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when two ministries collide

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10672280_1499499846959104_2651752240705181044_napples and oranges are not the same. that’s what i kept trying to say when we were working on a way to bring two ministries together on one night. (two ministries that had always been on separate nights at my previous church) maybe you can never make apples and oranges be the same, but it can be quite exciting when you allow them to collide. that is what my friend and co-worker, john woods – music and worship pastor, and i did when we brought dawson kids midweek discipleship and children’s choirs together for a whole new look at wednesday nights.

Screen Shot 2014-10-21 at 6.51.38 PMteamwork, creative dreaming, collaboration, and compromise were all part of our dawson collide process. john’s heart is for children to be life long worshippers of Christ. mine is for children to become authentic disciples through God’s Word. i am also burdened to create a place where those that may never enter through the “white columns” of a sanctuary on sunday morning can have a place to get plugged into our family of faith. oh what joy it brings me when i have to make it a point to learn the names of children because there are new faces at collide each week.  it is amazing what happens when you dare to dream and see ministry lived out in a new way.

IMG_0107-1024x768has then process been perfect? absolutely not, but through the struggles i believe we have become even more intent on making sure this ministry hits the mark. we tweak and work on collide weekly to make sure we are doing all we can to help our collide investors (leaders), kids, and parents experience Jesus and become lifelong worshippers and authentic disciples of Jesus Christ.

as we are still seeking to understand all the many ways God would want us to use collide, i thought i would share some of the basics below. i would also love to hear what you have done to bring two ministries together. comment below with you thoughts and ideas.

 

collide themes

fall 2014 – grace, God’s love collides with forgiveness to create grace.

spring 2015 – worship, Spirit and Truth collide to create worship.

 

collide elements

here’s a brief description of the collide elements that all grades will participle in collide.

collide blue collide orange collide green

Screen Shot 2014-10-21 at 7.23.29 PMopening rally: think kidlife worship rally colliding with wednesday night church.  we will begin the rally right at 5:45 in the lore lobby of the FRC.  we will have worship music, high energy activities, creative prayer time, a missions moment, exciting time in God’s Word and more. all kinds of elements will collide 

Screen Shot 2014-10-21 at 7.22.31 PMcollide choir: after the opening rally, it’s time to head to collide choir. here colliders will sing the very best music, no matter the style. with the goal of nurturing well-rounded worshippers, able to worship through any style or genre, collide choir is the place where a soundtrack for life begins. 

collide missions: God’s Word commands us to go and make disciples of all nations.  in this track children will collide with what missions is, learn about missionaries, discover how they can be involved in missions at their age, and develop a desire to sure the Good News of Jesus through hands-on activities.

Screen Shot 2014-10-21 at 7.21.59 PMart studio: when things collide, there’s usually a mess. and each week the art studio will be full of students learning through hands-on activities. sculpture? sure! oil paints? of course! pottery? why not! god made us to be creative, so let’s get busy!

music lab: there more to worshipping through music than just singing. in music lab, colliders might find themselves playing drums, writing a song, planning a worship service, or playing instruments used in worship. anything could happen in music lab. 

Screen Shot 2014-10-21 at 7.22.46 PMrec lab: kids can learn in a creative way when Bible truths collide with movement.  this track will include games with a purpose and will end with a time of debriefing on image1-1024x768how to apply what they learned in the game to their everyday life. 

collide discipleship: here kids will collide with the powerful word of God.  kids will dig in and learn about the Bible, how to use the Bible, how to study God’s Word, how to apply God’s Word to their daily lives and much more.

 

collide schedule 

collide blue collide orange collide green

5:45p.m. – 6:05p.m. – collide opening rally 
6:05p.m. – 6:40p.m. – collide choir
6:40p.m. – 7:15p.m. – collide tracks

** all children will participate in each of the elements of collide.  each grade will spend three weeks in each of the five tracks offered: music lab, missions, art, recreation, and discipleship.

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collide dress-up nights

collide will have dress up nights this fall the first wednesday of september, october, november and december.

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collide dress-up night schedule

september 3 – collide hat night

october 1 – collide superhero night

november 5 – collide jersey night

december 3 – collide Christmas night

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pausing to pray – listening – part 7

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a note from brooke to dawson preschool volunteers and dawson kids investors

image[3]I was thrilled when danielle asked me to join her efforts on this prayer project for our Preschool Ministry and dawson kids leaders! I must confess, that prayer is a spiritual discipline that I struggle with. We often tell our preschoolers that prayer is simply talking to God. Those of you who know me can probably guess that part is easy for me. I talk to God all the time! That definition is true, but in reality, prayer is conversation with God, which requires not only talking, but also listening. This is the area where I am growing.

