Mike Johnson

Korea in a Week - Expectations

  
I must say that when I went to Korea, I didn't have high expectations. The organizer of the conference told me in advance not to expect a large group of people. Instead, he told me to remember that this conference would be a good start toward increasing the awareness of the importance of Children's Ministry in the life of the Korean church. I think he was afraid I would be disappointed by the turn out and he wanted to make sure my expectations weren't set too high.

I had my own doubtful expectations before the trip as well. I wondered if what I had to say would have any relevance to a nation on the other side of the world. I wondered if the FC Kids philosophy of ministry would have any impact on a culture so different from ours. I wondered if my sessions on volunteering would add any insight to a culture that exudes servanthood. I wondered if the trip was even worth taking. 

But then the trip came, and along with it came the realization that both my expectations and the organizer's expectations were way too low. With over one thousand people in attendance and an overwhelmingly positive response, I once again remembered that I should NEVER have low expectations about what God can and will do if I just make myself available. 

When you live out the principle of Ephesians 3:20, believing that God is able to accomplish infinitely more than you might ask or think, you can have confidence that God will put you in places where He can have a huge impact through you. Your primary job is to realize that you are in those places not because of your own special ability, but solely because of your willingness to be a vessel that God can work through. 

So, open yourself up to the opportunities God has placed in your life. Let Him bring to you what He has planned for you. Don't let low expectations discourage you and keep you from the amazing experiences God has created for you. Embrace each opportunity as a chance to make a difference in the kingdom of God, and then sit back and let Him do the rest.

C3 Kids - Heading to South Korea!

Over the past four years I have developed a relationship with Steve Kim, a man who has a strong heartbeat for churches in South Korea. As I have gotten to know him, his enthusiasm has ignited a passion within me to help Korean churches better understand the importance of children's ministry. Well, this Thursday I will have the privilege go to South Korea for nine days of teaching (and learning).

While in Korea I will be leading two C3 Kids conferences for ministry leaders and volunteers. One conference will be in Seoul and the other in Pusan (also spelled Busan). Each conference will last two days as I speak on the core principles of FC Kids and on how to recruit and retain volunteers. At Fellowship Church we have a great gal named Hae who has translated, with subtitles, all my videos and my notes. All of my spoken material will be translated by an interpreter as I speak. I will also be making some contacts to see if we can get Elevate translated into Korean... which would be awesome! 

I'm excited to see Christ moving in a culture different from the one I see every day. I hope to be inspired and encouraged in the fact that even though we come from different parts of the world, with different backgrounds and cultures, we are all united in our relationship with Jesus Christ. 

As excited as I am about this trip, I'm a bit nervous about a steady diet of Korean food. Is chicken fried rice Korean? ! I will have a translator with me, so he will be my lead. Maybe he'll know where the local McDonald's or Pizza Hut is!

FC Kids Up All Night - Lock-in

Have you ever spent the night with 20 3rd-5th graders? How about 100? How about 430? 

It doesn't really matter how many kids you have because this is how it usually shakes out, see if any of it rings a bell...

Random Ramblings from a “Lock In”

7:00 PM		Yeah! This is gonna be fun…stay up all night and play play play!
7:15 PM		“Hey! Put that down! Would you do that at home?”
7:16 PM		Whoaa…this is gonna be a long night!
8:00 PM		I like most of these kids.
9:00 PM		Well...maybe some of these kids.
10:00 PM		Is there a correlation between going past bed times and craziness?
11:00 PM		How come my kids got energy drinks and I didn’t?
12:00 AM		My vision is a little blurry, how concerned should I be?
1:00 AM		Where did that wall I just hit come from? Must be my blurry vision.
2:00 AM		Praise God! There is such a thing as a second wind!
2:30 AM		Hey! That's a golf club…not a sword…and why do you have three of them?
3:00 AM		Feeling a bit strange…odd mixture of energy and nausea.
4:00 AM		OK, now it’s just nausea…
4:30 AM		Whoa…think I nodded off for a second there…hey, how did I get in this go cart?
5:00 AM		My head hurts, am I responsible for these kids all night, or can I go lay down in the corner?
6:00 AM		Who’s the knucklehead who set the pick up time for 9:00? I’m ready NOW!
7:00 AM		I guess I’m not the only one feeling nauseous… who’s gonna clean that up?
8:00 AM		Donut’s and apple juice – Ordinarily…no touchy! 8:00 am– BRING IT ON!
8:59:59 AM		Where are all the parents? Why are they NOT HERE yet?!!
10:30 AM		Ring, Ring… "Hi Joe, this is your son Billy’s Lock-In leader. Do you plan on coming to get him anytime soon?"
11:00 AM		I’m going to go home and go to bed for a month… or at least until 4:00 pm so I can come backfor the 6:00 Saturday night service.
12:00 PM		zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
1:00 PM		zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
2:00 PM		zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
2:59 PM		Bed head and puffy eyes – I look like I’m 90…
4:00 PM		Hot shower and strong coffee.
5:00 PM		Who’s up for ROUND TWO!
6:00 PM		I'm actually glad to see these kids again! Weird huh?
10:00 PM		Why can’t I sleep?

