Events

Aug 18 2015

NEW in 2016! Leadership Camp

Leadership Experience for 5th – 7th Graders

It’s a bird, it’s a plane, no it’s a kid flying down a zip line!! Look mom, no hands!! Harnesses, helmets, ropes and heights. We provide the safety, you provide the courage. When faced with difficulties, peer pressure and possible danger do you back down or do you have the courage to face those fears? As adults we may still be struggling with that question. Wouldn’t it be great if someone had come into our lives to help us figure that out when we were kids?

Several years ago God gave me a desire to provide a training camp for kids that would help them develop their leadership potential. But it wasn’t enough to develop the skills, He wanted me to help kids see how they could use those skills to influence people and guide them to a relationship with Jesus.

Leadership is fun, exciting, challenging and sometimes frustrating but it’s always worth it when you have had a hand in leading someone to Jesus. It is my heart to empower kids to use their God-given gifts and talents, couple them with skills that can be learned and then send them out to impact the kingdom of God.

This past summer, with the help of Valley Forge student intern Rebecca Chambers, that desire became a reality. Rebecca and I worked together to take the concept and bring it to reality. We started looking for a location that offered both low and high ropes courses as well as games/initiatives and challenge courses that would emphasize team work and leadership skills. Cedar Ridge Adventures in Williamsport Maryland offered all of the elements that we were looking for in an adventure camp. After 8 months of planning and collaborating we have scheduled our first camp for April 8-10, 2016 and are accepting applications from students currently in 5th – 7th grade.

I may not know fully what God has in store for this camp but I do know that He will speak into the lives of kids and provide them with the power and courage they need to complete the work which He has started until all come to the knowledge of His saving grace. Keep the camp staff and those that will be attending in your prayers as we anticipate God doing great things in staff and campers alike.

If you’d like more information on the camp take a look through the iRock Adventures Handbook and check out our page containing even more Resources and Forms

Aug 12 2015

Meet the Summer Students

Summer of 2015 our ministry had two amazing additions to the team. We were joined by Caleb and Tanner, both from Harrisonburg Virginia. Within two weeks following high school graduation, Tanner joined us with his guitar, bike, and a suitcase in tow. As we adjusted to an additional person in the house we were reminded of the energy a teenager brings. Peace and quiet were no more although having the house filled with guitar music and conversations navigating life’s emotional and social challenges provided insight to the issues our young people are facing every day. Caleb joined us a week later. Perhaps a bit more reserved he also found his guitar to be a source of comfort and reflection as he too navigated thoughts of the future as he ended his junior year of college and joined us. Two different personalities yet they balanced each other.
After identifying the gifts and talents that each student brought to the summer ministry they were immediately thrust into the summer camp mode. I was impressed at their focus and ability to reach into the hearts of the kids and live out their faith walk as an example of Jesus’s love. The value they brought to the kingdom work can not be measured. They have changed me, our ministry and have set into motion plans for expanding summer team member opportunities for more students in the upcoming years. Keep Caleb and Tanner in your prayers as they continue their studies and as they continue to influence the direction of future students as a vital part of our ministry.

Mar 01 2015

2015 trips planned

Trips planned for 2015.

Clear Spring Maryland, Camp Wannahockalugie; June 21-27
White Earth Chippewa Reservation, Minnesota, Renovations and Kids Camp; July 4-11
Church Plant in Lehi (Named after a mormon prophet) Utah, Kids Sports Camp; July 26 – August 2

Through Family Mission Trips we provide an opportunity for kids (Ages 10-15) to experience the mission field in their own backyard. Through collaborative efforts, we pair up a mission field here in the United States with a team of kids and adults that desire to reach the lost. Kids and adults can then work together giving people hope through the message of Jesus’s love and forgiveness.

We believe that by putting kids on the mission field at an early age we can help instill in them a heart of compassion for others. We also believe that kids can begin to recognize their potential for reaching those who don’t know Jesus through the use of their unique gifts and talents.

Kolton, a Lakota indian, experienced the gospel message through a kid mission team and as a result made a decision to follow Jesus. As he asked forgiveness he wept and shared that he had never been told that someone loved him. The kids on this team shared the love of Jesus with Kolton and was instrumental in bringing him to Jesus.

If you would like to have a Family mission team visit your ministry field or would like more information on how you can be part of a family mission team feel free to contact us so that we can partner together to bring the gospel to children everywhere.

: Serve South Dakota team to Rosebud Reservation

: No Limitz team to Keyser West Virginia

Wendy Toone; New Life Assembly of God Farmville VA – “Thank you for your leadership and planning for our trip to Rosebud. It was great and eye opening. It was such a blessing to be able to work with these children and share Christ and His love with them. I have been telling everyone about my trip since I have gotten back home. I hope I will be able to do another trip in the future. Again, thank you for all that you did; it was much appreciated. Thank you for all the sacrifices you made for this trip. You are truly inspiring.”

