A letter to aspiring Children’s Evangelist

A letter to aspiring Children’s Evangelist

By Jerry Moyer

First of all let me congratulate you for desiring to reach out to the most unreached group of people on earth today. There is a huge need for children’s Evangelist. There are way too many churches in America, way too many people dying and going to hell, and way to few people reaching children with the Gospel for there to be any competition among Children’s Evangelist. The Bible says in Romans 10:13-15, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”
Below are a few statistics that I have collected over the years.

• Of the 5 billion people on the earth today, 50% are under the age of 14.
• By the year 2000, 50% of the world's 9 billion people were under 8.
• 40 million children in the United States have never been to church.
• 2 out of 3 children in the United States do not know JESUS.
• In the United States, 21 percent of the population is under age 15
• 86% of all people who receive Jesus make that decision before age 15.
• The years prior to age 12 are when a majority of children make their decision as to whether or not they will follow Christ.
• Only 10% of all the money put into the gospel is directed to the ministry of children.

Billy Graham said that, “The age of 7 is the age a person is most receptive to the Gospel.” After a person turns 18 they are less likely to make a decision for Christ. The older people get the less likely it is that they will receive Christ.

After seeing this why do 99 percent of evangelists go after adults?

That’s why God has called you to reach children! Probably 95 percent of people traveling in children’s ministry today are entertainment for kids & families.  We do not need any more Christian entertainers. We need people that are reaching children & families with the good news of the gospel and changing lives for the kingdom!
In the great commission Jesus told us to, “Go into all the world and make disciples.” He did not say go into all the world and entertain the masses. Make sure that your ministry is leading people to the Lord and helping them to become his disciple.


I would assume your motives are right in wanting to get into the field of Children’s Evangelism or you would not want to pursue such a calling. It is probably one of the most underrated, overlooked callings in the church world in America today. When churches go to set there budgets for the year with guest speakers a children’s evangelist or guest speaker for the children is probably the last thing on most churches list. I had one pastor I worked for tell me that I was one of the best children’s ministers in the country, so why would we need to have a Children’s Evangelist or guest speaker come to our church. My reply was the following; “Pastor, your one of the best pastors in the country, why do we need to have guest speakers come to minister to the adults?” The same reasons we need adult guest speakers is the same reasons we need guest speakers for the children.

Saying all this, I am going to spend the bulk of this letter on the more practical side of being a Children’s Evangelist. I often have people contact me about becoming a children’s evangelist. I have at least 2 or 3 people contact me each year wanting advice on how to get started, sometimes more. Maybe this is because I have been a Children’s Evangelist for over 20 years. Over the course of the last 20 plus years, I have seen many Children’s Evangelist come and go. Many of the Children’s Evangelist who were traveling when I started and plowed the way for what I am doing have moved on to becoming either a pastor, or are now struggling to get meetings because one of two reasons: One, they have gone on and off the road and when they returned they find it hard to reestablish their old contacts, and two, because their style has become outdated and for one reason or the other they are not able to become relative again. I have also seen that very few people that start traveling as a children’s evangelist stay on the road for over a few years at a time.

I will endeavor to be candid as possible during this letter by often times sharing some of the more negative sides of being on the road. This is not for me to share my pity party or to try and discourage you from being a children’s evangelist. I wish someone would have been this candid with me and shared with me the things I needed to do to be successful on the road. I learned from the school of hard knocks, a little from Bible College, and a few things from Willie George’s conferences that I attended long ago. Very little information was available in the late 80s early 90s on being a children’s evangelist. I just had a desire to reach children and went for it.

Finances:
The number one reason people do not continue to be a children’s evangelist is because of finances. Therefore, I will endeavor to share with you some of the things I have leaned over the past 20 plus years

