Don’t be afraid to ask the tough questions

Don’t be afraid to ask the tough questions

Have you ever wondered why someone that seems to have a lot more talent and experience than you do, and seems to have more influential contacts than you do, just can’t seem to get anywhere in life?  Why do they keep running in circles and are never able to brake out of the small box they are in? It seems like they are in a hamster wheel running and running, but never getting any where.

If you talk to them you might hear them say, “They have not received the right breaks in life, or that someone or some circumstance is holding them back.” If you find yourself in this situation don’t be afraid to ask the tough questions of yourself. And after asking the tough questions, do not be afraid of the answers. A lot of people do not ask the tough questions because they are afraid of the answers. They are afraid of the truth.

Proverbs 11:14 says Where there is no counsel, the people fall;

But in the multitude of counselors there is safety.

Now this does not mean that every time we go make a decision we should ask 100 people what they think.  We need to be decisive in every area of life.

James 1:8 says that a double minded man is unstable in all his ways. We need to be able to make decisions in life without asking 100 people what they think. If we ask 100 people what they think, we will get 100 different answers, and then we will be more confused than when we started.

I believe that Proverbs 11:14 is talking about when we hear the same criticism of ourselves over and over again and we ignore it and keep brushing it off as something that is wrong with everyone else,  but we never look inward and never see the problem.  

A lot of people either get hurt or offended when they receive criticism. Therefore; they never grow in life. They never allow themselves to be stretched. They never allow anyone to speak into their lives. Getting hurt and offended is a defense Mechanism that keeps them from facing the truth that will help them grow.

I have been blessed through out the years to work under different leaders that have spoken into my life and have stretched me. When something is stretched it hurts.  A lot of times when leaders spoke into my life it hurt. Human nature never likes to be corrected or criticized.

When criticized I try to ask myself two questions:

1. Is it true?
2. Can I do anything about it?

Sometimes people just like to tear into other people and their criticism is not thought out or constructive. They lash out with criticism for others to boost their own self esteem. This type of criticism is usually not true. We cannot receive all criticism, or we would go insane.

Sometimes criticism is true but there is nothing we can do about it. We cannot get hurt or offended if what people say is true. I have found that the best way to handle the area’s in my life where I might not be as talented as others or naturally gifted as others is to laugh about it. Accept the fact that I am not gifted in these areas and enjoy the area’s I am gifted in. However we can always strive to improve ourselves as much as we can.

I cannot sing at all. I know this. I am not blessed with musical ability. I play no instruments except my IPod. I enjoy good music but cannot produce it.

However, there is a 3^rd category of criticism that I want to talk about in this article. This type of criticism is true, and we can do something about it. These are the areas of our life that need to change, so that we can be more successful.

Over the years I have heard certain things over and over about myself. For a few years we passed out evaluation forms to every church we ministered at. We wanted to make sure that we were achieving our goals in ministry. We eventually quit using this form because people were not giving constructive criticism, but were using it to nit pick our ministry. Too much nit picking can ware on you after a while, and you become less effective in anything you do because you cannot please everyone.

A few good things did come out of using this evaluation form though. One thing that I heard a few times was that I should be more exciting when I speak. I have never claimed to be the best speaker in the world, and I still do not claim to be. I know that there are others that are much more eloquent than me. I always used the scripture that Paul wrote in 1 Cor 2:4 to justify my lack of talent in this area

And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:

However after hearing this criticism a few times, I began to ask myself, “Can I do anything about this.” I decided to really start working on being more exciting when I teach. I worked on body language, my voice inflection, not being monotone, and moving around the stage instead of standing in one place. I have come a long way since then. I realize that there are still others that are better, but I always have room to improve and I am continuing working on developing in this area.

When I first started hearing this criticism it hurt. I heard statement like my program and presentation was awesome, but I myself was boring. Ouch!!!!!

Thank God I received this criticism and worked on developing myself, so I could go to the next level in my ministry.

