Why Ministry?

Why are we in ministry?
Why set a goal to be in full time ministry?

I have a cousin that was a full time youth minister. Everyday at lunch he would go to the YMCA and play basketball with the youth from the church and community. One day one of his sons came to him and said, “Dad, I want to grow up and be a minister like you.” This made my cousin feel good that his son wanted to follow in his foot steps. As my cousin pursued this a little by asking his son why he wanted to be in ministry when he grew up? His bubble was popped when his son replied, “so I can get paid to play basketball everyday like you.” I do not think this was the answer my cousin was looking for.

A lot of times we want to be in ministry because it looks like an easy occupation. Any one with a successful ministry knows that ministry is spelled WORK.

A lot of times we want to be in ministry because our father and grandfather were in ministry before us, and we think we should follow in their footsteps. Some may think ministry looks glamorous from the outside. A lot of people see our ministry programs and say “Man I wish I could do this!” If they only had to walk in our shoes for a year the majority of them would want to quit. If all you see is our live ministry event it looks like a spectacular lifestyle. However, most people never see all the behind the scenes of the day to day lifestyle that being on the road consist of. A lot of young aspiring ministers that have gotten to travel with us as interns are very excited at first about getting to travel and use all of our equipment. At first their commits always are “Man when I get my own ministry I want equipment just like this.” About half way through the tour season the statements change to “I don’t think I want to do this when I have my own ministry.

There is too much to set up and tear down. There is too much work involved. Too many hours spent traveling in a vehicle.“ If we do not have a genuine love for people and a desire to see the furtherance of the kingdom this lifestyle gets old real fast.

I believe we should ask ourselves periodically throughout our time in ministry why we are doing this. Over and over in the Bible we read that Jesus was moved with compassion when he ministered to people. When he healed the sick, when he raised the dead, when he multiplied the loaves and fishes to feed the multitude, and when he taught the crowds of people. The overwhelming love for people (compassion) was Jesus motivation to do what he did during his ministry on earth.

It was not that he felt it was his duty, it was not to make a name for himself, it was not that it was the only thing he knew how to do, it was because he looked at the need and was moved with compassion. Compassion was the overwhelming love for people that motivated him to do something.

Why did God the father send his only son into the world to die on a cross? It was because he loved the world. He was moved with such an overwhelming love that he had to do something.
Our motivation in ministry should be the love God has put in our heart. The bible says in Romans 5:5 that the love of God has been put in our heart by the Holy Spirit. When we are born again we receive the life and nature of God. The Bible says in 1 John 4:8 that God is Love. It is his nature, His Character. When we are born again we are now born of God. His life and nature is inside of us.

1 John 4:7-11
7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

1 Pet 1:3 says God has given us all things that pertain to life and Godliness (Godliness means having God like qualities) it’s up to us to allow this love to be the motivating factor of our lives.
2 Peter 1:4 says that we have been given exceeding great and precious promises that through these we might become partakers of the divine nature. What is the divine nature? 1 John 4:8 says that God is love. Where do we find these great and precious promises? We find it in the Word of God, the Bible.
As we renew our minds with God’s word it becomes part of our lives. The more it becomes part of our lives the more we become partakers of it. The Bible says in Romans 12:2 be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind. Be transformed into what? We should be transformed into the Image of Christ.

Eph. 4:15 says that we should grow up until we look like Christ. What does Christ look like? He looks like the father and the father is Love. Let this overwhelming love for people be the motivating factor in our lives and ministry.

We truly need to grow up until we look like Christ, so the world can see God in our lives. Let us be moved with compassion when we see a need.

Love for people and the furtherance of God’s Kingdom should be the motivating factor in our lives and ministry. I have always said true ministry is reaching people and touching Lives. Everything else is just stuff we have to do.

Before I had my own ministry, before anyone knew who Jerry Moyer of the Jubilee Gang was, and before anyone wanted to schedule us at their church, I did not wait on a big break. I did not hope that someday my schedule would be full. I starting going to the local housing projects in Southern Ohio because of the love in my heart for the people there. No one was reaching out to them and I saw a need. When I went to the local housing authority and asked if we could do a crusade in the projects, they told me that there had never been any preaching in the projects and there never would be.