Two Bible verses immediately come to mind:

 “Be still and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10

“Come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28

 I want to be still in His presence. I am weary. I am burdened. I know I need His rest and I want it. Yet, too often I lead one sided chatter with my loving Heavenly Father and miss all the precious things He has to say to me because I am distracted with other relationships, daily responsibilities, and even good, God honoring activities and tasks.

Bill Hybels’ book, Too Busy Not to Pray, has helped to put a few things in perspective for me and I want to share a few of his points with you. He says, “the archenemy of spiritual authenticity is busyness.” Amen! Right? He goes on to say:

I can think of at least three ways God speaks to followers who are willing to listen:

 First, God speaks through His Word. As we read the Bible and meditate on its truth, God helps to apply it to our lives.  

 Another way God speaks to us is through people. “I care for you,” He says through the arms of a friend who understand our grief and seeks to console us.

 And a third way God speaks to us is though direct promptings of the Holy Spirit. According to Scripture, the Holy Spirit is ready, willing, and able to communicate with us. He leads, rebukes, affirms, comforts and assures Christ’s followers.

It is my prayer for myself, and for all of you, that we will begin this new year of ministry with a great desire for two sided conversation with God and that we will thirst to hear His voice, experience His presence, and act obediently in response to His promptings.

 

Screen Shot 2014-09-02 at 1.28.07 PMBrooke loves ministering to preschoolers and their families. She believes it is important for parents and church leaders to work together to teach children to love God, His Word, world and son, Jesus. Brooke’s family joined Dawson when she was just 6 months old and she is thrilled to be on staff in the church where she was dedicated, baptized, called to ministry, married and saw her own children dedicated and baptized.  Brooke is a graduate of Samford University.  She is married to Darrell Gibson.  They have two children, Shae and Hannah.  Brooke loves family time, reading, music and all things Disney!  Brooke’s favorite Bible verse is “I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue His work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.” Philippians 1:6

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pausing to pray – SUPPLICATION – part 6

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Day 5 – Supplication
Written by: Bill Johnston

image[3]One of the best ways you can invest in the lives of the children with whom you are called to minister is to pray for them and their families. Prayer is the means God can use to help you grow in a deeper concern for and love of each particular person. As the year unfolds and you come to know them more and more, your prayers will become more personal and specific.

The weekly habit of praying for each child prior to Sunday will make their presence with you all the sweeter and their absence all the more noticeable. One suggestion is to divide up the list of students over the days of the week and pray for that smaller list rather than a daily or weekly “bless them all” generic prayer. During the day, be sensitive to a name or face that comes to you mind and offer up a brief prayer even if you do not know the reason to do so.

Ask them “how can I be praying for you?” Send them a note during the week letting them know that you have prayed for them especially if you know that they are facing a particular challenge or celebration. This will communicate to them just how important they are to you and to Jesus.

Years from now, they may not remember all of the fantastic lessons from God’s Word that you will share with them, but they will remember your personal concern and dedicated prayers for them.

James writes in his small letter “Is any among you afflicted? Let him pray. Is any merry? Let him sing psalms. Is any sick among you? Let him call the elders of the church; and let them pray over them, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.” James 5:13-14.  The word “sick” in this passage can also mean “weak or weary.” It carries the idea that when someone is struggling spiritually or physically it sure is a blessing to know that there is someone that they can count on to be praying for them. Will your students know that you are willing to invest in them by praying for them?

Right now as a servant of Jesus Christ, make a commitment to be a person of prayer specifically for your students and their families.

 

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Bill Johnston is a native of Mobile but has lived most of his life in the Birmingham area. A graduate of Hewitt-Trussville High School, Jacksonville State University, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (M.Div.), and New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary (D. Min), Bill is married to Janet Dickerson Johnston with two sons, Will and Rob. In his free time, Bill enjoys playing golf, watching Alabama football and UAB basketball, and reading and spending time with his family. Bill has served in churches in Texas and Alabama and has been the Associate Pastor at Dawson since August of 2006.

