Living By The Gospel by Mike Holmes

Recently, at a conference where I was speaking, a layman testified about how someone had donated their frequent flyer miles allowing him to go on a missions trip. He was very excited about his “free ticket”. It got me to thinking about my ticket that I had bought online many month before. Every penny had come from love offerings taken for our ministry, or income from donations from God’s good people who I have met over the years. It made me really sit back and thank God for the verse that teaches that those that preach the Gospel get to live by the Gospel. For nearly 20 years now, every bill I have has been paid for by the Lord blessing upon my life. Thanks to Him, I get free housing, free food, free clothes and occasionally a free ticket too!

One Night - Three Important Lessons by Tim Demoret

Church: a place of learning. Our church runs a "Patch the Pirate Club" on Wednesday nights. My main roll is to run the bus and pick up the kids. This night was a bit different. Throughout the night, I had the opportunity to be part of three important learning times.

Going Home?!
Visualized Songs for Adults
Putting God First

Going Home?! One of the hardest parts about picking up kids for church is taking them home, especially when they have to go home before church even starts. Two boys went home last night just after we arrived at church with the bus. Both had disgusting stuff coming out of their mouths, but they went home for entirely different reasons. One was regurgitating supper while the other was spewing the filth of this world. One willingly went home to rest and allow his body to recover while the other desperately begged to stay and repeated promises that had been previously broken many times over. Sick of body and sick of heart: one causes the heart to ache while the other causes the blood to boil.

Whenever I have to exercise higher levels of disciple (i.e. taking kids home and talking with their parents), I revisit in my mind the purpose of disciple. Proverbs 9:10 says, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom...” Proverbs 19:23 also explains, “The fear of the LORD tendeth to life: and he that hath it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil.” I have concluded that in the church ministry, the “You're going home!” statement is reserved for those who have exhibited a lack of fear for the authority. The Bible is clear that judgment comes to sinners. When anyone lives with the belief that their actions will go unpunished, it is impossible to teach them anything [and they usually keep many others from learning as well]. Consequently, I have concluded that it is sometimes necessary to take action to help a child understand that there is punishment for sin. When I take a child home, I must remember that I am still teaching the child a lesson: the cause and effect of sin.

Visualized Songs for Adults. We were shorthanded last night as our song leader and both piano players were out of town. As the substitute song leader, I brought along several of the visualized songs I normally sing with the kids. Good songs are full of truth and can be taught as well as sung. Since I normally sing these songs with kids, I naturally teach something from the songs each time we sing them. Last night, the adults got a few lessons during the song service as well: Happiness is the Lord—a relationship with God is the only source of “real joy”, Trust and Obey--”there is no other way to be happy in Jesus”, and Whisper a Prayer in the Morning.

Putting God First. Matthew 6:33 says, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Last night, I had the opportunity to revisit this truth. For me, Sundays have become a very special time of growing closer to God while helping others to know Him as well. As more people minimize the importance of this day, I choose to personally lift up this important “Day of the Lord”, and tonight, I had the opportunity to encourage another to do the same. Sometimes, this priority requires making sacrifices, but God promises to take care of all the extra “things” (whether it be the workers I need to faithfully reach kids on Sunday or the money from the job that wants priority control of my schedule).

Another day in the service of the King has brought a few new “things” (new kids at church, new problems to face, and new ideas to ponder) as well as the opportunity to revisit the old truths that ground my faith and practice.

“But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory
through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
1 Corinthians 15:57

One Sunday

Working with kids and teens is an exciting ministry. Last Sunday, I had the privilege doing both in my local church. Between the bus route, teen Sunday school class, and children's church program, last Sunday morning was a tiring, yet rewarding experience. Here are four of the many highlights of that morning.

How young is too young?
Remembering the “Great Commission”!
The difference between feeling saved and being saved.
The chocolate bar caper!

Too Young? Our bus route flyer advertises that children under the age of five must be accompanied by an adult to ride the bus. For the last two weeks, two little girls (ages 2 and 3) came as visitors of their cousins. I went by on Saturday to explain to their mom that they were to young to ride the bus only to find out that the family had moved out of state earlier in the week. On Sunday, some other kids brought their younger brother and sister (ages 3 & 4). [I must admit that I have a terrible time saying no to kids that want to bring others to church.] When trouble arose, I was very thankful that someone was not only available, but also willing to spend some special time with troublesome three-year-old and his mischievous older brother. I once again confronted the issue of whether I should be more strict on the age limit. After talking with the teacher of that age of kids (a lady with a wonderful passion for teaching the “little ones”), I once again had to admit that these kids need the truth just as much the rest of them. Even at two and three, they are developing their core values of right and wrong. They need someone in their lives to be a faithful example of living by and teaching God's rules. Teaching a three-year-old that God is good and that he never lies will go a long way in helping that person grow up knowing that God's truth—the Bible—can help them live a purposeful and fulfilling life. As long as God continues to send these little ones my way, I will continue to share with them His Great Truth (with the help of God's willing servants in His church)! They are never too young to begin learning about God.

Great Commission. Last week I came across a unique video on Google video. Basically, it was a commercial for the great commission (Matthew 28:18-20). Using death rate statistics (an average of 1.78 deaths per second = 56 million per year) and someone's computer graphic rendition of a person falling into Hell, this 1 ½ minutes video is a good reminder to tell others about Christ. I decided to use this video in my teen Sunday school class and ended up using it in children's church as well. My lesson for the teens was on the role of authorities in our lives. This video helped me remind them that our main authority—God Almighty—has task we are required to take part in also. We have a “faith which was once delivered” but must be shared many time over.

“I don't feel saved.” During the children's church invitation, a faithful seven-year-old expressed this concern along with bona fide fear of Hell. This little one knew that she had been “saved,” and I knew that her parents spent careful time explaining what salvation truly means. Thankfully, I understand that assurance of salvation often comes some time after a person is truly saved (Ephesians 6:17; 1 Thessalonians 5:8). Having talked with this girl before, I simply explained that salvation occurs when someone expresses belief that Christ paid for their sin when He died on the cross. Salvation doesn't depend on how we feel, but solely on God's promise to forgive our sins by placing them on Jesus. The girl soon realized that she did not need to fear Hell (which she had just seen in the video I showed), she was protected by the promise of a loving God. After later talking with here parents, I praised God that there are still families raising their kids to know God and helping them to grow in wisdom and favor with God and man.

The chocolate bar caper! Boy One receives a large chocolate candy bar in Sunday school as an award. Boy Two takes the large chocolate candy bar during children's church and shares it with friends. After church, the bus captain—i.e. me—discovers Boy Two and friends at the back of the bus with chocolate all over their faces and no end of denying that they had done wrong. Caught? Yes. Repentant? No. Lesson Learned? Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” 1) teach Boy Two and friends that hiding sin doesn't work & 2) visit Boy One at home to deliver a new chocolate bar with an “I care about you” smile.

Even after ten years of working with young people, each day has it's challenges. However, I work for the God who specializes in the impossible. Whether it is teaching that sin has consequences or that salvation is forever, teaching the Word of God to young people is never boring and always rewarding.