Someone has said that integrity is acting the same way in the privacy of your own home as you would act in public. It is of utmost importance to our spiritual integrity that we live out the faith we profess publicly in the privacy of our homes. The Faith@Home team wants to come alongside each of you to help you do just that. The Faith@Home ministry is designed to integrate with every ministry at Midland Free and is for EVERYONE including fathers, mothers, children, couples, and singles. We look forward to sharing with you a ministry that will help make your faith something that is not just talked about, but is lived out everywhere you go, especially in the home. One of the exciting pieces of the ministry (and the one that will be the most visible) is our Faith@Home Center in the north lobby. Be sure to stop by today and see all the great resources available to you.

Winter 2013 Focus

Building Kids, Following the Biblical Blueprint

Parents everywhere wish they knew the secret formula for raising good kids. Christians have the advantage of ready access to God's blueprint for parenting:  Holy Scripture. Building children into God-honoring and biblically grounded young adults is not an easy task in an increasingly hostile and complex world. But those who are committed and consistent in applying scriptural principles to their parenting have a high probability of achieving this goal. Read through the new Faith@Home brochure for the four key components of God's blueprint in the New Testament description of Jesus as a maturing young boy. Many Idea Cards and resources are available below.

Ideas and Resources

Ideas and resources to help you become more intentional about parenting biblically

Growing in favor with God (spiritual discipleship):

Growing in wisdom (intellectual discipleship):

  • Pre-schoolers:  Read time-tested classics aloud to your children every day for 15 minutes. (Search the web for "classic children read aloud.")
  • Elementary to middle schoolers:  Buy and watch a series of educational videos as a family instead of watching pure entertainment. Continue to read classic books aloud.
  • Middle to high schoolers:  Study logic together. Consider the resources at www.fallacydetective.com or Introductory Logic by James Nance.
  • Parents read:  Love Your God with All Your Mind, by J.P. Moreland

Growing in stature (physical discipleship):

  • Pre-schoolers:  Join young families every Monday at Romp & Stomp at Midland Free at 10:00 am.
  • Elementary to middle schoolers:  Send your kids outside to play 30 minutes  every weekday.
  • Middle to high schoolers:  Join your child in training for and participating in a 5K run or walk.
  • Parents read:  Focus on the Family’s Complete Guide to Family Health, Nutrition & Fitness, By Paul C. Reisser M.D.

Growing in favor with men (social discipleship):

  • Pre-schoolers:  Start a play group with other young families.
  • Elementary to middle schoolers:  Volunteer to play games with seniors at a local nursing home. Start a family Bible study with at least one other family with children of a similar age.
  • Middle to high schoolers:  Volunteer to serve needy individuals in our  local community. Visit Midland Free’s GoLocal center in the lobby to learn about current opportunities.
  • Parents read:  The Hole in Our Gospel, by Richard Stearns

 

Featured Resources

God’s Grand Vision for the Home
By Rob Rienow, published by Awana

God has a grand vision for your home, and it starts with you. This Scripture-filled book will inspire your heart to build the kind of family God wants you to have and equip you with practical tools for passing faith and character to your kids.

A Parents' Guide to the Spiritual Growth of Children
By John Trent Ph.D., Rick Osborne, Kurt Bruner

Passing on a heritage of faith to children is an incredible privilege God gives to parents. You'll learn how to create a customized plan for your child with fun, faith-filled activities for each stage of development. You'll also learn how to take advantage of the "teachable moments" of everyday life to illustrate spiritual principles.

Losing Control & Liking It:  How to Set Your Teen (and Yourself) Free
By Tim Sanford

Do you believe it's a parent's job to make your kids turn out right? Have you turned your home into a fortress, multiplied the rules or jumped in to "fix" things the moment your teenager made a poor choice? Do you wear yourself out with worry - and alienate your child to boot? The truth is that you can't make your kids turn out right. It's not even your job. In fact, your real role
as a parent is much more rewarding and doable. Experienced counselor and parent Tim Sanford shows you how to give up your fears about your teenager's future - and the control you never really had. You'll discover the truth about how God parents His children - the truth that can turn your home from a battleground to a birthplace of freedom for you and your teen.

Building Kids Challenge

Parents everywhere wish they knew the secret formula for raising good kids. Christians have the advantage of ready access to God's blueprint for parenting:  Holy Scripture. Building children into God-honoring and biblically grounded young adults is not an easy task in an increasingly hostile and complex world. But those who are committed and consistent in applying scriptural principles to their parenting have a high probability of achieving this goal.  We learn the four key components of God's blueprint in the New Testament description of Jesus as a maturing young boy:

"And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men." (Luke 2:52)

A balanced approach to parenting will address all four areas of a child's development:  intellectual (wisdom), physical (stature), spiritual (favor with God), and social (favor with men). 

In Deuteronomy 6, Scripture urges parents to give discipleship of their children the highest priority:

“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 6:4-9)

As parents, God gives us many opportunities throughout the day to disciple our children according to the pattern of Deuteronomy 6. We need to be prepared with a plan in order to take advantage of those opportunities.

Additional Resources at Midland Free

Below are recommended resources to help parents disciple their children.

Sunday Morning Adult Class—It Starts At Home Parenting Class, Sundays, February 17-March 17, 9:00 am, Room 307. Do you want to improve your level of intentional biblical parenting at home? Are you looking for some practical next steps in your parenting, following the “Wonders of the World of Parenting” event? Join Jeff and Pam Koehlinger in this five-week class reading and applying the practical guide to intentional marriage and parenting It Starts at Home. Register online

Past Sermons Pertaining to Parenting

Biblical Parenting 101 – 8/8/2010, Pastor Jay Childs

Who Is Raising Your Children? – 5/9/2010, Pastor David Jebaratnam

Mentoring Our Children – 10/18/2009, Pastor David Jebaratnam

Heaven, Harvard or Hero?– 12/30/2007, Pastor Chuck Lloyd 

Bible Basics for Parenting – 8/12/2007, Pastor Jay Childs

Parenting: High Calling-High Privilege (series) below – 2004, Pastor Jay Childs

Seminar CDs available at the Faith@Home Center

  • Intentional Parenting – Kurt Buner
  • Faith@Home Seminar – 2/2010, Kurt & Olivia Bruner
  • Presenting the Gospel to Children – Jill Nelson

Look for the following “Blueprints” at the Faith@Home Center

  • Intentional Parenting
  • Dare to Discipline

Web sites