Tag: Bible
Guest Post: How to bring every lesson back to Jesus this Easter
Today we’re excited to bring you a guest post from Sam Luce, one of our favorite children’s ministry bloggers.
I love what Phil and his team are doing to raise the Biblical literacy of our kids and even us as adults in the process. How little we as adults know about the Bible and how little our kids know is a problem in our country. This is a huge problem, not because we want our kids to be able to defend their faith against little atheist kids, but because if kids don’t understand the Bible they won’t ever see Jesus in the Bible. They won’t be able to see the Redemptive story woven throughout Bible.
As parents and fellow kidmins we need to talk about Jesus and what he did all the time but especially during the Christmas and Easter seasons – both afford us an amazing opportunity to explain the Gospel in ways kids can not only understand but they can embrace.
One of the big mistakes we often make when teaching kids is that we settle for a moral lesson rather than use the cross to explain our motivation for Biblical morality. When we teach our kids that Christians look and act like something based on a set of rules or on things we don’t do, we set them up to be disillusioned with their faith, then we wonder why they walk away in college.
When we take every lesson we teach all year long and place it through the grid of what Christ has done for us, we serve God out of gratitude for what He has done for us. Growing up I always thought I had to do certain things to be “pleasing” in God’s eyes. It wasn’t until a few years ago that I learned what the Gospel message really was. That because of what Christ has done for me I can live in freedom and thankfulness.
How does this look when teaching a lesson to kids? Take the classic story of David and Goliath: by all means, tell your kids how David obeyed his Dad, how he was brave and how he stood up against a giant no one stood up against. Don’t stop there and say “so kids because of David, you can be brave.” If you leave it there, what are you going to tell your kids when they stand up to that bully that plagues their playground and instead of being the hero they get a black eye and three days suspension from school? Religion says try harder next time. The gospel says trust deeper next time. Explain to them that there is a leader, a hero, greater than David who would come into the world. He would do something that none of us could or would ever do: He destroyed the giants of sin and death. Because of what Jesus did, we can live free from sin and not afraid of death. We can live each day thankful for what Jesus has done, not confused, frustrated and overwhelmed by all the things we have to do to be “pleasing” to God.
So parents, pastors, and kidmin workers: tell kids the greatest story ever told. Tell them they are all sinners in need of a savior. When you come to the application portion, don’t end your lesson with “try harder, be better,” end with Jesus our Savior. Don’t tell kids stories of all your victories and accomplishments, tell them that you are a sinner in need of God’s help just like them.
Never let your kids ever forget the power and the mystery of the Gospel.
Happy Easter!
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Sam Luce has been the children’s pastor at the same church for 14 years where he currently serves as a Campus and Families Pastor, he also serves on the board of INCM and is currently a contributing editor to K! magazine, has been involved in several book projects and has been blogging since 2007. Sam’s real passion lies in building and strengthening the local church in any way possible because he believes in creating environments where life change can take place. He truly believes that the local church is the hope of the world. Sam has been married to his beautiful wife for 13 years. They live in Upstate New York with their three beautiful children ages seven, four, and two. You can catch up with @samluce on Twitter and his blog samluce.com
Buck’s Bible Roundup: October 27, 2011
Look to Buck’s Bible Roundup for the best blogs, articles, and resources from the week to help you effectively teach the Word of God in your homes and in your ministry.
Today’s Roundup:
1. B is for Bible Coloring Page (Ministry-to-Children)
Download this free coloring page.
2. Bible Ideas for Children (Almost Unschoolers)
A homeschooling mom explains a handful of resources she uses to teach her children the Bible.
3. In My Heart – Matthew 12:34 (Totally Tots)
Free downloads to help your child learn Matthew 12:34.
4. Lady of Wisdom (Home With The Boys)
A look at what the Bible says about being a lady of Wisdom.
5. Watch Your Tongue (B’Twixt and B’Tween)
Thoughts on how what we say can impact our daughters.
6. A is for Almighty – Coloring Page (Ministry-to-Children)
Download this free coloring page.
Thanks for reading!
Buck’s Bible Roundup: October 6, 2011
Look to Buck’s Bible Roundup for the best blogs, articles, and resources from the week to help you effectively teach the Word of God in your homes and in your ministry.
Today’s Roundup:
1. Teaching Our Children To Study Scripture (The Better Mom)
How one mom is helping her children learn Scripture each day.
Source: thebettermom.com via whatsinthebible on Pinterest
2. “Covered By Christ” Coloring Pages (Ministry-to-Children)
A free coloring page download that uses Scripture to remind children who they are in Christ.
