Bethel Harvest Church

MAKE YOUR BED!

Becky Sweatt — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 01:39:42 +0000

There are many things that we learn how to do as we grow up. Some children have chores, some have to clean their rooms, and some have to make their beds! So here’s the twist! Hope you enjoy! To start, one would make sure the fitted sheet is secure. Next, the flat sheet pulled up nice and tight with no lumps and of course even around the bed! And then the comforter lays perfectly over your masterpiece:) Don’t forget your pillows, and more pillows, and more pillows. O.K. so we don’t have to have all those pillows. Our life is similar to the bed. There is a proper order to things in your life. If things are out of order, WATCH OUT! The enemy will attack! Please don’t forget we are in warfare. Now, back to that bed. We must make sure that fitted sheet is secure. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 15:58 to be strong and immovable… 2 Timothy 3:14 encourages us to hold to the things that you have learned and of which you are convinced…. Your relationship with God should be numero uno! Secondly, if you forget the sheet and just pull up your comforter, you are going to have one lumpy mess! If you have kids, i know you have seen this one:) God 1st, then FAMILY! If we build this beautiful, strong house, business, or ministry but our family is in uproar, we have a lumpy mess! Making sure that your sheet is pulled tight and even, that your spouse and kids know that you love God and them can make for a much smoother life. Timothy tells us in 1 Timothy 3:5 For if a man cannot manage his own household, how can he take care of God’s church? Once we take care of the fitted sheet and the flat sheet, the rest is just garnish! The comforter for me represents other relationships, ministry, and everything else good that God wants to bless us with. And the pillows are like fruit in our lives! If we keep things in order, he is eager to bless us. I think this is a staple scripture around BHC. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given unto you . Matthew 6:33 Well, know that our BEDS ARE MADE, I am out:) God Bless!

The Call to Serve

Shannon Ploughman — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 17:18:14 +0000

When approached by a leader in the Children’s Ministry about volunteering I would say, “Nope, I am not called to Children’s Ministry.” Or “I will pray about it and let you know.” Or “I will do anything for you; just don’t stick me in the classroom!”

Of course, that was only when I didn’t see them coming and didn’t have time to avoid them before they asked! (just being real)

I desperately wanted God’s blessing on my life, and I had a genuine desire to serve Him. I honestly just didn’t want to serve Him where it would cause me to be uncomfortable. I love children, I just didn’t want to be responsible for them and be in a classroom. I wanted to be in service gleaning truth from our Pastor.

One day, I was playing around on Facebook and came across a plea from Pastor Jeremy asking for help in KidzJAM. There was nothing extra special about his post, it was short and to the point but I was so touched that tears came to my eyes. I could hear God telling me that He wanted me to help there. So before my flesh could ruin the anointing I felt at that moment, I responded with a willingness I didn’t have before.

I told Pastor Jeremy that I would do anything behind the scenes that he wanted, I just ‘wasn’t ready’ to be put in the classroom. Yeah, in one week I was leading a small group and about two months in I got a text from Pastor Jeremy at 6:30 a.m. saying that he needed me to lead the entire KidzJAM service for him!

It is now a year later and I am still going strong in KidzJAM. I run the registration table, keep track of all the kids’ records and attendance, make the monthly volunteer calendar, shop and prep for the large group service and the small groups, lead a small group, do skits where I get to act silly and make the kids laugh, and every now and then I get to slip in and teach a large group session for Pastor Jeremy. (shameless plug: we could use more help!) I am busier than I have ever been in my life, but I am also more blessed and more fulfilled than I have ever been!

I have never worked in any area of ministry where I have felt as appreciated or as vital as KidzJAM. The kids are awesome and I get to have a relationship with each one! There are no expressions for the joy I feel when a child comes up to me excited to tell me about their science fair or talk to me about an issue they are having at home or at school. I love that they are attached to me and want me to join in their ‘four square’ game! I get this incredible opportunity each service to pour God’s love and His Words into these kids!

With all that being said, I cannot say that I have been given a calling to the Children’s ministry although I serve there every service. I’ve found that a specific ministry calling is not as important as a willingness to serve the Lord in whatever capacity His House needs. It’s called the call to serve. It may be as simple as typing something up for a busy leader or cleaning up a mess in the bathroom but I have discovered that those simple tasks are no less important than the very visible ones. What I do is far less important than the heart with which I do it.

Psalm 100:2 says, “Serve the Lord with gladness; come before His presence with singing.”

My hope and prayer is that you be encouraged as you read this to open your heart to the Lord and let Him reveal where you can begin on your own journey of fulfilling the call to serve!

Be blessed!

Password-Protected: 1 Year Growth Plan

Jeremy Collins — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 20:43:05 +0000

Password-Protected: 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, Part 1

Mark Keene — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 04:27:48 +0000

Starting to blog in 2012

Jeremy Collins — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 04:06:54 +0000

I am so excited about being able to blog as the Children’s Ministry of Bethel Harvest Church in 2012. Some things you might find in this blog is:

1) Upcoming news and announcements.

2) Celebrate some of the awesome things happening in JAM TOWN.

3) Share some family tips, ideas and devotionals to help your family.

4) Some other really cool stuff!

Blessings,

Jeremy Collins
Children’s Pastor

2011 Holiday Video

Jeremy Collins — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 19:30:22 +0000

Video Nugget: Weird Sex

Jeremy Collins — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 15:15:32 +0000

Come see our Friend and Guest: Chuck Balsamo

Jeremy Collins — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 01:22:25 +0000

How are you doing with your WEiRD Experiments?

Jeremy Collins — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 16:10:35 +0000

WEiRD – Because normal isn’t working

Jeremy Collins — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 17:41:15 +0000

This is the Opening Message to the WEiRD Series

Do you ever feel like you get lost in a sea of sameness? Do you ever hit the pause button and step back to see that you are surrounded by “normal” people – we look the same, do the same things, wear the same things, and talk about the same things. But maybe you’re thinking: I like normal. What’s wrong with normal?

Normal is busy and getting busier! We are overwhelmed, overloaded, and exhausted! Normal is going into debt so deep that we can’t see a way out. Normal relationships require little and provide less. And nothing’s more normal than sex, right?! Premarital sex, extra-marital sex, friends with benefits type of sex. Porn, experimentation, casual hookups – whatever feels good between consenting adults. It’s totally normal, right? And when we consider how normal people relate to God, it’s normal to either reject God altogether or believe in him while living as if he doesn’t exist.

Everything I’ve described here is very NORMAL. But normal is NOT working!

This series is going to challenge you to get WEIRD in 5 major areas of your life – Time, finances, values, sex, and relationships. If you want what normal people have, do what normal people do. If you want what few people have, it’s time do what few people do. It’s time to get weird!