Anyone have a lock-in experience they wish to share?

Give 'Em A Break - Flavour

We all know that we shouldn't burn out the people we work with (even those with the great job of working with kids need a break sometimes). However, it can be hard to take practical steps to give people the nourishing rest they need.

I'm proud of the fact that we were able to do this for our female staffers and volunteers during the recent Flavour Conference. While our women were refreshed by the teaching of Lisa Young and others, our men stepped up and took care of the kids! Thanks guys!

The Smell of Virtue

Poopie diapers or citrus? Why smell matters!

Still think environment doesn’t matter? Well it does. It’s science!

A recent study, “The Smell of Virtue,” published in Psychological Science, concluded that a clean, citrusy smell encouraged people to be more trustworthy, more inclined to volunteer, and more likely to donate money to a charitable cause. Seriously!

Go into your children’s areas, walk around your church, and give it a good sniff. Is there anything you could do to help the people you minister to be more trustworthy and charitable?

What does your office say about you? - Conclusion

I learned early on in ministry that keeping my office in great shape is a huge help in forming positive thoughts in people’s minds about me and the Children's Ministry at Fellowship Church.

I want people, when they walk into my office, to think of me as someone who desires, and will even demand, excellence. If they walk into my office and go “WOW!!” (instead of “...ohhh my”) they will make an assumption about how I want things to run in this ministry.

You can talk all you want, but nothing speaks louder than the environment you call your home away from home. Remember, your office speaks for you…even when you’re not in it!

So the question is...What does your office say about you?

 

What does your office say about you? - Smell

Tip # 5 - Smell. Get some air fresheners…please!

Let’s face it. Children’s areas are not known for the best aromas in the world. We have a “stinkma” that really needs breaking! Start in your office.

When people walk through your door they should think “Ahhhh…Hawaiian breeze” not “Ewww…is there something dead under your desk?”

What does your office say about you? - Lighting

  

Tip #4 - Use Indirect lighting wherever you can.

Turn off those fluorescents! Get a floor lamp, or two, or three. Stick some small indirect lighting units under your shelves. You can often go to WalMart or Target and get cool lighting elements pretty cheap. Put them in some unusual places. Never do things as expected.

Please note however that indirect lighting and shading will sooth and calm. When you need to yell, turn the fluorescents back on.

  

What does your office say about you? - Toys

Tip #3 - Don’t be afraid of toys.

I love miniatures. Especially miniatures of animated movie characters. These types of things will add whimsy to your office and make people smile. Always take advantage of the fact that you work with kids and nobody will give you a hard time about that Winnie the Pooh in the corner.

One caution however, the more knick-knacks you add to your office, the more things you will have to move when it’s time to dust. Sorry, no plan is fool proof.

What does your office say about you? - Color

Tip #2 - Paint your walls some fun colors. 

Nothing yells “I’m Creative!” like bright primary colored walls, especially if you paint each wall a different color. OK, it may not convince others of your creativity, but it will make you look like you’re fun!

Try accenting those walls with some black and white art pieces. Black and white pictures and objects against bright colors look really “cartoony” and cheerful.