Author: Jesse

First Baptist Church of Woodbridge Show

April 21, 2015

A few weeks ago, I got to share my show with First Baptist Church in Woodbridge, VA. It was a cold Saturday in early Spring but over a thousand people still showed up! I did two shows – one in the large sanctuary before the egg hunt and a second in a small cafe-like setting…
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A Great Mother-Daughter Event Idea

March 25, 2015

We’ve all heard of the father-daughter dances, the mother-son camping trips, and the father-son fishing outings. But what about events for the moms and daughters? I was invited to perform at one this past Sunday and I’d like to share the idea with you. It comes from my friend Alan Phillips over at Richmond Community…
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The Power of Mister Rogers’ Shoes

March 19, 2015

I am a child of the 80’s, which means I grew up watching Sesame Street and Mister Rogers. Now I have a four year-old daughter and she is now requesting to watch Mister Rogers episodes ever since I showed one to her on YouTube. She watches Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, which is the modern day iteration…
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How to Find a Good Upward Sports™ Entertainer

March 2, 2015

If you are an Upward Sports™ league director, then you have probably run into the tough decision of finding a good speaker or entertainer for your closing ceremony. There are many very effective, talented, and Gospel-focused speakers out there. But there are also some entertainers floating around that are just not the right fit for…
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Object Lessons and Props are Biblical

February 28, 2015

I use a lot of props, tricks, and audience participation to teach kids about the Bible. Sometimes I wonder if I am just getting a kick out of doing fun things and somehow blurring the real message that needs to be taught. That fear can potentially lead me to want to ditch props altogether with…
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Where Do Kids Belong in Church?

February 25, 2015

I am fascinated by the variety of ways that churches integrate or segregate age groups for worship gatherings (the former is also known as “inter-generational worship”). Is there a right way or a wrong way to format this as a church? Do some churches have a better handle on how children and adults worship together…
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Quality Juggling Props

February 3, 2015

Just want to give a shout out to one of my favorite juggling supply companies: Higgins Brothers. I have worked with them for several years and they are great folks who will help you out with quality products at good prices. Check them out and have a great day!
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Children’s Pastors are Bible Translators

February 3, 2015

I have a great deal of respect and admiration for the people of organizations like Wycliffe or New Tribes Mission who spend decades with an indigenous group of people. learn their culture and language, and then translate the Bible into that language. I believe that those who teach the Bible to kids (in any language…
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Fire and Ice Festival in Somerset, PA

January 19, 2015

Somerset, PA hosts an annual winter festival that features ice sculptures, fire pits, food trucks, family entertainment, a craft fair, and scores of historic main street shops open for business. This was my second year coming to entertain at the First Christian Church. This year I brought my family and we had a wonderful time.…
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WinterBlast 2015 at Camp Orchard Hill!

January 14, 2015

I can’t wait for WinterBlast coming up in a few weeks. There are still a few spots for the Elementary weekend (grades 2-6) on Jan 30-Feb 1.
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Vacuum Balance

January 14, 2015

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Remembering the Sabbath

January 14, 2015

Last week was a very busy week. There was office work, family obligations, booking events, and the ongoing process of fixing up our old house. And right now we are fixing up the kitchen! It will be great when it is done, but the process can seem long and laborious. So I try to find…
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Who Wants to Be a Volunteer?

January 7, 2015

When you ask that question to a group of adults, the crickets start chirping and everyone in the audience tries especially hard not to make eye contact with the person asking the question. Ask that same question to a group of children and just about every hand shoots up immediately. That’s one reason why I…
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Winter Fusion 2014

December 30, 2014

Last night was the kickoff for Winter Fusion, a retreat for youth from churches in Virginia. I got to perform my unicycle routine as a little teaser for the full show tonight. It’s been a lot of fun so far interacting with these young people and meeting their leaders as well. The fun thing for…
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Bob Bramson – The Great Hoop Juggler

December 16, 2014

I love juggling rings. So it is inspiring to watch one of the greatest large ring (hoops) jugglers of all time. His name is Bob Bramson. Check him out in this video from 1993. It starts off a little slow, but he gets going as the video continues. I love the five hoop juggle down…
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Socioeconomic Diversity in the Christmas Story

December 16, 2014

There are two primary nativity narratives in the Gospels – the Matthew version and the Luke version. Have you ever noticed that Matthew talks about the Magi (but not the shepherds) and Luke talks about the shepherds (but not the Magi)? Matthew was writing to a mostly Jewish audience while Luke was writing with Gentiles…
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A Psalm for Thanksgiving

November 27, 2014

Psalm 100 (ESV) Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with…
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The Power of Juggling

November 17, 2014

In my most recent newsletter (which you can access here), I told the story of how I had done a show for a high school where just days before I came one student stabbed another in the middle of class. A parent sent me a message after my show thanking me for bringing a little…
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Juggling Chainsaws

October 29, 2014

Here is a short video of me juggling chainsaws at an event. I got some grass stuck in one of the chainsaws at first, so I had to dislodge it while everyone waited. Then I got it out and juggled the chainsaws. Yes, they are sharp and running. They are Makita battery operated chainsaws with a…
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Another Bootleg Video

October 29, 2014

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Creativity is Closer Than You Think!

October 22, 2014

A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of speaking and juggling at “Junior Jam” at Cedarville University. There were about 1,000 elementary-aged kids and all of their adult chaperones. It was a lot of fun. But one of my favorite parts was teaching a workshop to the adults about creativity. We started with Scripture: how…
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“What’s in the Bible?” Curriculum Review

October 15, 2014

I am somewhat of a bibliophile (one who loves books). And more particularly, I love to learn about and study the book of all books – the Bible. I guess that would be a more accurate use of the term “Biblio”-phile. So it is with excitement and anticipation that I share with you a new…
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The Power of a Family Camp

October 6, 2014

I recently spoke at a Family Camp at Camp Dixie in North Carolina. The idea is simple: create a camp experience that involves the whole family. Most camps offer programs for age-specific groups, particularly children’s and youth camps. But Family Camp is where all the members of the family come to camp together and enjoy…
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The Best Teachers are Lifelong Learners

September 30, 2014

So I’m taking a PhD course called Adult Learning Foundations. We’re reading authors such as John Dewey, Paulo Freire, Sharan Merriam, Malcolm Knowles, and David Kolb (as well as stuff about Mezirow’s Transformative Learning). One of the overall themes I’m getting from the content is that the idea of lifelong learning and continuing education (not…
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Bright Ideas You Can Use This Sunday

September 26, 2014

I’m happy to announce a new book to which I contributed. It is a collection of practical creative ministry ideas that you can use in your Sunday School, Children’s Church, camp, youth group, or other ministry setting with kids. The book categorizes the ideas so that you can find a quick and easy idea whether…
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