1. Don’t quit your day job: Too many people jump out on the road cold turkey with no preparation. They quit their children’s pastor job or other job and jump out on the road with no financial preparation. I tell people all the time to transition out of a normal more stable job to life on the road. I made this mistake and went through years of extreme poverty. We were so rag tag in the beginning that I had a pastor that felt so sorry for me that he gave me shirts out of his own closets to wear because mine were so bad.  One winter when all of our utilities got shut off, God had to deliver me from the mess I had gotten myself into by a pastor hiring me to be his children’s pastor for $1000.00 per month.
2. Prepare, Prepare, Prepare: If you are thinking of transitioning out of a children’s pastor position or secular employment into life on the road save up enough money or raise support for at least one to two years. Get all the equipment you will need to do your ministry while you still have a paycheck. After you go full time most of what comes in will need to be used to keep you and your family alive.
3. Get out of debt: Before you take the leap of faith to go full time it is highly advisable to get yourself out of debt. Get use to living a simpler lifestyle if  that is what it takes. This does not mean that you have to stay there. God will promote those that are faithful. If you have debt hanging over you or cannot control your spending, it will become a burden while trying to get started.
4. Develop a business plan: Most people in ministry have no business sense at all. They blindly take the leap of faith into full time traveling ministry with no idea in the natural what they are doing. An instructor at my bible college once said “The Natural and the supernatural coming together make an explosive force for God.” You can have all the faith in the world, but if you don’t know how to handle money you are doomed for failure. To be honest we have to put money aside during our busy season to make it through our slow season every year. This takes a lot of planning, self control, and living a simpler life sometimes. The notion that you will get rich from being a Children’s Evangelist is simply not true.  You can be successful and live a decent lifestyle, eventually God will bless and promote you as you make wise decisions and put him first.
5. Love offering VS Honorarium? An adult evangelist blesses adults and when they take up an offering people will give. A children’s evangelist blesses children and children might have a few nickels and dimes to give. I would encourage you to figure out what you need to live each month. What it takes to pay all your bills and continue to travel. Then let churches know up front what you need. To be honest pastors have no idea what it takes to keep a ministry such as ours on the road. I haul around 7000 Lbs. of equipment in a 20 ft. trailer with a one ton Silverado that gets about 9 miles per gallon.  Travel costs have gone through the roof as of late. If all your income goes to pay your travel expenses, then what will you live off of? Do not under charge for coming to minister at a church, however starting out do not over charge for your qualifications or you will not get any bookings. Our ministry survives off of honorariums, sales of merchandise, and very few monthly supporters. I have not figured out a way to get people to become a monthly supporter of our ministry. I refuse to use any manipulative methods to raise funds. Always be flexible with smaller churches that cannot afford your cost but remember you have to live also.  
6. Merchandise: Willie George said one time, “If you are going to make it as a children’s evangelist you must have good, quality product to sale to supplement your income. He had good curriculum and a video club that was very popular in the late 80s and early 90s. I have taken this approach of offering quality concert type gear such as; T-shirts, hats, beanies, jewelry, and a few other things that you might find at a concert setting. I have also offered a few resources for children’s workers over the years. This takes an initial investment, however it has paid off for our ministry. Be careful not to offer trinkets and things that parents are really hesitant to buy for their kids because they end up in the bottom of the toy box or on the closet floor. Our merchandise is a quality product that children can wear. That reminds them of our ministry, or has a good Christian message on them. Do not be cheesy in this area!
7. Winter cometh:  Be advised that it is much harder to book events in the winter months from November 1st to March 1st than it is in the spring through fall. It is like a roller coaster for us each year it starts building around March peeks in the summer and starts declining in the fall until November. It usually stops dead with an occasional booking in December, January, and February. If you are not prepared for this you will starve in the winter months and it might actually drive you off the road all together. I know of only one Children’s Evangelist that stays booked all year except December. All others that I know of go through this same cycle. Some have developed holiday themed events for November and December however, there is a limited market for this and a limited time slot that it can take place. Usually the more ministry minded evangelist this is harder for because churches are not looking for powerful ministry during these times as much as warm fuzzes for the holidays. You must either put away money during the busy season for the slower season and live a disciplined lifestyle, or go get a job each winter which cuts back on your preparation, and advertising time for the following season.

Advertise, Advertise, And Advertise!
Take advantage of every opportunity you can afford to let people know that you are available. Use every social network as possible to let people know what you are doing without becoming annoying. Your web site is your front page of your ministry. Make sure it is where you put a lot of your advertising budget into. Everything else should be the bait that draws people to your website which is the hook. A lot of people feel that advertising is self promotion, however if people do not know you are available they will not contact you to come to their church. Make sure to put money aside each year to advertise for the upcoming year. The best time for me to promote for the following year is around the 1st of October before the holiday’s and right after the 1st of the year is also a good time to promote.

Break outside your Realm!       
Don’t stay in your comfort zone of your denomination or group. Most denominations do not have enough churches in a certain area to keep you busy enough to support yourself. Market yourself to as many denominations and groups as possible without compromising your core beliefs. I have been blessed to be accepted in several denominations and groups across Christendom. I respect each groups for their specific doctrinal believes and stay on the basics without watering down my message. This is why I know some denominations and groups will not contact me. Many traveling ministries make the mistake of watering down their ministry to be accepted across the board which results in nothing more than Christian entertainment. Keep true to the word, anointing, and real ministry while being respectful to wherever God opens the doors for you to go. I have had to draw lines of what I will and will not compromise on. I would encourage you to do this before you make the leap or you will be tempted to compromise to get an event.

Local verses national:
There are many regional Children’s Evangelist, but very few national. Part of the secret to my success is I am willing to drive long distances between events in a short period of time. I have found that most regions do not have enough opportunities to keep me busy enough to support myself and our ministry.

Do something no one else is doing:
In other words find your nitch and perfect it. Then learn how to market it. Willie George said that to be successful now as a Children’s Evangelist that you must have a Gimmick. This is a sad but true statement. The fact that you have a heart for God, love kids, and want to reach as many of them as possible is not enough to book you in most churches. When pastors and children’s pastors are looking for a Children’s Evangelist they look for someone that can do something that they cannot do. Most Children’s Evangelist that come in with a guitar, a puppet, and a few object lessons do not stay booked enough to support them selves.  My gimmick would be all the Multi media, Lighting, and staging I haul around with me. Kidz Blitz would be their game show atmosphere. Some people sing or perform well and that is their nitch. It’s their Gimmick. Most churches are not looking for another clown or magician. The field is swamped and mostly with very amateur ones at that. The ones that are successful are the ones that have risen above the norm. Before Terry Fator and Jeff Dunham came along the art of being a ventriloquists was looked down upon by most people because it was the same old jokes and routines over and over. I remember the statement by the “America’s got talent” judge when Terry Fator walked out on stage with a dummy. “Oh no not another ventriloquists act”.

Family:
The second highest reason people do not stay on the road very long is the toll it takes on their family.  Make sure your entire family is on board with the decision to be an evangelist and are willing to count the cost to do it. Make sure everyone is being realistic with what it involves. It can either make you closer or pull you apart! It can take a huge toll on your children if you don’t do it right. I have seen some Children’s Evangelist that the children loved it and are now Children’s Evangelist as adults, and I have seen others that  want nothing to do with God or ministry after being dragged around the country while their parents minister.

