iRock Ministries

intentionally Reaching Our Community Kids

Under Construction

Have you ever been passed over for a very important job? Then you are in good company. King David had constructed buildings for himself in the City of David and pitched a tent for the ark of God. After settling into his palace he said to Nathan the prophet, “Here I am living in a palace of cedar while the ark of the covenant of the Lord is under a tent.” David desperately wanted to build a house for God to dwell in, but because he had been involved in so many wars and had shed so much blood in battle during his rule, God wouldn’t allow David to build the temple. He had been passed over for the job and instead gave the job to a younger less experienced man, Solomon his son. Talk about age discrimination! Not really but it could certainly have felt that way. Instead David made extensive preparations so that his son would have all the materials and expertise needed to build a magnificent temple for God. David gladly passed the torch to his son and Solomon continued what a previous generation had started.

But this lofty endeavor took more than David and Solomon; it took the participation and contributions of many people to complete the temple for God. Scripture continues to say that “Everyone rejoiced at how willingly the people gave to the building of the temple.” God no longer resides in a temple made by human hands, but now lives in the hearts of all believers. We are God’s temple and when one of the least of these is without food, water, clothing or shelter, God’s temple is damaged and needs repaired. We can all be considered ‘the people that gave’ as we give to needs around the world. Along with helping meet these physical needs the most important thing a person needs is Jesus. Along with food, water, clothing and shelter, we can bring Jesus to a hurting people when we become people that give.

This is the message I’ve been bringing to children throughout our district. Let me come and share this message so that children will be given an opportunity to be part of a people that gave willingly to the temple of God.

Take some time and read 1 Chronicles 17,22, 28 and 29 for the full story

On the Cusp of Publishing!

“Welcome to my seminar. I am glad that you have been able to join me on this momentous occasion. I am professor Williams and I am on the cusp of publishing my latest finding. The results have been astonishing and could not come at a better time. What started as a simple experiment has led me to years and years of research. I have had many colleagues join me in this project and they have been instrumental in gathering the necessary data to come to such a conclusion. I have been doing research for many years and I have finally been able to share my findings.”

54 leaders of the children’s ministry team made their way out of their home on a Saturday morning to attend a training session at Calvary AG.

Question: Why? Weren’t there  thousands of other things on their to do lists? Who would give up half of their Saturday to spend it in church?

Answer: 54 people that care about the spiritual development of children.

In reality, I’m not a professor but that day pretending to be Professor Williams helped me speak about the importance and urgency of reaching children with the message of Jesus’s love and forgiveness. The United States is the third largest unreached nation and perhaps one of the toughest mission fields. It is said that people in third world nations flock to Jesus because they don’t have money or health insurance. With that being said, reaching people in the  United States becomes even more difficult.  Only 4% of teenagers (Millenials) identify themselves with any form of Christianity. That is down from 65% just 4 generations ago (GI & Silent Generation). If we don’t reach this population of children what is going to happen to this nation if they continue to go unreached.

Our most valuable resource to reach the lost with the gospel are people just like the 54 who attended the Saturday morning training. With the right amount of training and encouragement we can see a shift in our spiritual culture, beginning with the children.

Jesus said, “A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher.” Luke 6:40

Jesus needed his disciples to help him, to learn from him, and to eventually become the leaders after he had gone away. As disciples of Jesus, we are doing what Jesus himself did on earth. How awesome is that?

Scene 2 – Roll ’em

Let me introduce you to BGMCWhat are these yellow containers for? Do we get to take one home? How can we help other children around the world? We can do all of that by just putting money into the buddy barrel and bringing it back to church? These were typical questions that I was able to answer for the children at Bethel Temple in Hampton Virginia. Pastor Spencer decided it was time to introduce his kids to the idea of giving to missions and how they can help through Boys and Girls Missionary Challenge (BGMC).

Entering the room as the director to a movie, my goal was to bring about an awareness of the needs around  the world and how they can be met simply by making a decision to help according to individual abilities. “The disciples, each according to their ability, decided to provide help”, Acts 11:29.

As the director I ‘set the scene’ for the movie and then started filming. Of course it was just pretend but it was a way to involve the kids in learning.

Auditions were underway to find the role that each child might play in the movie. We had dramatic reading from scripture and then we moved on to a live impromptu performance of the story found in Mark 2 where Jesus healed a paralyzed man that was brought to him by his four friends. As the story was told the actors portrayed each of the people in the story, Jesus, the crippled man, the four friends and the crowd. The talent was overwhelming. Even when asked to ‘think’ the expressions were priceless. Through this story the kids learned how important it is for friends to introduce their friends to Jesus. Without their help they may never meet Jesus. We must bring people to Jesus if we expect them to be healed, spiritually or physically.

In conclusion, using typical items that children purchase on a regular basis, they question was posed “what are you willing to sacrifice in order to give the money to BGMC and help meet the needs of children around the world?” I could see the wheels turning as the kids started to realize that they can make a difference in the lives of others simply by making a decision to help. It is a decision, a decision to use our  individual abilities to reach the world with hope, love and eternal change in people’s lives.

Next Sunday, Pastor Spencer is giving them an opportunity to make a faith promise or agreement with God as to the amount they will try to raise each month for missions. Keep this group of kids in your prayers as they step out in faith as it becomes clearer to each of them the important role they play in helping others come to know Jesus.

Wise Kids Still Seek Him

Twas the week before Christmas and all through the church, excitement was building, for all it was worth! The donuts were hung from four strings with such care, waiting for some children to take on a dare.

Looking up for the donuts

The children were listening to all that was said and hoping each minute that they too would be fed. The game was soon over with glaze on their face as they chewed the last bite and returned to their place. The point of the game was to look toward the sky or risk missing what’s in front of our eyes. Wise Kids Still Seek Him The story I shared told of wise men afar, that never questioned why they followed the star. It led them to Jesus, the one whom they sought, and gave them more answers than could ever be bought. The answers we seek come from Jesus alone and without looking up we might miss what he’s shown. Through His life and His death he has shown us His love and His plan for our lives fits like a glove. So this Christmas season as we sift through the clutter let’s remember Christ’s love that compares to no other.

“After this interview the wise men went their way. Once again the star appeared to them, guiding them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was.” Matthew 2:9

It was a joy to be with Pastor Andra and the kids at Faith Fellowship in Alexandria VA. Click HERE if you would like to view more pictures from the service