Pastor Russell Johnson has accepted our invitation to be the keynote speaker at the Supernatural Children’s Ministry Summit.

Pastor Russell Johnson is the Lead Pastor of The Pursuit NW, a rapidly growing multi-campus church in the Pacific Northwest. Russell planted The Pursuit with his wife, Marija, in 2014 with a vision to bring revival to the Northwest. Known for his bold preaching, passion for the Holy Spirit, and commitment to biblical truth, Russell is dedicated to raising up a generation that will passionately pursue God’s presence.

Why is this such a big deal?

1. Pastor Russell helps us reach Lead Pastors.
   One of our goals is to reach not only Children’s Pastors but also Lead Pastors. If we truly want to impact the future of children’s ministry across the nation, we must influence the leaders who set the vision for their churches. Pastor Russell has credibility and influence with Lead Pastors, helping us expand the reach of this message.
   
2. His involvement elevates the conference.
   When a respected leader like Pastor Russell joins the lineup, it changes how people view the conference. The Supernatural Children’s Ministry Summit is not just another KidMin conference. We are bringing together influential voices who are passionate about revival and the next generation. 
   
3. He carries a genuine passion for revival in the next generation.
   Pastor Russell is not simply talking about church growth. He is passionate about seeing revival passed on to our children and grandchildren. His heart for the next generation aligns perfectly with the vision of the Supernatural Children’s Ministry Summit.

Take a few minutes to watch this short video clip from a message Pastor Russell shared at Radiant Church in Kalamazoo, Michigan. You can feel his passion for our kids, our grandkids, and the future of the Church.

The post Exciting News! 🔥 We have booked the keynote speaker for SCMS appeared first on Super Church.

Some people think getting kids filled with the Holy Spirit is complicated.

I’ve seen many vague altar calls for the Holy Spirit. Many times, the speaker does not even teach about the Holy Spirit, but they invite kids to come up front to be filled simply because they are at Camp.

Kids can leave the altar confused. If this happens several times, kids will develop a negative expectancy—like faith in reverse. They come forward, but they don’t believe anything will happen.

Here are seven things you must do to help children receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit.

1. Teach on it.
   Preaching about the baptism of the Holy Spirit brings faith, and you want children to come in faith. (I only give altar calls for infilling the Holy Spirit when I teach about it.)
   
2. Be positive.
   Speak faith-filled, positive words.
   “You will receive the Holy Spirit today.”
   
   It’s not your responsibility to fill kids with the Holy Spirit. Jesus said, “If we ask the Father for the Holy Spirit, he will give him to us.” You can trust Jesus to keep his promise.
   
3. Invite Children who want to receive the Holy Spirit to come forward.
   By coming forward, they are putting their faith into action.
   
   Invite children who are filled with the Holy Spirit but have not prayed in tongues for a long time to come forward. (Many times, these kids are the first to pray in tongues, and that helps the other kids have faith to receive.)
   
4. Tell the kids to “listen to your heart.”
   “You will hear strange words in another language that your head doesn’t understand. This is normal.”
   
   This is what the Apostle Paul said about praying in tongues:
   “For if I pray in tongues, my spirit is praying, but I don’t understand what I am saying.”
   
5. Speak the words that you hear.
   Some people think that the Holy Spirit is going to grab your tongue and make you talk in tongues, but that is not what happens.
   
   In the book of Acts, the disciples were the ones who spoke in tongues. The Holy Spirit gives you the words, but you have to speak them out.
   
   “All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.”
   
6. Lead the kids in a group prayer, something like this:
   “Father, I am born again. Jesus is my Lord. I am a new creature in Christ, and I’m grateful for that, but there is more. I desire to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues. I believe I will receive the Holy Spirit today.”
   
7. Ask others who are filled with the Spirit to help you lay hands on the kids.
   Make sure everybody has someone to pray with them.
   
   At the conclusion of your group prayer, lay hands on the kids and begin to pray in tongues yourself.

Before releasing kids, I encourage them to take five or ten minutes to pray in tongues every day.