Don’t be afraid to ask the tough questions:
If something is not working do not be afraid to ask why it is not working. Evaluation is good, even if it hurts. The only person the likes change is a wet baby! Don’t continually beat a bush that is not producing the results you want. Someone said, “If you always do what you have always done, you will always get what you have always had.” To continually do the same thing and expect a different result is delusional. Don’t be afraid to evaluate yourself and ask others their honest opinion. Do not be afraid of the answers you might get. I have always asked 2 questions when I receive criticism. I ask myself, is it true and can I do anything about it? Some things are true and some thing’s are not. If you find it to be true, bite the bullet and make a change. However, some things cannot be changed. If it is a deep conviction or something that is a trait that it is impossible to change, well it cannot be changed. However, do not be unwilling to change something because of sentimental value or because it’s the way you have always done it. Do not be afraid to change yourself for the better even if it hurts!

Endurance;
A friend of mine once told me “there is something to be said for endurance in ministry”. By this he was saying that people that constantly move from one church to another as Children’s Pastor or are constantly on and off the road will never achieve their full potential. If every time things get tough you move on to something else you will never get anywhere. You must know what you are called to do and find a way with Gods help to make it happen. Things will get tough! In the Oct. of 2010 thru June of 2011 we only had one booking. Things got extremely tight financially.  We joked about being on a forced fast that winter. Both my wife and I lost weight that year. Not because we were dieting but because we were not able to buy as much food and we would have liked. We did not starve but we were forced to live low that year. Many people would have taken this as a sign they were supposed to pull off the road. Knowing what we are called to do we stuck it out and in the summer of 2012 our summer was so full that we were gone for 3 months without returning home. In the over 20 years as a Children’s Evangelist I have never been gone that long without returning home. Our 2013 schedule is exploding also. As of Feb. 1st 2013 our summer is almost full and our spring and fall is looking good also. It looks like another year of being gone for 3 or more months. If I would have given up in the hard times we would have never gone to this new level. Over the years I have had many opportunities to quite because of hard times and personal failures however, since we have kept our hand to the plow we are experiencing great success and a full schedule. 

Also I suggest reading the following article I wrote several years ago Why aren't their more children's evangelist?


Saying all this I will leave you with one of my favorite quotes. I am not sure who originally said it but it goes like this…

DREAM A DREAM SO BIG THAT UNLESS GOD DOES IT, IT WILL NOT HAPPEN!


Jerry Moyer
Jubilee Gang Ministries
Website     www.jubileegang.com  
FaceBook  www.facebook.com/jubileegang  
Twitter       www.twitter.com/jubileegang  
YouTube    www.youtube.com/jubileegang

Our First Event of 2013

Today Jan. 27th  2013 we had the privilege of ministering at New Hope FourSquare Church in our Home town of Springfield, OH. This was our first Jubilee Gang event in 2013.

During this event we prayed with 9 people to be born again including 3 adults.

Below are some Pictures from this event...

Jerry praying with 9 people to be born again 

including 3 adults 

 Jerry teaching the Power Verse put to a beat

 Candy Counseling Wild Thing

 Jerry and a young man playing the Match it Game

Jubilee Gang Update: The calling & new transition

The above map has been on my office wall for the last 20 + 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 and tell it to filled up with pins back in the day! 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 1998 we have ministered in 40 States, Puerto Rico, Canada, and Russia and in over 20 different denominations and a host of non denominational churches and have seen over 18,000 people born again during our events.

The Calling... Go into all the world and preach the gospel. Mark 16:15

When I was 6 years old I went to an altar in a Methodist Church in Ironton, OH on New Years eve and gave my life to Jesus. No one even prayed with me that night but when I got up I knew that I hade been changed. I went home and told my mother that I became a christian tonight. I had been born again! When I was 16 I answered another altar call to surrender my life to God and heard God speak to my heart to "Go into all the world and preach the Gospel" Since that day my life has been a journey through many adventures and ups and downs, and huge leaps of faith, however; God has been faithful and we have been blessed to see God use us to lead many people to Jesus!

The transition...

24 years later and we are taking another step of faith. After having the privilege of serving as Children's Pastor at RiverSong Church in our home town of Springfield for 4 years, we are stepping down to go full time back on the road to fulfill the call God has placed on my life. Its been an awesome time serving, training, and building with our local church over the last 4 years, however; we know in our hearts that it is time to focus on the call of winning the lost and making disciples.

Click here to see a Video of Jerrys testimony

Become a partner with The Jubilee Gang

If you would like to become a monthly prayer or financial partner with Jubilee Gang Ministries as we take this step of faith to go full time on the road again or give a one time gift click on the partner form below to see the different ways that you can partner with our ministry.

What Pastors across America are saying about The Jubilee Gang

 What Pastors across America are saying about The Jubilee Gang
Pastor Jeff Schlemmer Family Pastor at Vertical Church in West Haven, CTJubilee Gang is a fast paced, multi-media explosion! Jerry and Candy Moyer have a huge heart to see all children reached for Jesus Christ! They have run a four day children’s conference for us on several occasions and been a true blessing to our church and children. Easy to work with and highly organized they come in and hit the ground running. With Jubilee Gang you get a lot of bag for your buck! Their stage production is second to none and a great value compared to other ministries we reviewed. Jerry and Candy pull out all the stops! Their productions utilize interactive games, objects lesson, skits, sound effects, videos, lighting and an amazing guest puppet “Wild Thing” all of which create an awesome atmosphere to minster to kids! Their range of teaching topics is broad and always fresh. The Moyers teach the Word of God in a simple, clear, accurate way that kids get it!   I have seen firsthand and through following their ministry that they are effective ministers of the Gospel. Their presentation of salvation is God-filled and wherever they share children are moved to receive Christ. It is my pleasure to recommend Jerry and Candy Moyer to you I am confident that they will effectively communicate Christ to kids and lives will be changed!