When young people work under me as an intern, I am very cautious not to ripe into them with everything they are doing wrong. I try and pick my battles. Most of the time when I share something it is to help them better themselves, so they can be more successful in life and ministry. One young man had a very annoying action when he would get excited that was a turn off for most people. He continually did this over and over. I could see that this would hold him back in achieving his goals in life and ministry. When I approached him about this his statement was that, “No one had ever had a problem with it in the past, no one had ever told him this, so why should it be a problem now?” My statement was that no one ever loved him enough to tell him the truth. This naturally offended him. As time went on I believe that he thought about this statement and made adjustments in his life. A lot of times pride stands in our way of receiving criticism.

If someone has experienced the same problem at every job they have had, they might need to ask themselves, ‘Do I have a problem in this area?” Instead human nature is to blame everyone around us for this problem. To me it’s sad to watch someone go through life experiencing the same problem everywhere they go. Never able to hold down a job because of bad people skills or a “know it all” attitude that rubs people the wrong way. They never ask themselves if it could be them. Instead others are always blamed. Therefore; they never go to the next level.

I once worked under a leader that spoke into my life greatly. He stretched me to help me become what I am today. As we spoke one day the subject came up, “Why the church was not growing?” I was hesitant to share why I believed that it was not growing because I was taught not to disrespect leaders that I am working for. I finally decided to be honest and share what I saw and what others were saying. I was very cautious with my words. I checked the motivation of my heart to make sure it was out of love for Him that I was sharing this information and not to cut him down, hurt him, or lift up myself. After sharing what was on my heart, I wished I would have kept it to myself. The leader rejected my suggestion and said, “That it was not true.” He did not believe this. To this day the church continues to not grow, and has actually lost members because of this problem that was never dealt with. I never shared from my heart with this leader again because I learned that he did not receive criticism. Even though he had spoken into my life greatly and stretched me, he did not allow others to speak into his life therefore; resulting in never going to the next level that God had planned for him and the church.

I used to where goofy hats and looney tunes ties on stage to try to relate to kids until I realized that most of the adults were turned off and thought of me as an oversized kid. I learned that I needed to dress for success. A children’s minister can dress in a way that is appealing to children and is not a turn off to adults that are potential supporters and workers in your ministry.

Let’s not be afraid to ask ourselves the tough questions in life:

• Is there something I am doing that is turning people off?

• Is there a reason no one wants to work under me in children’s ministry?

• Is my messy lifestyle and lack of organization just the way I am or is it holding me back? Is there something I can do about it?

• Is the way I dress or my style offensive to some or a turn off? Is it just the way I am or can I change?

• Is there a reason people are not coming to my church or calling me to minister at their church? I have heard some ministers say “People are not spiritual enough to handle the truth that I am preaching, that’s why my church isn’t growing.”

• Is my style of ministry a little outdated or not relative, even though I have done it this way for years and have worked hard on developing it?

• Do I come across hard and cold or is it that people are just not mature enough to handle the truth?

• Do I come across as a goofball or immature because of the silly things I do in children’s ministry resulting in the adults in my church and community not respecting me?

• Is there something about our building or children’s church room that is a turn off to first time visitors?

Let’s not be afraid of the answers to the tough questions. Let’s move up to the next level in our life and ministry. Let’s be all that God has created us to be and cast away anything that holds us back.

Jerry Moyer

Jubilee Gang Ministries

www.jubileegang.com

Lighting and Tech in Children’s Ministry

Lighting and Tech in Children’s Ministry

I have probably been branded the lighting and techie guy in some children’s ministry realms because I haul around over 7000 pounds of lighting, video, and sound gear when we travel and minister to children and families. That’s probably more gear than most traveling children’s evangelist that I personally know of.

Let me start off by saying, I don’t believe that lighting and tech is necessary in children’s ministry or ministry in general. However, it can be used to enhance worship and add excitement to certain parts of our services.

