Notice These Posts Have Been Reordered

Please note the posts in this blog have been reordered to a top-down order and grouped all within one month for your convenience. The posts give a better read when the #1 etc. sequence is followed.

These posts are only suggestions you may use at your own discretion.

The guarantee you'll want to hold tight to is quoted here from Psalm 126:6

He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.

My own mission is in the "Grandfather's Psalm" 71:18:
 
Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come.

Step 1 - The Guidebook

Getting/Keeping Church Kids

I don’t intend to talk down to anyone but the solution is really quite simple and even less costly. It involves understanding what the word “all” means. Now wait, I’m serious… Let me give you a couple sentences the word is used in. Open your Bible and look how the word “all” is used.  Now if you don’t believe the Bible is inspired, and God didn’t mean what He preserved in 2^nd Timothy 3:16, then our discussion is done and Satan has won a fantastic victory over the church. It says ALL SCRIPTURE. That means from Gen to Rev. That’s where we can get our direction, our rules, our building blocks that God will build on.

Let’s use the word in another sentence. Find our word “ALL” in the very next verse. The verse tells us “throughly furnished unto ALL good work”.  Now that ALL would also include singing, digging a well, or computing; for our church, for work, family, and for God-honoring entertainment.

The published manual for my favorite database program has 1293 pages and still has a cd for stuff left out, in the back of the book. There is also a page that gives a website to get the latest updates and errors found in the book.

I look in the back of my KJV and I don’t have any CD or any error correction website… I don’t need it. See, ya have to understand that the same One that put the rainbow in the sky, named all the stars, and keeps count of the hairs on your head, also gave us computers. Don’t take my word for it. John will tell ya.(1:3) His best job is the one He’s placed between our ears.

So let’s do this line upon line  all  decently and in order… Is 28:10 and 1Cor 14:40.

Step 2 - It's In The Timing

Getting/Keeping Church Kids 

Get a watch or wall clock with a sweep second hand. Keep your eyes on that second hand for 3 whole minutes. Now close your eyes and try to visualize what it would look like if the clock stopped even though it was working fine. Then visualize that second hand going backwards.

It did one day long ago. The Bible says so. Do you believe God has the power to stop time and even back it up? The Bible says He backed up time in answer to the prayer of just one man. Don’t take my word for it, check what happened in 2 Kings 20. (I heard somewhere that ten degrees is forty minutes.)

Now Satan will whisper questions in your ear about what happened to the world when it ‘went backwards’ and all sorts of other questions too big for us. You know, it falls in with other questions like ‘Did Adam have a belly button?’, ‘Did trees have some annual growth rings on the first day they were created?’, ‘Could God have created fossils at the same time He created land?’, and ‘Which came first, the chicken or the egg?’. The answer is “Yes. God has more than enough power to do anything He wants, when He wants.” The ten degrees incident and many others chronicled in scripture all give testimony to His power.

Here’s the test question: Do I (that’s me) believe God is still all powerful? Or are things out of control? (or better) Are they out of HIS control? Has the church gone down the drain with no hope of restoration? Careful how you answer. There are forty years worth of sandy graves in a land flowing with milk and honey that contain doubters.

God is anxious for you to take some of His powerful promises to church with you. You may need to apply some of that faith cream to your backbone before it’s all done.

Josh and Caleb saw enemy giants in the new land – but they also saw giant fruits just ready for pickin’.,, and they did!

…

Step 3 - Warning !!

Getting/Keeping Church Kids

God has favorites and so does Satan.

Before we move into detailed strategy, I hasten to add a couple warnings.

1. God has some favorites and you must tread lovingly or else dire consequences could come your way. The Bible makes it very clear that Jesus has a very special place in His heart for children. We must guard our words and actions toward them, honoring God and His love and power in their hearing. I can think of a verse that indicates that children have a guardian angel continually standing before God’s throne. We must also guard ourselves and how our testimony is seen by them.

2. Satan has favorites too. His favorite methods to disarm and discourage God’s people were used against Nehemiah and the Jerusalem wall builders (Neh 4-6). They included: Mockery, conspiracy, extortion, compromise, slander, and treachery. Guess what. He’s better at his favorite dirty tricks than he was in Nehemiah’s day.

Whether it’s using a telescope, microscope, stethoscope, or following God’s marching orders, the process is simple… keep your focus on the goal and trust God’s power that created the heavens and every heartbeat.

- - -

Let’s recap where we’ve come so far…

Step 1 tells us God has provided the ultimate how-to manual bursting with lighthouse principles we can use to guide and protect our youth (and their parents also).