I let them know that they don’t need a special feeling to pray in tongues and that they can do it at home, too.

Then I say:
“Let me show you—when I say, ‘Praise the Lord,’ I want everyone to pray in tongues.”

I do this to show the kids that they can choose to pray in tongues, just like the Apostle Paul did.

Paul said:
“I will pray in the Spirit, and I will pray with my understanding” (1 Cor 14:15).

When I first started praying with kids to receive the Holy Spirit, I was afraid. I thought,
“What if it doesn’t work?”
“What if nobody speaks in tongues?”

You may have these same thoughts, but don’t let them stop you.

Your part is to teach the kids and ask the Father to fill them with the Holy Spirit. Then, trust the Holy Spirit to do His part.

We have written several curricula to teach kids about the Holy Spirit. I know this teaching works. Thousands of kids have been filled with the Spirit over the years.

Check it out for yourself:

1. Super Church 2.0 – Holy Spirit
2. Pentecost Sunday One Shot

The post 7 Things You Must Do To Help Kids Receive the Holy Spirit appeared first on Super Church.

And the comments?

They stirred something in me.

“Absolutely NO!!”

“This question makes me sad. NO! Just finished our VBS yesterday and had 88 children accept
Christ this week. Do not grow weary!”

“No way. VBS allows us to reach 200 kids, and for many, it’s their only exposure to the Good
News of Jesus.”

“Last year we had a HUGE altar call and gave away over 40 Bibles. That’s success.”

Just reading those reignited my passion.

Some of my favorite memories as a Kids Pastor came from VBS.

Monday was always my favorite—because I knew it meant a room full of new faces.

I remember one year, the presence of the Holy Spirit was so strong that over 100 kids responded to the altar call.

It felt like watching one of those classic crusade moments… but with kids.

So let me ask you—

Have you lost your passion for VBS?

If so, ask yourself a few questions:

• Was there ever a time you loved VBS?
  
• What made you love it?
  
• Why are you doing VBS now?
  
• What’s your purpose?

For some, it’s discipleship.

For others, it’s evangelism.

For me—it’s always been about seeing kids come to Christ.

That’s the heartbeat.

That’s the why.

Now ask yourself:

• What are you passionate about?
  
• How can you bring that into your VBS?

And on the flip side…

Are there things you do every year that you absolutely dread?

Maybe it’s time to cut them.

Seriously.

You don’t have to do everything.

For years, I kept a long to-do list for VBS.

Now?

I also keep a not-to-do list.

And it’s just as important.

Let me leave you with this—

If you could design your perfect VBS…

What would it look like?

Close your eyes for a second.

What do you see yourself doing?

That vision might be exactly where you need to start.

I’d love to hear what your VBS looks like.

Before you start planning this year’s VBS, grab my FREE VBS How-To Planning Guide—a simple, practical tool to help you stay organized and focused on what matters most. Download it instantly and use what works for you.

The post If you could push a button and wipe away VBS forever… would you do it? appeared first on Super Church.

“Feed the flock of God which is among you.” 1 Peter 5:2

The first thing Peter tells pastors to do is to “feed the flock.” This is the primary responsibility of a pastor. Feeding the lambs was important to Peter because it was important to Jesus.

“When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “You know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” John 21:15

One of the first things that the Lord Jesus asked Peter to do was to ‘Feed My Lambs’.

There is a specific calling to feed the lambs. What you do is very important to the Lord. It’s not that feeding the lambs is more important than feeding the sheep, but it is more critical. Kids under the age of eight cannot feed themselves so they are dependent on someone more mature to feed them.

The preaching that you do on Sunday morning is the only meal that some of your kids are getting. This is why what you do is precious to the Lord.

Take a look at what Charles Haddon Spurgeon said about the Lord’s instructions to Peter.

