“Kids,” I began, “it was probably super inconvenient for the Samaritan to stop and help this man.  Maybe he had somewhere to be.  This really slowed down his trip.  But he did the right thing.  He helped out his neighbor, no matter what the cost.”  The presentation was great.  The heart of the story was tugging on my insides.  I actually teared up a little while closing out with the application.  Of course, that was just the practice session.

When it came to the real deal, something just wasn’t right.  The story of Luke 10 didn’t seem to connect with the kids.  When I encouraged the kids to pray and think about who they might be a neighbor to this week, things seem to fall flat.  The music was sub-par.  I just didn’t get it.  What went wrong?

I was laying in bed, rehashing the night.  ”Why didn’t it work, Lord?”  I prayed.  Practice was so on target.  Why didn’t it flesh out?

Suddenly, I realized.

I am the priest.  I am the Levite.

Wednesday afternoon, six hours before church, the phone rang.  I checked the caller ID and knew it was going to be a long conversation, and I was right in the middle of something.  I reasoned, I call this person back in a  few minutes.  Twenty minutes later, when I called back, they were no longer available, but the message on my answering machine kept playing over and over in my head.  The sadness in the voice.  The plea, “I just need someone to talk to.”

I was the Levite.  I am a teacher of the law.  I’m a Children’s Ministry director!   But when I saw an injured person in the road, I crossed to the other side.  I didn’t answer the phone.  I didn’t listen to the Holy Spirit and I wasn’t Responsible with the opportunity God had given me to be a neighbor to someone in need.

Scripture teaches us, out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks (Luke 6:45).  Clearly my heart was not in the right place.  I’ve been reading and thinking quite a bit about inviting the Holy Spirit to participate more in our Children’s Ministry program. Spurred by Michelle’s Anthony’s book, Dreaming for More, I’ve been praying more fervently for our kids to genuinely experience the voice of God.  Clearly, I need some work myself.  I was saying the right words, but they were falling flat because I wasn’t living them.   It’s a hard thing.   We get comfortable in “how we do things” and it’s hard to hand over the reigns to the Holy Spirit.  Of course, I know it’s a far better thing to have God in charge, but that doesn’t make it any easier.

What Do You Do?

How do you keep your mind tuned into the voice of the Holy Spirit?  Leave me a comment and let me know!

One of the excited things about The Gathering is the “Big Ten” announcement about all the things that are in the works for Tru.  In case you couldn’t make it, I wanted to fill you in!

#10: HomeFront is completely Redesigned!

The HomeFront monthly now comes in cool magazine format, and the e-magazine format is in the works so you can grab it on your e-reader as well.  The HomeFront weekly is less text heavy and a lot more fun to read!

#9: God in Action VBS

We love the idea of Go Big VBS and getting outside the walls of the church.  We took this same idea and revised the theme a little bit to create God in Action VBS.  It will be available in January and it will be based on the Action Bible.  It’s going to be a lot of fun!

#8 Tru Sunday School!

This is our most requested resource and now it’s finally here!  Of course, you don’t have to use it for Sunday School.  Use it wherever it fits in your ministry best!

#7 Tru Communities

We’re working on establishing 25 leaders throughout the United States in order to run the Tru Communities.  This will be a place where curriculum users can gather together monthly or quarterly and encourage each other or share ideas.  Currently, we’ve got about 12 leaders, so we’re well on our way!

#6 TruMinistry.com (launched Friday morning!)

This will be a place where Tru Community is happening all the time.  You can head to this site for videos from The Gathering, great ideas for lessons, decorations and more!

#5 New Site to Buy Curriculum

Also in the works is a new place to buy curriculum — stay tuned!

#4 Family Ministry Conversations

These will be happening around the United States throughout the year.  They are a one day event about the philosophy of Tru and family ministry.   What’s new this year is a follow-up event about a week later — a webinar with Michelle where you can ask all the questions that popped up as you sat at home and digested all the stuff you learned at the original event.

#3 Level Up (June Special)

During the month of June, when you buy any package of Tru, you are automatically BUMPED UP to the next level!  If you’re package isn’t expired in June, don’t worry. You can buy the level up special and apply it to the end of your contract.