Source: ministry-to-children.com via whatsinthebible on Pinterest
3. Lifegiver (Home With The Boys)
A look at how God created women to be a lifegiver.
Source: homewiththeboys.net via whatsinthebible on Pinterest
4. Reading the Bible With Your Children (Simple Things)
Three recommended children’s Bibles and devotions to use during Bible time with children.
Source: herdofsteph.blogspot.com via whatsinthebible on Pinterest
5. Run the Race (The Better Mom)
Applying Hebrews 12:1 to the journey of homeschooling.
Source: thebettermom.com via whatsinthebible on Pinterest
6. You Can’t Give What You Don’t Have (The Better Mom)
Displaying Christ-like character for your children.
Source: thebettermom.com via whatsinthebible on Pinterest
7. Five Tools That Build Character (B’Twixt and B’Tween)
An overview of a resource to help build character in your daughters and sons.
Source: btwixtandbtweenblog.com via whatsinthebible on Pinterest
If you’re on Pinterest, be sure to follow us for an easy way to re-pin all these great resources. Thanks!
The Importance of Prayer
Have you ever argued with God? It’s sort of a futile situation, but one in which I find myself caught many times. Hmmm…what’s that definition of insanity again?….
Seriously, last week I was caught in this prayer cycle, asking for the Lord’s clarity and discernment on a troubling situation I was facing. Towards the middle of the week I was getting pretty clear answers from God, which weren’t exactly the answers that I had hoped for. So I did what any child does; I argued with my Father. I emotionally spun out of control, much like a gyroscope.
During this internal struggle between choosing to do what God had placed on my heart and continuing to do what I wanted , I began wondering about praying and the importance we Christ-followers place on it. I’d like to say that I’m always in align with God’s Word, but I’m not. Truthfully, I began thinking maybe if I had just given myself more time to think about the situation…maybe I knew all along what to do. I mean, should we really pray about every little thing?
Perhaps one of our most common errors in situations is to assume that we know the right answer even before praying about it. Another pretty common error is to disregard the answer God gives to us AFTER we pray about it.
The great thing is that we don’t have to beg the Lord to speak to us or to hear us. God is our loving Father who has already spoken through the Word, who continues to guide us by the Spirit, and who eagerly listens for the voices of his children. We are to approach the Lord knowing that nothing would give him greater pleasure than to fulfill the prayers of his children, voiced in accord with his will. Luke 11:9-10 – So I tell you: Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
Praying is really a conversation. Conversation is talking and listening. In fact when the conversation is with our Lord, it is best to begin by listening! Finding the time to pray is sometimes tricky enough. But finding the time to be still and silent… that’s really tough! But really necessary. Silence allows us to listen to the voice of God. But as many of us have witnessed first-hand, what sometimes happens is that the Enemy whispers into our ear, “You can see clearly which is the correct path here . . . no need to bother the Lord with this one”…
Proverbs 2: “My son,if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you, making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God.”
When the need for continuous prayer confuses me, I go straight to the parable that Jesus taught on this very subject. It’s a clear lesson that we can share with our own children which will explain why we pray and it validates that God our Father does listen to each and every one of us…no matter what our age, our Biblical knowledge, or even our lack of momentary discernment. These are the words of Jesus; “Does any of you have a son? What would you do if your son asked you for a fish? Would any father give his son a snake? No! You would give him a fish. Or, if your son asks for an egg, would you give him a scorpion? No! {You are like all other people}–you are evil. But you know how to give good things to your children. So surely your heavenly Father knows how to give the Holy Spirit to those people that ask him.” Luke 11:11-13
How important is prayer in your life? How do you teach your children about the importance of prayer?
How to Talk to Your Kids about Hell
There are a lot of people in the Church today, starting with many pastoral leaders, who aren’t sure what to believe about Hell. We don’t really hear a lot about Hell in sermon messages these days. Why? Has the topic become too controversial or too confusing for the Church?
And how does this affect our children?
While I don’t condone scare tactics with our kids, I conducted a little impromptu experiment. Today as I was writing this article, my 9-year -old walked into my office. He asked what I was writing about and I looked up and told him, “About Hell.” Wide eyed, he looked at me and reminded me I had just used a bad word. “No” I said. “I’m writing about the place, Hell.”
I asked him what he knew about Hell. “It’s where you go if you’re bad.” His response made me realize I had better take the time to further explain God’s rescue plan of Jesus to MY OWN son!
