, then they will think it's acceptable to buck you, but if they know that you have a healthy respect for your authority, you won't have to say more than what your actions are already saying. 

Some churches tend to let a squeaky wheel or grumbler change what they are doing. I am blessed to have a leadership that trusts me and backs me up when I see a potential problem. We will discuss the issue, find the most peaceable outcome and go for it. The goal is never to have to lose volunteers, but you must be wiling to do so, if it's best for the ministry and the kids. 

Being at church is a privilege, not a "right". You can't let a rebellious spirit invade your camp or it will come back to bite you.

Robyn Collins has been Long Hollow's children's creative minister since 2010. As an active writer, Robyn leads the way in creating custom curriculum, music, activities, and worship experiences for our children to meet and embrace Jesus Christ. She has recently become enchanted with songwriting. She says that we have to find as many ways as we possibly can to tell one story... and everyone already knows the ending.

Robyn's entire family is full of artistry: taking pictures, drawing, writing, making music, and enjoying God's gift of creativity. In her personal walk, she finds freedom from worry and anxiety in the comfort of Philippians 4:6.

twitter: @rbcwrites

blog: www.dearheartists.com