Pastor Dennis Duirg, Children’s Pastor Living Word Church in Dayton, Ohio
The Jubilee Gang is an exciting, Multi-media children’s ministry that ministers in a way that keeps children on the edge of their seats. Jerry Moyer and the Jubilee Gang are on the very cutting edge of children’s ministry, and I would highly recommend them to minister to the adults and children in your congregation.

Pastor Josh Payne , Pastor at Victory Church in Troy, PA
We were pleased to host the Jubilee Gang for our Back to School Blast Sunday morning main event. The excellence of this ministry begins when the door of their trailer drops. Everything had a place and there was a place for everything. Jubilee Gang is a far cry from a rag tag hodge podge of antiquated Sunday School style entertainment. The Jubilee Gang provided Victory Church with a meaningful ministry experience that still has our children and adults alike talking about the impartation they received months after the event. The Moyers have spared no expense in there investment using equipment that is cutting edge and will engage young and old alike as Jerry delivers Gods timeless truth. Jerry's message is anointed and uncompromising. His in your face style is not only what the youth of this generation need but it’s what they want. Young to old and everyone in between will be encouraged and inspired to not only follow but chase after Jesus Christ.

Frank Trezoglou Children’s Pastor Christian Life Assembly in Columbia, SC
Jerry and his team did an outstanding Job at a four-day crusade here at Christian Life. The children responded to their ministry in an extremely positive way and were encouraged in their own personal walks with Jesus. I would highly recommend this Team to come to your Church and work with your children and adults..

Mike Dsane, Children’s Pastor Crossroads Church Assembly of God of Oklahoma City, OK
 The Jubilee Gang’s time of ministry at our church was incredible. Because our church is made up of such a diversity of people, it is difficult to meet the cultural needs of everyone in the congregation. When a group of inner city students walked in and experienced the ministry of the Jubilee Gang, they showed more excitement than I had ever seen out of them in a church service.  Their ministry broke every  distinction whether it was age, race, or denomination.  Students went home excited not only excited by the event, but also the decision they had made for Christ.

Dianne Sheeley, Associate Pastor to Children Stillmeadow Church of the Nazarene in York, PA
Our families and kids are still talking about the awesome ministry event last year. What a creative and exciting way to show kids God's love and their need of a savior, Jesus Christ. We are having a great time discipling the many boys and girls that were saved when the Jubilee Gang came to Stillmeadow Church of the Nazarene in York, PA.

Pastor Bob Trombi, Champions Church in Portland, OR
There are not many traveling Children's Ministers that have so much to offer as the Jubilee Gang. Jerry Moyer is a talented and committed Christian who has a vision to reach children. He uses the most cutting edge equipment and visuals to keep their attention. Your children will love him and his ministry, and you will see your children's workers rise to a new level of excitement and commitment after experiencing his ministry.

Pastor Tony Watson, Manchester Church of the Nazarene in Manchester, OH
I would highly recommend the Jubilee Gang to any church that is interested in reaching kids for Christ. They know how to minister to young people. We had them for a one day crusade, and it was simply outstanding. We had over 70 young people accept Christ as the personal Savior. Their ministry presentation was dynamic with all the lights, sound, and videos; their conduct was of the highest Christian standard, and their equipment was the best I've ever seen. Consider them for your next "Big" children's event!

Geri Grieb, Children’s Director at New Beginning Christian Center in Portland, OR
We were so blessed to have Jubilee Gang minister at our church! Our families loved the fun faith filled multi-media ministry. It also gave our children’s ministry team a vision of how to reach the children of our city. With ease and excellence Jubilee Gang is busy about our Father’s business, bringing souls into the Kingdom of God!
  
Pastor Dan Leiker, River of Life Christian Center in Urbana, Ohio
Jerry worked for us as children's pastor and help implement and trained our workers to reach and raise up this next generation. He has a sincere and hungry heart to minister to children every where, and is loaded with great ideas that are guaranteed to change your children into world changers. I highly recommend the Jubilee Gang to you and your children's ministry. It will be a great blessing to you and your church.

Pam Majors Children’s Pastor Evangel Assembly of God Wichita, Kansas
What a blessing The Jubilee Gang was to our church families, kids, and to our community. We were privileged to host The Jubilee gang in for a three night kids event and saw over 56 children respond to the altar with 26 making first time decisions.  Weeks following the event we are still receiving thank you’s and compliments from parents. Jubilee Gang is extremely professional and definitely ministry minded.  Our time with Jerry and The Jubilee Gang was refreshing and uplifting for both young and old alike. We are already talking about scheduling them again for an upcoming event. Jerry and his team are compassionate, relevant and people of integrity.  This is one ministry that will bless your church!

Pastor Joe Cameneti, Believers Christian Fellowship in Warren, Ohio
The Jubilee Gang has been a great blessing in our church! We used them in a six day camp meeting. They held the children's attention, built excitement in them, and ministered to their spirits, soul, and body at the same time. I highly recommend them as a ministry that will bless the churches they go to.

