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The other day I was taking a walk with my incredible wife Amber, and we were talking about all the things that had happened in our day. My wife is a high school English teacher, and she was telling me how the students she is teaching are ready for summer break and to that I say – AMEN! During our conversation, I was telling her the difference between United Methodist theology and other Christian denominations. RIVETING, I know! United Methodists are known for their emphasis on holiness. Social holiness and personal holiness are the foundations of where we get our motto, ‘We love Jesus (personal holiness) and do something about it (social holiness).” As I was explaining this, she stopped me and said, “What does it mean to be holy?” If I’m honest, I struggled to come up with a clear answer on the spot and said, to be holy is to simply live a life in obedience to God, with lots of stuttering. Here is where I am getting at – I have an assumption that people know what I am talking about when I say, “God is holy” or “God will bless you!” More times than not, those terms have not been defined. And if they aren’t defined, then how can one know how to live them out? Before we move onto practical implications, lets define the words “holy” and “blessing.”
To be holy is to be pure, to be without sin. God is the source of holiness, it is who God is, a part of his character. God invites us into his holiness through a relationship with Jesus and a transformed heart.
What about blessing? To bless someone or something means to declare it special, set apart, a channel of God’s favor.[1] If we are blessed by God, we have God’s favor in our lives despite challenging circumstances. God’s blessing, or favor will give us power to overcome all seasons of our lives.
Here at Ginghamsburg Church, we believe kids are not the future of the church, but that kids are the church NOW! We are a community of Jesus followers who elevates families and pray God’s blessing for the kids in our church, community, and the world.
We also know being a kid is hard! That’s why kids need people like you, who love Jesus and do something about it. Values are caught not taught. Kids need to see adults living holy lives, so they know that following Jesus isn’t just an idea but a lifestyle.
So, what can you do?
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Show up for a kid in your life. Each of us know a kid in the church or in our community that can use some added support. Do for one, what you wish you could do for everyone. If you need some clarity, send us a message at kids@ginghamsburg.org.
- Pray for the kids in our church, community, and world. Imagine what our community would look like if all of us prayed God’s blessing on our kids each day. I’m confident a revival would break out on this generation!
Praying for our kids is an important discipline here at Ginghamsburg Church. Every fall, we host an event named Blessing of the Backpacks, which prepares kids for the start of the school year. This year, we are doing something new to build on that practice. On Sunday, June 9 from 12–2pm, we are hosting our first ever Blessing of the Bikes. Kids and adults are encouraged to bring anything with wheels (bikes, motorcycles, strollers, scooters, skates/blades, etc.) to the Avenue to be prayed over to start off our summer season! The prayer starts at 12:30pm and is followed by Kona Ice and a free lunch! Also, Kids will get a fun Ginghamsburg Kids #blessed sticker to put on their bikes to remind them and others that they are blessed (set-apart) by God.
Kids are special to God, and they are special to us.
God, help us to live holy lives! Ones that are pure in your eyes. We pray your continued blessing on what you are doing through Ginghamsburg Church and all throughout the world. We love you Jesus!
Amen!
[1] McFarland, Ian A. 2011. The Cambridge Dictionary of Christian Theology. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 69.
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