Here’s this month’s article on Baptist Press:

INDIANAPOLIS (BP)–He cleans the church’s carpet regularly, but he’s never been invited to worship there. She delivers the church mail daily, but she doesn’t know Jesus. The family spent hours there during Aunt Tip’s funeral, but none of them go to church.

Yes, guests attend your church for worship services, but additional dozens — even hundreds — walk in on weekdays each year. They come in for directions, weddings, benevolence or after-game fellowships. They attend scouts, daycare, support groups. There’s the exterminator, repairman, roofer, delivery person … and God brings them inside your building. Will they meet Jesus there?

Intentionally impact each person who walks in your church doors.

– Let your walls talk. Stroll through your church entryways and offices, carefully observing as if it’s your first time there. What can a stranger learn about your church and God? Attractively display current newsletters, brochures, witnessing tracts and invitations for visitors to take. Replace negative or outdated signage. Carefully read each poster to assure outsiders can understand it. Play Christian music. Use art to point to the One you worship.

– Salute! Warmly welcome each person who walks in the door. Learn their names. If they need directions, mark a map. When offering benevolence, give it joyfully. Give the postal carrier an icy soda on a hot day. Invite every individual to come for Sunday worship. Promise to pray for them. Use small gift bags to prepare welcome packets with a church brochure, newsletter, CD, upcoming events and a few candies. Then watch for opportunities to share them.

Need a gift for dads at your church this Father’s Day? Keep reading…

The single most influential person on my life was my dad–a strong, yet tender, lover of God; a role model in daily life as a Christian businessman and husband and daddy; a man joyfully committed to his God first, and to his family and church and friends.

My dad died years ago, but his legacy lives on through his children and grandchildren. As I watch my brothers rear their children, I see Dad’s influence. Dad’s children are all serving God and teaching their childen to follow God. A Christian father impacts daily life. And he impacts eternity. 

 Will you celebrate and encourage Christian dads in their role as spiritual leader in their homes?  

I’ve put my Father’s Day article into a bookmark format, and attached it here for you. (This is a repeat post from last June, but I thought some of you may have missed this idea–a nice gift for Dads at church on Father’s Day.) It’s as simple as 1-2-3, and you’ll have a two-sided bookmark with some simple ideas for Christian dads.

1) Download the bookmark.  To download: click HERE and select save as.
If you are using a mac, hold option + click.(It’s also under ”free stuff” on this website.) NOTE:  To receive a Word document already formatted with three bookmarks on a page and borders, email me at Jesuslivesindiana@gmail.com and I’ll send it right away.

2) Add your church name, and personalize it with borders, colors, etc. 

3) Print bookmarks, using cardstock, and laminate. It’s 2-sided, so watch the lineup.

Recruit a team of children to pass out bookmarks to all male attenders at the entrance to worship on Father’s Day. For example, you could use the fifth grade Bible class.  

There’s no charge, of course, and I’d love to hear how you used it. Praying that God will use this bookmark to encourage some of the most important people in the world– Christian dads.

Front of bookmark:

     BACK OF BOOKMARK:

“Have I not commanded you?
Be strong and courageous.
Do not be terrified;
do not be discouraged,
for the LORD your God
will be with you
wherever you go.”
(Joshua 1:9, NIV)

Check out my article today at bpnews.org. It’s called “Hot Ideas for Summer Church Fun” and offers lots of summer activities with purpose!

Here’s a new Fresh Ideas article from today’s Baptist Press (and the upcoming Indiana Baptist) with ideas  to encourage your church youth camp.

INDIANAPOLIS (BP)–Kids are leaving for church camp. What does that have to do with you — a church member? Youth camp and kids’ camp offer an amazing focus for Christian growth, building Christian friendships, and knowing God’s will. Small encouragements from you can enhance that experience. Need fresh ideas?

– A church can order vinyl write-on wristbands, add a camper’s name, and ask members to wear a band all week, praying for God to work in that student’s life.

– As kids depart for camp, show up with individually wrapped Rice Krispie treats for the trip.

– Your choir, deacons or Bible class could ask the youth leader for a camp-enhancing idea, then collect money to purchase it (i.e. camp T-shirts, ping pong table, contest prize, sports equipment, money for ice cream or pizza en route to camp.)

– You or your group could write and mail prayer notes to each camper.

– Mail a giant container of fireball candies for campers to share. Jot a prayer note right on the container and add an address label.

– Invest personally as a volunteer camp counselor, sponsor, nurse or sports organizer.

– Donate a partial camp scholarship(s). Even better, do it as a class or anonymously. Some churches provide camp for minimal cost using budget or a special offering.

– Prioritize camp on your family’s summer calendar if you have a child.

– Fill a pretty bowl with fruit and snacks for a cabin. Provide replenishments for the week, and gift the bowl to the cabin counselor.

– A youth worker who can’t attend could pack individual goodie bags for their students, with a small gift, snacks, quarters and Scripture note. Or write daily personal encouragement notes for the cabin counselor to distribute.

– Help the camp leader with last-minute details the week before camp or with check-in and luggage duties on send-off day.

– Invite campers’ parents to Wednesday prayer meeting that week. Pray for their kids.

– Attend worship or help behind the scenes one night, if camp is nearby.

– Celebrate the results. Ask campers to tell you about their experiences. Enthusiastically attend any post-camp report, testimony service or baptismal celebration.

How will you help make your church camp a highlight of summer for kids this year?
–30–
Diana Davis is the author of “Fresh Ideas,” “Fresh Ideas for Women’s Ministry” and “Deacon Wives” (B&H Publishing) and the wife of the Indiana Baptist State Convention executive director. Learn more at www.keeponshining.com.