Pastor Mark DiGirolamo Children’s Pastor Visalia First Assembly of God: Visalia, CA
I have had the opportunity to have Jerry and his ministry team at our church on two occasions. The latest was Easter 2006 where they ministered to over 700 kids and adults. Their ministry is Bible based, high energy and full of multimedia that will help any child to remain attentive and alert to hear the message presented. I would not hesitate to have The Jubilee Gang minister to the children of my church. We saw kids at each of our services accept the invitation to be prayed for at the altar. They are great to work with and have a great attitude towards ministry.

Rich Maus, Minister of Children Cornerstone Church in Toledo, OH
I have found Mr. Moyer and his team are excellent to work with. Our kids really enjoyed their ministry, and I appreciated their heart to minister to kids. Jerry has really done his homework with a great set design, excellent multi-media presentation, and a fast paced program that captures both kids and adults attention. The Jubilee Gang was excellent to work with.

Darrell and Sharon Worley Pastors at Christian Life Assembly in Picayune, MS
You did such an outstanding job. We are so happy that we had 74 kids respond for salvation that week! We know there will be many eternal results from the time that you spent here with us!

Jamey Bowles Children’s Pastor at Bethel Assembly of God in Duncan, OK
The Jubilee Gang did an awesome job of ministering here! Our KidZone Invasion consisted of a 3-day Kids Crusade Events at our church and 2 elementary school assemblies which reach approximately 1600 students. Teachers, principals, and the school superintendent of schools were all thrilled with the “Gang’s” ability to bring a positive life message to the kids with such fun and excitement.

The Crusade at the church was awesome! Kids and adults alike were ministered to through the games, story telling, puppets, and light show. The “Gang’s” excitement draws the kids into the event, and their heart for the kids and ministry combine to make an event where kid’s lives can and will be changed by the power of God. We had 40-50 kids respond to give their lives to Jesus!

I would wholeheartedly recommend them for any ministry event you might be planning. Their versatility, humility, and heart for God and kids make them one of the best ministries I have worked with!

Pastor Randy Brummitt Lead Pastor First Assembly of God Collierville, TN
What a blessing it was to have the Jubilee Gang with us this week! It was undoubtedly one of the greatest family / kids crusade events that I have hosted in 2o plus years of pastoral ministry! We look forward to scheduling Them again soon!

Mark Williams Children’s  Pastor at Life Fellowship in Weatherford, OK
 Our pastor's wife was teaching a Wednesday night class and a mom was helping. The mom brought in her form that we have everyone fill out before they help in children's church. Pastor's wife looked at the form and saw that the mom got saved in October and asked her about it

The mom's two kids came to the crusade and heard about being born again.
The boy came to the front to pray. (That's awesome at that) That night
when they got home, they told their mom about being born again and the mom
got saved in her living room that night and has been faithful to church
ever since.

Tim Carpenter  Children’s Pastor Bethany World Prayer Center in Baton Rouge, LA

I am writing this letter for the purpose of recommending Jubilee Gang for an event at your church. Jerry and Candy Moyer have committed their lives to reaching kids with the powerful message of the Gospel.

We hosted the Jubilee Gang for a three day VBS July 2009 and the kids are still talking about the wonderfully fun and life changing experience.

When I think of the Jubilee Gang, I think of three reasons I would definitely have them back at our church.

1. A commitment to teaching and presenting the Word of God in a creative, fun way.

So many groups are very entertaining, but there is no ministry and the Word of God is a side issue that just goes with their program. Brother Jerry packs a lot of punch with his program. It’s the Word and the Gospel that produces the fruit and makes lasting change. Kids got saved each night and still remember the fun characters, video and overall experience.

2. A commitment to a “spirit of excellence” in everything they do.

I appreciated so much that from the time they pulled in to the time they left, everything they did was portrayed with excellence. The program is well thought and prepared. I didn’t have to worry about anything, because JG had a smooth running event. Brother Jerry and Candy are people of integrity and high moral character and that is evident when you meet them in person.

3. A commitment to the kids and families.

Brother Jerry has such a heart for kids and families that they love being around he and his wife, Candy. How could kids not love someone named Candy? She is a beautiful person and has such a heart for ministry that they won’t quit until the last kid is prayed for or family ministered to. Every child feels special at a Jubilee Gang event!

These are just three reasons among so many that I highly recommend Jubilee Gang for your next church wide event! One night isn’t enough to really experience Jubilee Gang to it’s fullest.

Church Minded Vs. Kingdom Minded

Church Minded Vs. Kingdom Minded

We hear a lot today about church growth and church growth is good. A healthy church should be growing just like a healthy person should grow. A healthy church cannot help but grow!

A lot of churches are starting to evaluate every program according to how much it helps the church grow. Evaluation is good and healthy as long as we look at the big picture. The big picture that I am talking about is the Kingdom of God.

Matt. 6:33 says that if we seek first the kingdom of God that all these things will be added unto us. We do not seek his kingdom to get what we want, but as we seek first the kingdom of God our lives and ministry cannot help but grow.

Church growth cannot be the only reason we do certain programs or cut certain programs in our local churches. There is a much higher calling to grow the kingdom of God.

Jesus said in the great commission to go into all the world and make disciples. Those people that need to be reached and discipled in all the world don’t just include people from our local communities that will attend our local churches.

A lot of times when people look at having a Kid’s Crusade or family outreach event they count how many families return after the event and judge whether they should continue having this kind of events in the future.

A lot of times we see great growth in our local churches from such events, but sometimes it does not effect the growth of our local body however it effects the growth of the kingdom of God.

