Absolute 1, Pray for your Children

All parents want the best for their children. One of the most important ways to see that they are given the best is to pray for them. Over the next six weeks, I will be sending out different absolutes (7 total) for you parents to pray over their child.

All of this comes from the book, 7 Absolutes to Pray over your Kids," by Blaine Bartel.

Week 1 Absolute: Wisdom
Key Verse: "Wisdom is a principal thing; therefore get wisdom." (Proverbs 4:7)

Some thoughts:

It is God's absolute will for our kids to walk in the wisdom just as Samuel walk in wisdom. He wants them to be "bright and brighter" not "Dumb and dumber!" He wants them to know what to do and how to do it. And there is a good reason for that. The most important decisions people make in life are made when they are just that; kids. Your kids are going to decide who their friends are, what career they will pursue, where they will go to school, whom they will marry, where they will live, and what church they will attend. These are major decisions that will affect the rest of their lives, and they need God's wisdom. The important decisions kids make can get parents completely freaked out if they don't turn to God's Word and begin to pray! in the book of Ephesians, Paul prayed prayer that we can pray for our children and for every kid in our life who needs wisdom (Ephesians 1:15-17).
Knowledge is the accumulation of facts and truths, but wisdom is the correct and proper application of those facts and truths, but wisdom is the correct and proper application of those facts and truths. You can have all the facts and information, but if you don't apply them in your everyday experience you can make a mess of your life. You will make bad decisions and get into trouble. It is interesting that Samuel anointed David and greatly influenced him when he was a kid. Then David had a son, Solomon, who was known for his wisdom. In fact, when David died and Solomon became king God told young Solomon that he would grant whatever he asked for, and that was wisdom (2 Chronicles 1:10-12).

God was extremely impressed that Solomon asked for wisdom and not riches, power, fame, or even a long life. He was so impressed that he gave Solomon all that, too! Obviously, King David and Bathsheba had prayer for their son and had taught him well to value wisdom. We need to pray for our kids to apply what they know. Then, like Solomon, God can bless them with success in every area of their lives. Following is a prayer that you can pray, asking God for your kids to have wisdom. Again, if you don't have kids of your own I am sure there are some kids in your life who could use wisdom. Your prayers can have profound effect on their lives.

Father, in the name of Jesus, we thank You for giving our children a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of You. We believe that their heads are covered with the helmet of salvation, and that they have the mind of our Lord, Jesus Christ. We pray that our children will make intelligent, informed, and spirit-inspired decisions today and every day. Father, please give them supernatural discernment and a godly evaluation of every situation they encounter. Surround them with counselors who abide in Your Word and walk according to Your Spirit. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.

Grace and Peace!

Why Faith at Home?

Why Faith at Home may be a question of many throughout the parish. My answer is simple. Why not Faith at Home?

Within the next 5 weeks I will begin a new journey in my life as a father. As a father I am held responsible and accountable by scripture to raise my son in the things of God (Deuteronomy 6:4-6). The love I already have for my son, is a love that no man can take away from me. All i want to give to my children is the best, and I know that goes for all parents. We all want to see our children succeed in the things of this life. With the statistics that on average 75 - 90 percent of teenagers disconnect from the faith after gradating high school, and following that up with the statistic that the top two most influential people in the life of a child is mom and dad, we as a church have a lot to do. I feel that I do have a responsibility to provide a safe haven for our children and youth, a place where they can escape and be kids, but I feel that I have a greater responsibility to partner with parents to raise our children in faith through the avenue of the church. This greater responsibility is not something that only we here at Trinity are beginning to realize, but has become a focus in several of the parishes across our diocese, as well as being brought out of the diocesan house.

So, where do we go from here? A good bit of faith at home has been going on behind the scenes in preparation for fall, but most importantly to let the Holy Spirit work, while we pray and seek guidance in the days and weeks ahead. The first step will come September 12, kick-off Sunday. Here is where we will begin unpacking the thoughts, theology, and movement behind Faith at Home. On September 12 we will be joined by two families from our diocese who are not only walking the faith at home model with their children, but are essential leaders within the diocese and their parish.