#2 Double the Gathering!

This year, we had to turn a lot of people away because we wanted to maintain the small, close-knit atmosphere you’ve come to expect at The Tru Gathering.  However, we want as many people as possible to get the benefits of The Gathering, so we’re hosting two next year!  California will remain one location and we’re still deciding on location number two.  Stay tuned!

#1 Tru Give

We’re really excited about this one!  Whenever you buy a package of Tru, you get the privilege of gifting that exact same package to any church you’re like.  If you’re partnered with a church and they would never be able to afford Tru, now you can be the hero!   And they’ll get a top-notch product to boot!

What about You?

What change are you most excited about?  Leave me a comment and let me know!  (Comments close after 2 weeks, but you can always reach me through the Contact page)

* This post is part of  series of live blogging posts from David C. Cook’s “The Gathering” conference in Costa Mesa, CA.  For all The Gathering posts, click here! *

During Tommy Larson’s breakout session on Worship as a Response (at The Gathering), I was about to chat with Ruth from Pasco Christian Church for a bit.  She volunteers in the preschool class and sometimes fills in the elementary program as well.  Here’s what she had to say about Tru:

Q: How long have you been using TruWonder? 

A:  Just over a year now.

Q: What do  you like best about the curriculum? 

A: I like that there is always a full night planned.  I like the theme and how everything connects together.  The explore part is my favorite because you are able to chat with the kids a bit, but you’re also about to channel that communication towards the theme or lesson for the night, making a bigger impact.

Q:  If you could change something or improve, what would it be? 

A: I would add more big visuals for the TruWonder.  Sometimes a story only has 1 or 2 pictures, and sometimes it doesn’t have any.  I find that the pictures really draw the kids in and it’s hard to keep them engaged when there isn’t something for them to look at.

Thanks Ruth!!

* This post is part of  series of live blogging posts from David C. Cook’s “The Gathering” conference in Costa Mesa, CA *

Check out all The Gathering posts here! 

When you take a look at Scripture, Tommy begins, you see some incredible responses to God’s power and provision.  Take Exodus 15 for example, when Moses and the Israelites were escaping from Egypt.  After God closes the Red Sea on Pharoah and his army, God’s people break into a song.   It couldn’t have been pre-written because it was about their experiences at that moment.  Take a look:

“I will sing to the Lord,
for he is highly exalted.
The horse and its rider
he has hurled into the sea.
² The Lord is my strength and my song;
he has become my salvation.
He is my God, and I will praise him,
my father’s God, and I will exalt him.
³ The Lord is a warrior;
the Lord is his name.
⁴ Pharaoh’s chariots and his army
he has hurled into the sea.
The best of Pharaoh’s officers
are drowned in the Red Sea.
⁵ The deep waters have covered them;
they sank to the depths like a stone.

Tommy jokes with the audience, “There was even some special music!  If you check out a few verses later, Miriam grabs a tambourine and has a little solo!”   He explains further, the Israelites experienced something so miraculous and powerful that day that they had to respond.

Does that happen to us today?

Tommy shares a little of his story with us:

“My wife and I got married a little later in life.  I was thirty-three and people were breathing down my neck like you wouldn’t believe.  Well, when we got married we decided we wanted to start a family, but it didn’t go like we expected.  We struggled, we went to doctors, we took tests, we prayed.  It was a very hard time.  It was almost a shameful thing.   And it was really hard for my wife.   We had been prayed for a number of times, but one time in particular was really special.  I could just sense God’s power and it really united us as a couple.  We decided to go see the specialist again.  We made an appointment for Monday.  Well, my wife thought she better take a test before we went, so Friday she took one that we had got in some kit or packet (you know, the free kind!).  It was really faint.  I thought, ‘Another negative’.  The next day, I was in meetings, so my phone was off.  She was home by herself, so she decided to get one of those tests that have words on them!  She took the test and it was positive.  Pregnant!  She said she just kept going from room to room, not knowing exactly what to do (and we only had a two bedroom condo!).  Then, she just felt compelled to drop to her knees and worship God.  It was like she didn’t have a choice.  She experienced something so miraculous and powerful that she had to respond.”