Debbie Gillispie; Faith Community Church, Mt. Airy MD – ONE SEED can start a garden. ONE SMILE can life a spirit. ONE CANDLE can light a room. ONE CONVERSATION can start a friendship. ONE PERSON can make all the difference. “Thank you for making a way for us to spread the seed of the gospel”

Aug 30 2012

Children’s Pastors take Vacation?

Being a children’s pastor myself, at one point, I found it very difficult to actually take a vacation where I wasn’t preparing for the following Sunday. I would even plan to leave on a Sunday and return Saturday so that I wouldn’t miss a service. Why? Mostly because I wanted to make sure that every service was delivered with excellence. You knew the importance of those two hours each week and you wanted to make sure they connected with Him.

There were certainly other members of the ministry team that could oversee the service but when you invest in the kids the way a children’s pastor does you want to make sure everything points them to Jesus. Besides, it was my responsibility, not my teams. Or that’s the way I would think. (That’s a lesson for another time)

Now that my role has changed to a Children’s Missionary, that’s when I was blessed to be able to help. One of the great joys of being a missionary is being able to fill the pulpit when a children’s pastor wants to take a vacation. That’s why I’m glad God informally added “Assume the role of the children’s pastor while they are on vacation” to my ministry description.

I love coming into a church, partnering with the ministry team and serving alongside of them to conduct service. I know that I’m helping to bring some much needed rest to a servant of God. God himself rested but often times our Children’s Pastors don’t find that rest frequent enough. I am able to focus full-time in preparation for that service thus relieving the anxiety of the children’s pastor trying to make sure everything is covered that day.

Even when I do assume their role they are still checking in with me to make sure everything is in place and people have showed up on time and I have everything I need. They want the best for the kids in their congregation. They exemplify the saying “Ministry is a lifestyle, not a job”.

Thanks to all those who serve in a full-time role as Children’s Pastors. May you be renewed in strength, mind and spirit as you occasionally take the opportunity to rest from your responsibilities of pastoring children.

Jun 12 2012

Fish Tank from Heaven

Has God ever provided you with something you needed without even asking? Well, in my case it was a 10 gallon fish tank. Let me explain.

I had been planning to speak at a girls retreat for three weekends in June. As part of my planning I generally have a long list of props that I need to gather together that will help demonstrate my message. This year the topic was “That None should perish” and God gave me this great object lesson using fish which naturally needed a fish tank and in this case I needed two 10 gallon tanks. I had one tank stashed away in our garage but needed a second.

I began my search by asking family, friends and Pastor LaDona at my home church. But, to no avail. After exhausting my resources I had reserved myself to the fact that I would just have to buy one. A $30 investment to help the girls understand the importance of sharing the message of Jesus’ love and forgiveness, a small price to pay although I certainly didn’t like the idea of spending $30 on a tank that I might never use again. Oh, well.

Pastor LaDona was helping me with some of the other props on my list as well as some much appreciated printing and laminating. You’ve got to understand that I will beg, borrow and steal, well not steal, but I will beg and borrow anything I can to avoid buying an item that I might need. I’m pretty well known for that. Anyway, I knew that Pastor LaDona had been gathering together some items for me and out of the blue I called one morning to see if I could stop by and pick them up. Without hesitation she told me to come by and what she didn’t have gathered together we would go retrieve from their wealth of props in the church.

When I arrived we pulled everything together and she said that as she drove in that morning she happened to notice something outside of the “Shoe and Clothing Drop” container in the back parking lot. I’ve used this container in the past and it is clearly marked “Shoes and Clothing ONLY”. LaDona had seen what appeared to be trash placed outside the container. She drove by to see and thought she’d have to take it to the dumpster but upon further inspection thought it was a fish tank and suggested I drive by and take a look before leaving. She knew that I was looking for some type of tank.

Knowing that LaDona would never lead me down the wrong path, I loaded up my stash and headed to the “Shoe and Clothing ONLY” container to check it out. To my surprise there in front of the container was a 10 gallon fish aquarium, exactly what I needed. God had placed a fish tank in front of the “Shoe and Clothing ONLY” container on the very day and time that I would be gathering up other props. Perhaps this could be considered the “steal” part of the beg, borrow and steal because right there and then I scooped up that tank, put it in the back of my prius and off I went as happy as a clam. I proceeded to call my closest friends to share in the excitement and jubilation of knowing that God provided a fish tank just for me.

God cares about the details and wants to give us every good and perfect gift from above and on this particular day that perfect gift happened to be a fish tank.

James 1:17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.