I did not give up on what was in my heart to do. As I was reading the news paper one day, I saw where a professional base ball player had came back to our home town and started a anti drug program in the projects. I felt in my heart to go to that organization and tell them that the “Just say No” campaign was not working. Kids need something to say yes to so they can say no to drugs.

I offered to do an anti drug program for them that said say yes to Jesus so that you can say no to drugs. Anything to do with an anti drug message was welcome through this organization. Our first event in the local housing projects we saw around 100 people born again. This happened over and over in different projects around the area. Before long the projects were calling us.

As I put my hand to ministering in the local housing projects because of the love I had for the people God continued to open more and more doors to our ministry. First it was public schools. We offered them a free anti drug program in exchange for the use of the building that evening for a large event where we could present the Gospel. Our first public school outreach we had 250 children in the school and 180 people came  out that night to hear the gospel. Almost every one of them came forward to be born again. Then, we opened our program up to churches and it has grown from there.
Let love be the motivating factor in everything we do. God has given us everything we need. Its up to us to use it!

By
Jerry Moyer
The Jubilee Gang
Website http://www.jubileegang.com
FaceBook http://www.facebook.com/jubileegangministries
Twitter http://www.twitter.com/jubileegang
YouTube http://www.youtube.com/jubileegang

REVIVAL IN NORTH DAKOTA

Children on their knees worshiping and
going after more of God in Dickinson ND

Last week we ministered to children in Dickinson, ND for a 6 day Believers Conference. During these 6 days we saw God move in an awesome way. The children of ND and MT were very hungry for more of God and pressed in every night during our services.  We saw 15 children come forward to be born again during this event, and we had many wonderful times of worship and seeking more of God. We have ministered to children and families across america and rarely see kids so hungry for God and to learn his word. Even the 5 year old's in our services were very attentive during our almost 2 hour services each night. This event gives me great hope for this generation. Just to see kids so hungry for more of God instead of the things of this world. We truly had a God encounter in North Dakota.

Below are some Pictures and videos from this event...

 

1st night in Dickinson ND at Break Forth Bible Church
3 children born again and many children pressing in and having a God Encounter! 

2nd night in Dickinson ND
1.Frog Flip Game
2. Jerry & a young Man playing the Match It Game
3. Children going deeper with God
4 Children Worshiping & getting full of the Holy Spirit. 

Praying with 12 children to be born again in Dickinson ND

 

Night 3 in Dickinson ND
1. Angry Birds Live Game
2. Children worshiping. These kids really know how to worship here! 

Children on their knees worshiping during a Jubilee Gang Service at
Break Forth Bible Church in Dickinson ND

Children on their knees worshiping during a Jubilee Gang Service
at Break Forth Bible Church in Dickinson ND

Will this be your year for revival?

 Every year around January I see a lot of Facebook post about churches fasting and praying for a fresh move of God, and for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Some might call it revival

In January 2011, the church that I was then on Staff at as Children's Pastor concluded a 28 week revival. Going through that experience, I probably have a little different view on revival than most of the church world.

 Let me start out by saying a few things so no one misunderstands me. 

1. I do believe in fasting to get closer to God, however fasting does not change God it changes us. If all we do is go without food for a period of time without spending that time seeking after God then all we have accomplished is self control and discipline, which is not really a bad thing unless your purpose was to hear from God. God does call people to a fast sometimes and I am wholeheartedly behind it. Some people choose to fast to hear from God or get closer to Him and I am wholeheartedly behind that also.  A lot of fasting that is going on now seems to be a fad that everyone does at the beginning of each year. A corporate thing that local churches do because that's what we do in January of each year. I also see a lot of people posting how much they miss what they are fasting and are counting down the time until they can indulge in those things again. Then they usually post a picture of their binge when they are done with their fast.

A minister that I highly respect once said that he would rather live a fasted lifestyle than to go on and off of fast. That seems to be where I stand on the subject. We should not allow things that stand in the way of us and God in our lives all year instead of going without it for a month then going right back to it the rest of the year.

2. I am not against people being hungry for more of God, seeking after him, and wanting to see a fresh move of the Holy Spirit. What I wonder about are churches and ministers that have been praying and seeking God for revival and a fresh move for years and never see it. I would like to ask some of them, " How is that working for you?"

