JUST DO IT!!!!

Many time when we feel called to ministry we wait on a big break or job opportunity to open up and then we apply for the position. I have several friends that have a real desire to reach, disciple, and minister to people but cannot seem to get a position at a church. I have heard people say “every opportunity I apply for I do not get” or “I cannot seem to find a job in ministry”.

Before I go any further let me say that I am not against ministry positions or being in full time ministry. I have been in full time ministry most of my adult life. I am not against denominations even through our ministry is Non-Denominational. There are Definite benefits to being part of a denomination. Support, accountability, and fellowship, are just a few. We have been blessed to have ministered in over 35 different denominations during our over 30 years with Jubilee Gang Ministries. I have been children’s and youth pastor and at several different churches with pay from being volunteer to full time. When Jesus gave us the great commission in Matthew 28:19 to “Go into all the world and make disciples.” He did not say wait for a job opening at your local church. He did not say go to your denomination and see if they have any openings that you can apply for. Now thank God for these resources, but if they are not working for you JUST GO and DO IT!

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 newspaper one day, I saw where a professional baseball player had come back to our home town and started an 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 over the last 30 years to where we are now.

Sometimes if we wait on a position or our denomination to get into ministry we might die waiting. If doors are not opening for you and you have a real desire to reach people with the Gospel and to make disciples. JUST DO IT!!!

The Bible says that Jesus was moved with compassion when He fed the 5,000, when He healed the sick. Compassion is loving someone so much that you have to do something to help them. If you feel the love of God welling up inside of you to help someone, pray for someone, or minister to a group of people that really needs Jesus. JUST DO IT!!!

I know of one man that is called to children’s ministry with a real desire to reach unchurched children with the gospel that could not seem to get a position at a church. Nobody wanted to hire him to do outreach. Instead of waiting on a church or denomination to hire him or find him a job, he just went and did it. Now he has a mobile children’s church in a converted Semi that he travels around United States ministering to children in under privileged communities, trailer parks and apartment complexes. He has taken church to them instead of waiting for an established church to step up to the plate. Recently he had someone donate some land with a building where he can minister to people locally. Instead of doing what organized religion said he must do to be in ministry he followed what he felt God had called him to do in his heart, and God opened doors and has blessed him with the things he has needed to fulfill the call on his life.

Now let me say this. There is a sacrifice involved in stepping out in faith and following God with no backing from a local church or denomination. Sometimes it might involve working a secular job to support yourself. Sometimes it might involve not living the American dream or having all the things our culture says we need to have. Jesus never promised us the American dream. He said “If you want to follow me, deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow me.” That involves some dying to our desires to follow Jesus desires. I will admit sometimes I have looked at people with a steady income from ministry that are able to do all the cool things our culture offers with a little envy. I have asked the Lord,” why couldn’t you have called me to be an adult evangelist where I could fly in with my bible and preach to adults and take up a decent offering instead of hauling around almost 7,000 pounds of equipment and ministering to children that might give you a nickel or dime in an offering.” One time when I was complaining to the Lord about this he spoke to my heart and told me “what you are doing is precious to Me.” Well, that shut me up really quick and I about cried. Many times people have asked my wife and I “How long are you guys going to continue to do this ministry. You guys are starting to get a little older.” To which I reply, “Until God says stop.” You see when I made Jesus Lord of my life I surrendered my will to his will. As long as he needs me to do this I will keep on doing it. I will do it until he says stop. If the doors ever start closing for us to travel across the country ministering to children and families, we will become more localized. If there is no church that wants to hire me or that I feel that I fit into their vision, I will go to the people in our city that needs ministry the most. The ones that God tells me to minister to. I might have to get a job to support myself, but I will do what God has called me to do whatever the cost.

When William and Catherine Booth were told by their denomination to move from a place where they were making a maximum impact for the Kingdom of God to another area where they would not be able to make such an impact, Katherine Booth stood up and boldly proclaimed "HELL NO!" Let us proclaim to Hell that we will not conform to its plans for our lives no matter who the messenger is! Let us follow God and make a Maximum Impact for His Kingdom!

Ministry is not based upon a denomination giving us an opportunity or a church hiring us. When our Master says GO we must GO!

JUST DO IT!!!!

Jerry Moyer 

 Jubilee Gang Ministries

www.jubileegang.com

34 Children Born Again in Kirtland, OH

We had an awesome week of ministry in Kirtland, OH at New Promise Church. 34 children came forward to be born again an to make Jesus lord of their lives during this 4 day event. 