Of course, Tommy and his wife instantly fell in love with their little boy, James.  (Look at that kid, who wouldn’t?)It was amazing.  Almost beyond understanding.  Think in your mind about the person you love the most and then… think that GOD loves YOU so much more than that.  The way you look at your little one is the way He looks at you.  Amazing.

But, we don’t always get those “miracle” moments.  So how do we worship God in the midst of everyday circumstances?

Colossians 1:15-20 talks about the supremacy of Christ and how “He holds all things together”.  All things.  Sometimes I feel like life is spinning out of control and I only have one life (plus the kids!) to take care of.  Can you imagine holding all the things of the world together?  God’s supremacy is amazing.  It deserves worship.

Sometimes we forget to pause in the midst of life and worship God for WHO HE IS.  For His goodness.  For His supremacy.   Instead we worship other things.  Tommy challenged the audience to take worship beyond the church service.  To worship at home through prayer.

Response Time for the Kids

After reminding the audience to walk what they talk, Tommy shifted gears to talk more about the Response stations that are part of the Tru curriculum.  He affirmed that God can speak to children.  If God can talk to ravens (1 Kings 17:1-3) and they listen, surely God can speak to children as well.

He shares a story about his beloved son James.  Modeling is one of the environments promoted in Spiritual Parenting, so Tommy brings little James (who is now 2 years old) into the sanctuary at the end of service in order to sing and worship together as a family.   He remembers looking down and seeing James, with his hands lifted high, following the lead of all the people around him.   Perhaps he doesn’t understand everything, but he’s getting there through modeling.

We wanted to create environments where kids could be still and hear God.  Here’s a few of the stations:

Journal Station

Journal Station

 Art Station

Art Station

 Prayer Wall (uses clothespins)

(Check out more pictures at this post)

Since we began using these Respond times, it’s amazing how the prayers have changed.  We used to get a lot of “my goldfish died” or “my cat is sick”.  Now, here’s a few I just took from the prayer wall:

• Lord, please soften my dad’s heart and help him to know that he is loved.
• Lord, thank you for giving me the perfect body – I’m just who you want me to be.
• Help me to be a true Christian.  Some of the kids at school are using mean words.  I don’t want to be like that.

I am just amazed at what has happened when we stepped back and waited for the Holy Spirit to do his thing.   Tommy told of a time when they wanted the kids to praise God for who He is.  We wanted to get out of the way and allow God to move, so we asked the question, “What do you love about God?” and then we waited.  It was complete silence – for almost a minute, which you know is long time for Children’s Ministry!  Then suddenly, one girl stood up and then another kid, and then another and suddenly there was an explosion of praise in the room.

As Tommy recounted this story, I was fighting back tears.  That’s what I want for our kids.   A genuine encounter with God.

How can kids hear from God?

Tommy shared something one of the kids said: “I hear from God like when I’m praying and a word will come into my head and I know God wants me to be THAT word…like kind or patient.”

That’s really cool.  That’s the story I want to be part of.  God’s story.

Another cool thing Rock Harbor church does is during Kids Worship Team practice.  After practicing the songs, they use the last 20 minutes and take prayers from the prayer wall and prayer over them.  Then, the kids sign them and return them to the prayer wall.  It’s really when kids come back in and see that their peers had taken the time to pray for them.

Question and Answer Time

Q: How long is your respond time?

A: Usually around 5-7 minutes for the elementary kids.

Q: Sometimes in the curriculum, there are other options listed for the Respond.  How do we use these?  Should we replace the regular stations?

A: We have a few constant stations – journaling, art, prayer wall, but then occasional we’ll add a station for a week or two if the curriculum suggests it.  Then kids will have a few extra options.

Q: You talked about Worship Team practice – can you tell us more about that?

A: We have a team of 3^rd, 4^th, 5^th graders — they have to collect references and have an interview process, just like the adults.  Now, we let all the kids do it, but we might have to work with them a little bit to make sure their heart is in the right place first.  During the 1^st Tuesday, we practice the month’s upcoming songs.  We do some educating — like what does it mean to worship?  Then we spend some time praying for others at the end.