3. I do believe that some revivals and moves of God are sovereign. Meaning that God just poured out a blessing by his own will and it was going to happen no matter what. However, most of the time we have to cooperate with God to see things happen.  If you have been praying for revival for years and have not seen it, maybe you should rethink your whole approach. God is willing! Are we? About half way through the 28 week revival people started complaining about being in church so much it was a huge change in their lifestyle. However, some of the same people that were complaining were the ones praying for revival. Are we willing to do what it takes to experience a revival and then are we willing to do what it takes to keep revival? Or,  will it end when the services end and everything goes back to the way it was. You see some people that went through that 28 week revival are now serving God in a radical way and continuing to live the revival lifestyle. Some of the people that sat through all 28 weeks of revival services  post things on their FaceBook page like. I'm depressed, I'm board, I'm stressed out!. What's the difference in these 2 types of people?

There comes a time when we must put legs to our prayers and obey what God has told us to do or we will never see the move that we desire to see. As I said I probably have a little different view on Revival than most. You see to experience revival it takes a change of lifestyle. Are we willing to do what it takes to see it? It's God's will that we experience him every day. It's God's will that we walk in a fresh anointing every day that overflows into the world around us and touches lives. But until we take that anointing to the people that need it and release it into their lives, we will never see that move that we are praying for. It's God's will for us to walk in the spirit, so we do not fulfill the lust of the flesh. However, if we continue to feed our flesh on all that the world has to offer we might never experience walking in the spirit.  Until we are willing to step out of our comfort zone and be the hands and feet of God to the world around us we will never experience the things that we have been praying for for the last 20 years.

If we always do what we have always done, We will always have, what we have always had. To expect anything different is Ludicrous.

Revival is not a series of meetings where everyone gets refreshed and touched by God. It might include it, but that not what it is. I think Charles Finney said it best when he said, "A revival is nothing else than a new beginning of obedience to God."

My friend we need to quit praying that God would send revival! He sent you to your city. Become the revival that you have been praying for! 

Can you imagine the revival we would see in our communities, if we would just step out of our churches and obey the great commission and Go into all the world and make disciples?  What if we would start to lay hands on sick people and pray for them when they ask us to pray for them, instead of just saying " I will pray for you" and then forgetting all about it and never really praying for them.

One night during worship toward the end of the revival the following list came to me and I wrote it down in my  notes on my phone.

You know you have experienced revival when…

1. When you start laying aside all weights & sin that gets in between you and God.

2. When you have a renewed love & passion for the things if God.

3. When you begin to serve God with not just your mouth but our actions.

4. When you fervently serve God not just at church but every day of the week everywhere you  go.

5. When you get so full of God that his presence begins to overflow in your life and begins to touch those around you.

6. When nothing else satisfies you, but more of God.

7. When you become so desperate for God that you do whatever it takes to get Him.

8. When your desires become God’s desires.

9. When your love for God becomes so strong that you just can't help but tell others.

10. When the fire of God in your life becomes so big that people start to come from all around to watch you burn.

11. When you submit yourself to God so much, that the change in your life becomes so evident that people can't help but notice and start to ask you what is different.

12. When the desire to be in God’s presence is so strong that you don't ask if you should go to church, but nothing can keep you from going to church.

13. When your love for God is so strong that you would never dishonor him by allowing sin in your life

14. When you love God so much you can't help but worship him not just at church but every day through your lifestyle.

16.  When you love God so much that you don't have to be manipulated to give. You can’t help but to give because you love Him and his works so much.

17.  When you rediscover your first love. The feeling & passion you had when you were first born again.

18. When you don't need to be led into worship, you just enter in. 

19. When it ceases to be about us and it becomes about him.

20. Instead of constantly seeking a blessing from God you become a blessing from God.

Actually this list is the lifestyle that a christian ought to be living in the first place,  but because we become distracted from the things of God and become spiritually dead we need to be revived.

The reason we need a series of meetings is that we are so dead we need to be jump started. After we have been jump started, we should be able to keep the charge.

Revival is a lifestyle.