Below are several Pictures from our eventin Kirtland, OH

On the first night of our event in Kirtland, OH20 children came forward to be born again and make Jesus Lord of their lives

5 children came forward to be born again and make Jesus Lord of their lives.
on night 2 of this event

We saw 6 more children came forward to be born again and make Jesus Lord of their lives
on night 3 in Kirtland, OH

We prayed with 3 young ladies on the last night of this event
 to be born again and make Jesus Lord of their lives.

2016 Jubilee Gang Summer Tour Starting Soon!

2016 Jubilee Gang Tour Map

In just a few weeks we will be starting our 2016 Jubilee Gang summer tour.
We will be traveling over 12,000 Miles in 3 months. We will be ministering at 19 churches and camps in 12 states.
We are believing God to see many people make Jesus Lord of their lives this year as well as lives touched by Gods Word and the Holy Spirit during Jubilee Gang events.
 

Below are the cities we will be ministering at this summer.

May 23-25 Logan, WV
June 3-5 Houston, MO
June 8-9 Oxford, MS
June 10-12 Hamilton, GA
June 14-16 Mobil, AL
June 27-July 1 Mesa, AZ
July 3-6 Corcoran, CA
July 10-12 Doyle, Tennessee
July 13-15 Hazlehurst GA
July 17-19 Kearneysville, WV
July 20-22 Parsons, WV
July 24-31 Butler, PA
July 31-Aug 2 Elkins, WV
Aug 4-7 Auburn, NE
Aug. 8-11 Tonganoxie, KS
Aug. 14 Gering, NE
Aug. 17-19 Onalaska, WI
Aug. 21-24 Lawson, MO
Aug. 28-30 Springfield, OH

Check our our entire 2016 itinerary at
www.jubileegang.com/itinerary.html

What I take away from the death of Prince and Michael Jackson.

What I take away from the death of Prince and Michael Jackson.

OK, I admit it. I listened to both P­rince and Michael Jackson as a teen. I have always enjoyed their music. They are both superb artist and musicians that are very talented. However; when I made Jesus Lord of my life and surrendered my Life to him, I gave up their music for music that was more edifying to me as a Christian and would help me grow spiritually instead of feeding my fleshly desires and lust. Prince’s music was awesome but his lyrics were just nasty and full of sexual perversion that is not biblical. But, that is not the point of this article.

It is now known that Prince was addicted to high powered pain killers and had overdosed on them. We all know about Michael Jackson's addiction to drugs and have heard how Elvis took a strange concoction of uppers and downers to function and keep up with the lifestyle. This ultimately led to all of their early deaths.

There is a pressure in our society to stay young and not to age because people will not accept us anymore. Because of this famous people often get hooked on drugs to keep up with the lifestyle that they feel their fans expect. Just to be honest a 50 to 60-year-old cannot dance and move like they did in their 20’s. Because these people feel the pressure to keep doing what they always did on stage they turn to drugs to try and keep up. Why can’t we just let people age naturally and except that they are not still 20 yrs. old? They still have talent that we all can enjoy. I’m not sure any of us would actually say this but, our society has put this pressure on all of us.

This same way of thinking has crept into the church and it is worldly. There is a pressure that once we become a certain age we are no longer able to minister to children and teens and we must drop out of ministry or move on to ministering to adults at a certain point. Many churches have fired their middle aged children’s pastors in favor of a younger person with more energy and are able to relate better. However, there is a trade off that many are ignoring. Many of the younger more energetic people that are being placed in ministry positions have no bible training and very little ministry experience. I am not against using young people in ministry. I praise God that someone gave me an opportunity when I was young without much experience. What I am saying is why would you get rid of a mature well-grounded person that has years of experience in ministry for someone that has little biblical knowledge and no ministry experience. The bible plainly says in 1 Tim. 3:6 do not put a novice in in a place of leadership lest they become prideful and fall. Yet this is what we do many times instead of putting a younger person alongside an older more mature leader that can speak into their lives and train them in the things of God. Or sending them to bible college then putting them in an internship program where they can be trained, we throw them straight into ministry and set them up for failure sometimes.

Often times for older more mature children or youth pastors that are still effective ministering to children or teens, there is this pressure that they will be let go soon. No job security, you’re getting OLD. You need to move on soon. I have seen many youth pastors step out of their calling into an adult pastor position because of this. They were very successful ministering to youth and was able to grow a very large youth ministry. But when they moved on, they never had the success they had in their calling. Children and youth ministry are looked at as a stepping stone many times. If God has called someone to youth or children’s ministry, they need to stay there until God says to move on. If, he ever does say move on.