Q: When do you take the prayers down off the Prayer wall?

A: We clear the board at every Remember and Celebrate – so during week #6 and #13.

Q: What about preschool?  Do you have permanent stations for them?

A: No, we use those at key times.  Otherwise, stuff would be everywhere and they would really lose their meaning.  So we bring them out when appropriate and then put them away again.

Q: What happens up front during up front during Respond time?  

A: A slower song with happen up front during Respond time so the kids can respond in worship to the story they just heard.  If kids feel led, they can go to different stations around the room, but not everyone wants to go do a station.  Leaders can also go to the stations at this time so they can either model the response or pray over the kids.

Just remember, the freeing part is that you CANNOT transform these kids.  That’s not our job.  We can create the environment and then let the Holy Spirit do his job.  Model the response.  Pray for these kids.  And then, get out of the way.

p.s. Diane and Mikayla, it was great sitting next to you ladies!

I had the pleasure of catching up with Dr. Michelle Anthony to talk about her soon to be released book, Dreaming For More.   It was so great talking with her and you the passion she has for Children’s Ministry, families, and the work of the Holy Spirit is so evident.  Her effervescent personality fills the room and the warmth she exhibits towards each person is refreshing.   I was both inspired and convicted by her book, and was so glad I had the opportunity to talk with her more about it.

Using the Home Front Papers

I had heard a lot of good things about Home Front, the parent “take-home” paper, but I had my doubts.  In Dreaming for More, Michelle spoke of “inverting the take home paper” — giving it to parents ahead of time so they could teach the lesson to their kids and then we, as Kidmin workers, could follow up and support the parents in their role as leader.  The trouble is, sometimes it seems like teachers don’t even read the lesson ahead of time (not my workers, of course, they are fabulous!).  How could we get parents to make this investment?

Michelle nods in recognition and then explains, “They are pretty easy to get through.  There are some activities, some conversations starters, stuff like.  It used to be pretty text heavy, but we’ve recently changed the format to make it more visually appealing and I think parents are more apt to read it now.   Even if they don’t read any of the lesson stuff, there is a place where we ask them to open the Bible to the passage and read the week’s passage to their kids.  It’s just a few verses (and a couple of discussion questions) but it’s getting both the parents and the kids into the Word.  I think parents WANT to read the Bible, but they aren’t really sure where to go.  I know one guy who just opens the Bible and reads whatever page it lands on. This just gives them some guidance.  Once they try it, usually they are hooked.  So, that’s what I would say to parents and leaders — just try it one time.  Pick a time… maybe when the little ones are in the bath, or when you’re driving an older child to practice.  Redeem the time that you’re already spending with them.   And tell the kids about it during the week — ask them, “How many of you did your Home Front weekly?” and then the kids start prompting.  We don’t want to use guilt, but we want to help them.  Baby steps!

Creating a Safe Place

Michelle wrote, when you do away with the obsession with morals and allow the Holy Spirit to be in charge, it creates a much safer environment for the kids.    And that’s what we want, a safer place for everyone.

I wondered if created a safe place for kids would lead to more confession and repentance.  Do we want that for our kids?  Is that something that is meaningful and age appropriate?

Michelle answers, “Especially in the small group time, I would love to see some general confession, like “I’ve been struggling with a bad attitude this week”.  It would be great to see small group leaders modeling that a bit, demonstrating the need everyone has for a Savior.  As far as specific confession, perhaps one-on-one with a leader, or even with their parents, or maybe alone during the respond time.   You have to be careful, because kids can still be cruel, so we don’t want to give them too much ammunition.  It needs to be shepherded.  Under guidance though, it would be great to see some confession and repentance in the church, and the home.   Parents modeling confession could be powerful too.”

Why Isn’t Anyone Talking About the Holy Spirit?

One quote that stood out to me in Michelle’s book was, “many Children’s ministry people are skeptical about promoting the Holy Spirit’s power and position”.  I inquired about Michelle’s take on why this occurs.