Now I am not saying that we should not evaluate the effectiveness of a certain ministry or outreach events. We should evaluate everything we do to find out if it reached the goals we had for the event and how we can be more effective in reaching these goals during future events. However, our goal should not just be getting new people to come to our church. It should be part of it, but not the entire goal.

When I was on staff as a children’s pastor, I would ask myself what is the goal of any given event and how can we best achieve this goal. A lot of times we do an event just because we have always done this event.

When looking at the event of a traditional VBS and seeing the large budget it required and the manpower from our church, I would ask myself what the goal of VBS was. Was it to encourage the Christian children in our church to grow or to outreach into the community? Being the evangelist that I am and knowing that my children were well taught in children’s church my goal for most large events was outreach.

Then, I would ask myself if we were achieving that goal through the current VBS program. Most VBS curriculums are designed to teach bible truths around a certain theme for the year and not to see children born again and made disciples. VBS programs in some communities have turned into nothing more than a baby sitting service to the parents of the community. Kids jump from VBS to VBS every week during the summer just to have something to do while their parents are at work. Churches even work together to make sure that every week in the summer is covered by a different church and that everyone is not using the same curriculum. Most VBS curriculums have been watered down so that it is not offensive to anyone to get more children to attend. Sure there is a small amount of Bible in the curriculum, but in its self is not anything that will change a life for eternity.

After evaluating the program and seeing that my goal was outreach and evangelism, I decided to change to more of a Kids Crusade format. I do not call it a Kid’s Crusade because the un churched community does not understand the term and usually associate it with the crusades of the dark ages.

I have always been a kingdom minded person. Probably because Matt. 6:33 was one of the first scriptures that really came alive to me as a teen.

We will not always see church growth as a result of an event or program; however we must ask our self if the kingdom grew because of the event or program. Now I am not talking about loosely using the phrase …

“If we touched one child it is worth it”

It is worth it to touch the life of one child. We do not know what that child will become. Maybe this child might become the next Billy Graham or something. But why should we only touch the life of one child during the event? While we are touching their live why not touch the lives of hundreds more. If only one child is reached we should ask ourselves how we can reach more next time and make the adjustments to our program, advertising, and marketing of the event to the community to reach more people.

We recently ministered at a church that had us in and had small crowds each night. Mostly church kids and a few un churched friends attended. The same children came forward each evening during the invitation to be born again. A few people that did not attend the church came forward, but it was mostly the children from their church. I would say around 20 children were born again despite having around 50 children respond to the invitation during the 3 day event. I could see where the pastor might be discouraged and consider not having this type of event in the future because of the cost of the program and the results he saw.

No one new that a friend of mine from facebook attended the service from a neighboring town one of the evenings with a group of children including her 7 year old daughter. She had seen on facebook where we were going to be ministering at this church and wanted to come and check out our ministry.

After the event I received the following e-mail from my facebook friend…

"Thanks for inviting us. I'm sorry we couldn't make all three days. The kids I brought LOVED it, they want you to come to our church. My daughter who's 7 also came with me on Monday night. She has been telling people in her class and in our congregation how she is "born again" and "how God gave her a clean heart". This is HUGE coming from a very Traditional Presbyterian Church. So thank you. You have encouraged me to change my Sunday School curriculum and change the direction of my ministry to be more evangelism based. I'll be back in touch soon after speaking with our finance committee to discuss scheduling a Jubilee Gang event at our church.”


This was worth the whole event to see the lives of these young people changed and to see the possibility of an entire children’s ministry at another church become more evangelistic because of the children’s pastor attending this meeting.

I also received a testimony from a children’s pastor in VA that was born again at a Kids Crusade at a church that he did not attend and never attended except for the Kid’s Crusade where he was born again. Below is his story…

“When I was 5 years old my parents took me to see a traveling children’s evangelist who was ministering in a local church. At the end of the service I asked Jesus into my heart for the first time. My family and I never went back to that church but found ourselves planted in another local church where we grew in Christ. I often think about that first church where I found Jesus. I’m so grateful that church had a kingdom mindset when it came to outreach. Many churches see the goal of outreach as a way to boost attendance numbers. Outreaches are evaluated by measurable returns, but the Bible reminds us that we’re here to build a kingdom…not just our own church. I’m grateful for ministries like the Jubilee Gang who spend their time spreading the seed of God’s word into young hearts. And I’m grateful that this first church had a kingdom mindset that allowed me to hear the gospel for the first time. Their measurable return may be considered insufficient by many churches today but I will be eternally grateful to God for them.”

This is what it is all about folks! As a result of this church being kingdom minded this young child was born again and is now a children’s pastor at a large church that is affecting hundreds if not thousands of lives.

It would be wrong to not give a testimony from a church that did not see growth from a Kids crusade at their church. I received the following letter from a church in OK where a child was born again during the kids crusade and went home and told his mother about Christ and led her to the lord…

“Our pastor's wife was teaching a Wednesday night class and a mom was helping. The mom brought in her form that we have everyone fill out before they help in children's church. Pastor's wife looked at the form and saw that the mom got saved in October and asked her about it.

The mom's two kids came to the crusade and heard about being born again. The boy came to the front to pray. (That's awesome at that) That night when they got home, they told their mom about being born again and the mom got saved in her living room that night and has been faithful to church ever since.”

We would have never have know this if the pastor’s wife had not asked some questions. The kingdom was affected by this event!

When evaluating events and programs let make sure that we are not cutting a program that is affecting the Kingdom when we do not see our church numbers increase.