Many times I have had people in the world ask me what I do for a living. I reply with I’m a minister. To that they reply what church do you pastor? To which I answer, I’m a children’s minister. The answer is very commonly Ohhhhhhhh. Like some day you will get into real ministry. Let me say this! Children’s ministry is as real as it gets folks! Many times when ministering alongside adult ministers we see more people saved and touched by God than the big name minister that is ministering to the adults does. I don’t say this to lift myself up but, children are more receptive to the gospel than adults are.

If you are in children or youth ministry you are called and anointed to be there. You have that part of Jesus ministry while he was here on earth.

Eph. 4:9-13 says,” Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ: “

When Jesus went back to heaven to be at the right hand of the father, He gave parts of his ministry to his body. Jesus was the Apostle, The Prophet, The Evangelist, The Pastor, The Teacher. He gave those parts of his ministry to different parts of the body of Christ for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.

Now if you’re like me you’re probably wondering where children’s ministry is listed there. Well, let’s ask another question. Did Jesus minister to children in the Bible? We most defiantly see that he did in the following scriptures.

Jesus raised the 12 year old daughter of Jairus from the dead Mark 5;22-43 He cast devils out of 2 children in Matt. 15:21-28 & 14-18 He taught kindness to children is rewarded by God Matt. 10:42 He taught His disciples to respect children and not to offend them. Matt. 18:1-6 Jesus took children into his arms and blessed them. Matt. 19:13-14

So, we see here that Jesus defiantly ministered to children in the bible. Well he must have left that part of his ministry to someone. That someone is you if you are ministering to children. I personally believe that some are called to children’s and youth ministry for life. Ron Luce was pushing 60 and was still effective ministering to youth with his Acquire the Fire events. He surrounded himself with younger people, but he was still effective. I think of many of my friends that are in their 50’s and 60s that are still going strong in children’s ministry. Now they surround themselves with younger energetic people, but they are passing the torch on to the next generation. If we get rid of all the seasoned and mature children’s ministers who will be left to pass the torch on?

I personally know of 6 seasoned, qualified, mature children’s pastors that were still very effective in ministering to children let go because of this worldly thinking that has crept into the church. Many of them wrote their own curriculum instead of using one of the many pre-fabricated curriculum's available today. Nothing against curriculum but let me ask you this? When your head pastor goes to write his sermons for the adults, does he use a curriculum or does he study and let God speak to him about what he is to minister on? I believe that some Children’s Pastors are called like an adult pastor to come up with and give the children in our churches messages straight from God instead of always looking to something someone else wrote. Now if you use a curriculum there is no condemnation here. I realize that there are different levels of ability and callings. I also realize that because of time and other responsibilities and lack of resources that not all are able to write their own curriculum. The last 2 churches I was a Children’s Pastor at I used a curriculum and made it my own for the simple fact that I was part time and could not do all the things Jubilee Gang Ministries require of me and have time to write curriculum from scratch. At my first church I was Children’s Pastor at I wrote all my own curriculum from scratch and had a support team of teachers to back me up with skits and other things. I realize that this is not always available or even practical to do.

I guess I said all this to say Let’s not think like the world in this area. America has an infatuation with staying young instead of celebrating maturity. I realize that there are things that younger people can do that older people cannot do, however there are things that older people can do that younger people cannot. Older ministers need to surround themselves with younger more energetic people that have creativity. They need to not think like an old fogy, if they want to stay relative.

Prince was 57 Michael Jackson was 50. Gene Simmons of Kiss is 66 years old and still does concerts and puts makeup on and no one questions his ability to relate to his audience or looks down on him for doing what he does. Why should the church tell people when they become a certain age they cannot relate to children or youth anymore? Now if you have let yourself think like a grandma or grandpa and have become a grumpy old person that does not like to be around kids maybe it is time to move on. But age in itself should not be the determining factor. Let’s run our race to the finish line and hear our heavenly father say “Well done my good and faithful servant.” Let’s do what God has called us to do without giving into the pressure of the world and this crazy infatuation American culture has with staying young.

Jerry Moyer 

Jubilee Gang Ministries 

www.jubileegang.com

Inner City Outreach

On Tuesday April 19 we got to do one of our favorite things. We got to present the Gospel outside the 4 walls of a church building. We had the privilege of doing an inner city Outreach in Columbus, OH at Feed My Sheep Ministries. People from the around West Broad St. area came to hear the Gospel and receive a free meal. 19 people came forward to make Jesus lord of their lives including several adults, children, and teens.
This is what true ministry is all about! reaching out to people that probably would never come to a church building. People that need to hear the Gospel the most.
  