I stopped writing and began a conversation with him about Jesus; about how none of us were good enough to share an eternity with God, and that the Father sent Jesus down to earth to pay our price (by dying in our place) to get into Heaven so we could have that eternity with Him. It wasn’t based on how good we are.
“Mom” he asked, “Do good people go to Hell?” Taking a deep breath, I tried my best to answer his question, without sounding trite or insincere; because God IS LOVE. He desires no one to go to Hell.
There are lots of mixed messages right now about Hell and it’s important that our children have a firm grasp of what the Scripture says.
John 3: 16-17, 36: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.”
It’s also important for our children to understand the urgency of the Gospel and that we reflect that urgency in our own daily lives. Because if we truly believe that there is a Hell and that the saving grace from the sacrifice of Jesus is what ensures us a place in Heaven…then we HAVE to take spreading the Gospel message a little more seriously—and urgently.
Whether it’s through fear, complacency or lack of knowledge, many in the Church are only comfortable being with other saved brothers and sisters. Let’s face it; talking to the unsaved about Jesus is difficult. Not because we lack conviction, but because it takes us out of our comfort zone. What if I offend someone? What if I say something Biblically wrong?
Take for instance our Muslim neighbor, who we love having over for coffee, but who we don’t want to offend in matters of faith…how do we start a conversation about Jesus with her? Thought process: Maybe if my actions are simply Jesus-like enough, she’ll ask me some questions about my faith! Nope—total cop-out. Because if I believe that Jesus was the only means that kept my nice neighbor out of Hell, I should have a sense of urgency to share the Good News with her!
If your child asked a question about Hell, how would you answer it? Should the Church have an urgency to talk to people about Hell in order to help save them from going there? Let’s start a dialogue…
God’s Healing Remedy for Emotional Hoarding
A&E’s show, “Hoarders”, is one of those TV shows that literally draws me in. The psychology behind this obsession intrigues the medical part of my mind. As I was watching this show the other night, I started making the connection between hoarding earthly possessions and hoarding emotional heartbreaks. It made me wonder why we tend to hold on to some of the most painful hurts in our hearts?
Are you a heartbreak hoarder? Do you keep those personal hurts safely hidden away? Sometimes heartbreak is something so hard to let go of, we tend to bury it somewhere deep; a place inside of ourselves that only we can access.
I took inventory in my spiritual storehouse and found that I have indeed been holding on to old hurts. I find that when we bury these unhealed heartbreaks, grudges that blend harmoniously with anger, guilt and resentment tend to grow in their place. This is definitely not the lesson I want to teach my children!
Ephesians 4:31 tell us, “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.”
There’s the whole issue of forgiving others. And in some ways I think many of us have done a great job in being able to forgive the wrongs done to us by others. At least we know that we should forgive others who have sinned against us. Even kids know that they are supposed to forgive those who sin against them. But not all heartbreak is based on something which was done TO us. Sometimes heartbreak comes in the form of a sin WE have committed. A sin which, to us, may seem so large we have been unable to forgive ourselves. I think we call that, “guilt”.
Guilt operates because God has placed within us a conscience. The Apostle Paul said, it is built-in and it “bears witness with our thoughts, alternating and either accusing or excusing” our actions. Rom 2:14-15.
When we are born, we are programmed to sort out right and wrong. When that conscience kicks in, our memory bank sorts through our failure, and like a computer virus, it re-surfaces and torments our emotions. And if we do not have a forgiving covenant relationship with Christ, it can grind away on us until we feel as guilty as we did when we committed the original deed. Thus, it runs in an endless cycle of forgiveness, despair, comfort, and emotional madness.
What a vital concept it is to teach our kids that we are forgiven through Christ–no matter what! How do we know that? Because God’s Word says so — “therefore if we have been buried and resurrected with Him in baptism – our “old body of sin (or body of death) will be done away with, that we no longer SHOULD be slaves to sin”. Rom 6:6
Many hoarders feel that the moment they discard the items that they are holding onto, they will lose a piece of themselves in the process. We Christians who struggle with holding on to emotional heartbreaks can rest assured that through grace, we have been made new creatures! We have nothing to lose other than guilt, anger, resentment and regret itself! Jesus sets us free. Let go of that pain. Forgive yourself…because God has already forgiven you!
Bringing Our Financial Worries to God…
Oh what a week! The financial news is bleak. What will happen to our national economy if the debt ceiling isn’t raised by next week? Is another major economic catastrophe on the horizon? The global market’s climate is questionable at best. The U.S. unemployment rate continues to rise. Taking partisan politics out of this picture, there are many individual families here in the U.S. who are seriously struggling to make ends meet.