I started using lights in children’s ministry after attending a puppet ministry conference by puppet productions years ago.  I was taught at this conference that lighting can be used to direct attention to whatever is going on at the moment on stage. If the room is darkened and the stage is lit then children will focus on the stage area. Attention can be directed to certain parts of the stage where things are happening by darkening one area and lighting another. This was originally the reason why I started using lighting in Children's Ministry. It really does help  keep kids attention by having a darkened room with lighting directed to the front of the room. This gives children less things to look at to distract them.Many parents and church members might be freaked out by teaching in a darkened room. However, my goal was never to make it a club or concert atmosphere.

My first lighting system was made by connecting silver clamp lights that one would use in their garage to a controller that was a wooden box with home rheostat dimmers. We have come a mighty long way over the last 25 years.

First Jubilee Gang lighting rig. 

Over the years I have learned some do’s and don'ts to lighting in ministry. Below are some of the things that I have learned that I would like to share.

1. Lighting during worship: 
   a. When we use lighting during praise and worship it is meant to enhance the experience not to     draw attention to its self. I have seen many children’s ministers that have sporadic lighting going around the room that can be very distracting. When we lead children into worship the attention should be on Jesus, not our awesome lighting show. Using colors and moving lights to change the mood from a happy time of fast and celebrating praise to warm colors and very subtle movements to create a more worshipful environment. Colors and scenes do not need to be changed many times during a song. Maybe one scene for the chorus and another for the verses are plenty. The colors and the amount of movement need to correspond with the mood of song being sang.
   b. When it comes to lighting and production to enhance the experience, I am always reminded of the song “The Heart of Worship” by Matt Redman. “When the music fades and all is stripped away and I simply come. Longing just to bring something that's of worth that will bless your heart. I'm coming back to the heart of worship and it's all about you, it's all about You, Jesus. I'm sorry, Lord, for the thing I've made it when it's all about You. ”

It’s all about God not our show.

2. Less is more 
   a. Sometimes it’s tempting to give an audience everything you've got when you first get some really cool lights. When it comes to lighting I had to learn to control these urges. As I said before lighting is to enhance the service not to draw attention to it's self. Most of the time good lighting is not even noticed. It is part of the entire experience. Most people don’t walk away saying, “wasn't that an awesome lighting show at church today?” It was part of the overall experience. A good lighting person will be able to dim the lights and smoothly transition them from one area to another and one scene to another without the crowd noticing. Make sure your lighting does not look cluttered or sporadic by using too many colors or to much movement.
   b. Exceptions to the rule: During games and other exciting times it’s more acceptable to use more lighting within reason.

3. Be considerate of your audience.
   a. Today we have more and more children with sensory disorders and Autism. For these children some lighting effects and loud noises can set off adverse conditions for them including seizures and panic attacks. Strobe effects and quick sporadic movements are some of the things that can trigger this. I have started noticing this more over the last five or so years. Back in the day all we had to worry about was people with epilepsy having a seizer triggered by a strobe light or someone with Asthma have an attack because of the fog machines. Usually an asthma attack was a psychological one instead of the actual fog or haze used triggering it. However, we need to be considerate of our audience by warning parents ahead of time if we are using such effects. Also, we can be considerate by not going over board with certain effects like strobe and haze.

4. Tech is to reinforce the message not be the message. 
   a. Some one said the message never changes, but the methods must change from generation to generation. A Christian Magician once said when he develops new Gospel illusions that he always develops the Gospel message first then the illusion is developed to reinforce the message. Its tempting to come up with a really awesome illusion, then throw in a little gospel message to go with the illusion. This is what I am afraid happens in children ministry today many times. We come up with an elaborate production including lights, video and sound, then try to fit the Gospel into it. Instead of first knowing what God wants us to communicate to our audience and then using tech to reinforce what we are teaching. In my opinion this is of utmost importance in ministry that the message does not get lost in all the tech and awesome stuff. I ran lights at a Christian youth camp for years that started off very ministry oriented where kids experienced God and walked away changed. Throughout the years they became more and more tech savvy and even surpassed most large churches in the tech realm. As they perfected the technology being used the quality of ministry continued to decrease resulting in teens having an awesome time at camp, but not as many lives were changed. Kids walked away saying wasn't the lights and production awesome this year. Instead of, my life was touched by God and I will never be the same. I believe we can have all the technology and still flow with the Holy Spirit and see lives touched.