“It is very remarkable that the word used here for “feed My lambs” is very different from the word employed in the precept, “feed My sheep.” I will not trouble you with Greek words, but the second “feed” means exercise the office of a shepherd, rule, regulate, lead, manage them, do all that a shepherd has to do towards a flock; but this first feed does not include all that it means distinctly feed, and it directs teachers to a duty which they may, perhaps, neglect—namely, that of instructing children in the faith.

Christian children mainly need to be taught the doctrine and life of the gospel: they require Divine truth put before them clearly and forcibly. Why should the higher doctrines, the doctrines of grace, be kept back from them?

Teach the little ones the whole truth and nothing but the truth; for instruction is the great want of the child’s nature. A child has not only to live as you and I have, but also to grow; hence he has double need of food.”

I agree with Spurgeon.

Kids don’t need less of God’s Word; they need more.

Give them a double portion.

Don’t just play a video of a Bible Story and then ask questions. That’s not preaching, and that’s not what Jesus was talking about when he said, “Feed my lambs.”

Read the Bible. Study God’s Word. Meditate on it. Pray for your service and then minister out of your overflow. Ask God to show up in your classroom, and he will.

The post Are You a Kids Pastor? appeared first on Super Church.

The theme for 2026 is: Unstoppable: Raising Kids Who Stand Strong.

SCMS 2026 is a gathering of Spirit-filled leaders and parents who refuse to settle for raising passive children—and are committed to equipping the next generation to stand strong and advance the Kingdom of God.

Rooted in Matthew 16:18, we believe this:

• Kids are not on the sidelines
• They are on the front lines of what God is doing in the earth

This summit is designed to empower you to disciple kids who know their identity, walk in spiritual authority, and carry an unstoppable faith—one that doesn’t just withstand culture, but pushes back darkness and takes ground for the Kingdom of God.

Over three days, you’ll experience impartation, community, and equipping—being refreshed in God’s presence, connected with like-minded leaders, and equipped with practical tools you can use immediately in your ministry.

3 Days
5 Tracks
20 Speakers
40 Breakouts

You do not want to miss this event.

Save Big Bucks by registering at the Early Bird Rate. 

The post Registration is Open! appeared first on Super Church.

I’ve been invited to speak at the Rhema Children and Youth Ministers Conference in Abuja, Nigeria, from April 30 – May 2, 2026. This conference is focused on equipping leaders to raise a generation of Spirit-filled children who walk in the power and purpose of the Holy Spirit.

In addition to the conference, I’ll be ministering to students and future pastors at Rhema Bible Training Center in Nigeria and leading a master class on content creation and publishing. This is a strategic opportunity to invest in children’s ministry leaders across Nigeria.

To make this trip possible, I need to raise $5,000 to cover airfare and travel expenses for both Deb and me. 

Would you prayerfully consider partnering with me financially? Your support will directly impact leaders who are discipling the next generation.

Your giving is more than financial support. Every time someone supports our ministry, it offers spiritual encouragement. You are going with us as we reach the children of the world. 

Thank you for being part of what God is doing.

The post We Are Going to Nigeria appeared first on Super Church.

Acts 2:17 says that God will pour out His Spirit on all people, including children, but that will not happen automatically. In fact, the vast majority of kids in the Pentecostal church have never spoken in tongues. It is your responsibility to teach kids in your class about the Holy Spirit and then pray with them to receive the Holy Spirit.

You may be asking, “How do I do that?“

I’m glad you asked.

I have created a one-shot message for Pentecost Sunday entitled “The Holy Spirit Empowers Us.” It’s based on Acts 1:8: “You will receive power after the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you shall be witnesses…“

Deb and I have literally taught this message all over the world and prayed with thousands of kids to receive the Holy Spirit.

This one-shot lesson includes large-group curriculum, small-group curriculum, take-home pages, and a hilarious short film titled The Masked Do-Gooder. You get all of this for only $9.

The post Pentecost Sunday – One Shot Message appeared first on Super Church.

I left unsure of what actually happened or what didn’t happen.

Several days later, as I was sitting outside under a tree. I was quiet and I heard these strange sounding words on the inside of me.

I quietly spoke them out.  IMMEDIATELY, my head said, “That’s not it. You are just making up those words.”

