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Family Ministry Moments - July 2024

Recently I was buying some mulch for my house at the hardware store.  I looked at the cashier, a young man, and thought,  ”I know this guy”.  After searching my memory, I asked him, “Did you play Upward Basketball because I think I coached you?” He said, “Yes, I thought you looked familiar.” Turns out this soon-to-be high school sophomore, along with my son, was on a team I coached a few years ago.  After catching up for a minute I paid for my mulch and went on my way.  You might assume this was just a chance encounter, but it happens more than you think.  I can’t tell you how many kids I see out and about from Upward, AWANA, Kids’ Life Groups, etc.  Just a few weeks ago a young man stopped by the church to use the restroom while on a run, you guessed it, I coached him also.  

These random meetings can stick with me for a while, it makes me think about all the kids that I have coached or taught in some capacity over the years. I have been at Oakhill for 17 years and coached Upward for 10 years.  That is a lot of kids!  Many of them I do not get to see grow up, but some I do; like the students from when I was a youth pastor.  All of those students are grown and have their own kids, some in our children’s ministry.  It is an immense blessing to see these students grow up and live for the Lord.

All of this has me thinking about purpose.  We know that our chief purpose is to bring glory to God, but within that purpose, there are other purposes– like investing in the next generation.  In Psalm 145 David extols the greatness of God at length.  He encourages his people to praise God and lift high his name because the Lord is worthy. He also tells them in verse 4, “One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts.”  This means that the older generation must invest spiritually in the younger.  This is congruent with all of scripture.  In the Old Testament, we see many monuments erected so that Israel would remember what God did and how He saved them.  In Joshua 4 the people are commanded to make a monument after crossing the Jordan River so that when their children ask why this pile of rocks is here they can tell of God’s goodness to them.  

We see this principle in the New Testament as well.  Jesus famously rebuked His disciples in Mark 10 for not allowing children to come to Him.  Jesus knew the importance of investing in children.  Likewise, in Titus 2 Paul encourages older men and women to live as an example to the younger generation.  The elders have a responsibility in both word and deed to invest in children.  This is what it means to leave a spiritual legacy.  One of the main purposes in life is to pass on the faith to the younger generation.

The first place this responsibility falls is within the family.  Parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc. have the responsibility of investing in their own family.  This is a biblical command; however, families are not meant to do this on their own.  The responsibility falls to the wider church to support the families. We are all called to invest in future generations in some way.  You have heard the saying, “It takes a village”.  While this African proverb has been co-opted by politicians in recent years, it doesn’t make it any less true.  Our village is our church!  We need to invest in each other spiritually so we can raise up the next generation for the glory of God.

This means we look for ways to pour into one another. It may be an official program like AWANA, Upward, or the Student Ministry. We must be committed to investing in children in these formal settings.  We can also do this informally through our relationships.  As we come together to meet, worship, and disciple we can influence each other through our examples and our encouragements in the faith.  These kinds of investments are important because they create a strong bond in our “village”.  

My encouragement to you today is to pray about how you can impact the next generation.  It is such a blessing to see young men and women who have come through our ministry out and about in the world.  While they might not all be following the Lord, I know for certain that while I was able to influence them, I pointed them to Jesus.  That’s what this is all about, pointing the next generation to Jesus.  How can you be a part of this great mission for the glory of God?

Family Ministry Moments - June 2024

Discipleship is an important topic, especially in conjunction with raising our children. Recently we finished our AWANA year on May 15th.  AWANA is our children’s discipleship program where we teach children the Word of God.  It is a great program, but it has its limitations.  AWANA is only successful if the church and parents take the mandate to disciple children seriously. Discipleship only happens when loving parents and caring adults teach God’s Word to children so their lives can be changed by it.  As parents, and as a church, we must make discipleship a priority. I recently read a Family Life article and thought I would share some of the insights from it (https://www.familylife.com/articles/topics/parenting/foundations/spiritual-development/4-reasons-you-should-intentionally-disciple-your-children/).

4 Reasons We Should Prioritize Discipleship in Our Homes and Church?

1. We are Commanded to Disciple Our Children
There is no better example of this than in Mark 10. People were bringing their children to Jesus and the disciples thought it was a waste of Jesus' time, but He rebuked them and said, “Let the children come to me.” (Mark 10:14-15) Discipleship helps provide an avenue for children to experience Jesus.  We are helping to bring the children to Jesus when we show them God’s Word and we share the gospel with them. Paul takes it one step further in Ephesians 6:4, “...bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” We are commanded to bring our children up in the instruction of the Lord.  Where will they learn it if not from us?  We must be vigilant in teaching them the truth from God’s Word.

2. Your Child will be Discipled by Someone
The reality is someone will disciple your child.  It will either be by you or the world. Culture backed by Satan has no qualms about teaching your children to think and do what they deem as right. Much of what the world wants to teach your child is contrary to God’s Word, especially in the moral arena. We must realize that our children are vessels that will be filled with something.  As a Christian, I want to fill my children with God’s Word. We must take this call seriously.  At our church we use AWANA, it is a tool to help aid in discipleship. The system or program doesn’t really matter so long as it points to God’s Word and seeks to instill that Word in the children. Considering the way the world is going they will need it; there is no sign of our culture letting up any time soon.  However, discipleship is not just for our children, we need it as well.

3. You Need to Grow in Your Faith as Well
Discipleship is not easy.  When my son and I sit down and do the weekly AWANA study together, sometimes he doesn’t want to do it, and sometimes neither do I, but we do it and through that process we both grow. Discipleship can be mundane sometimes, just like working out.  You don’t go to the gym because you see immediate results but over time you build muscle and get stronger.  The same is true in your faith. Sometimes it seems like nothing is happening, but if you persevere and keep trusting the Lord you will grow in your faith. This is true for our children, but it is also true for us – we adults need to grow in our faith as well.  If we commit ourselves to learning and implementing God’s Word in our lives, we will all grow. This is the only way to grow, and it is the only way to fulfill the Great Commission.

4. We Need True Christ Followers to Fulfill the Great Commission
In Matthew 28:18-20 Jesus gave His followers their mission.  They are to go all over the world and make disciples. We need families and churches to rally around this calling.  We need to be making disciples and it starts with our families. Remember this world is not getting any better, we need people who will stand up for the truth of God’s Word in every facet of life. We need Christians in every job, every place, and every country committed to the Great Commission. Children are meant to be trained up in the Lord and shot into the world to make an impact for the Kingdom (Psalm 127:3-4).  This is our calling as parents and as a church; to raise our children in the Lord to make disciples so they can make a difference in this world.