She explained,  ”I think Satan likes to take anything good that the Lord has given us and ruin it for everyone.  Look at the gift of sex and how distorted that has become. In fact, he distorted it so much, that now people think it’s a bad thing.  The Holy Spirit was a gift to us as well, and people have misused and abused the idea of the Holy Spirit and the power He has.  As a result, I think people shy away from the Holy Spirit’s power because they don’t want to be lumped in with that abusive theology.  We’ve kind of created this new Trinity — God, Jesus, and the Bible!

If you remember the Reformation, it was all about going back to the Word, the Word, the Word.  Then the Renaissance was more about the Spirit and the senses.  And these things kind of ended up at war with one another.   Also, the Spirit can’t be explained, and people don’t like that.  We are a rationale generation, and we like to make sense of things.  The Holy Spirit doesn’t always make sense.

Brokenness, Sinfulness, and Redemption

Michelle nods enthusiastically.  I absolutely think they get it — maybe not intellectually, but on a spiritual level.  I’ve had kids who were 3 years old who was upset because she had hurt someone’s feelings and she was grieving over that.  God puts his law on our hearts.  Intellectually, we might have to wait awhile for kids to get it, but spiritually, they get it from the beginning.

In a home environment, parents can see a child’s heart better.  As parents, we can recognize the propensities our child has early on, whether its deceit or selfishness, and we can see where the Holy Spirit is intervening in their lives to break some of those propensities down.  So, we can give our children language for what’s going on, even if they don’t really get it all right away.  Instead of just saying, “No, that’s wrong”, we explore the heart a little more.  Why did you sin?  What’s going on in your heart?  What do you think is going on in God’s heart?

Michelle told a really touching story about a mom and her preteen daughter.  The daughter seemed to be obsessed with her birthday, talking about it for months ahead of time, planning details, making wish lists and things of that nature.  The mom was so exasperated, thinking “It just seems so self-indulgent, I just want to get her nothing because she’s being like that!”  Michelle encouraged her to think about why the daughter was acting like that.  Suddenly, it was like a lightbulb moment.  The girl had been having a really hard time in school that year, feeling like no one liked her, struggling with friends, and focusing on her birthday was a (subconscious) way to feel really special and valued for a day.  Once mom realized that, she was able to have a really meaningful conversation with her daughter and together they began to create ways for the daughter to feel valued and special everyday.

Chaos, Control, and the Holy Spirit

I love the idea of leaving room for the Holy Spirit, but I have to admit, I’m a little nervous to let go of that control and let kids “do their own thing with God”.  So often, in Kidmin, downtime equals chaos.   Certainly, kids can’t hear from the Holy Spirit when their friends are running all over the gym screaming.  So, I asked Michelle, how do we leave room (and time) for the Holy Spirit without losing all order?

Michelle laughed and called one of her friends over.  Apparently he had been wondering the same thing the day before! She answered, “I think this was the biggest surprise for me when we started to do Respond.  We thought the kids are going to go mad.  It actually had the opposite effect.  When we entrusted to them that time and space — of course, we framed it for them, letting them know it was not time to chat with their friends or play or whatever, but it was time to be with God — I was AMAZED at the respect and reverence we saw displayed.   Sometimes you need to help the atmosphere a little bit with lighting and music — even adults are effected by that. Like anything, kids can be trained on how to behave.  You walk into a 1st grade class and everyone is sitting quietly and working.  Maybe the first week, some extra correction and training needs to take place, but they will get it.”

I wondered, “Are we then training kids to respond in a fake way to the Holy Spirit, pretending to hear from God because they are trained that this is the time where we hear from God?”

We have stations and they go to these stations and then they go straight into small group from there.  There isn’t really a time when we ask them “Who heard from God” or “What did God tell you?” We don’t want to make it this performance thing or some kind of measurement of spirituality.  Some kids don’t hear from God.  Now, if they want to talk about it in small group, they are welcome to do so, but we don’t really make it a big deal, so they don’t feel that pressure to perform.   I think if it was a really impactful experience, then they will talk about it, but often times we don’t hear about it.  We hear about it from their parents!   They will come back and say, “What are you doing?” because the kids will get in the car and talk about something they prayed about or something they wrote in their journal.