By all means let us take advantage of all the cool new technology to enhance the worship experience, but let us never create an awesome experience and add a little bible to it, so we can call it Christian.

Jerry Moyer
Jubilee Gang Ministries
www.jubileegang.com

Below us one of our newest Intro's that we use during our live events.

Outreach is reaching out

Several times a year we get to do one of my favorite things. We get to OUTREACH! Or to put it another way we get to REACH OUT! We are able to go outside the four walls of a church building and be a blessing to the world and present the Gospel to people that might not ever come to a church building. Many times what we call outreach is when we have a big event at our church and invite the world to come to us. Dr. Roy Fish said it this way, “Evangelizing in the church is like fishing in a bathtub: it’s terribly convenient, but you don’t catch much.”

Sadly to say that most of the unsaved people in our communities will never come to a church building because of pre conceived ideas about churches. Things like churches are nothing but dead religion or churches are no longer relevant to their life or today’s society.  Many people have had a bad experience at church therefore; they believe all churches are alike.
If we are truly going to fulfill the Great Commission that Jesus told us was our job as his disciples to “go into all the world and make disciples.” We are going to have to go to the world. Go into our communities and present the gospel to the world on their turf. It really does not matter what this looks like as long as the gospel is presented.  If we can find a need in our community to be a blessing to people, it will open the door for people to hear the good news of Jesus. I have seen churches go to the community and spend upward of $10,000 on an event that was a blessing however; the gospel was not presented. Essentially this equals nothing more that a carnival or a fair that the world puts on for themselves however; it was sponsored by a church. If we are going to make disciples we must present the gospel in a nonthreatening way and give people an opportunity to respond to the message by giving their lives to Jesus. Otherwise, we are throwing money at the wind.

a few years we got to partner with a local ministry called React that holds monthly events in our city with free food, prizes, and entertainment however; the Gospel is clearly presented to all that attend. We did a scaled down version of our “What is a Christian” program and were able to lead the ones who wanted to follow Jesus in a prayer to give their lives to him.

Every year for the last several years we have been able to minister at one of our local Elementary Schools at an after school program called “The Sonshine Club.” This ministry does an after school program once a week in many of our city’s Elementary Schools. It provides parents with an hour of after school activity for their children including games and bible lessons. This Tuesday we were able to do our scaled down version of our “What is a Christian” program to children that might not get a chance to hear the gospel message anywhere else. After our presentation, we were able to pray with the children who wanted to receive Jesus into their lives.

Each year our goal is to do several programs outside of a local church building. Out where the people are. In communities, parks, schools, anywhere we can get a crown to hear the Gospel.

Someone once said "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."

I pray this changes! I pray that more churches would have us in to do events at a neutral location where more unchurched people will come and give their lives to Jesus and then be invited to a local church and become disciples of Jesus. 

Jerry Moyer
Jubilee Gang Ministries
www.jubileegang.com

Why I still give altar calls or invitations to be born again.

Why I still give altar calls or invitations to be born again.

Altar Call in Urbandale, IA where a whole family

(Mom, Dad, son & 2 niece's ) came forward together to be born again!

God is so awesome!!!

I realize that a lot of the church world has moved away from doing altar calls during their services. Many people have questioned why I continue to use this method of evangelism. Let me start off by stating a few things that I see that would cause leaders to shy away from this method.

1. I understand that just because someone comes forward during a service does not mean that a change has taken place in their lives and many people have walked away confused.

2. Another reason would be because of abuse in the past with high pressure and preaching of hell fire and brimstone that would scare people into coming to the front to receive Christ into their lives so that they would miss hell. When people are scared into coming forward it sometimes causes more harm than good.

