Hello Friends,

I pray all is going smoothly as you’re finishing up your summer and regrouping for an exciting year of ministry. It’s hard to believe how quickly the summer months have flown by, and now I’m regrouping to ensure the coming year is faithful, focused, and effective. Many of you have a good sense of what Inflatable Stories can look like at an event, and I have been honored to share in many of your churches. As we look forward to a new school year, it feels like a good opportunity to brainstorm with you on how we can partner together.

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I often share what I do when I meet new pastors, and their initial instinct is to picture a balloon dog while wondering, “How could something so trivial create the exciting, yet deep, engagement our students are looking for?” Okay, I admit most people don’t say “trivial” in their head, but you get the idea. Inflatable Stories are so much more than dogs! The massive creations I build create memories that help Gospel lessons build roots in long-term memory. My brief times with your church are empty without the deep engaging ministry you are invested in year-round, but I believe well-chosen special events can be a fulcrum to dislodge the lethargy that can sometimes creep in and help invigorate a ministry for a new season.

What does an event with Inflatable Stories look like? That’s a big question because we can get very creative! For many churches, an event involves a single special program at a big moment. Maybe that means bringing in my “God’s Truth Holds Up” program for easter or my “Nothing is Impossible for God” program for a kickoff event or Upward Sports celebration. I have a growing list of programs that work very well when a church is looking for an unforgettable hour. A few of these even include the mesmerizing climb-inside balloon. Other programs include unforgettable visuals like a massive Goliath wearable.

It can be surprising to see the creative events churches bring me in for! At times, Inflatable Stories is the main draw for a weekly event at the church or a special event with decorations and/or refreshments as they mark a special season for the church. They bring Inflatable Stories to add an unforgettable message. Occasionally churches will blow things up in crazy ways! I’ve lost track of how many times I have been the special entertainment inside a church during a 4th of July event or Fall Festival. An event that might have been entirely focused on fun engagement and connection instantly becomes an opportunity to more deeply share what the church is about and what our faith in Christ looks like. At one wild event, a church rented an entire local aquarium so community members could sign up to visit the incredible animals for free. While they were enjoying the visit, they had three opportunities to come see an Inflatable Stories program and hear about Jesus. I love your creativity!

Many churches want to step up outreach by partnering withschools to sponsor a program or help the school bring in a program at adiscount. This is a terrific way to invest in local students with a meaningfulmessage and exciting program that is allowed in Christian or secular schoolswhile also inviting those children back to the church for a message thatincludes a presentation of what it looks like to follow Christ. On occasion Ihave worked with churches to do a few school programs in the morning followedby a big program that night where we can invite the entire community. Thisworks especially well with a multi-day event at the church because it givestime for the event to grow.

Sometimes churches ask if I can do a full camp, and theanswer is an enthusiastic “Yes!” In fact, this summer I customized amulti-session camp for an amazing church in California that wanted somethingunique for their kids, and we prepared discussion questions to go along withthe sessions. I love that longer events give me an opportunity to invest in thecampers more meaningfully. It makes a difference when I can high-five them atdinner and build a connection that demonstrates I care so they can put moretrust in the Good News I’m sharing.

Occasionally there are opportunities to think way outside the box. At one church in the Northeast, I came in a day early to build massive, custom themed décor. Another church wanted balloon-centric recreation for their VBS, so we made it happen! As a certified balloon artist, I have a strong foundation in building unique and customized balloon pieces. Some churches have had me build balloon mascots for them. A full body wearable balloon costume takes far longer than the sculptures in my program, but it is unforgettable!

One of my favorite combination events was for a church in Oregon that wanted something special to help invite the community to our Inflatable Stories Christmas Nativity program. With some planning, they brought me in early to facilitate a team of church members building a custom balloon-centric float! This was fantastic opportunity for their church members to be engaged in a unique project, and it was also a memorable way to invite people the event. The float placed 2nd in the parade competition, but more importantly it brought a full house to hear about Jesus’ birth.

If you want an exciting and memorable event this year that is ready-to-go, or if you would like to creatively integrate Inflatable Stories into something your church is already doing, I would love to partner with you!

In Christ,

Dr. Dan

PS- Stay tuned over the coming weeks to hear more about the Christmas program and how it can draw your kids into the Christmas story.

Thanks for the Photos!

Crossroads Kids Camp

Goalline Ministries

Ontario First Church of the Nazarene

Transformation Church

Sherwood Baptist Church

Would you like to learn more about bringing
Inflatable Stories to your church?

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