The first family that will be joining us is Peter Rothermel and his family. Peter is the Diocesan Director for the Department of Christian Faith Formation. He and his family will be joining us as Peter has been the key leader for the diocese in bringing this movement to our diocese and has been a key resource for our staff and vestry here at Trinity. The second family will be the Mayer Family. The Mayer family worships at Saint Michaels Charleston and is part of a core of families that have grasped this faith at home movement and are currently holding family worship within their home during the week.

Kick-off Sunday will begin at 9:00 AM with a light breakfast and a time of sharing from the Mayer family. We will then follow up our time together in the parish hall with Eucharist at 10:00 AM, followed by an off-site parish picnic. We are still finalizing some of the details and will have more information to you as soon as we can, but please mark your calendars for this special day!

There is one last thing that I want to challenge you with. Especially those who have children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, etc. Every Tuesday between now and September 12th I will be emailing out one absolute for you to pray over children that are involved in your life. These absolutes will begin allowing the Spirit to work in a specific way, as we specifically pinpoint our prayers.

Please know that I am praying for all of you and the journeys that we will all join in on over the next several months. You all hold a special place in my heart, and I am looking forward to continual partnership in the ministry and in the work to grow the kingdom of God. Remember that we are called to reach a "nation," a people group. For me, the first "nation" I need to reach and disciple is my household and I pray that through this movement and the weeks ahead we can all hold each other accountable as we reach our home for faith.

Grace and Peace to all of you from our Father above!

I mean it, for real now

With the kick-off of fall and Faith at Home right around the corner, I have decided to resurrect the Tools to Family Ministry blog. I tried the whole Vlog "Video Blog" thing, but it has been extremely difficult to find time to tape, edit, and post. I can cut my time in half by throwing my thoughts on here. So be on the look out for mind provoking parenting and faith at home tips. My hope is next week to post: "Why Faith at Home!" Be on the lookout!

Faith At Home and the role of the Parent and the Church

Many people rely on the church as the main instructors of Faith in the life of a child or youth. This is a job of the church, to instruct people in the way of God's word, but it is not our duty alone. Faith teaching should be Parent led and church supported. 

Before I go on, I do not want it to seem like I am coming down on parents, because the church is more at fault in my opinion. We as the church have taken this duty on without instructing parents how to lead their children in the way of Faith. We just accept it as our "job description" to be the main faith instructors and we move on with life. Our job as the church is to give the necessary tools to disciples, so they can go and "make disciples" as well. (This is the main purpose of the blog, this is a tool for parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles.... you get the idea.)

Lets take a look at a statistic....

 “Fewer than 10% of parents who regularly attend church with their kids read the Bible together, pray together (other than at meal times) or participate in an act of service as a family unit. Even fewer families – 1 out of every 20—have an type of worship experience together with their kids, other than while they are at church during a typical month,” (Barna 2003, 78). 

To me, as a young husband, minister, and hopefully one day a father, this is a ground shaking statistic. What we see by this statistic is if you are in a church of about 60 families, only 6 are reading the bible and praying together. Now this is on average. Some churches will have more, and some will have less, but the statistic is mind blowing all the same. We are approaching a time in society where "church" within the "church building" is becoming less popular. More church is happening in coffee shops, nail salons, on the baseball field before the Sunday morning game. So why can't church happen in the home. We all know that the church is the people, not the building. The building becomes the church as we the people of God (The church) occupy the building. Why do we not see our homes and our family as a small church unit?

If we read Deuteronomy 6: 4-9...

"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your  soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress 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. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. "

Deuteronomy lays out a clear picture that we as followers should abide. We are to take what we as adults, parents, followers have learned and impress them on our children. 

I think step 1 to faith at home is viewing our house and our family as a church.

I am going to let this marinate just a little...

Next post... The beginning to building Faith at Home

Resources:

Transforming Children Into Spiritual Champions: Why Children should be your Churches #1 Priority, by: George Barna

Introduction

This blog is for parents. Why parents? I want to be able to provide a place for parents to come and get tools for bringing their children up in the way of Faith. This is a beginning for a ministry focus shift to Parent Led and Church supported. Within the next posts, hopefully a few a week, I will begin to first unpack the idea of Family ministry, also know as multi-generational faithfulness. Please join in this journey with me, as my questions, and challenge me. God's Peace to you all!