Home Archive by category "Spiritual Growth" (Page 2)

Category: Spiritual Growth

Would You Toss Your Kid to Sharks?

PARENTS? Would you toss your kid to sharks? You say, “Of course not! Silly question!” Then, let me ask you some some other questions, as a dad who is try to save my own son from some very real sharks. Do you let you kids have Shapchat? Do you not have a filtering on their Internet? Do you monitor their texts, chats and web browsing? The sharks are out to get your kid. If you don’t believe it, you are living in intentional ignorance. Scripture says, BE ALERT AND SOBER-MINDED. YOUR ENEMY, THE DEVIL PROWLS AROUND LIKE A ROARING LION, (aka Sharks!) SEEKING SOMEONE TO DEVOUR. 1 PETER 5:8 Are you leaving your children unprotected? As a pastor, I’m disheartened by parents who give up – “It’s just too hard.” As a father I get angry because it makes it harder for me to lead my own son when I hear, “but my friends parents let them,” and these are Christian parents. Is is hard? Yes. Is it worth it? YES. Parents, especially those I know –  I can’t do this alone. We need to be a team. We need to FIGHT THE ENEMY, not our kids. Our kids need…

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The Secret to Discipling Kids!

In a media saturated world, where kids are juggling content as much as adults, and where kids often don’t live in the same place for their entire childhood, how do you make sure YOUR kids know the basics of the Christian Faith? The “secret” isn’t really a secret, it is just not done intentionally often enough – The secret is simply discipleship. Jesus discipled. And when He left, he commanded us to disciple other, teaching them “everything He commanded” in addition to sharing the Gospel and baptizing. What is Discipleship? It is an intentional process of guiding another person through the basics of the Christian Faith. Introducing MY AWESOME ADVENTURE! My Awesome Adventure is a dynamic follow-up resource for new Christians or an introduction to the Christian faith for kids who are not yet familiar with Christ. Children, parents, and teachers will love this introduction to the basics of following Jesus. Teach children, ages 9-12, the essentials of being fully committed followers of Jesus Christ. My Awesome Adventure can be used for self-study, with a mentor, or in a classroom. Introduce your children to Pastor Karl, the Kidologist, who will take them on an exciting hike through the natural wonders…

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Sending Kids on a MISSION!

Kids come to church, listen, learn and then go home. But how do we impact how they live? It is so important to give children practical things they can do to live out what they are learning at church. Your curriculum likely calls that the “Application.” But just telling kids an application, doesn’t mean they’ll remember to do it! So how do you break into the routine and busyness of their week? Just like your lesson, you need to make the application fun. As we teach kids to share, give and be generous, we need to also provide them a way to DO it. How? Send them on a Mission! Our church is currently collecting school supplies for teaches and students at an inner city elementary school our church has partnered with. That is their mission. My mission is to make collecting these supplies fun. So last week, my son and I went to Walmart to demonstrate the Mission we want to send our kids on. Here is the video we made to get our kids excited about collecting these supplies. Making your own promo video is easy. I needed only an iPhone, a little bit of planning, and less…

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Help Your Kids Honor Jesus This Christmas

Last Christmas I learned about a new tool for helping my family focus on Jesus from Thanksgiving all the way to Christmas – and it is VERY cool! It is called Cradle for the King – and the concept is simple. As your family notices the fruit of the Spirit in each other, the manger is created and prepared for Jesus at Christmas. STARTING AT THANKSGIVING is ideal, but you can start any time before Christmas to get the focus of the season where it belongs – on Jesus and the impact He should be having on our lives. Through the book included in the set, children witness a family who joyfully exhibits the spiritual gifts in Galatians chapter five and “prepare the way” for Jesus who finally appears in the cradle on Christmas morning. While it is ideal for families, you can also get a set to give out at church. Check out the Cradle for the King 12-pack. Our family is using this fun tool this season, and I invite you to join us as we prepare for season with a reason! LEARN MORE AT: Cradle for a King available on Kidology.org

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His Kidmin Yoke is Easy

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 If Jesus came to give us abundant life (John 10:10) and to make our joy complete (John 15:11), then why are so many in ministry worn out, stressed out, and secretly ready to drop out of ministry? Why is it that so often those who know they were called by God to serve Him find themselves second-guessing that same call when life and ministry become almost more than they can bear? Whenever I am asked to speak or write on “avoiding burn out,” I can’t help chuckling to myself. Not because the topic is funny, but because the joke is on me. I know that when I needed to hear such things, I was unable or unwilling to. Why? I loved ministry! I was driven by the pressure that comes from wanting to make a difference. My favorite Calvin and Hobbes quote was when Calvin declared, “I…

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