Step 2 reminds us of God’s power to make time and a way for you to speak to young fearful hearts of His matchless love to be shared. He hears little prayers and will change the nature of things if He wants to.

Step 3 contains serious warnings about consistent respect for little ones and the ever present weapons of satan and his followers.

grampscurtis@gmail.com

godscomputermanual.com

Step 4 - Appetites

Getting/Keeping Church Kids  

“You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink.” Hawg wash! It’s really simple. Just put salt in his oats! “It’s harder than eating peas with a knife.” That’s not hard either. Just squash them slightly and eat them like mashed potatoes.

We need to do a bit of market research of those we want to reach. Don’t easily swallow the “’can’t be done!” of others.  

Now I know everyone reading these words will find exception to the characterizations that follow. But for the purpose of this discussion, we’ll go with what’s below…

What Turns On The Following Groups?:

 Youth – computers

            Girls – communication, often about fashion or fraternization.

            Boys – competition and risk-taking, either in sports, or simulated combat

Parents – computing at work, and raising a family in safety

Pastors – healthy physical and spiritual church growth

Retired – to not be forgotten with all their unused hugs and nagging glut of spare time

Teachers – see that technology is only a tool in the hands of creative inquiring youth

An Appetizer Of Things To Follow:

I stood in front of a class of children with a junk computer keyboard minus a few keycaps. “How many of you like computers?” The room went spastic with enthusiastic affirmatives and hand waving. I held my keyboard high and asked, “Isn’t she a beauty?” A few ‘no’ responses otherwise silence.

My explanation followed with lots of eye contact. “Do you know that God thinks this keyboard is beautiful? Yes He does. Let me show you why.” I asked two students to come forward and hold each end of the keyboard. “Now we’re going to have a little contest. One of my two helpers is going to pick a key and the other helper will try to name something about Jesus Christ that starts with that letter. And then the other helper will do the same. We’ll see how far we can go. Understand?”

I didn’t foresee the problem we soon found ourselves in. All the other FIRST GRADE STUDENTS were jumping in their seats, waving their hands, wanting to take a crack at a few letters.

Shortly, I told the class that any time we use some object to help tell others about our wonderful God, it’s beautiful. The frosting on the cake was when three of the students wanted to know where they could get an old keyboard and play the same game with their friends.

(note: cut the cord off and clean the keyboard before handling.)

There are at least six lessons you can teach preteens with that junk keyboard.

The point is, we need to be really in tune with what our ‘audience’ wants, not just assume they should like what we like.

 Psalms 71:18

Step 5 - Turbo Teaching

Getting/Keeping Church Kids

As we exchange lessons and lingo with others it’s important to get a good baseline of the goal. Turbo Teaching goes far beyond the teacher – student transfer. No matter if it’s two research scientists or youngin’s in a sand pile; the real requirement is the same: a teacher teaches a teacher.

Let’s try that again…

A Teacher chooses tools and techniques best fit for the student to understand and probably act on. This is the popular understanding of teaching, but is not Turbo Teaching.

 Turbo Teaching begins with the mindset that the ‘learner’ is actually a teacher in training. There are good examples in scripture for this approach. My favorite is 2^nd Timothy 2:2.

And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.

The apostle Paul directs a young minister, Timothy, in the science of teaching. Look at the verse again… Can you see the 5 different types of people mentioned? The final goal stated is, “who shall be able to teach others also.”

What we pass on to others must be heart-felt so that our light (God’s goodness) won’t fade. We must teach the lesson AND teach the tools so they’ll teach and reach where we cannot.

Psalms 71:18

..

Step 6 - Just Junk

Getting/Keeping Church Kids - Just Junk

I’ve found beginning with computer junk is an easy start. In your neighborhood or church youth group announce you’re going to literally tear up a few computers, and that you’ll supply the screwdrivers and pizza or burgers. All you need are a couple helpers for an hour – nothing complicated – no strings attached.

As the parts are being removed and put in respective piles call attention to the difference in the parts. There’s no need to use technical terms or brain surgery comments, Maybe display an assortment of the different kinds of wires and cables it takes to operate a computer system.
 

The lesson to be repeated clearly is the DIVERSITY of wiring (as just one of many examples) yet they all act as a team. Each is designed with specific tasks in mind. Is one wire more important than the other? No. Not any more than the players on a football team or in the school marching band.
 

Carry the diversity lesson over to God’s people. We are all different for reasons God knows best. We are given a good diversity amid teamwork in 1st Corinthians 12:11-25 and other references.