This will only make sense to you ladies who were at the First Baptist Daytona Beach luncheon last Saturday, where I talked about “The Secret Ingredient.” I’d promised to post my favorite chocoholic recipe–Chocolate Trifle Explosion–so here it is! The secret ingredient is the almond extract. 

A secret ingredient for Christian living is found in Philippians 2:3-4.

—-

Here’s the recipe:

CHOCOLATE TRIFLE EXPLOSION

Note: You’ve got to have a glass trifle dish for this one. See photo above. And don’t forget the secret ingredient*

INGREDIENTS:

1 Duncan Hines triple chocolate brownie mix. Prepare as directed.

1 Chocolate fudge instant pudding mix. Prepare as directed.

1 large Cool Whip. *Mix in 1/2 teaspoon almond extract.

12 oz. pkg toffee bits or Heath bits of brickle (find it in baking section near the chocolate chips)

1 container fresh strawberries, sliced

DIRECTIONS:

Prepare brownies and pudding. Crumble brownies.

Layer ingredients in this order, spreading each layer to tthe edges of the trifle dish.

- crumbled brownies

- chocolate pudding

- cool whip (almonded)

- brickle bits

 - strawberries

Repeat; ending with cool whip.

Garnish with grated chocolate and a strawberry

Here’s an idea you might use for a conference theme.  “Fresh Winds of Change”

West Virginia’s ABW state retreat for women’s ministry leaders used that theme for this weekend’s retreat, with this Scripture:

“Bring me back from gray exile, put a fresh wind in my sails!”                        (Psalm 51:7b The Message)

The decor included huge colorful banners hung from the ceiling and behind the stage, with fans to create a gentle breeze.  They were using my book, Fresh Ideas for Women’s Ministry, to show how to do women’s ministry with an “upward and outward” focus, called LIGHT, so the table decor was all sorts of lanterns and lights. 

Each retreat attendee received a soft, colorful scarf as a gift, and their reteat closing sent all 250 women outside, with the scarfs blowing in the breeze. What a lovely visual–rolling West Virginia hills, blossoming trees and flowers all around, and scarves billowing.

It was such a fun weekend, and a great honor  for me to get to share with all those ladies.  Praying for “fresh winds of change” as they go back to their ministries across that state.

If you live near these white sandy shores (DAYTONA BEACH FLORIDA), maybe I’ll see you this weekend.

First Baptist Church of Daytona Beach has an annual ladies luncheon, “Beautiful You,” this Saturday, May 1st, and I’ll get to be there to speak.  Pray that God will encourage and bless each woman there.

And if you’re in the area, get a ticket for the luncheon and join us! See www.firstbaptist.org

I’m looking forward to leading a conference for West Virginia women’s ministry leaders this weekend. You’re welcome to register if you live in that area! It’s for the American Baptist Churches of that state and guests are welcome.  Last week they had 250 preregistered, so it should be a great group.

The title is “Winds of Change”. Their planning team has done an amazing job, and I can’t wait to see how God uses the conference.  Pray for all those who will lead and attend.

It’s such a treasured time for many Christian teens! My article for next month is one about ways church members can encourage kids going to youth camp (or kids camp, mission trips, etc.)  The column is almost complete, but I thought I’d ask if any of you have suggestions.

Have you (or others you know) done anything–small or large–to inspire or encourage or treat those young Christians who are taking a week away at Christian camp?

So you’re celebrating the Resurrection of Jesus this weekend, but you’re a little old for an Easter Egg hunt? Need fresh ideas?

After you’ve planned your worship celebrations, why not plan an “adult easter egg hunt?”

A flashlight easter egg hunt is easy and unique.

We actually did this idea three different times — once for a large church staff party and another for our teenagers’ friends, once for our new singles Bible study group. It would be great fun for a young married couples Bible class. And, believe me, teenagers love it! 

We prepared lots of really good eggs–chocolate ones, prize eggs, ceramic eggs, wrapped candy eggs, and plastic eggs with really nice surprises inside. You’ll be surprised at what cool things you can fit into a plastic egg. Dye hardboiled eggs using a crayon to write numbers for 1st prize, 2nd prize, etc.  For our teen prizes, we used the newest Christian CDs. My daughter is planning an adult flashlight Easter egg hunt for her apartment ministry, and one prize is $ off next month’s rent.  The party was scheduled just before sunset (check the local newspaper for sunset time), and began with snacks. As soon as dark arrived, everyone received a flashlight for the hunt.  We used our large back yard, but any section of grass that is safe would do. Don’t make it very large. It’s harder than you think to find eggs in the dark!

Here’s how we began: “Friends, we’ve invited you here for a fun way to celebrate our Savior’s resurrection. We’ve enjoyed the Maundy Thursday Lord’s supper reenactment, the Good Friday service, and now we’re all awaiting tomorrow’s Easter worship celebration. Tonight, we’re just going to have a fun “adult Easter egg hunt”  to celebrate Jesus as the light of the world. (Read John 8:12.)”

Be sure to instruct everyone to walk carefully so they don’t step on eggs in the dark, give them all a basket to collect their eggs, blow a whistle so they can start. If some guests don’t attend a church, give them a printed invitation to worship with you at your church on Sunday. 

Oh, yea, it’s silly, but a great excuse to gather friends or family if you don’t have little kids in  your group. 

Happy Easter, friend.  Praying your Resurrection Sunday celebration is the best yet.

He is risen indeed!