Someone once said " I would rather live a fasted lifestyle than go on and off of periods of fasting." I personally would rather live a revival lifestyle than attend a series of meetings.

Below are several Quotes on Revival that have greatly impacted my Life....

“There are two great reasons we don’t have revival.

1. We’re content to live without it.

2. It’s too costly. We don’t want God to disrupt our status quo.

The Christian life can only be lived one way, and that’s God’s way. And God’s way is that I leave all and follow Him". ~ Leonard Ravenhill

When is a revival needed? When carelessness and unconcern keep the people asleep. - Billy Sunday

Have you noticed how much praying for revival has been going on of late - and how little revival has resulted? I believe the problem is that we have been trying to substitute praying for obeying, and it simply will not work.” - A.W. Tozer

A revival is nothing else than a new beginning of obedience to God. - Charles Finney

We need to quit praying that God would send revival! He sent you to your city. Become the revival that you have been praying for!

The church that becomes focused upon maintaining itself instead of the gospel becomes a dead branch of the living vine... Thomas C. Oden

I'm sick and tired of only reading about church history; let's make some by the grace of God! - LEONARD RAVENHILL

Faith and works should travel side by side, step answering to step, like the legs of men walking. First faith, and then works; and then faith again, and then works again--until they can scarcely distinguish which is the one and which is the other. - General William Booth

The true follower of Christ will not ask, "If I embrace this truth, what will it cost me?" Rather he will say, "This is truth. God help me to walk in it, let come what may!" ~ A. W. Tozer

"Let's quit fiddling with religion and do something to bring the world to Christ." ~ Billy Sunday

Have you noticed how much praying for revival has been going on of late - and how little revival has resulted? I believe the problem is that we have been trying to substitute praying for obeying, and it simply will not work.” - A.W. Tozer

Revival is when God gets so sick and tired of being misrepresented that He shows Himself. - Leonard Ravenhill

A revival does two things. First, it returns the Church from her backsliding and second, it causes the conversion of men and women; and it always includes the conviction of sin on the part of the Church. What a spell the devil seems to cast over the Church today!- Billy Sunday

If you don't see a revival starting around you; let it begin in your own heart, then let it overflow to others...

You never have to advertise a fire. Everyone comes running when there's a fire. Likewise, if your church is on fire, you will not have to advertise it. The community will already know it. Leonard Ravenhill

By Jerry Moyer

The Jubilee Gang

www.jubileegang.com

2014 Jubilee Gang Tour Pics Video

2014 Jubilee Gang Tour Pics video.

We had an awesome ministering to children & families across America this year!

Looking forward to 2015! 

2014 Year end report

Dear Friends & Partners:

We just completed our last event for 2014 this weekend. in Grove City, OH at Victorious Living Church. This was a family event on a Sunday morning and the church was near full with families. It's always awesome to see families learn and worship together. Over the next 3 months Dec. - Feb we will be consulting with Victorious Living Church and helping them to Jump Start their Children's Ministry, as well as doing a few Jubilee Gang events. These months are typically our slow months with very few to no events. We are excited to partner with Victorious Living during this time.
 
As we look back over this year we feel so blessed and grateful for all God is doing through Jubilee Gang Ministries. We had another amazing year and saw so many lives touched, both children and adults. This year we traveled over 32,000 miles, ministered in 17 states, 35 churches, including 7 camps, and had over 1,200 salvation's. These salvation's were not only children, but had entire families come to the altar. That's what it's all about, seeing lives changed. 

This year we have done not only children events, but many family events as well.  We love seeing families come to worship and learn together. We also did 7 camps where we saw a huger in the children for more of God. At one of these camps many of the children were unchurched and some were from the inter city that had never heard the Gospel at all. They did not know what to expect, but through the love of God showed them and the ministry time 40 children received Jesus as their savior and that was 1/2 the camp. Then in August and September we got to do several public school assemblies where we did a motivational self-esteem building program where we taught children principles on how to be successful in life. The children in our schools need this. They need to be built up and not tore down. Following the school programs we did events in local churches. 

In January, we will be heading to Dickinson, North Dakota to do a week long children's event that will parallel with adult services. 