3. I also realize that there is no biblical example of altar calls in the bible and that it is a method that the modern church world has adapted for evangelism.

Saying all this, I still like to invite people forward to receive Christ during my services. I am always sensitive to the churches that I am ministering in and the fear factor of the people in the audience to come forward. In some churches people are more reluctant to come forward to receive Christ. And when I sense they are, I usually just pray with people where they are in their seats.

When I do give an invitation to come forward to be born again, I almost discourage people from coming forward. Yet the front is always lined with people receiving Christ. I have been in many services in the past where young people went forward just to get close to the person on stage or hoping to get a special gift or something for coming forward. I have had children in the past come forward expecting to get candy or to play a game.When I invite people to come to the front to receive Jesus and to be born again, I am very specific about who I want to come forward. I always tell the audience not to come forward to get close to me, see the lights, play a game, or get a prize. I tell them not to come forward because their neighbor does or they think it’s cool or the right thing to do . The only people that I want to come forward are the ones that are serious and understand what I am talking about. I tell them that if they do not understand or are confused not to come forward. I am also very specific about what being born again is and what it means to make Jesus Lord of your life during my service. I do not just tag an invitation on the end of each service as an afterthought. If I give an invitation to be born again, I spend a little time teaching on the subject.

I believe that faith comes by hearing the word of God (Romans 10:17). If the word is not taught on the subject, how can a person have faith to receive salvation? When an invitation is tagged on the end of each service without any explanation of what we are asking people to respond to, it has caused a lot of confusion in the past.

I am not saying that everyone that has been born again truly understood everything about salvation. God is much bigger than that. I was 6 years old when I was born again. I went forward on New Years Eve in my father’s church. No one even prayed with me but, I knew that I was changed that day. I went home and told my mother that I had become a Christian that night.

A lot of people in the world today have many misconceptions about being a Christian. Many believe that it is anything from being a good person to belonging to a church makes one a Christian.

In the past I have been accused of herding people to the front during invitations. This is why I have become so specific in whom I want to come forward. I also qualify people before I ask them to come forward. I first ask how many know for sure that they have been born again. With all eyes closed and heads bowed, I ask them to raise their hands. Then I tell them that if they have been born again that they do not have to keep being born again over and over. If they mess up and sin that the bible says in 1 John 1:9 that if we confess our sin that he is faithful and just to forgive us. This does not mean that we have to keep getting born again and again. Next, I ask how many have never been born again or are not sure that they have been. With all eyes closed and heads bowed, I ask them to raise their hands. Then I ask for the people that have never been born again and would like to Make Jesus Lord of their life and be born again to stand up, but only if they are serious and understand what I am talking about. Don’t stand up because you want exercise, because your neighbor does it, or you think it the right thing to do, but because you truly want to become born again and make Jesus Lord of your life.

After waiting a little while to give people a chance to stand up if they want to receive Christ, I then tell them that I want them to do one more thing.But before I do I tell them, I do not want them to come forward to get close to me, play a game, see the lights, or receive a prize. I ask them that if they are serious and understand what I am talking about to come forward. No pressure, no fear, no manipulation, only if this is what they truly want for their lives. 9 out of 10 times the front is lined with people receiving Christ.After I get them to the front, I sit them down on the floor around me and ask them what they came down here for. Usually a few children raise their hands and answer to be born again or to make Jesus Lord of my Life. I then ask the group if this is why everyone came down front. I proceed to tell them that this is the only reason I want them down here right now. Then I tell them that I am going to say a prayer, and I want them to repeat it after me. I always ask them if they know that just because they repeat a prayer doe snot do anything for them. When we pray we are talking to God, so I want you to mean this from your heart. If you pray this to God, and you believe it in your heart, and are serious, he will come in and change you on the inside. I always include the whole audience in the prayer. And I tell all in attendance that even if they did not come forward and have not made Jesus Lord of their life, that they can be born again right where they are.I never threaten with hell or in any way scare people into coming forward. I believe that it is the goodness of God that brings man to repentance. When people understand the good news of the gospel and that the price has already been paid for them, they will want to receive this gift that has been offered to them.

