Chris Kliner

Easter Weekend Reflections

As I reflect on Easter weekend, many things come to mind, but one continues to comes to the surface.  Jesus really is ALIVE… ALIVE in the hearts of his people!  He once again showed himself amazingly alive though our incredible KidZone team this weekend.  God was very good to us as we saw over 2,200 people at the Easter Egg Hunt community outreach on Saturday and we had over 290 in our kids ministry environments on Sunday morning.  I guess we should not be surprised when God just continues to do great things among us every week.  We will continue to just give the praise and the glory to Him and ride the winds of the Holy Spirit and see where he takes us from here.  We, of course, this Sunday in the Stadium shared the incredible story of the resurrection of Jesus and celebrated together his great power in our lives.  We had over 50 children over the two services respond to give their hearts to Jesus.  What a great feeling as the leader of this ministry for all of us to work so hard and see it pay off with lives that are changed forever. 

Below you will see the overview of the teaching this past Sunday.  Also, please see the attached “GOD TIMES” and FRIDGE DOOR” so you can continue to discuss what we talked about in the Stadium all week long.  I say very often that many times what happens at home in many ways is more important that what happens at the church.  I really believe that.  Thanks for the opportunity to partner with you!

Overview for the Week of April 12, 2009

A New Day

    Virtue: Conviction—standing for what is right even when others don’t.

Memory Verse: “Never tire of doing what is right.” 2 Thessalonians 3:13, NIV

Bible Story: A New Day (Jesus’ resurrection) • Luke 23:50-56; John 20:1-18

Bottom Line: We can stand for what is right because Jesus is alive.

The fact that Jesus is alive is good news! It’s really, really good news!  Easter Sunday, of all days,  weren’t you just a bit giddy this past Sunday?  Doesn’t it just cause some bubbling from your soul to the extent that you can hardly contain yourself? THAT’S what Easter is all about: A new kind of life we can have because the greatest Man who ever walked this earth stood in our place, taking the punishment for our sin, to give us life more abundant and free (John 10:10)!   

Conviction is standing for what is right even when others don’t—just like Jesus did.  He is the ultimate example of conviction, and He wants us to stand for what’s right. In fact, we can stand for what is right because He is alive!  Why? Because God wants all of us to know Him and join Him in heaven. He wants us to blaze a trail for others that leads to Jesus. So today let it all hang out. Let your kids see you worshipping—really worshipping. He’s alive!  Let’s continue to celebrate with our kids all this week.  JESUS IS ALIVE!

Download Fridge door 4-12-09

Download God Times - 4-12-09

Sunday Stadium Review

This past weekend we wrapped up our series in the Stadium entitled “Puzzled”,  on the virtue of HOPE… believing that something good can come out of something bad.  We also added a twist to things and taught on a faith skill.  You will see the teaching overview below.  I feel kids really got a grasp of this month’s virtue of HOPE and I encourage you to continue to talk about this topic, especially given the times we are living in.

We are gearing up for a great couple weeks both in the Stadium and the Carnival on Palm and Easter Sunday.  We have some very exciting things planned for kids and their families, not the least our Easter Egg Hunt outreach to the community.  Let me know if you would like to be involved in that event in some way.  We have great needs for candy, prizes and of course… volunteer opportunities for the day of the event.  Check out this week's teaching review below...

 This Week In The Stadium (3-29-09)

But What About You?

Faith Skill #4: Articulate faith (share and defend)

Memory Verse: “‘But what about you?’ he asked. ‘Who do you say I am?’” Matthew 16:15, NIV/NIrV

Bible Story: But What About You? (Peter says Jesus is the Christ) • Matthew 16:13-17

Bottom Line: Who is Jesus?

This week we took a bit of a detour. Instead of focusing on a Bible lesson through the lens of a virtue, we spent some time on a faith skill. A faith skill is a spiritual habit that helps us establish a lifestyle of pursuing a relationship with God. This week’s faith skill was “articulate faith” (share and defend).

Articulating your faith is all about understanding what you believe and why you believe it so you can explain it to others. God inspires faith. When you know who He is and what He’s done, you understand you can’t put your faith and hope in anyone or anything more trustworthy.

God wants us to know what we believe about Him and His Son. This is why Jesus asked His disciples who people thought He was and, more importantly, “but who do YOU say I am?” In fact, each of us is going to be required to answer this question at some point.  But this is not just for our own benefit. It’s so we can tell others about Jesus. When others hear our faith story and why we put our hope in Jesus, they’ll have a chance to respond and maybe something we say—or even more importantly, our actions—will lead them to trust Jesus as their Savior too.  

Let's model this to our kids!

