*This post contains affiliate links. Clicking on the link and making an Amazon purchase helps support my family. Thanks in advance!

I grew up a church kid. I went to Sunday School every week, memorized my Bible verses, was youth group president, went on mission trips – the whole nine yards.

My husband was raised on the opposite side of the country, and grew up in a different denomination. (I grew up Baptist. He grew up Wesleyan.) Thousands of miles apart in churches with different styles, we both experienced many of the same things…and I have a hunch that no matter where you went to church, you did too.

And yet, in spite of all of these wonderfully cheesy things, I remain a person who clings to her faith, loves Jesus, and loves her church. While I hope we’ve made some strides towards cultural relevance, I’m positive that in 20 years, my own four “church kids” will be able to make such a list. (Hey- if you can’t poke fun at yourself, what can ya do?)

So, sit back, pop in some Steven Curtis Chapman or Geoff Moore and the Distance, throw some cocoa in your dad’s Promise Keeper’s mug, and enjoy this trip down memory lane.

 1. You know who Psalty is. *Bonus points if you can sing Bullfrongs and Butterflies and/or the “Arky Arky” song!

And now I’m singing, “The Lord told Noah, there’s gonna be a floody floody….get those animals out of the muddy muddy.”

2. You know what a sword drill is. (And that it has nothing to do with swords….or drills…)

Straight up – I challenge anyone – any day – anywhere. I was the master of sword drills. =)

3. You had a WWJD bracelet….or two….or ten.

4. You participated in a youth group “lock-in.”

5. You had a Precious Moments Bible. (Why must those children look so sad?)

6. You probably carried said Bible around in one of these…

7. You got excited when your Sunday School teacher put on a movie like this…

Superbook!

superbook

or this….McGee and Me!

mcgeeandme

8. You re-dedicated your life to Christ around a campfire at summer camp.

*Bonus points – You sang worship songs “in a round” around said campfire.

*Bonus bonus points – One of those songs was “Father I adore You” or “I Love You Lord”

9. There is a box in your house somewhere filled with cd’s by…

DC Talk (And now I’m singing, “God is Doing a Nu Thang“)

*Bonus points – Their song “In the Light” was likely life-changing for you and/or you proudly told people you were a “Jesus Freak.” jesusfreak

Jars of Clay, Audio Adrenaline,  Newsboys, and Michael W. Smith.

*Bonus points  if you ever rocked out to “Flood” in a Christian mosh-pit, thought Will of Audio Adrenaline was hot, tried desperately to learn all the words to “Shine” by the Newsboys, and could full-on belt out “Friends are Friends Forever” by MWS this very minute.

(Cuz you know they are….if the Lord’s the Lord of them…..and a friend will not say never….’cuz the welcome will not end…)

(It’s totally hard not to type all those lyrics…)

10. Your mom just might have a little red vest or an ugly gray button up shirt hanging in a guest-room closet somewhere.

11. When I say, “Spring up oh well,” you automatically leap from your chair and yell, “Splish! Splash!”

12. Speaking of automatic responses…..When I say, “Hallelu – Hallelu- Hallelu- Hallelujah”, you say, “Praise Ye the Lord!”

*Bonus points if this involved some type of stand up/sit down/stand up game or some type of “which side is loudest?” contest.

13. In your mind, Jesus had feathered(ish) long brown hair, and was always wearing a white robe with a blue sash.

(I seriously just asked my husband (out of nowhere), “Quick – what color was Jesus’ sash?” His response (w/o missing a beat -“blue.” in almost a “duh” tone of voice.) =)

14. You quickly learned which church ladies made the good food, and which casseroles were to be avoided at church potlucks.

(And you always prayed someone brought macaroni and cheese.)

15. You can tell someone about your faith using jellybeans, “the wordless book”, or one of these….

16. Someone you know had a framed copy of “Footprints” somewhere in their home.

17. One word – flannelgraph.

18. You played some type of renegade night game, some type of game requiring you to spin around a broom and then run, and/or some type of “eat this nasty food as fast as you can” game at youth group or summer camp. 

(*Bonus points if you packed special camo and/or clothes for night games when you went to camp, one of the foods you had to eat quickly was a Big Hunk or Charleston Chew, and/or you know the best youth group game ever….Four on a Couch.)

19. You proudly went to “See You at the Pole.”

(*Bonus points if you later prayed for the kids who mockingly played Duck Duck Goose while you were praying.)

20.You know all the hand-motions to “Our God is an Awesome God.”

And because I’m feeling like handing out more bonus points…(and because I thought of more than 20 things….)

*Bonus points if you ever went to a Billy Graham Crusade (Portland-’92 baby!), attended a 5 Day Club or VBS,  know all the verses to “Jesus Loves Me”, ever declared you were “on fire” for God, kissed dating goodbye,  and/or if your mom or grandma had a verse cross-stitched on something in your home.

And I’m still singing that song….”Yo! Who’s doin’ it?”

Go ahead and SHARE this post with your fellow “church kids.”

Connect with Chasing Supermom on Facebook
Follow Chasing Supermom on Twitter
Follow Chasing Supermom on Pinterest

Like this post? Check out my 20 Signs You Grew Up a Church Kid: Christmas Edition!

*This post was written from the perspective of a 32 year old baby of the ’80’s. Hopefully those in the generations before and after me will be able to relate to some of these things too. =)

*Please read through the comments, as many people have chimed in with their own favorite things – Some were simply not a part of my childhood (ie-Adventures in Odyssey and The Donut Man) or are just outside of my generation (ie- things like Sandi Patty and Veggie Tales.)

* I am LOVING all of your comments! Connecting with all of you and remembering alongside you has been such a fun journey for me. I never expected this post to resonate with so many.  Thanks for stopping by and reminiscing with me.