Credit cards may be maxed out, meeting the monthly obligations seem impossible, and then a medical emergency gets thrown into the mix! Unexpected expenses, unexpected emergencies or poor money management can devastate a family’s finances.
Living through these times many may be wondering, where is God in all of this mess?
The Bible reminds us that God promises to take care of us–no matter what. He has a way of meeting urgent needs in ways that seem truly amazing. Philippians 4:19 “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus”
Our job is to pray for God’s providence while trusting His faithfulness! The lesson we can give our kids is that we DO trust God to meet our needs! Go to scripture as a family, perhaps even letting your kids share in your prayers asking God to help your family’s needs, so then they can then witness first-hand His blessings of provision.
2 Corinthians 9:8 And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
I realize that there is a lot of debate among Christians whether or not tithing is just an Old Testament Law, I still really like this verse: Malachi 3:10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.
My old pastor in California was known to say, “You can’t out-give God”. Some people loved that saying, others…not so much! I liked it because when we’d get a little greedy about giving that 10% off the top, it was a good reminder that everything we had was a blessing of provision from God.
My prayer this week is for each of you out there who may be struggling financially. That you will find reassurance in God’s provision for all your needs to be met!
Responding God’s Way
Some days are trickier than others when trying to respond to circumstances in a Godly way. Take for instance that morning I was at the grocery store…I hadn’t slept well. I was tired. I was moody, and dare I admit it… I was hormonal. While at the store, I ran into someone I knew pretty well. They noticed I was a little “off” and made a derogatory comment in the form of a joke at my expense. I tried to hide my real feelings because we all know Christians aren’t supposed to have bad days. I told her I was fine, fake-laughed and looked for a quick way to end the conversation. All I wanted was to just get checked out, get back to my car and head home to probably kick the wall or scream at the hamster! On the way home I got cut off by a driver who was not paying attention and I yelled out the words, “What’s YOUR problem!?” Oh…did I mention my kids were with me, witnessing this glorious outburst? Yep, I had successfully NOT responded in a Godly way to any situation that came my way that whole morning!
Have you had days like that? I can only assume I’m not alone in the “guilty for not acting Godly” club! But sometimes acting Godly is just too difficult, right? I totally understand! It used to be that these were the very days that I’d make every excuse in the book not to open “THE BOOK”! In my vain attempt to just get through a hard day, when I needed God’s wisdom so desperately, I would actually choose to not seek Him first.
Can anyone relate to this?
“A hot tempered {woman} stirs up dissension, but a patient {woman} calms a quarrel” Proverbs 15:18
It’s taken some time, but I’ve come to learn that a calm spirit makes all the difference in a somewhat volatile situation. When emotions are unstable and life’s events are unpredictable, it’s so easy to move into the defensive mode. For many of us that may mean a short fuse, thoughtless words, and unkind actions. (Ok, seriously, I have NEVER screamed at a hamster, but I have done much sillier things in anger…) There are those times I am prone to anger quickly, especially given the right mixture of circumstance, emotions, and exhaustion (and yeah, hormones). Over the years, I have gotten better about depending on the Lord before I ramp up too much: Praying for wisdom, seeking His counsel, and keeping close (and Godly) friends that hold one another accountable for our actions. I think that comes from being in His Word more consistently, and then coming into His presence and being reminded that I want to be more like Jesus and less like Lisa. And sometimes I even succeed.
“A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger” Proverbs 15:1
St. Francis of Assisi said, “In all ways spread the Gospel; and if you MUST, use words.” I want others to see Jesus in me through my words as well as in my actions. But I especially want my children to see Jesus in me. I don’t strive to be perfect, but I desire my children to see the Grace of God at work in my imperfection. Hopefully teaching them that while vulnerabilities are a part of being human, walking with the Lord over time will help us respond more like Jesus. One of my favorite life verses has always been 2 Corinthians 12:9 “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me”.
Truth sharing time: What causes you to react, an how do you need to grow in your Godly responses? How have you taught your kids to respond to life’s unfriendly situations in a Godly manner?
The Importance of Good Friends
Like many of you, our family celebrated the 4th of July with a group of great friends. We’re living in an area of the country where we have no family, but have been blessed by some wonderful, new friendships. Don’t get me wrong, I love our extended family, but there’s something very real and refreshing about friendships that family relationships can sometimes lack. We’ve all heard that old saying, “You can choose your friends but not your family…” Maybe that’s why some friendships feel so natural; we choose each other.