Let’s Talk More About Those Parents

Excited to hear more news about the parents, I asked Michelle, “Do you think this is having a ripple effect and changing families?”

Michelle’s eyes light up as she exclaims, “Absolutely! It helps them to be more engaged because they can see a real difference.  It’s like they are starting to feel ‘I want to experience God like that’.   I don’t think there’s any one way the ripple is headed.  The Holy Spirit works when and how he chooses.  Children awakening parents.  Parents awakening kids.  Leaders awakening kids.  Parents awakening leaders.  Kids awakening other kids.

The other day we had a 1^st grader go to the prayer wall, but for some reason, there was no leader there to help him.  A 5^th grader saw that, walked over, and said “I’ll help you.  I’ll pray with you”.  You know, that was prompted by the Holy Spirit.  That would have never happened before in our ministry.  There wouldn’t even had been an opportunity. ”

What About My Volunteers?

Michelle shared a powerful story in Dreaming For More about a time when she and the volunteer team decided they were going to leave room for the Holy Spirit.  They asked a questions and then waited.  The decided they were going to wait, no matter how long it took.  I remember laughing out loud when I read the next part:

“It felt like an eternity waiting.  I was uncomfortable.  My leaders were uncomfortable.  The kids were…well, bored.” (105)

Sometimes I feel like how the leaders feel is as much motivation as anything when it comes to Children’s Ministry.  After all, we don’t want to lose volunteers by created horrible awkward moments!  (By the way, an amazing story unfolds because of this situation, one that had me in tears two pages later — read if for yourself!)  So, how do we deal with that situation?

Michelle gave a great idea.  She suggested having a meeting with all your volunteers seated at a table and just go around and ask them, “Why are we doing ministry?  Why are YOU doing ministry?”  Get people to articulate that they DO want kids to hear from God and be transformed and then explain that leaving room for the Holy Spirit is HOW we’re going to make those things happen.  Share the seven pillars of ministry, even if you’re not using Tru, it’s a great philosophy.

Michelle’s friend chimed in, sharing something he had recently read on a blog, “People don’t care what you do, they care WHY you do it.”  We’ve got to help people catch the vision!

THANKS MICHELLE! IT WAS SO GREAT TALKING WITH YOU!

Now, the Giveaway!

I was so inspired by Michelle’s not-yet-released book, Dreaming for More, and I want you to be inspired too!   Enter the giveaway through Rafflecopter!

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More Posts You Might Like

The Power Behind the Story (General Session with Michelle)

Interview with Dr. Gregg Jantz

Prayer Experience Pictures

* This post is part of  series of live blogging posts from David C. Cook’s “The Gathering” conference in Costa Mesa, CA *

Be sure to check out the other live bloggers:

Amy Dolan @ Lemon Lime Kids

Jonathon Cliff

Greg Baird @ Kidmin360

Follow on Twitter with #DCCTG12

For the last keynote speaker at David C. Cook’s The Gathering, Tommy Larson did an interview with Dr. Gregg Jantz, author of over 22 books, including his latest release, “The Stranger in Your House“.    Here are some of the questions and answers from the very interactive session.

Q: What happens when the line between pastoral care and professional help gets blurry?

A: As ministry leaders, we want to speak to their soul, or speak to their heart.  We have to be careful not to create a co-dependency by excusing or enabling the behavior.  We need to ask the Lord for discernment.  Sometimes we have to say “this is bigger than what I can do for you”.  You need to take the next step.   They need to go somewhere and change their environment.

Q: I think the fear is so prevalent–especially for me as a pastor — to cower a little bit from needy people.  On Saturdays, we’re here getting ready and sometimes we get knock after knock at the door — and there are homeless people. It’s hard to know what to do.  I mean, you’re there, trying to get ready, trying to prep for service… Part of it is being concerned about the load you were already carrying and also being fearful about stepping into that mess.  So we called someone else.  What should we do?

A: There are God opportunities — that happens.  Sometimes God brings people into our life for a reason.  But that doesn’t mean we’re the ONLY ones who can help.

Q: So we should call you.

A: (Laughs) Did you want my number?

Q: So, how do we asses that?  When it’s our role and when is it more?