By coming forward it is making a public profession of their faith. It lets everyone there know what they did. People have more of a grip on it when they come forward than just repeating a prayer in their seats. It is a more personal environment where I can get close to them and lead them into salvation.

There is a new trend that teaches that it is the parent’s job to lead the children into the new birth. I do not disagree with this. Ultimately it should be the parent that prays with their children to be born again. I prayed with my son to be born again while driving in a car when he was just a child. But to be honest about this, a lot of parents do not have a firm grip on what being born again is themselves, or are not comfortable discussing it with their children. I pray that this changes.

If we always put it in the parents ball park and they drop the ball, or maybe they are not even born again themselves, or they do not go to church themselves, do we let these children slip through the cracks of our system? There must be a time where children have a chance to be born again while they are attending our services. It must be high on our priority list for children coming up through our churches.

I am in no means saying that this is the only way or even the best way to lead people to the Lord, but it is what works for me. The best way would before churches to go into their communities and personally lead people to the lord individually. If every person in every church would lead at least one or two people to the lord each year our churches would double or triple each year. Unfortunately, this is not happening. Even in churches that teach this method of evangelism or was founded on the premise of personal evangelism. Somewhere it always seems we loose our site of the mission in front of us and leave it up to evangelist like myself, to come into the church and evangelize the small group of the community that will come out to the event that the church is offering.

I pray we as the body of Christ will rise up and take back this generation.

You may also want to read the flowing 2 articles I wrote  called "Teaching children about salvation." And  "Salvation is a free gift that will cost you everything"

Below is a video of one of our Altar calls in Sayreville, NJ where around 300 people came forward to be born again....

God Bless
Jerry Moyer
The Jubilee Gang
www.jubileegang.com

Who Cares? By General William Booth

Who Cares?
General William Booth

On one of my recent journeys, as I gazed from the coach window I was led into a train of thought concerning the conditions of the multitudes around me. They were living carelessly in the most open and shameless rebellion against God, without a thought for their eternal welfare. As I looked out the window, I seemed to see them all… millions of people all around me given up to their drink and their pleasure, their dancing and their music, their business and their anxieties, their politics and their troubles. Ignorant-willfully ignorant in many cases – and in other instances knowing all about the truth and not caring at all. But all of them, the whole mass of them, sweeping on and up in their blasphemies and devilries to the throne of God. While my mind was thus engaged, I had a vision. I saw a dark and stormy ocean. Over it the black clouds hung heavily; through them every now and then vivid lightning flashed and loud thunder rolled, while the winds moaned, and the waves rose and foamed, towered and broke, only to rise and foam, tower and break again.

In that ocean I thought I saw myriads of poor human beings plunging and floating; shouting and shrieking, cursing and struggling and drowning; and as they cursed and screamed, they rose and shrieked again, and then some sank to rise no more.

And I saw out of this dark, angry ocean, a mighty rock that rose up with its summit towering high above the black clouds that overhung the stormy sea. And all around the base of this rock I saw a vast platform. Onto this platform, I saw with delight a number of the poor struggling, drowning wretches continually climbing out of the angry ocean. And I saw that a few of those who were already safe on the platform were helping the poor creatures still in the angry waters to reach the place of safety. On looking more closely, I found a number of those who had been rescued, industriously working and scheming by ladders, ropes, boats, and other means more effective, to deliver the poor strugglers out of this sea. Here and there were some who actually jumped into the water, regardless of all the consequences, in their passion to “rescue the perishing.” And I hardly know which gladdened me most-the sight of the poor drowning people climbing onto the rocks, reaching the place of safety, or the devotion and self-sacrifice of those whose whole beings were wrapped up in the effort for their deliverance. As I looked on, I saw that the occupants of that platform were quite a mixed company. That is, they were divided into different “sets” or classes, and they occupied themselves with different pleasures and employment. But only a very few of them seemed to make it their business to get the people out of the sea. But what puzzled me most was the fact that though all of them had been rescued at one time or another from the ocean, nearly everyone seemed to have forgotten all about it. Anyway, it seemed the memory of its darkness and danger no longer troubled them at all. And what seemed equally strange and perplexing to me was that these people did not even seem to have any care – that is any agonizing care – about the poor perishing ones who were struggling and drowning right before their very eyes, many of whom were their own husbands and wives, brothers, and sisters, and even their own children. Now this astonishing unconcern could not have been the result of ignorance or lack of knowledge, because they lived right there in full sight of it all and even talked about it sometimes. Many even went regularly to hear lectures and sermons in which the awful state of these people drowning creatures was described.