I closed my mouth and wondered if I would ever speak in tongues.

My story does not end there.  I was at a service about a month later and I went forward.  I don’t remember what was said to me at that time, but I do know that those same words that I heard under the tree were there, in my heart again.  I spoke them out and was encouraged to continue. I have continued to pray in the Spirit to this day.

At the church I grew up in receiving the Holy Spirit was a mystery.  Some received and some did not.  No one knew why.

As I’ve grown in God I am convinced that if someone wants to receive the Holy Spirit and speak in tongues they can.  There are things of God that are a mystery to me, but leading someone into the infilling of the Holy Spirit is not one of them.

Can Kids Receive The Holy Spirit?

Let’s look at what Peter said…

Acts 2:17 (NIRV)

“And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days.”

God said that He would pour out His spirit on all flesh. That means that He will pour out His Spirit on kids too. Our Heavenly Father said that He would pour out His spirit on all flesh.  That means that He will pour out His Spirit on everyone – kids too.”

So, how do you help kids receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit?

I’m glad you asked, here are three simple steps to helping kids receive the Holy Spirit.

First Step: Ask In Faith

Luke 11: 9-11 (NLT)

“And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.

For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks finds and to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. You fathers—if your children ask for a fish, do you give them a snake instead? Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.”

In these scriptures, Jesus, said that if our children asked for a fish, would we give them a snake?  No.  So, if we would give our children what they asked for, how much more would our Heavenly Father give us what we ask for.

This is first and most important, because if someone WANTS to be filled the Holy Spirit and speak in other tongues they can.  If they are just responding because everyone else is or they think they should, they might not receive.

Mark and I have prayed with thousands of kids to receive the Holy Spirit since 1982, and there have only been a handful of children that walked away and did not speak.  If kids came forward to receive the Holy Spirit, I stayed with them until they prayed in tongues.

It is not up to me.  Father God said He would give the Holy Spirit to them that ask.  I believe He does what He says.

Step Two: If We Ask, He gives

As a leader, this is where I use my faith.  I trust what the Father has said.  I believe what the Father has said, and I instruct what the Father has said.  When we ask in faith, He gives.

If there is a holdup, it is not on His end.  I think many people are challenged in taking this next step with their kid’s church because there is evidence you must see – in this instance, the speaking in tongues.

We believe we receive even though we cannot see.  When I pray for children they must use their faith.  They must believe they receive, even though they cannot see.

Believing is simply trusting God will do what He said.

I tell anyone I pray with who wants to receive the Holy Spirit, that if they want to receive the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in other tongues, they will.

When we ask in faith, the Holy Spirit will come and bring strange words for us to say.  Those words come to our spirit man.  The Holy Spirit does not come and grab our tongue and start shaking it.  Speaking in tongues is not a language we learn like Spanish or French.  It is a Heavenly language that only Father God and the Holy Spirit know.  This is the evidence or the sign that we are filled – we speak.

Step Three: We Won’t Understand It With Our Head

I Corinthians 14:14 (NLT)

“For if I pray in tongues, my spirit is praying, but I don’t understand what I am saying.”

I don’t know why Father God designed it this way, but He gives us a special language that only He understands.  God tells us that our spirit will pray, but we won’t understand what we are saying.  We will not understand speaking in tongues with our head, but we are to speak those very words we don’t understand out of our mouths.  This is where we trust Him.

TO SUM IT UP:

1. We ask in faith.

2. We believe we receive our Heavenly language (strange words) in our heart.

3. We speak those strange words out of our mouth.

We also wrote a eBook that we want to give you for FREE. This is such an easy way to share with kids about The Holy Spirit. CLICK HERE to learn more.

The post Helping Children Receive The Baptism of the Holy Spirit appeared first on Super Church.

He said, “We don’t focus a lot on promoting Easter itself. We usually have a large crowd and lots of visitors. Instead, I focus on promoting the Sunday after Easter.”

“That’s interesting,” I replied. “What do you do?”

