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!

C3 Kids West Starts Today!

Hey everyone, here we are in Sunny San Diego for C3 Kids West! If you 
can't be here (sorry) then be sure to follow along on Twitter under 
the tag #c3kidsWC. All our "twitterers" will give you minute by minute 
coverage!

If you couldn't make C3 Kids Dallas either, make plans now to attend 
C3 Kids East Coast in October. Dates and location will be announced 
next week!

It's all about volunteers...

 
 

C3 Kids Tomorrow - You Need To Be Here!

If you can get to Grapevine, TX by 1:00 tomorrow, you need to! We are hard at work putting together the C3 Kids Conference, including the Make Our Staff Your Staff displays. These displays will show you how we do and how we use many different things in FC Kids.

Each display will have elements that you will get on a CD-ROM or DVD-ROM to use at your church. Below I'm giving you a sneak peak of a few of the displays. Remember, these are still in progress!

 

 Children's Baptism

How to Make a Light Box

 

How to Build Preschool Check-in Terminals 

Children's Baptism

First Time Visitor Program

Father Son Retreat

Parent Child Dedication

Sights & Sounds in Your Ministry and Costumes

C3 Kids 2010 - Make FC Kids Staff Your Staff

C3 Kids is just around the corner!

 

 

At this year’s C3 Kids Conference, the focus is on volunteers. You won’t want to miss any of the sessions where we will unpack what it takes to attract, equip, and keep those who are essential to every vibrant children’s ministry.   

 

In addition, when you come to this year’s conference we will make FC Kids Staff your staff! We’ll do this by making available to you everything we have developed in our children’s ministry over the past year. We are going to give you our programs, designs, plans, and art to take home to use at your church!

 

Finally, for my blog readers, e-mail me (mike@fellowshipchurch.com) and I will hook you up with a great rate!

Come and join us for C3 Kids, we would love to have the opportunity to serve you.
 

See you next month!

Three Words That Make Me Cringe

They're... just... kids.

To hear these words sends a streak down my spine. It's normally used as an excuse for poor performance or low quality in ministry. When people are too tired, too overwhelmed, or... dare I say... too lazy to do something great for the next generation, they say, "They're just kids, they won't know the difference." Where did this idea come from anyway? If you want to make any major change in the world, you have to start with the children. They are the adults of the future. They are the difference makers, the risk takers, the dreamers who have yet to be. Why in the world would we sell short our children, the group of people most open to hearing ideas of change? In churches all over the country kids are relegated to the "basement" of ministry. This un-supported, under-funded, just-keep-them-quiet mentality could very well be the ruin of the church as we know it. If the children of the church grow up and believe that it is irrelevant, boring, and lacking in quality, then the first chance they get, they are out of here. If that happens, the church will die.

I know we cannot all do the same level of work, but we can all have the same spirit behind the work. Let us all embrace the next generation and give our best to them with the resources God has given us.

Check out this video from C3 Kids 2009 that touches on this idea:

 

 

Ball Carrying and Blocking

When you’re on a team, everyone needs to work together to reach the goal. If a play is called and you’re the one carrying the ball, then everyone else on your team needs to block for you. They need to be looking out for you, seeing things you may not see, clearing pathways so that you can score.

As a staff member or a volunteer, always work for the good of the team. That’s how the team gets the ball across the goal line. If no one blocks for the guy or gal carrying the ball, more than likely he or she is going to get hit and possibly fumble. When the fumble happens everyone scrambles and the whole team usually ends up going backwards. Then, if they are lucky enough to recover the ball, the team now has to regain the yards they once had. Everyone suffers. But if great protection is given to the one carrying the ball, if paths are opened through great blocking, the ball advances and the team advances with it.

In ministry, as in any area of life, you aren’t always going to be the one “carrying the ball.” You won’t always be in charge or be in the spotlight. But just because you’re not carrying the ball, that doesn’t mean you don’t have a job to do. Put your pads on and get out into the thick of the battle. You are part of a team and as a team everyone needs to work together. Remember, when one person crosses the goal line with the ball, the whole team scores.

The Two Minute Drill

In a children's ministry, it's really important for all of the staff to be in their respective areas when the parents are dropping off and picking up their kids. Those two minutes are going to shape a parent's impression of you and your children's ministry. The parents need to know you. You need to be out there shaking their hands. If that means that you have to find someone else to do whatever you usually do during that time, find that person. You need to be out establishing relationships with mom and dad.

A huge benefit to establishing those relationships comes when you are recruiting new volunteer leaders (which is always). When a parent gets a call from the church to volunteer, they will respond more positively if the person calling is someone they have a relationship with. Instead of the husband saying to the wife "Yeah, some guy from the church called and he wants us to volunteer in the children's area. I don't know who he is... I told him we were too busy", he says "Mike Johnson called from the church today. He's enjoyed getting to know us and he thinks that we would be great volunteers in the children's area. I told him I wanted to talk to him more about it this weekend when we see him." See the difference?

The key is relationship. The church is not just a big corporation or organization, the church is people in relationship. When people know you, they will give more thought to what you are asking of them. And when they do, the door is wide open for you to share with them the opportunities you have available. Then, when they step over the line and start to serve, your relationship with them can grow deeper, which will keep them around longer. That's a win all the way around.

Remember, it's all about relationships. And relationships begin during The Two Minute Drill.