I have already said that the occupants of this platform were engaged in different pursuits and pastimes. Some of them were absorbed night and day in trading and business In order to make gain, storing up their savings in boxes, safes, and the like.  

Many spent their time in amusing themselves with growing flowers on the side of the rock, others in painting pieces of cloth or in playing music or in dressing themselves up in different styles and walking about to be admired. Some occupy themselves chiefly in eating and drinking, others were taken up with arguing about the poor drowning creatures that had already been rescued.

But the thing to me that seemed the most amazing was that those on the platform to whom He called, who heard His voice and felt they ought to obey it at least they said they did those who confessed to love Him much and were in full sympathy with Him in the task He had undertaken – who worshipped Him or who professed to do so – were so taken up with their trades and professions, their money saving and pleasures, their families and circles, their religions and arguments about it, and their preparation for going to the mainland, that they did not listen to the cry that came to them from this Wonderful Being who had Himself gone down into the sea. Anyway, if they heard it they did not heed it. They did not care. And so the multitude went on right before them struggling and shrieking and drowning in the darkness.

And then I saw something that seemed to me even more strange than anything that had gone on before in this strange vision. I saw that some Of these people on the platform whom this Wonderful Being had called to, wanting them to come and help Him in His difficult task of saving these perishing creatures, were always praying and crying out to Him to come to them. Some wanted Him to come and stay with them and spend His time and strength in making them happier. Others wanted Him to come and take away various doubts and misgivings they had concerning the truth of some letters which He had written them. Some wanted Him to come and make them feel more secure on the rock-so secure that they would be quite sure that they should never slip off again into the ocean. Numbers of others wanted Him to make them feel quite certain that they would really get off the rock and onto the mainland someday; because as a matter of fact, it was well known that some had walked so carelessly as to lose their footing, and had fallen back again, into the stormy waters.

So these people used to meet and get up as high on the rock as they could, and looking toward the mainland (where they thought the Great Being was) they would cry out, “Come to us! Come, help us!” And all the while He was down (by His Spirit) among the poor struggling, drowning creatures in the angry deep, with His arms around them trying to drag them out, and looking up oh! so longingly, but all in vain to those on the rock, crying to them with His voice all hoarse from calling, “Come to Me! Come, and help Me!”

And then I understood it all. It was plain enough. That sea was the ocean of life-the sea of real, actual human existence. That lightning was the gleaming of piercing truth coming from Jehovah’s throne. That thunder was the distant echoing of the wrath of God. Those multitudes of people shrieking, struggling, and agonizing in the stormy sea, were the thousands and thousands of poor harlots and harlot-makers, of drunkards and drunkard-makers, of thieves, liars, blasphemers, and ungodly people of every kindred, tongue, and nation.