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

Jerry Moyer of the Jubilee Gang on CM radio discussing How to impart truth to children

I was recently invited to be on CMConnect radio to discuss "How to impart Gods truth to children".

Join Tom Bump and Ron Brooks and special guests, Jerry Moyer of the Jubilee Gang and Bill Gunter (aka Commander Bill) as they dive into How to impart God's truth at the link below....
http://my.blogtalkradio.com/cmconnect/2013/01/04/kid-ministry-collective-show-5

or listen to the program below...

Listen to internet radio with CMConnect on Blog Talk Radio

Jubilee Gang Christmas News Letter

Merry Christmas from
Jerry, Candy, & Wild Thing!

Dear Friends and Partners,

     As the year comes to an end and we are all enjoying the holidays with our      families we look back over this year for Jubilee Gang Ministries. We had another awesome year of ministering to children and families and feel so blessed and grateful for all God is doing through this ministry. We traveled over 25,000 miles from CT to WA State, ministered in 34 churches, in 18 different states. We ministered in over 151 different services this year, and have seen over 1,188 people born again. 

   This summer we were on the road for 3 months without coming home. Even though the schedule and being away from home was grueling at times and we missed seeing our family and friends it was a very fruitful summer.  In July we partnered with Gospel Hill Ministries in Warsaw, OH to conduct an outreach event on the White Mountains Apache Reservation in the White Mountains of AZ. During this two day event we saw 74 people born again. Also in July we partnered with 6 different churches in Bullhead City, AZ to conduct a city wide outreach that was held in their local High School. It was awesome to see 6 different churches from a variety of backgrounds as divers as Baptist, to Pentecostal, to non denominational come together to reach out to their community. During this 3 day event we saw over 50 people born again.

It looks like 2013 will be another busy year as we again travel from coast to coast ministering to children and families across America. Please keep us in your prayers as we travel Americas highways leading men, woman, boys, and girls to Jesus.    

Apache Children enjoying
The Jubilee Gang

Bullhead City, AZ Outreach

Evangelism Quotes

“Evangelizing in the church is like fishing in a bathtub: it’s terribly convenient, but you don’t catch much.” (Dr. Roy Fish)

"We're no longer fishers of men, but keepers of the aquarium, and we spend most of our time swiping fish from each others bowls."

"In the Great Commission, the Lord has called us to be--like Peter--fishers of men. We’ve turned the commission around so that we have become merely keepers of the aquarium. Occasionally I take some fish out of your fishbowl and put them into mine, and you do the same with my bowl. But we’re all tending the same fish."

"Evangelism is the outward flowing of the rivers of grace toward men, but worship is the upward expression of the human spirit toward God."

- Donald Gee

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

"We are not called to proclaim philosophy and metaphysics, but the simple gospel. Man's fall, his need of a new birth, forgiveness through atonement, and salvation as the result of faith, these are our battle-ax and weapons of war." - C. H. SPURGEON

"We are not called to proclaim philosophy and metaphysics, but the simple gospel. Man's fall, his need of a new birth, forgiveness through atonement, and salvation as the result of faith, these are our battle-ax and weapons of war." - C. H. SPURGEON

To get a man soundly saved it is not enough to put on him a pair of new breeches, to give him regular work, or even to give him a University education. These things are all outside a man, and if the inside remains unchanged you have wasted your labor. You must in some way or other graft upon the man's nature a new nature, which has in it the element of the Divine. - 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

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

"It is possible for the most obscure person in a church, with a heart right toward God, to exercise as much power for the evangelization of the world, as it is for those who stand in the most prominent positions." -- John R. Mott

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

“Catch on fire and others will love to come watch you burn.” - John Wesley

"We must wake ourselves up! Or somebody else will take our place, and bear our cross, and thereby rob us of our crown."- William Booth

“You have nothing to do but to save souls. Therefore spend and be spent in this work. And go not only to those that need you, but to those that need you most…It is not your business to preach so many times, and to take care of this or that society; but to save as many souls as you can; to bring as many sinners as you possibly can to repentance.”

– John Wesley

"The greatest of all things is not theology; it is not controversy; it is to save souls." - Dr. Lyman Beecher

On the night of October 8, 1871, D.L. Moody finished a message with some words he regretted for the rest of his life. So great was his remorse that he committed himself to never making the same mistake again. The title of Moody's sermon was "What Shall I Do with Jesus?" At the end, he announced, "Now I want you to take the question with you and think it over, and next Sunday I want you to come back and tell me what you're going to do with Him." But next Sunday never came. As Moody dismissed his audience, the nearby courthouse fire bell sounded. At the time, no one had any idea how serious the blaze would become. As it turned out, the hall in which Moody spoke, the church he established, and his home were all destroyed in the inferno that became the Great Chicago Fire, along with more than 18,000 other buildings. But Moody hardly gave a second thought to his gutted home and church. They could easily be replaced – but not the lost souls. It was the memory of the audience he never saw again that was seared in his mind for the rest of his life.

If your Gospel isn't touching others, it hasn't touched you! -Curry R. Blake

"There is no improving the future without disturbing the present." - Catherine Booth

"In all ages conformity to the world by Christians has resulted in lack of spiritual life and a consequent lack of spiritual vision and enterprise. A secularized or self-centered Church can never evangelize the world." - John R. Mot

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!

Our relationship with God is a personal thing but not a private thing. We are the light of the world. We should never hide our light!