I encourage Pastors and Churches to look outside the 4 walls of their building to a world that so desperately needs Jesus. A world that is lost and a slave to sin without the life saving power of the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

Below are some pictures from this outreach event...

Candy and Wild Thang

A young lady playing the Chicken
in the basket game.

19 people including several adults, children, and teens
came forward to make Jesus Lord of their lives

Resurrection Day Harvest

We had an awesome Resurrection Day weekend in Columbus, OH at The Church Next Door. We did 4 services in 2 days and saw 68 children come forward to make Jesus Lord of their lives.
During this time we got to break in one of our newer programs called "You have been bought with a price" that covers the story of redemption, sin, repentance, and making Jesus Lord.
   Next weekend we will be in Minnesota at our good friends Mark and Deb Harper's Church in Medina, MN called 3 Rivers Church for a Children's Ministry Round table discussion on Friday April 1st  at 10 AM. The cost for the event is $8 with lunch being provided from Chick-Fil-A! To purchase tickets, please go to the following link:
http://www.superchurch.com/product/good-kids-go-heaven-round-table-discussion-mark-harper-jerry-moyer

Then on Sunday April 3rd we will be ministering to the families of 3 rivers church during their 10 AM service.
   If you are in the MN area we would love to see you at these events.

Below are some pictures from our 4 Resurrection Day services in Columbus, OH

The Church Next  Door in Columbus, OH received a
Jubilee Gang transformation for Resurrection Day Weekend

On Saturday night we did 2 services and saw
17 Children come forward to make Jesus Lord of their lives.

Sunday morning we ministered twice and saw
51 children come forward to be born again. 

Over 150 people born again in Southern OHIO

We has an awesome week of ministry in Southern OH last week.
On Saturday March 13th we ministered at a Upwards Basketball Awards event at Circleville Church of The Nazarene in Circleville, OH and saw 36 people come forward to make Jesus Lord of their lives. Then Sunday morning through Wednesday night we ministered to the children at the Tragedy to Triumph conference at Circleville Nazarene and saw 81 children come forward to make Jesus Lord and be born again during the week. Also, while we were in Circleville, we did a chapel service for the churches christian school and saw another 30 children come forward to be born again.
   Then on Saturday, March 19th we ministered at the Jefferson Community Center in Blue Creek, OH where around 200 people attended the event and 8 children and teens came forward to be born again.

This was a very fruitful week of ministry in our home state of Ohio. Next weekend we will be ministering 4 times on Easter weekend at The Church Next Door in Columbus, OH and the following weekend we will be in Minnesota ministering at our good friends Mark and Deb Harper's 3 Rivers Church in Medina, MN.

Below are several pictures from our events this week.

35 children came forward and gave their lives to Jesus
at an Upward awards event in Circleville, OH!

Around 81 children came forward to be born again
during the week at Circleville Church of the Nazarene.
On Monday night we saw over 200 kids & workers on their knees
going after more of God & encountering Him as they worshiped
during our God Encounter program.

We saw around 30 children come forward to make Jesus
Lord of their lives Wednesday morning at a
Christian School Assembly in Circleville OH PTL!

We had an awesome Family Outreach in Blue Creek, OH!
8 children & teens came forward to make Jesus Lord of their lives
and to be born again! PTL!

Testimony of God's Faithfulness:

This map has been on my office wall for the last 25 + years.

I have used it to keep track of all the places we have ministered over the years. 

Yellow pins are where we have been and red pins are where we are going. I replace the red pins at the end of each year with yellow pins. 

I use to speak to this map in faith in God that He would fill it up with pins when we first started The Jubilee Gang. It’s awesome to see God fill up my map over the years! Each pin represents lives that have been touched by God through the ministry of the Jubilee Gang.

Since we started The Jubilee Gang in 1991 We have ministered in 44 States, Puerto Rico, Canada, and Russia and in over 30 different denominations and a host of non denominational churches and have seen over 20,000 people born again during Jubilee Gang Events.
‪#‎jubileegang‬

Family Service on Sunday Morning?

Many pastors are hesitant to have a family service at their church on a Sunday morning. Many times they are afraid that adults will feel spoken down too and will not return to their church, or that if kids are allowed in the sanctuary that the older people will be scared away.
   