Note:
1. When delving inside a computer make certain it is not and cannot be plugged in.
2. Use caution with metal parts that probably have sharp edges.
3. Store the parts for important uses later.
4. It’s wise to wash hands often and refrain from immediate thumb-sucking.

Psalms 71:18

This blogsite and blog author shall be held blameless from possible harm either real or imagined.
…

Step 7 - Feet

 Step 7  -  Feet

See the eyes light up in youth of most any age as you begin teaching about special feet with a computer in front of you. To really get their attention, have them all take their shoes and socks off.

Begin with that junk computer keyboard we’ve used in earlier steps. Show the youth the two different kinds of feet that are used on the keyboard alone. One folds out and helps protect our wrists from injury. The other feet are meant to hold the keyboard in place on the desk and protect the desk’s surface. You can continue with comparisons of many of the other types of feet used on computers.  Show the strange feet on the computer mouse that are designed to slide smoothly. The feet beneath the CPU (box) protects the delicate electronic parts inside from being destroyed by heat. Many of the computer monitors have one strange foot, or pedestal designed to adjust to our needs for best visibility.

Continue your Feet Feat by describing the incredible design of the human foot God has provided. All the different sized toes are in their perfect position for carrying the heaviest loads in all different kinds of terrain and running to get away from danger.

Now many folks spend lots of time with pedicures, toe nail polish, toe rings, tattoos, and massages enough to wear the skin off. Shoes for style have created big business.

Now hold on a minute… the most beautiful feet may be in your pastor’s shoes or even yours.

Here’s how you find out… First turn to God’s precious word

Romans 10:15  And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the  feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! 

Can you find the reference it is referring to?

The point of all this computer junk stuff is to move the attention of youth from entertaining technology to the guidebook, the Bible, provided by the Creator of all. Only there will our youth find joy, peace, purpose, and God’s incredible provisions for them here and now, but also in eternity.

Uhhhh…. Make sure everyone goes home with the right socks and shoes.

 Psalms 71:18

Step 8 - Eyes

Step 8  - Eyes

With a junk computer on display in front of you, ask a group of youth, “Ok. How many eyes does a mouse have?” Someone in the back kiddingly will blurt out, “Two eyes, one mouth, four feet, and one tail.” You narrow the question, “No. I mean a computer mouse.” The group turns silent as a graveyard. Pointing at random listeners you ask, “Do you know that every computer mouse, that uses a rubber ball, has two eyes that actually work? One eye senses when we move the mouse forward and backward. The other eye tells the computer when we move the mouse left and right.” Having already removed the small screw and opening the mouse cover, you say, “It’s true. These mouse eyes are more correctly called photoelectric eyes. Some years ago we used them to open doors etc.”

With serious eye contact and a bit of a sad tone you tell them, “It’s almost sad though. These mouse eyes aren’t able to see the wonderful things of God’s universe. Eagles can see much farther than humans. Cats can see much better in darkness. Fish can see clearly under water. Some lizards can see in different directions at the same time. Spiders have eight eyes… But you know what?”   

Your description continues to captivate the young audience, “Do you know the best part? God loves each of us so much, He reserved the best eye design for you and I. Unlike a computer we can read God’s precious Word anytime we want to. We can experience the colors of a sunset or rainbow. I especially like to see a smile come on the face of a person that realizes that Someone truly loves them, just the way they are. Our precious God has given us eyes to watch out for our friends and encourage them to not set their eyes on things that would ruin their testimony.

King David that killed the giant wrote good advice for us in Psalms 101;

“I will set no wicked thing before my eyes.”

The best part is that God has promised to those who’ve invited Him into their heart and become saved, He’ll give them an even better pair of eyes. Those eyes will come with a whole new body designed to enjoy their Savior in Heaven forever more.

This is only one of many many lessons using computer junk in non-technical ways to share one’s faith. There are at least six of them for the computer mouse alone. This is a lesson  that youth can teach other youth. Hint: that’s how missionaries get started.

Note: With any of the junk items, wash hands often and be cautious against sharp edges.

Psalms 71:18
godscomputermanual.com

Step 9 - W.O.W. Preschoolers

Getting/Keeping Church Kids

It wears me out just watching my grandchildren burn up energy like the space shuttle. If we are to do great things for God, (because He’s done incredible things for us) we need plenty of energy.

Think big, attempt big things (certainly with prayer).

How about we teach preschoolers how to create a website? Let’s use a bunch of that energy for the great commission before they can even tie their shoes or dress themselves. Well, it’s super easy and an activity the silver-haired set with lots of hugs left over can do without fear. Here’s how.

