May 15th, 2012
The Canadian version of Kidology to Go was a ton of fun. As I was presenting the material I realized how “American” some of the presentations. Still, those who came to the seminars were quite gracious with my southern accent and American terminology and we had a great time sharing together.
My name on a sign!
Several churches from the area took advantage of this Kidology to Go. Bethany Evangelical Missionary Church was a great host and Children’s Pastor Tim Bryson really made this day a quality time of training, equipping and laughter! The church also asked me to speak on Sunday morning and I really enjoyed speaking with the church on the importance of reaching the next generation. Very cool to be with our friends north of the border!
The boys got to play hockey in the church’s gym! Well, floor hockey anyway.
Posted in Canada, Kidology To Go, Marty Martin | No Comments »
May 11th, 2012
I am truly looking forward to our upcoming Kidology to Go at First Baptist Church in Cadillac, Michigan! This will be the last Kidology to Go that our family is running/presenting. Our hope and desire is to make it a memorable one with some extra giveaways!
Shelly Burkett
Children’s Ministry Pastor Shelly Burkett will be our host and from the looks of the church website she has got a really tremendous children’s ministry and attendees at this Kidology to Go will be inspired just by coming to this church and rubbing shoulders with this choice servant of Christ! Anyone in the Michigan or northern region of Indiana will want to consider coming to this fun, encouraging and sometimes crazy time of equipping! Register online before the day of the conference and get $5 off admission, just $10 for a great day of training! At that price you can bring your whole team.
Kids from First Baptist Church in Cadillac
Posted in Announcement, Indiana, Kidology To Go, Michigan, Schedule | 1 Comment »
May 3rd, 2012
One phrase can sum up our Kidology to Go in Botkins, Ohio – high energy. Pastor Randy Waters, Children’s Pastor at Only Believe Ministries Community Church is full of passion and big ideas for reaching kids and families in his community and for equipping children’s ministry workers in his area. This passion is so evident in all he does.
Pastor Randy in the Monkey Room
We had a great crowd out for this training session because of the great leg work done by Pastor Randy and his staff. The facilities in the children’s area are first class and entice kids to come in because this place is fun. Just coming into the building is a vision lifter for anyone who works with kids. The day started off with some lively kids-style worship complete with a dancing ape!
After I spoke in the opening session, the attendees were given several choices each breakout session in various areas of specialty. Patsy even spoke twice on children’s worship. We ended the day with a question and answer time from the presenters and some give aways including a bunch of candy shot from an air canon Pastor Randy invented and sells. The day was so full of fun and good stuff I just “HAD” to have a butterscotch cappuccino from the church’s own coffee shop “La Cafe” in order to keep up!
Ebony the mascot of the children's ministry
One of our favorite memories of the weekend was watching Pastor Randy’s full-size poodle Ebony walk around the church interacting with people. She is the children’s ministries mascot and she interacts with the kids yet is a well-mannered lady of a dog. Plus she is completely hypoallergenic. How fun is that!
Posted in Kidmin issues, Marty Martin, Ohio | No Comments »
April 7th, 2012
The Kidology to Go RV will be rolling into Canada soon! Specifically we will be holding a one day training seminar at Bethany Evangelical Missionary Church in Kitchener, Ontario on Saturday, May 5th! Children’s pastor Tim Bryson will be our host.
Bethany Evangelical Missionary Church
Tim has been a faithful pastor at his church and employs a wonderful sense of creativity to all that he do. There will no doubt be many things that we all can learn just from visiting his church. Marty will also be preaching at the church on Sunday morning. His sermon is entitled “For Such a Time as This” and will cover the topic of the timeliness of discipling this generation of young people who may be as Josh McDowell’s call them the “Last Christian Generation” of the west.
Pastor Tim Bryson
Kitchener is close to Toronto, London, Hamilton and even Detroit - so anyone close to this area be sure to mark calendars and get online and register for this event. You can register for this Kidology to Go by going to the Kidology.org for $10 or register at the door for $15.
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April 5th, 2012
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” -
Jesus
History is full of examples of heroic and courageous and selfless deeds, right alongside cowardly and evil acts. The tension between being created in the image of God and having a fallen nature is seen not just in individuals but in all of humankind in a general sense.
War can serve as a fire that brings out the worst and best in our souls. Incredible acts of love wrought out side by side unspeakable acts of horror. Our culture tends to view war in two erroneous ways. At times we forget that freedom, justice and honor have been bought with price and evil and oppression will seek to dominate free individuals until Christ returns. Others tend glorify war as some sort of adventure game for young men who are longing for some sort of bold quest or crusade.
Martin family in front of the "Angel" statue
Visiting battle sites across our country has helped us as parents give our sons a full picture of both the horrors of war and the price that was paid for our freedom today and the honor that is due those who paid this price. At the Fredericksburg National Battlefield site in middle Virginia we introduced our sons to an incredible tale and individual known as the Angel of Marye’s Heights.
The Angel is Sgt. Richard Kirkland, a Confederate soldier from South Carolina. From behind a sunken road a brick wall, Confederates had repelled thousands of Union soldiers attempting to take the strategic hill and move unto Richmond. After a bloody battle, some 8,000 Union soldiers lay in between two armies, dead or injured. Many were crying out for help.
Richard Kirkland asked his commanding office if he could take water to the injured enemy soldiers. He was granted permission and jumped from behind the safety of the wall and took water to hundreds of thirsty soldiers. The Union troops from down the hill soon saw what he Kirkland was up to and not held off from firing but cheered him on.
Kirkland’s kindness to his enemies soon became the stuff of legends and the story was spread throughout the land. He was later killed himself in a battle in Georgia. Today though the courage and compassion of this 19 year old young man is still remembered by all those who visit this site. He was in a way the embodiment of what Jesus said when he urged us to love our enemies. His story illustrates both the honor and the horrors of war. May we never take the price that was paid for our freedoms.
Posted in Marty Martin, United States, Virginia | No Comments »
