+-+Family+Posed.BMP)
Deuteronomy 6:4-9
4Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. 5Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. 7Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.
It is simply worded Scripture. It is clear Scripture. It is spelled out, specific, effective
Scripture. It is a command and charge in Scripture, but I don't see the vast majority of American Christians, following this very basic command. This passage says to me that each Christian parent is called to impress the ways of the Lord on the hearts of their children. We are called to talk about it every chance we get, surround our kids in it and bathe them in the Word. I think we often dismiss it because we throw it out with the rest of the "law", but I think the results we are now experiencing in America is confirmation that we have been wrong in doing this. Very wrong.
Jesus' words:
Matthew 5:17-20
17"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. 19Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven."
Question:
Am I on track to be called least in the kingdom of heaven, because I am teaching/enabling parents to continue to abdicate their role as Spiritual Head in the life of the children?
Can I change the way we do things and use my role to establish those kinds of relationships in the families of our church?
This is my quest right now. I am not comfortable being the spiritual head for all of these teens, or training other adult/student leaders to. I feel Scripture is pretty clear that this role belongs to their parents. Just because the parents have handed me the batton, it doesn't mean I can't hand it back to them.
Thoughts anyone?
A Little Stat = A does of reality:
How many "regular youth group attendees" stayed in church after high school?
Best Statistics say18%
Worst Statistics say: 8%
The system seems broken to me...
3 comments:
Yes, Son, I agree with you fully. I believe some parents believe that as long as they get their kids to church they have fulfilled thier responsibility to raise them "in the Lord". However, every family needs to have regular, daily family devotions to show their children by example how much they value reading God's Word and talking to HIm in prayer and to model the basic "how-to" do it. Also, no matter what we tell our children, what we actually do and how we live is the greatest testimony that we can give and that they will follow.
Youth directors and leaders are so important because there are some things that kids just can't tell their parents or talk to their parents about and we want them to have godly people for them to go to whom we can trust not to lead them astray. Without the support of our church to help "raise" our kids, we have no idea who all they may turn to for outside guidance and advice. Of course, I am sure you know this first hand, huh, son? (smile) I thank God over and over for those who loved and prayed for you and tried to "be there" for you such as Ray Knapp. God bless you as you continue to "seek to serve" and let God work through you.
Love,
Mom
wow dude - this was the reason I chose "marriage and family therapy" rather than youth ministry.
all systems are broken so long as families are broken without pursuit of reconciliation.
love to chat about this sometime.
Hey, James! Just wanted to send peace to you. Jeremy and I have been staying updated on you and your sweet little family through David's site. We are praying for you in your ministry at Findley and asking God to continue to bless your efforts. May God lead you in your quest for the answer to these questions...they are worthy of consideration.
Serra Barrett
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