W.O.W. actually stands for “Website Ona Wall”©.

With lots of crayons (or markers) and paper have the preschoolers draw several pictures each about a particular topic. Maybe a boy likes different trucks or trees. A preschool girl might like to draw a group of pictures of rooms in her house, or different dolls, or pretty places she’s visited.

Someone else might draw pictures of a mom and dad they wish they had, that hug each other and are often saying ‘I love you’ to each other instead of yelling. There might be a boy with not so fancy clothes that would draw different kinds of good tasty food he never sees in his mom’s refrigerator.

Take one person’s group of pictures at a time and paste/tape them to a wall, poster board, or refrigerator box. Give them a chance to explain each picture.

Show them how to create a ‘home page’ to be placed in the upper left of their group. Their home page would have drawn some pretend buttons for each one of the other pictures in their group. With some help have them cut some pieces of bright colored yarn that will reach from each home page button to its corresponding webpage. Tape each end of the yarn pieces to simulate a hyperlink or ‘jump’ as needed.

The children get to do some computer website programming on their level. They learn to do their best with their ‘Website Ona Wall’ because others are watching.

But that’s only the tip of the iceberg of W.O.W.

With all the children working together make a WOW of their church. One child draws a picture of the pastor, another choir director, piano player, janitor, trustee etc. It would be possible to take a photograph of each of these church staff and tape them near each of the children’s pictures. Teach the children how important it is to pray for each worker in the church. Everyone in the church has a job they can honor God with their efforts. Even preschoolers.

Now for the older children, have them create a WOW website of the attributes of Jesus Christ. Do you have any in your church that would know how to design a WOW of the different areas of your neighborhood that probably have never heard of the love for them written in blood? 

Psalms 71:18
Godscomputermanual.com

‘Website Ona Wall’ is copyrighted by Work.Space Programming.
Permission is given to store, translate, duplicate, or share without charge or change.

Step 10 - Kid Powered Missions

Getting/Keeping Church Kids

We need to revisit the Turbo Teaching topic we saw in topic 5. It’s necessary we bump this up a notch or two.

All the little topics we’ve been looking at won’t do much unless we apply some accountability to them. We are supposed to be good stewards of what God gives us, whether it’s funds, resources, information, or computer junk.

See if this helps… Long ago I invented a term to go along with my resources I’ve written for over 25 years. The term is an acrostic, it’s SpaceGate©. It stands for Students Promoting Accountability in Computing and Evangelism. Gate is God Applauds Tech Evangelism.

SpaceGate emphasizes the ACCOUNTABILITY that comes with evangelism along side computing.

What that indicates is the need to have Church Computer Fairs with exhibits, and all the same things you expect at a school science fair. Once your youth have participated in a church computer fair they are then ready to begin having their own Backyard Missions events.

Its importance of that is to plant seeds in our youth that grow burdens for missions. Our computer club had a blast making some kits we sent to a missionary in Mexico. The last we heard they were working hard translating all the included stories into Spanish to go with the junk computer parts also included.

You need to see clearly that creating and supporting missionaries, at home and abroad is the highest form of obedience to the Great Commission.

Psalms 71:18
Godscomputermanual.com

Step 11 - Moves Me to Tears

Getting/Keeping Church Kids

The Challenge We Have Before Us Is To See How:

Youth IDOLize technology = Preschoolers are addicted to technology long before they can spell their name or dress themselves. Thumb Games do little toward physical or spiritual maturity. Girls spend hours upon hours on the cell phone each day.

Parents feel helpless against technology = Homework requires technology but parents refuse to have computers (particularly) in the house. And yet TV prime time shows regularly show African nudity and garbage-gruesome Saturday morning cartoons. And what about the endless sports and soaps? Do parents have a double standard?

Seniors feel left out and left behind = To them technology is like a different language. Yet they still have morals for maturity and time to give a listen. How can they still be part of the Great Commission?

Churches are making technology a critical tool = God has let me program computers for 3 decades and calibrate 7 different kinds of guided missiles but I still can’t fathom the depths of church technology.

New church curriculum, new tech, but old themes = Print On Demand publishing of books is super simple and affordable, but old cowboy and ancient dinosaur themes are still used, with absolutely nothing about God-honoring use of technology included.

Technology is never taught or preached = I believe God won’t fully bless the use of technology without teaching its God-honoring use from scripture. The pulpit seems content with doing nothing more than slamming the portions of technology they’re not using. Either the pulpit works to a double technology standard or they don’t care about seeing what scriptural truths are promised by 2 Tim 3:16, 17.

