Juggler Jesse Joyner finds balance in Christ

CEDAR HILL—Whether Jesse Joyner is riding a unicycle or juggling, he shares an important message about finding balance through a relationship with Christ.

Jesse the Juggler performs for children’s camps at Mount Lebanon Baptist Encampment in Cedar Hill.“A friend taught me how to juggle when I was 11 years old,” Joyner said. “I thought juggling was so cool and wanted to learn. I practiced every night for about two weeks until I could juggle three balls really well. I didn’t want to stop there, so I went to the library and got all the books I could about juggling.

“I spent hours each night reading those books and practicing with some cheap, tiny beanbags. My bedroom ceiling was too short for practicing five balls, so I would be on my knees for hours each night. I guess God wired me to love juggling, because I just kept working on it until I reached a new level.”

It was not until he entered college, however, that Joyner found a way to use juggling in ministry. Joyner met fellow Christian jugglers Nathan Dorrell and David Cain, who shared tips on how to develop routines that convey a gospel message.

“During my freshman year at Taylor University, which is a small Christian college in Indiana, I felt God calling me to put together a juggling show that would also present the gospel,” he said.

Jesse Joyner developed a juggling act that conveys a Christian message.“I worked on some routines and sent a letter to dozens of churches. I offered my juggling show at no set cost, just on a voluntary love-offering basis. A few days after sending the letter, I had five messages on my answering machine from churches wanting me to share my show with them for an event.”

It didn’t take long before word began spreading about his creative ministry, and Joyner became inundated with requests to perform.

“When I was in college, I performed for over 100 churches and events as a side-thing to my studies. I performed for kids, families, senior citizens, inner-city missions, a county jail and other outreach events.”

As Joyner juggled his way into new ministry territory, he realized the importance of sharing the gospel at each event. 

“I quickly realized that I loved merging juggling with a Bible message,” he said. “After college, I went to Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, Ky., and continued the juggling ministry, but it had to slow down a bit because of my studies. From there, I took a position as a children’s pastor at a local church. But I couldn’t get my heart off the juggling ministry.

“My love for spreading the Good News to kids and families through juggling was so strong that I took a step of faith and went full-time on the road with it when I graduated from seminary. That was six years ago, and I’ve been doing this ministry full-time ever since, by God’s grace.” 

Joyner maintains a busy schedule performing at school assemblies, Vacation Bible Schools, Upward sports award nights and other evangelistic events. This summer, he is performing for children’s camps at Mount Lebanon Baptist Encampment in Cedar Hill.

“I love teaching kids about the Bible, and I love seeing them get excited about Christ and his message,” he said. “I think I’m still a kid at heart, so juggling is simply my language through which I communicate with kids.”