“I start a new series the week after Easter that’s designed specifically for new believers.”

I love that strategy.

In kids’ ministry, it’s easy to pour everything into Easter Sunday—and then feel completely exhausted once it’s over. But Easter isn’t the finish line. It’s the starting point.

So here’s the real question:

What are you teaching the Sunday after Easter?
What’s your plan to help new kids come back?

If you want to build on the momentum of Easter, you need a clear next step.

Here are two curriculum options that work perfectly as follow-ups:

Super Church 2.0 The Core
The central and innermost parts of Christianity.

This series is perfect for new believers and a strong refresher for returning kids.

Lessons include:
• God Created the World
• The Bible Is the Word of God
• Jesus Is the Son of God
• Water Baptism
• Communion
• Baptism in the Holy Spirit

Super Church 2.0 Grow Up
Helping kids grow strong in God.

This is a discipleship-focused series that answers the question: Now what?

Lessons include:
• Read the Bible
• Guard Your Heart
• Pray Every Day
• Go to Church
• Obey God

God speaks to us through His Word, through prayer, and through the church—but real spiritual growth happens when we obey what He says.

I’m praying you have a powerful Easter Sunday—and that many children come to know Christ.

But don’t stop there.

Make sure you’re ready for what comes next.

The post What Are You Doing After Easter? appeared first on Super Church.

Common Arguments Against the Resurrection

1. The “Fainting Argument.”
Some claim Jesus didn’t really die—He just fainted.

According to this idea, Jesus revived in the tomb, escaped, and convinced His disciples He had
risen.

But this doesn’t hold up. After being beaten and hanging on a cross for hours, how could Jesus:

• Free Himself from burial wrappings
• Roll away a massive stone
• Overpower trained Roman guards

This explanation simply doesn’t make sense.

2. The “Stolen Body Argument”
Others say someone stole Jesus’ body, and the disciples believed He had risen because the tomb was empty.

But if the Romans or religious leaders had taken the body, they could have easily stopped Christianity by producing it.

When the disciples began preaching that Jesus was alive, the authorities felt threatened. If they had the body, they would have shown it publicly—and Christianity would have ended immediately.

They didn’t produce the body because they didn’t have it.

3. The “Disciples Stole the Body” Argument

Another claim is that the disciples stole Jesus’ body and made up the resurrection.

But this also falls apart:

• How would a group of fishermen overpower Roman guards?
• Why would they willingly suffer and die for something they knew was a lie?

Most of the disciples were killed for preaching that Jesus rose from the dead. People may die for something they believe is true—but not for something they know is false.

Object Lesson: The Empty Grave

Scripture: Matthew 28:6 — “He is not here; for He is risen.”
What You Need:

• 3 gravestones (Buddha, Muhammad, Joseph Smith)
• Foam core or Styrofoam

Teaching:
(Hold up a gravestone.)

What is this? Right—a gravestone. Gravestones mark where someone is buried. They usually include a name and the years they lived.

There are many religions in the world, and each one has a founder. Sometimes, to know the truth, you have to examine the evidence.

• Buddhism — Siddhartha Gautama
• Islam — Muhammad
• Mormonism — Joseph Smith

All of these leaders lived—and died.

(Hold up the gravestones.)

They are still in the grave.

But Jesus is different.

Jesus was crucified. Nails were driven into His hands and feet. A spear pierced His side. He was wrapped in cloth and placed in a sealed tomb with guards watching.

He did not faint.
He did not escape on His own.
His body was not stolen.

The government didn’t take His body—because they could have stopped Christianity by showing it.

The disciples didn’t take His body—because they gave their lives for the message that He rose again.

The truth is simple:
The tomb is empty.

Jesus is not dead. He is alive.

This object lesson comes from Super Church 2.0: The Core—a curriculum built to teach kids the foundational truths of the Christian faith. If you want to equip children with strong, confident beliefs through Christian apologetics, this is the perfect solution.

The post Teaching Kids Christian Apolegetics appeared first on Super Church.