This Past Weekend Review and Weekly Teaching Overview

Well, the excitement just continues to build downstairs in the Stadium!! After having the opportunity to train 26 student leaders at our “Leading from the Lockers” retreat on Friday and Saturday, this past Sunday we again, had record attendance all across the Stadium not to mention our Early Childhood Carnival area which continues to grow and grow and grow!  I want you to know in the last two weeks we have connected 17 new team members to our ministry!  Just plain awesome!  We still have great needs;  especially on Wednesday night and Sunday morning with our youngest of children in the Carnival.  I encourage you to get involved in KidZone somewhere!

This past Sunday, we gave our regular opportunity for a response for kids to receive Jesus as their leader and Savior and we had 30 plus children respond.  God is up to  great things among us!!  I encourage you to talk to your children about this most important decision in their life.  I also hope the change we made at check in alleviated some pressure and made things a bit easier for you.  Please let me know your thoughts on this.  Thanks! 

I got an opportunity to breathe a bit on Sunday afternoon and look ahead with some team members at my house and we have some exciting things coming down the road to facilitate the growth and excitement that we expect to continue in the months ahead!! 

Here is the teaching overview for the week of 3-23-09!!

My Father’s House

 Virtue: Hope—believing that something good can come out of something bad.

Memory Verse: “We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him.” Romans 8:28, NIV/NIrV

Bible Story: My Father’s House (Jesus promises heaven) • John 14:1-11a

Bottom Line: Whatever happens, remember what Jesus promised. 

 

Life can bog us down. We deal with the not-so-pleasant-but-mundane things all the time, like paying bills, surviving traffic, and having cavities filled. They’re not what you’d call “biggies,” but they just don’t seem to go away. Then there are the truly heavy punches, like cancer, bankruptcy, or divorce.

Sometimes, in the midst of it all, we can forget what has been promised to us: Heaven.

Highlight this word—promise—and read the definition that pops up for its noun form. (If you’re not reading this in Word, “promise” is an “an assurance that something will be done or not done.” Even better, it’s “an indication that somebody or something will turn out well or successfully.”)

Hope is believing that something good can come out of something bad.  God’s desire and plan for humankind—that NONE should perish and ALL should have eternal life—is the ultimate example of hope.

God wants us to be filled with real hope that can only come from Him: the hope that assures us salvation and heaven through Jesus.   Life is hard, even for Christ follwers, but if we hang on to Jesus’ promise, we don’t have to wallow in hopelessness, no matter how bad things get. If we believe in Jesus, we KNOW that things will turn out right! What better message to share with the fallen, despairing, hopeless world around us?  Let’s model this to our kids!

Get Involved - Easter Egg Hunt 2009

Here is how you can get involved with this great event!!

The Word Is Out!

Let's continue to get the word out.  This is going to be a HUGE event for the Fox Cities!!

Jump In

Well, again a lot has changed in the past few months since the last time I updated but it really is good.  I can honestly say I have never been happier and healthier in life and ministry.  The life and excitement that is at Pathways is amazing.  A new day is here and I am so excited for the springtime.  New beginnings and fresh opportunity are budding all around us.  I love spring.  I love the fresh smell.  I love to watch my kids freak out with spring fever.  I love everything about it.  So, as I turn another page and jump into spring. I jump in with both feet, and a haert wide open anticipating God's belssing to shower down on my family, my church and pray that for you as well.  Jump in!

KidZone Stadium Teaching Structure Changes

We are making some changes to our teaching format on Sunday mornings in the KidZone Stadium as to better facailitate a parntership with parents in creating spiritual wins at home.  We are beginning to teach in a monthly series format centered around a virtue or character of Christ.  We will be linking the teaching that is done in a large group environment and break it down in a small group relational environement in our midweek stadium team time on Wednesday nights at 6:30pm.  I have posted a link for our preview video for the rest of the month of November and will continue to do so at the beginning of the month hereafter.  Remember to take advantage of our Meal Time placemats, Family Times resource pack as well as the take homes your children receive each week to continue to discuss what we are teaching all throughout the week.  We are also excited about moving forward with plans for a monthly midweek family experience starting in January where we will all come together and unpack the virtue of the month in a fun family friendly environment.  Until then... let's keep working together to create spiritual wins in the life a child.

KidZone stadium (Nov) GRATITUDE PREVIEW LINK  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7Ia1cOvFBU

Great Couple Sundays

It has been very exciting to see so many new visitors walking through the KZ Stadium and KZ Carnival the past couple weeks.  I mean so many!!  We need to work hard in the weeks ahead to connect these people and begin the partnership with them in helping them create spirtual wins with their kids.  I am really blessed to be apart of such a great church who cares so much about reaching people who are far from God and cares just the same for connecting the already convinced and strenghthening their faith journey.  I love it.  

Winning Pathway

I just wanted to give you all a snapshot of where our ministry is heading.  This is a picture of the path that your family can take to create spiritual wins in the life of your child.  We will do our best to strenghthen these different environments along the path to help you strenghthen your spiritual journey for your family.  Thanks for the opportunity to partner with you.

Trunk or Treat This Friday