30 People born again in OH & NY

We are almost at the end of our events for 2014. It has been an awesome year so far with over 1,206 people coming forward to be born again during Jubilee Gang events across America. We have 2 more events this year. We are looking forward to 2015 and expecting to see God do great things! 

During our event in Waterford, OH we saw 12 children come forward to be born again and many lives touched by God's Word. 

During our event in Holmes, NY at The Mission Church we saw 18 people come forward to be born again during this community outreach on Oct. 31st. 

Below are Pictures from these 2 events

1st service in Waterford, OH at The Rock
1. Angry Birds Live
2. Jerry praying with 12 children to be born again. 

Leading around 18 people to Jesus in Holmes, NY
at The Mission Church. PTL!

Why Children's Ministry?

Jerry Moyer of The Jubilee Gang discusses Why we should minister to Children and shows from The Bible and Stats how important children's ministry is.

56 people born again in VA & OH

We had a great time of ministry in Front Royal, VA at Dynamic Life Praise & Worship Center. We saw around 46 people come forward to be born again during this 4 day event.  Many parents attended this family event with their children and were touched by God and encouraged to go deeper in their relationship with him. We were also able to do a character assembly at the Dynamic Life Christian School during this time.

On Saurday, October 18, we ministered at Faith Tabernacle Church in Urbana, OH to a standing room only crowd at their fall festival outreach to the community. We saw around 10 people pray to make Jesus Lord of their life and to be born again.

Next weekend on Saturday, October 25, we will be ministering at The Rock in Waterford, OH at 10:30-12:00 and 1:30-3:00 and on October 31, we will be ministering at The Mission Church in Holmes, NY at 7PM.

God is continuing to use the Jubilee Gang across America and around the world. Our summer 2015 schedule is starting to take form already. We have 4 confirmed bookings and several possible bookings.

If you would like to schedule The Jubilee Gang in your area please contact us ASAP to reserve your date. 

Below are Pictures from these two events. 

Dynamic Life Recieved a JG Makeover

Leading 21 children to Jesus in Front Royal, VA
at Dynamic Life Ministries. 

Night 2 in Front Royal, VA
1. Frog flip Game
2. Jerry and a really cute Little girl playing the Match It Game.
3. Praying with 20 people including one adult to be born again! 

Night 3 at Dynamic Life Ministries in Front Royal, VA

Pics from our outreach at the Faith Tabernacle Church Fall Festival
in Urbana, OH. Around 10 people were borrn again

Jerry Shares 4 things on his heart concerning children's ministry

In the following video Jerry Moyer of the Jubilee Gang shares 4 things that are on his heart concerning children's ministry

September Jubilee Gang Update: 61 Salvations!

Dear Friends & Partners:

During September 2014, we ministered in 3 churches and did one public school assembly. During these 3 church events we had 61 people come forward to be born again including several adults. During our last event in Bidwell, OH at Rodney Pike Church of God we had 45 people come forward to be born again during an outreach family event. Children and families were bussed in from local housing projects and many of them came forward to make Jesus Lord of their lives. On sunday morning 9 people including 2 adults came forward to surrender their live to God and to be born again.

In Newark, Ohio we did a public school assembly and were priveledged to encourage over 350 children to be all they can be in life. Then, we did a sunday morning at More Life Church and had 7 children come forward to be born again.

God is continuning to use the Jubilee Gang across America and around the world. Our summer 2015 schedule is starting to take form already. We have 4 confirmed bookings and several possible bookings.

If you would like to schedule The Jubilee Gang in your area please contact us ASAP to reserve your date. 

Below are some Pictures from these events

We had an awesome day at Christ Church in Plainfield, IN 

during 2 Family services. Many people touched 

by God's Word and several people born again! PTL!     

We had the privilege of encouraging over 300 children 

at Licking Valley Elementary School during a J

G public school assembly today in Newark, OH

Leading 7 children to Jesus in Newark, OH

Night 1 at Rodney Pike COG in Bidwell, OH
1. Jerry praying with 45 children that came forward to be born again.
2. Angry Birds Live Game.

Sunday morning Family service at Rodney Pike Church of God in Bidwell, OH
1. Pizza flop game with parents and their children.
2. 9 people came forward to be born again including 2 adults!