Conferences show church attendance downtrend = Before God I state I’ve had to leave church-planting conferences early to keep from screaming out loud as church leaders use powerful technology but not indicating any of the many wonderful principles simply taught in God’s Word.

You’ns let me know how we’re doin’.

Psalms 71:18
Godscomputermanual.com

Step 12 - Flour Powered Computing

Getting/Keeping Church Kids

Kids discipling younger generations with cardboard.

Flour Powered Computing is a zero-budget non-technical program for preteens discipling preschoolers with the help of silver haired folks.

Cardboard Computing
The program makes computer replicas for learning how to share Gods love and provision. Flour Powered Computing’s powerful feature is the merging of youth and the silver haired generation and their intense desire to participate with young children.

Cardboard, flour, and water are used to make:

1. Darla Desktop Computers,
2. Cinnamon Flour Mice,
3. Palmer Pocket PCs,
4. Larry Laptop Computers

The replicas can be used in all sorts of displays at school or church. But above all they are built by children at no cost. They are incredibly powerful missionary tools to be used in Africa, Australia, Austria, or your very own backyard computer fair.

Actual directions with stories are at godscomputermanual.com.

Psalms 71:18

Steps 1 thru 12 Recap

Getting/Keeping Church Kids 

In obedience to scripture’s ‘Let all things be done decently and in order’ (1Cor 14:40) we need to see where we are and how to orderly lead others. I’d remind you of the responsibility that each of us has to teach others all the wonders of God’s provision. That makes our feet beautiful. Right?

The past 12 or so posts include Tech Trash Evangelism©, Website Ona Wall©, and Flour Powered Computing©, and comprise most of the DISCIPLING part of my ministry resources. The other arm of my ministry (library, actually) is defined as DIRECTION. We'll begin some exciting Bible based threads in this area soon.

DISCIPLING and DIRECTION are the arms of ‘Evangelism Computing’© (EC). Please notice the order of the two words… ‘Evangelism’ comes before (law of first mention) the word ‘Computing’. EC is unique and may need to be explained to those you share these totally free resources with.

1. EC IS NOT the worldwide practice of using technology as media/production tools for creating/presenting resources to propagate one’s faith. These are ADMINISTRATIVE efforts and are not a direct part of EC goals.
2. A crude distinction might be made that if you HAVE TO plug in the technology and KNOW HOW to use it, more than likely your efforts are NOT EC. EC works just as well in a jungle of trees or preschool kids as it does in any classroom or senior citizen’s group on the planet.

You may want to download the eBook, Dynamite Pete. He’ll show you how God uses very special missionaries. Dynamite believes every breathing person should be burdened and busy telling others about Jesus Christ and the depth of His love.

Recap
Step 1 – Our all sufficient guidebook is the Bible (all of it) as promised in 2nd Tim 3:16, 17
Step 2 – God’s power to change nature (even time itself) proves He’s still in control .
Step 3 – God’s deep love for children and Satan’s dirty tricks against them.
Step 4 – Be sensitive to the NEEDS of others, not just what we WANT them to have.
Step 5 – Good Bible teaching makes more teachers who will teach others 2nd Tim 2:2.
Step 6 – Sharing God’s love can even be done effectively with junk… sometimes better.
Step 7 – God gives us the better design of feet… and His plan for us.
Step 8 – God gives us the better design of eyes… watch others in love and compassion.
Step 9 – Preschoolers can design websites, but silver-haired hugs make it even better.
Step 10 – Accountability must be a part of our use of God’s provisions. SpaceGate.
Step 11 – Harvest in God’s fields only comes with tears. Psalms 126:6.
Step 12 – Creating missionary tools with cardboard, flour, and water. Flour Power.

Have you noticed the importance of dogs in the ‘Passover’ plague in Egypt. Most shallow Christians just skip over the goodies from God, as though they deserve them or are too busy to praise Him for His mercy and grace. Notice why the dogs didn’t bark at the Israelites in such a dreadful time in history. Make a difference. Be a difference. Exodus 11:7

Change YOUR barking into Believing and make your actions show it.
Further details, stories, etc are available at godscomputermanual.com

© Certain titles and terms above are copyrighted by Work.Space Programming. They may be stored, translated, copied, and shared without charge or change. (end)

Psalms 71:18

God's Computer Manual

A favorite blog of ours is God's Computer Manual.

Lots of free goodies to download.

Psalms 71:18