A: Look for a pattern.  Am I doing the same thing over and over again?  And what does this person really need?  Pray about that.  Perhaps I can be the facilitator to get them help, but it doesn’t always have to be my primary responsibility.

These are the biggest issues:  anger, fear (anxiety), and guilt.  Watch how these things are manifested.  And watch how you are reacting when you are with this person.  Do you feel those same things when you’re with them?  And where is that coming from?

Q: As you look at the different issues, what are the biggest issues facing families right now?

A: Eating disorders in the younger ages (11,12,13)… early sexualization makes girls grow up faster…depression (20% of teenagers have true depression)…suicide is the #1 cause of death in teens.

Q: Is there a central theme somewhere?

A: Forgiveness… everyone we work with has to come that point where they need to either forgive an abuser or forgive a situation and then eventually they need to forgive themselves.

Q: What happens when people try to conquer these things outside of Christ?

A: People end up feeling like no one loves them, even God.  They get such a self-hatred and then they end up being self-destructed.  The enemy really gets ahold of that and tries to strip people of hope.

Q: You saw the video, about taking VBS  outside the walls of the church — how can we prepare ourselves for that?  To deal with some of those deep-seeded sin issues? What are some resources?

A: Well, I’ve written a few good books!   I used to have the “yes disease”… I would see people all week, all day…people and people and more people, and I ended up having a huge crash… and I wasn’t practicing good self-care.  We need to have a plan for that in place

Q: Tell us about your new book, “The Stranger in Your House“. 

A: This is a lot of the things I learned while raising my own kids.  I have a 9 year old and 13 year old.  I made all the technology mistakes.  One day, I was doing a TV segment about technology, so I thought it’d be fun for all of us to gater up the devices with screens and take them to the set.  Between the three of us, we had 18 screen devices! That’s not good.  When my boys were texting at the dinner table, I knew I had a problem.  There’s actually some research that says if we overstimulate the young brain with technology, it can lead to “an addiction brain”.  So, parents need to be careful about the amount of “screen time” your kids are getting.  It can lead to more than just anti-social behavior.

The book also covers some of the changes that adolescence kids are going through, from the hormones to the social aspect.  Depression is huge, we already covered that, and a depressed teenager is an unpredictable teenager.  We need to make sure that we set up boundaries to keep these kids safe.  Sure, they are going to test those boundaries — it’s like their job!  But we still need to be vigilant about the technology we allow in our home.

Q: It’s funny — we used to have phones, computers, paper to write letters on, but now… we hold all these things in our pocket.  It’s funny how this little thing (holds up his smart phone) can become so addictive.  I really feel like sometimes I can’t live without it.  

A: Oh yeah, we see that a lot at my center.  When people go into rehab, we have to take people’s screens and lock them up.  People have to go through technology detox….it’s almost astonishing how much we get attached to technology.  They get jittery, irritable– all the signs of withdrawal.

QUESTIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE

Q: What did you do with your sons when you found about about the 18 screens?

A:Well, we take away screens during the week.  No cell phone at school… not all week, but he can have it on the weekend.  Of course, there are passwords on everything.  We talk about appropriate texting and online reputation.  No texting in the morning… b/c it could ruin someone’s whole day…   with the Xbox… I have to keep looking at the games … now the biggest challenge is now going to other people’s homes and keeping the rules when we’re outside the house.

Q: I bet the job is really tough.  How do you not take it bed with you or take it home with you?  

A: I remember one case we had.  This girl was six years old.  She the youngest anorexic ever recorded.  Her parents simply could not get her to eat.  She had been through no trauma, she was an cute little girl.  They just didn’t know what was wrong.   Previously, (at other centers) staff had restrained her and forced food into her mouth, but still, it wasn’t making a difference.  We were at a complete loss.

The Lord really taught be a lesson when I was dealing with this case.  I was so worried about this little girl!  What if she died on our watch.  I would wake up at night in a cold sweat, just thinking about her and worrying about her.   One day,  I was driving home from the store or something and I saw a sign that said “Free Kittens”.  I just felt the Holy Spirit telling me to stop and get one of those kittens.   I went in and asked the man if there was a runt of the litter.  He replied, “Sure, but she’s probably going to die.”  I exclaimed, “Yep, that’s the one I want!”  I thought if I could show her..the importance of food, maybe that would help.