A family service is simply a time for the entire family to learn together, worship together, and experience God together. If there are families that go to a church this is a great time to bring them together for a service instead of always separating them on Sunday mornings. It's not something that should be done every week, however; children and teens should be able to experience God with their parents and see how their parents respond to God at lease several times a year.
   

Many churches are warming up to the idea of a family service occasionally. Almost every Sunday we are on the road during our tour season, we are doing a family service somewhere. During these services we have seen children, teens, and adults experience God and get to know him better in an atmosphere that is conductive for all ages.
   

These are a great time for grandparents to bring their grandchildren to church or families to bring nieces and nephews or even to adopt the family next door to come to a family friendly service.

Many churches are not successful at family services because they either structure the service like a regular adult service and include the children and expect them to come up an adult level and sit still, pay attention, and endure the service or they make it so Kiddy Kiddy that adults feel spoken down to and out of place. If it’s just a regular adult service with children attending the children will be bored and get unruly. A family service is a time for all ages to learn together, worship together, have fun together, and ultimately experience God together. 

   

 In order to be successful at a multi-generational service where everyone including children, teens, and adults enjoy and get something out of the ministry the service must be simple enough for a child to understand but relevant for all ages. The message must be taught in a way that spans generations and includes everyone. All ages must be engaged.  Adults must not feel spoken down to and it must not be so far above a child’s head that they are bored and get nothing out of it.  This might mean having more engaging media than a normal adult service. It might mean doing an object lesson or illustrated sermon instead of the pastor just talking for 45 minutes. It also might mean having a short skit or drama to reinforce the message.
  

 Because of our multi-media presentation and Jerry’s teaching style, we are able to conduct family services that reach across generations that the entire family will enjoy and get something out of. We see entire families learn together, worship together, have fun together, and ultimately experience God and enjoy church together during our family events. Many times adults have left our family services talking about how they got just as much out of the service and their children did. We have seen entire families come forward to be born again and make Jesus Lord of their lives together. Jubilee Gang Family Events are not just a kid thing. It’s a family thing.

We recently received this story from a father that came back to God at our Jubilee Gang family event last weekend in MD.

"Hi I was at your amazing and inspiring sermon/show this weekend. Me and my 4 year old. I just wanted to say that was the first time in a long time I've been back to church, years actually and you really inspired me to get to know God again. I was one of those who raised there hand when you asked who needed God as Their Lord and Savior and I do. I've been a bad man for a long time and I need him in my life. So thank you for being there when I went back to church, you sir have inspired me to go there again and again and I will never give up on our father again."

Family events are an awesome opportunity to invite people that do not usually come to church to come to a non threatening family friendly event where the Gospel is presented in a way that the entire family will receive.

Family Service Testimony Brenda Bernard Children and Family Pastor at Loch Lynn Church of God

Have you ever wondered why your church isn't gaining families? Do you have anything in place that children will want to come to? Are families really welcome in your church? Most pastors would say yes to one or most of these questions. I am proud to say that as the Children's Pastor at Loch Lynn Church of God in Oakland, Md, we are always trying to make families feel loved, wanted and accepted. Our Lead Pastor is a visionary. He looks past the walls, the carpet and the dirt and sees the importance and the need to minister to families. So when I ask if I could invite The Jubilee Gang for an event, he was excited and very much on board. Once I had made arrangements for Jerry to do a children's leadership training on Saturday morning and a family event that night, he ask if Jerry would be willing to stay over and do a family event on Sunday morning. We were able to seat our families right in the center of our sanctuary. We gave them the royal treatment. We let them know that they are special. Pastor Jerry brought a powerful message for the entire family at each service that he did. I can't say enough about The Jubilee Gangs programs. We had 16 children and teens come forward to be born again on Saturday night. That is what it's all about! Seeing lives changed. We had several raise their hands on Sunday morning as well. Jerry brings to children and family ministry something that we at our local church normally can't with our limited budgets. He brings lights, lazers, puppets and much more. This is what attracts families from outside of your church. They come looking for a fun and exciting time and they find it, but more importantly, they hear the message of salvation. I can't say enough about Jerry and Candy Moyer. They have a heart to see children come to be born again, but they also can reach adults through the messages as well. I look forward to having Jerry and Candy come back to our church again. If you are considering scheduling The  Jubilee Gang at your church for a family event, I assure you, you won't be disappointed. Read what other pastors and Parents are saying about Jubilee Gang Family Events at  the following link "What pastors and parents are saying about Jubilee Gang Family Events"