It seems pretty important to God that we have good friendships. The Bible is full of examples of this. Think about the amazing friendship of Jonathan and David. Jonathan warned David that his life was in danger at the hands of Jonathan’s own father, King Saul. This warning allowed David to take action and avoid harm, and ultimately this act of true friendship allowed David to take the throne, which was God’s plan.
The Bible describes true friendship as when one will be honest even when it hurts. Proverbs 27:6 says, “Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.” This means that a true friend of yours will tell you what you need to hear, even if it hurts, instead of flattering you all of the time. I’ve definitely felt wounded by a friend, but it’s usually because I needed to be set straight about something I had done or planned on doing. Our friends care for us, and while we all want to make good decisions, sometimes we don’t. Perhaps that’s why intelligent people in powerful positions tend to surround themselves with trusted friends who can advise them.
Good friends will have a positive influence on you. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 says that “two are better than one,” and goes on to tell how life is much better when you have a friend. I can’t even count the times over the years that I have sought to be a better person thanks to the example of trusted friends. Last week I wrote about being a servant with the heart of Jesus, and I’ve been so fortunate to know many friends who have shown me what servanthood really means. In many ways we tend to lean on each other, learn from each other, and make better choices because of each other’s examples.
In turn, bad friends will have a negative influence on you. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 15:33 that “bad company will corrupt someone with good character.” Many people make the mistake of associating with the wrong crowd, and it is one of the warnings we parents try and give our children all through their developing years and even into adulthood.
One of the pieces of advice that my father gave me during my adolescent years, was “Be careful who you associate with!” There’s a Spanish proverb that he would use to teach this lesson, “Dime con quién andas, y te dire quién eres. / Tell me with whom you walk, and I will tell you who you are.” It obviously struck a chord with me, because I use this same proverb with my sons!
I can’t help but think how Jesus, who could have chosen to complete His earthly ministry all by himself, instead chose to surround himself with a group of friends. For three years, they lived together, ate together, celebrated together, and mourned together. I also really like the fact that when you look at these twelve men Jesus hand-picked to follow Him, they were just real guys. Jesus could have chosen men of influence, who came with tons of money and education. Instead he chose fishermen and a tax collector! Again, Jesus–even in a subtle way–gives us the perfect example of how important it is to choose friendships wisely.
Of course the ultimate example of friendship is that Jesus chose to sacrifice Himself for us. John 15:12-14 says, “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command.”
As I sit and enjoy my coffee this morning, I am prayerfully thankful that God has blessed me, over the years, with such good friendships. Some of these friends are local and some are distant…but I love them and they love me no matter where we are in the world. I’m also blessed in knowing that my sons have made friendships over the years that have (so-far) proven the tests of time and distance! It’s hard making new friends after a big move. But the same formula holds true, and we have seen some nice, new people come into their lives over the course of the last few months. Not only is it hard to be the “new kids”, It takes time to foster new friendships…but the rewards will eventually be great, I’m sure!
Do your kids see you surround yourself with righteous friendships? How do you monitor with whom they choose to hang out?
Buck’s Bible Roundup: June 30, 2011
Look to Buck’s Bible Roundup for the best blogs, articles, and resources from the week to help you effectively teach the Word of God in your homes and in your ministry.
This Week’s Roundup:
How To Change the World With Your Children (Inspired to Action)
Thoughts and ideas on how to help teach our children to live out Scripture.
The Bible in 90 Days (Home With Purpose)
Join the challenge to read the Bible in 90 days starting July 11, 2011.
Support Compassion International With One Click (Money Saving Mom)
An incredible opportunity to support Compassion International through this blog and a couple of easy clicks. (Opportunity valid June 30 only.)
In My Heart – 2 Corinthians 2:17 (Totally Tots)
Great printable resources to teach your children 2 Corinthians 2:17.
Connecting Through Prayer (Thriving Family)
Thoughts on how we can connect with our families through prayer.
Crossing the Jordan River Coloring Page (Ministry-to-Children)
A coloring page to help teach Joshua 4:23-24.
Jesus Gives Freedom From Sin (Ministry-to-Children)
A lesson plan to teach John 8:32.
Thanks for reading! If you write or read an article you think we should include in the next edition of Buck’s Bible Roundup, please email it to susan@whatsinthebible.com or alert us on twitter using #BucksRoundup. Thank you.