I brought the kitten in to this little girl and I said, “Now, you’re job is to keep this kitten alive.”  We thought she was going to wear the fur off this kitten!  She pet it all day long.   Then one day, she asked for food.   The nurse ran out and said, “I don’t know what to do!  She’s asking for food!”  We told her to ask the little girl what she wanted, and upon request, Pop-Tarts were brought in.  Come to find out, the little girl’s body was not producing Human Growth Hormone and the touch of the kitten released that hormone.  She simply wasn’t hungry because her body wasn’t growing.

I learned that day to let God do his work.  No problem is too big for him.  No puzzle is too confounding.  He knows all, and he knows how to make things right.  Sometimes we need to let go and let God.

Amen.

Read the Other Bloggers Take on this Session:

Jonathon Cliff

Amy Dolan

Greg Baird

As I was standing in line at the CAF at RockHarbor church (seriously, when is our church going to get a cafe?) I was able to talk with Tammy and Keith from Nebraska about their experience with Tru.  They are from Christ Community church have been using the curriculum for about three years.

Here’s what they had to say:

Q: What’s your favorite part of Tru?

A: Our favorite part is The Big Story. I love kids can see that the Bible is actually part of history and those were real places and real people.  It’s amazing when they figure out that God’s Story is still going, and they can be a part of it!

Q: How do you make God’s Big Story really come to life for the kids?

A: We do a lot (a LOT) of interactive stuff.  The kids will do drama on stage, playing the characters or they will make sound effects.  Recently, we were talking about the good kings and bad kings and whenever I said “bad king”, they would all “Booo!” They get a real kick out of that.

Also, during the Traditions time (memory verse time), we have the kids who already memorized the verse come up on stage and then THEY are the teachers, and they spend a couple of minutes teaching the verse to the other kids.  It’s a lot of fun.

Q: If there was anything you could change or improve with Tru, what would it be?

A:  Maybe the Respond time.  It’s hard to make the options fit for all our kids because we have 1st, 2nd, and 3rd graders all together and 1st grader’s developmental level is WAY different than a 3rd graders, so sometimes that’s hard.  I feel like they don’t always connect to the Respond time… I would like to see a way to make it a little more real to them.

* This post is part of  series of live blogging posts from David C. Cook’s “The Gathering” conference in Costa Mesa, CA. *

*I’m still looking for YOUR story with Tru!  Send me a tweet @lrwhitney or leave a comment! *

Be sure to check out the other live bloggers:

Amy Dolan @ Lemon Lime Kids

Jonathon Cliff

Greg Baird @ Kidmin360

Follow on Twitter with #DCCTG12

There was a prayer experience on Wednesday night that took participants on a self-guided tour through the Centre (sanctuary).  Here are some of the stations that were available.  If you went through the exercise, I would love to talk with you about your experience!  Send me a tweet @lrwhitney or leave a comment!

Writing your part in the Big God Story (Prayer Experience)

Prayer Wall

Prayer Wall

Chapters of our Life

Chapters of my life handout

The cool thing about having The Gathering at Rock Harbor church is the opportunity to see Tru in action.  The classrooms are set up as they are throughout the week, so we can see the different response stations for the kids.  Today we’ll get to see the class experience in action, so I’m excited for that!

Journal Response

Journal Station

I like the heavy duty journal and Bibles underneath

Prayer Response

Prayers are held on with clothespin and yarn

Prayer Wall

Art Station

Art Station

I’m loving the decorations and stage sets here at RockHarbor Church.  Here’s some pictures I snagged throughout the day! (p.s. I seriously need an Eye-Fi Card.  Or a smart phone)

Love those trees! (On stage)

Back patio (with water fountains!)

Gourmet Grilled Cheese!!

That's a good looking sandwich!

Matt Guevara at his breakout

Closer view of the timeline

Cool bookcase decorations suspended on stage

Playhouse room set-up for TruWonder

Home Front display in hallway (love the baskets!)