Jesus never got that memo.

When Jesus recruited Peter to be a disciple, He had to get Peter’s attention. Did He do it by sinking his boat? No. He did it by giving him the largest catch of fish he had ever had. He could have sunk his boat making him swim back to shore in humiliation. That’s what most assume is God’s Standard Operating Procedure.

Why can’t God get our attention by doing something surprisingly good? Why do we find it so difficult to believe God wants to do good?

Just how mean is your God?

Is Jesus an accurate picture of God or isn’t He? Does He show us the Father or Not? Did God speak through Him or not?

has in these last days SPOKEN to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory and the EXPRESS IMAGE of His person, (Hebrews 1:2-3 NKJV)

God spoke to us through Jesus and gave us an “express image” picture of what He (God) is like.

Minimal observation shows us that Jesus never got someone’s attention by hurting them. Never in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke or John does Jesus bring calamity on people to teach them something.

Not only did Jesus not sink Peter’s boat, He didn’t…

• Cause a sandstorm to blow away a pharisee’s house.

• Inflict the rich, young ruler with leprosy when he walked away.

• Bring bankruptcy to the innkeeper who made Mary and Joseph sleep in the barn forcing them to place the Son of God in a feed trough.

Why does the Jesus of the Gospels seem so different from the God we preach? Why can’t we believe in a Good Father who uses good to get our attention? Can’t His goodness lead us to repentance?

Or do you despise the riches of His GOODNESS, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the GOODNESS of God leads you to repentance? (Romans 2:4 NKJV)

 Sooooo…

When anything surprisingly good happens in my life I ask, “What is God trying to tell me?” When something bad happens I often ask, “OK, what stupid thing did I do that might have brought this on?” But I never assume God sends problems to get my attention.

What do you think?

Well, here ya go…

CLICK HERE for more!

For free samples and more information, check it out HERE.

Michael introduced Beth Guckenberger, a missionary to the orphans in Monterrey, Mexico. Initially, I was surprised that this young, fiery girl was chosen to be one of the key note speakers at a conference of this size. A few minutes later with my jaw dropping, I was wondering why I had never heard of her before. She rocked the house. With stories, humor and poignant application, her rapid-fire description of working with Mexican orphans was riveting.

If you didn’t get to the Orlando CPC and you are not registered for the San Diego CPC, get there. Borrow the money from your rich uncle if you have to. Just get there. CPC has become a red-hot conference of inspiration and ideas. And Beth Guckenberger puts it over the top.

Years from now when someone asks whatever happened to that Roger Fields, someone might say, “The last time we saw him he was attempting to braid the hair of some 11 year old Mexican girl in Monterrey.”

Here’s the Orlando schedule. Both breakouts are in Yucatan 1. Seating is limited.

EVERY attendee will get…

• Workshop Booklet
• Discount Code for Curriculum, etc.
• Chance to Win A Variety of Prizes and Resources

1. The Secrets of Creativity

Creativity can be learned. It is not for a chosen few but for anyone who can learn a few basic principles.

Orlando: Thursday, Jan. 12 at 10:00am
San Diego: Tuesday, Feb. 28 at 10:00am

2. The Secret Sauce of KidMin

Discover the ultimate teaching technique. Learn the secrets of engaging, reaching and teaching kids.

Orlando: Thursday, Jan. 12 at 11:15am
San Diego: Tuesday, Feb. 28 at 11:15am

Orlando location

When Willie grew up he decided to build a dam to Raspberry Island so he could walk across Mighty Stream and live there. He worked for many years on the dam. He chewed on trees until they fell. He dragged them to the water. He put them together with mud. Willie worked hard. Slowly the dam began to grow out into the swift water and across the stream toward Raspberry Island.

As Willie was working on the dam one day, a little boy walked up to him and starting talking to Willie. The boy tried to talk Willie into going home with him. He told Willie that he lived on Berry Farm which was just over the hill. Berry Farm had lots of berries of all kinds, not just raspberries but also strawberries, blueberries and blackberries. The boy told Willie he could have all the berries he wanted, including raspberries. But Willie wasn’t sure the boy was telling the truth. It was too risky. What if the boy was trying to trick him? Willie refused to go with him. “No!” said Willie, “I have a goal. I’m going to build a dam to Raspberry Island, walk across and live there.” Every day the boy would visit Willie and talk to him about coming to live with him on Berry Farm. Everyday Willie said, “No, I have a goal. I’m going to Raspberry Island.”