Reaching the lost is the lifeblood of a church. If you aren't winning souls, be so disturbed about it that you change! - Willie George

Ministry need not be an office; it’s a lifestyle devoted to attracting the lost to Christ and encouraging other believers in the faith.” – D.L. Moody

I have but one candle of life to burn, and I would rather burn it out in a land filled with darkness than in a land flooded with light-- John Keith Falconer

The Great Commission is not an option to be considered; it is a command to be obeyed -- Hudson Taylor

The Church exists for nothing else but to draw men into Christ, to make them little Christs. If they are not doing that, all the cathedrals, clergy, missions, sermons, even the Bible itself, are simply a waste of time. God became Man for no other purpose. --C. S. Lewis

“The crowds themselves are meaningless. The thing that counts is what happens to the hearts of the people.” - Billy Graham

"Isn't it staggering when you think that one sermon on the day of Pentecost produced 3000 people? And we had some cities yesterday where 3000 sermons were preached and nobody was saved. And it doesn't even faze us."- Leonard Ravenhill

"Evangelism is not a professional job for a few trained men, but is instead the unrelenting responsibility of every person who belongs to the company of Jesus." - Elton Trueblood

Evangelism is the spontaneous overflow of a glad and free heart in Jesus Christ.

A man once testified in one of D.L. Moody's meetings that he had lived "on the Mount of Transfiguration" for five years. "How many souls did you lead to Christ last year?" Moody bluntly asked him. "Well," the man hesitated, "I don't know." "Have you saved any?" Moody persisted. "I don't know that I have," the man admitted. "Well," said Moody, "we don't want that kind of mountaintop experience. When a man gets up so high that he cannot reach down and save poor sinners, there is something wrong.

Some wish to live within the sound of a chapel bell; I wish to run a rescue mission within a yard of hell. -- C.T. Studd

“I look on all the world as my parish; thus far I mean, that, in whatever part of it I am, I judge it meet, right, and my bounden duty, to declare unto all that are willing to hear, the glad tidings of salvation” -John Wesley

“We are told to let our light shine, and if it does, we won't need to tell anybody it does. Lighthouses don't fire cannons to call attention to their shining- they just shine.” - Dwight L Moody

"God save us from living in comfort while sinners are sinking into hell!" Charles Spurgeon

"Give me one hundred preachers who fear nothing but sin and desire nothing but God, and I care not whether they be clergymen or laymen, they alone will shake the gates of Hell and set up the kingdom of Heaven upon Earth." - John Wesley

To call a man evangelical who is not evangelistic is an utter contradiction. - Morgan, G. Campbell

"I'd rather have people hate me with the knowledge that I tried to save them." - Keith Green

“Oh, to realize that souls, precious, never dying souls, are perishing all around us, going out into the blackness of darkness and despair, eternally lost, and yet to feel no anguish, shed no tears, know no travail! How little we know of the compassion of Jesus!" - Oswald J. Smith

"It is of no use for any of you to try to be soul-winners if you are not bearing fruit in your own lives. How can you serve the Lord with your lips if you do not serve Him with your lives.? How can you preach His gospel with your tongues, when with hands, feet, and heart you are preaching the devil’s gospel, and setting up an antichrist by your practical unholiness?" - Charles Spurgeon

"Can we go too fast in saving souls? If anyone still wants a reply, let him ask the lost souls in Hell."- William Booth

Our business is to present the Christian faith clothed in modern terms, not to propagate modern thought clothed in Christian terms. Confusion here is fatal. - J. I. Packer

It is now possible to live a "christian life" without doing the things that Jesus commanded us to do. "We have hired people to go into all the world, to visit those in prison, to feed the hungry, to clothe the naked, to care for widows and orphans. The average Christian doesn't have to do it.--Cal Thomas

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 Sundy

I have but one passion: It is He, it is He alone. The world is the field and the field is the world; and henceforth that country shall be my home where I can be most used in winning souls for Christ. -- Count Nicolaus Ludwn Zinzendorf

Are you waiting on the call? Stop waiting... We are called to surrender and once surrender happens the commissioning will come. (Acts 1:4)

In an effort to rebrand the church, we must be careful not to rebrand the message of Christ!

"Evangelism requires leadership. Leading someone toward giving up their world-view & embracing yours isn't easy" Seth Godin

"We've made a big mistake by asking people to "ask Jesus into their hearts"...Jesus never asked for our "hearts"...Jesus asked for our lives and the question is not if we will receive Jesus the question is have me met the requirements for God to receive us...we come to God on God's terms." Rick Renner

True ministry is reaching people and touching lives. Everything else is just stuff we have to do. -  Jerry Moyer 

People of accomplishment rarely sat back and let things happen to them. They went out and happened to things.”  - Elinor Smith

With decades of leading the body of Christ into positional truths - isn't it time that we now lead the same toward a concern for the lost? – Doug Jones

Someone asked “will the heathen who have never heard the Gospel be saved?” It is more a question with me whether we who have the Gospel and fail to give it to those who have not can be saved. -- Charles Spurgeon

God calls us into ministry to be his hands and feet to our generation. If it ceases to be about this, maybe we should look for another job!

"If you read history you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were precisely those who thought most of the next. It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this." ~ C.S. Lewis

"The walls of every church must include the ends of the earth"  - R. Bonnke

"The Christian is a person who makes it easy for others to believe in God." - Robert Murray McCheyne

It matters not how spiritual a church may profess to be, if souls are not saved, something is radically wrong, and the professed spirituality is simply a false experience, a delusion of the devil. People who are satisfied to meet together simply to have a good time among themselves are far away from God. Real spirituality always has an outcome." - Oswald J. Smith