We've all heard of idols and idolatry.

In show business, the word "idol" has been further popularized through reality programs like American Idol, or many of the spinoffs created by the hugely successful TV series. The fact is that idols have been around for a long time. The prohibition against idol worship has been enshrined in the Ten Commandments, asserted by the prophets, stressed by many New Testament writers and expounded upon by modern Christian writers. Kyle Idleman is one of them, stressing that the issue is not exactly idols, but idolatry. Anything can become a god: goals, unequally yoked marriages, money, power, and anything that can lure us to surrender our hearts to them.

I am going to step out on a limb here and talk about one of my biggest embarrassments as a Christian.

It can be summed up in a word that militant atheists like Richard Dawkins and Dan Dennet use to slam Christians: "Sheeple."

You know, as in "Sheep People."

Working in Children's Ministry ruined church for me.

Seriously.

The church in Athens, GA I was attending/serving/working multiple volunteer hours in already had me committed to about as much as was humanly possible. I was involved with the Teaching Team, outlining the weekly sermons and series as well as trying our best to keep our pastor on track and not veer too wildly off topic, the Creative Team, designing and building the environments for said series, the Youth Ministry, coming in on Wednesdays, team teaching with two other adults, and I even took to the "pulpit" on Sundays more than a few times to greet, welcome, and generally act like a loon. I was about as active and involved as many of the paid staff were, but there was one area I steered clear of:

Kids Ministry.