The boy gave up. He stopped coming to see Willie. Finally, one day Willie’s dam was long enough and strong enough. It reached his goal, Raspberry Island. He was so excited as he scampered across the dam and ran toward the raspberry bushes. Suddenly, a pack of wolves came out of the Raspberry bushes and chased Willie up a tall tree. The wolves stayed under the tree so Willie couldn’t come down. From high atop the tree, Willie looked back over Mighty Stream. He could see Berry Farm with all the raspberries and lots of other berries, too. But the wolves wouldn’t let Willie down out of the tree.

You have to be willing to change your direction and strategy.

If you like this article, you will love Roger’s new book Jumping the Track

BUY NOW

For more information about the book, go to
Jumping the Track web site

• Jan. 11-14 (Orlando)

• Feb. 27- Mar 1 (San Diego)

I have to tell you, when I travel I am amazed that there are some who do not know about CPC. I suppose the high turnover rate in children’s ministry has something to do with that. But it still surprises me that some don’t know about the coolest children’s ministry conference on the planet.

Here are MY top reasons for going to CPC:

1. Networking opportunities are off-the-chart. CPC attracts a who’s who of children’s ministry and family ministry. (Hey, I first met Jim Wideman at CPC.)

2. Always lots of new, cool stuff to look at and examine in the resource center.

3. Great speakers, presenters and workshop leaders. They even let me teach some workshops. (Secrets of Creativity thurs at 10:00 and Secret Sauce of Kidmin thurs at 11:15)

4. Great destinations. Orlando and/or San Diego are places you want to be in the winter. Duh.

5. The East/West volleyball game will be fun. Team captains Justyn Smith (west) and Sam Luce (east) are two of the coolest kidmin anywhere. (Orlando only) My ambition is to one day be as cool as Justyn and Sam.

6. Hear new kidmin music.

7. I love talking to lots of kidmin at our FX exhibit.

8. We get to do FX Live at the conference! (We apologize to the maintenance crew in advance.)

9. Get to show off my new book: Jumping the Track. (Yep. I’m pretty excited.)

10. Michael Chanley is tearing-it-up as the new director and has energized the conference. It’s now cooler and hipper than ever!

You may have your own reasons, but these are mine.

Roger Fields

P.S. Please stop by the FX exhibit and say “hi.” I would love to meet you. We will be located next to the Internet Cafe.

Check out the cool, new CPC website! CLICK HERE

I started writing down the Kidz Blitz stories several years ago, but I didn’t get serious about it until 2011. This past September I spent a week in a converted monastery in Canada where I wrote feverishly.

Then something strange happened.

As I looked back, I began to see a pattern in my life, one that set the foundation for Kidz Blitz Ministries (we now call it “Blitz Ministries“). As a result the book took on a shape I hadn’t anticipated. It explains how jumping five distinct tracks in my life made Kidz Blitz a reality. The book contains lots of stories but also the unique strategy that played a major role in my life.

The book will be released in January 2012. I am out-of-my-mind excited about it. I hope you find the book to be enlightening and encouraging.

God bless,

Roger Fields

CLICK HERE to find out more about this new book.

The KidMin Cup
Sand Volleyball Tourney
January 12 at 7:00pm
Orlando

The Orlando Children’s Pastors’ Conference in affiliation with Blitz Ministries will be hosting the first ever East vs. West KidMin Sand Volleyball Tournament. The tournament is officially sanctioned by the International Network of Children’s Ministries. The games will be held on the sand volleyball court at the Disney Coronado Springs Resort, the location for the CPC Orlando conference.

The coaches are well known and highly respected leaders children’s ministry and family ministry circles. They are Sam Luce (East) and Justyn Smith (West).

Tournament Guidelines:

1. The Mississippi River is the east/west dividing line. Team members MUST live on the side of the river corresponding to the team they play for. No exceptions.
2. You must be 21 to play.
3. You must currently be working in some type of children’s ministry or family ministry capacity. It does not have to be a paid position.
4. Eight players will be selected for each team: six on the court and two substitutes.
5. Each team must be compiled of men and women with at least three women on the court at all time.
6. Trash talking is not encouraged but not prohibited. In other words we don’t really care. We just want to distance ourselves from anything that makes us look bad.

Our desire is that the KidMin Cup will settle the dispute as to whether the East or the West has the dominate leaders in KidMin.

Who will dominate? What do you think? Do the more highly skilled kidmin live in the east? Or the west?

Let’s settle it once and for all.