Oh, what a black sea it was! And oh, what multitudes of rich and poor, ignorant and educated were there. They were all so unalike in their outward circumstances and conditions, yet all alike in one thing all sinners before God all held by, and holding onto, some iniquity, fascinated by some idol, the slaves of some devilish lust, and ruled by the foul fiend from the bottomless pit! “All alike in one thing?” No, all alike in two things not only the same in their wickedness but, unless rescued, the same in their sinking, sinking… down, down, down… to the same terrible doom. That great sheltering rock represented Calvary, the place where Jesus had died for them. And the people on it were those who had been rescued. The way they used their energies, gifts, and time represented the occupations and amusements of those who professed to be saved from sin and hell followers of the Lord Jesus Christ. The handful of fierce, determined ones, who were risking their own lives in saving the perishing, were true soldiers of the cross of Jesus. That Mighty Being who was calling to them from the midst of the angry waters was the Son of God, “the same yesterday, today, and forever,” who is still struggling and interceding to save the dying multitudes about us from this terrible doom of damnation, and whose voice can be heard above the music, machinery, and noise of life calling on the rescued to come and help Him save the world.

My friends in Christ, you are rescued from the waters, you are on the rock. He is in the dark sea calling on you to come to Him and help Him. Will you go? Look for yourselves. The surging sea of life crowded with perishing multitudes rolls up to the very spot on which you stand. Leaving the vision, I now come to speak of the fact a fact that is as real as the Bible, as real as the Christ who hung upon the cross, as real as the judgment day will be, and as real as the heaven and hell that will follow it.

Look! Don’t be deceived by appearances men and things are not what they seem. All who are not on the rock are in the sea! Look at them from the standpoint of the great white throne, and what a sight you have! Jesus Christ, the Son of God is, through His Spirit, in the midst of this dying multitude, struggling to save them. And He is calling on you to jump into the sea to go right away to His side and help Him in the holy strife. Will you jump? That is, will you go to His feet and place yourself absolutely at His disposal?

A young Christian once came to me and told me that for some time she had been giving the Lord her profession and prayers and money, but now she wanted to give Him her life. She wanted to go right into the fight. In other words, she wanted to go to His assistance in the sea. As when a man from the shore seeing another struggling in the water, takes off those outer garments that would hinder his efforts, and leaps to the rescue so will you who still linger on the bank, thinking and singing and praying about the poor perishing souls, lay aside your shame, your pride, your cares about other people’s opinions, your love of ease and all the selfish loves that have kept you back for so long, and rush to the rescue of this multitude of dying men and women?

Does the surging sea look dark and dangerous? Unquestionably it is so. There is no doubt that the leap for you, as for every one who takes it, means difficulty and scorn and suffering. For you it may mean more than this. It may mean death. He who beckons you from the sea however, knows what it will mean and knowing, He still calls to you and bids you come.

You must do it! You cannot hold back. You have enjoyed yourself in Christianity long enough. You have had pleasant feelings, pleasant songs, pleasant meetings, and pleasant prospects. There has been much of human happiness, much clapping of hands and shouting of praises, very much of heaven on earth. Now then, go to God and tell Him you are prepared as much as necessary to turn your back upon it all, and that you are willing to spend the rest of your days struggling in the midst of these perishing multitudes, whatever it may cost you.

You must do it. With the light that is now broken in upon your mind, and the call that is now sounding in your ears, and the beckoning hands that are now before your eyes, you have no alternative. To go down among the perishing crowds is your duty. Your happiness from now on will consist in sharing their misery, your ease in sharing their pain, your crown in helping them to bear their cross, and your heaven in going into the very jaws of hell to rescue them. Now, what will you do?

by General William Booth

25 people born again in GA

Last weekend we had the privileged of ministering to Children at New Covenant Ministries in Lithonia, GA during a Family Conference on a Friday Night. We saw around 20 children com forward to be born again during this event.

Then on Sunday morning we ministered to Families at Adairsville Church of God in Adairsville, GA and saw 5 more children come forward to be born again.

It was an awesome weekend of Ministry in GA!

Below are some pictures from this event...

Praying with 20 children to be born again in Lithonia, GA

Pics from our family event in Adairsville GA
at Adairsville Church of God last weekend.
1. Jerry & a young man playing the Match it Game
2. Parents & their children playing the Pizza Flop Game.
3. Praying with 5 children to be born again. 

Praying with 5 children to be born again in Adairsville GA

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