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pausing to pray – CONFESSION – part 4

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Day 3 – Confession
Written by: danielle bell

Matthew 5:23-24
“Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.”

image[3]“danielle, you are the Christian. shouldn’t you make things right?” those were the words spoken to me by an unbeliever concerning another relationship where i had allowed unforgiveness to come between us. the timing was not coincidental either. i was scheduled to leave in just a few short days to be a part of a prayer walking trip for a new missions outreach. i was so excited to be able to serve on this trip, but these profound words haunted me as the day to leave approached. (i can still tell you exactly where i was when those words were spoken to me over the cell phone.)

how could i go forward boldly in prayer when i was hanging on to much unforgiveness in my heart? i was far more concerned with my outward act of worship through serving than having my heart right with God. yes, there was reason for my hurt, but i had allowed my unforgiveness to become sin. the other person didn’t even have a clue, but it was becoming quite the stumbling block for my spiritual walk. i was literally tripping over my own sin on my way to serve.  how could i offer my worship through service when i was refusing to extend the forgiveness God has graciously given it to me?

your service is an act of worship to a Holy and deserving God.  before you begin a new year teaching/leading, spend some time in self-examination asking the Holy Spirit to reveal areas where you need to be reconciled to a brother or sister in Christ. (if you are like me, this is not just a once a year examination, but a constant one as you strive to worship with a pure heart.)

pray through matthew 5:23-24.

“Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.”

spend some time today pausing in prayer; allow the Holy Spirit to reveal any sin involving another in which you need to repent and be reconciled.

if God reminds you of a situation where a brother or sister has something against you, go and be reconciled. confess your sin, repent, and then return to offer your service as an act of worship.

let’s not only teach Scripture to those God places in our path, may we be diligent about being “doers” of His Word even when it is hard.  then let’s serve in the freedom that comes with reconciliation and make much of Jesus.

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In confident in CHRIST

The Five Ps for a Successful School Year (guest post)

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confidentinChristdawson kids is on a mission to help equip children and families to be confident in Christ.  i am hoping this new category on dWELL will serve as a venue of encouragement and education for families and kid min leaders.  i am excited to share with you a post from my dear friend, nancy youree duggin. 

Years ago I was introduced to the five (5) Ps for successful living: Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance. A short time later, I developed my own five (5) Ps for successful and joyful living in Christ: Prayer, Practice, Perseverance, Patience, and Praise.

The beginning of a new school year provides the perfect opportunity to implement and focus on the 5 P’s of a life well lived in Jesus Christ. As the parent you will want/need to take the lead, with your elementary age children, in understanding and practicing each of the Ps.

Prayer: “Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” I Thessalonians 5:16-18

  • Begin and end each day with prayer.
  • Pray for your teacher(s) by name. If they are not a believer, be mindful of praying for their salvation.
  • Pray for classmates—especially classmates who may not be kind to others.
  • Pray for godly friends.
  • Pray for wisdom concerning right and wrong—for a heart that longs to do right according to God’s Truth.
  • Pray for a growing desire to be pleasing in God’s eyes and NOT the eyes of the world. “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.” Colossians 3:23

Practice: “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 7:12

  • telling the truth at all times.
  • giving your best effort in all things, at all times.
  • kindness to others.
  • a joyful attitude from morning till evening.
  • good work and study habits.

Perseverance: “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9

  • Don’t give up if you aren’t successful the first time you attempt a new task or learning.
  • Don’t give up because someone is better at a sport or academic subject.
  • Never give up on yourself—God NEVER will!

Patience: ”Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him” Psalm 37:7

  • Practice patience with those you love.
  • Be patient with yourself
  • Be patient when things don’t go your way or when you don’t get something you want.

Praise: “Praise the Lord. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures forever.” Psalm 106:1

  • Make time to intentionally praise God for who He is.
  • You are all knowing, all powerful, all loving (Psalm 147:5).
  • You are caring, compassionate (Psalm 145:9), and changeless (Hebrews 1:12).
  • You are the Holy One (Isaiah 12:6, Lord Almighty (Psalm 46:7).
  • and You are my Lord and Savior (2 Peter 3:18), if your child is a believer.

Guiding your child in seeing how God is at work around him/her will cause them to focus on who they were created to be and to develop the ability to see themselves as their Creator sees them.

Take time to assist your child in setting some goals around the 5 Ps. Revisit your goals weekly, asking God to give you success in each area.

Blessings in Him throughout the 2013-14 school year!

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Nancy Youree Duggin taught public school for 24 years and served on a city school board for four years.  She also is a mother to two and grandmother to three with one on the way. This October she will celebrate 40 years of marriage.  Even with her plate full with family and training teachers, she spends countless hours encouraging and mentoring young moms.  

 

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