Uniting Church and Family

jrstephenson — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 17:13:51 +0000

Uniting Church and Family
By Shawn Mathis

The conversation continues about a Family Integrated movement in the PCA.

Even so, the family has its own sphere of responsibility. First and foremost, the head of the home needs to unite his family with a faithful church. Period.

Study finds students confident

jrstephenson — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 12:57:57 +0000

Study finds students confident
By Martha Irvine, Associated Press

“There are some advantages and some disadvantages to self-esteem, so having some degree of confidence is often a good thing,’’ says Twenge. But as she sees it, there’s a growing disconnect between self-perception and reality.”

Couple of Father’s Day Posts

jrstephenson — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 14:56:52 +0000

Dad, Thank You for Building a Gospel Legacy
By Steve Sakanashi

Judge Steven Teske On Fathers, Sons and Growing Up
From Juvenile Justice Information Exchange

I Am Unalarmed

jrstephenson — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 20:50:15 +0000

I Am Unalarmed
By Tim Challies

If 7 in 10 young people leave the church it may well be because 7 in 10 parents are not immersing their children in the gospel from a young age. They are not preaching that gospel to their children and they are not living as if that gospel is true. That may be an overstatement, but I do not want you to miss the point. Many, many children, a disheartening number, are raised to believe they are Christians by parents who just as erroneously also believe that they, the parents, are Christians. Many more are raised by parents who never model the beauty of gospel living. Such children barely stand a chance.

What Is a Family Integrated Church?

jrstephenson — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 15:47:29 +0000

A discussion of a family integrated church movement in the PCA:

What Is a Family Integrated Church?
By Pastor Shawn C. Mathis

Beware: The Bible Is About to Threaten Your Smartphone Focus

jrstephenson — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 15:16:53 +0000

Beware: The Bible Is About to Threaten Your Smartphone Focus
By John Piper

Saddleback’s Junior High Ministry

jrstephenson — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 15:21:54 +0000

Two blogs from Kurt Johnston, Saddleback’s Junior High Pastor. Both of them on trying to lessen the divide between youth ministry and “big church”:

A Bridge Too Far
Closing the Gap; Or At Least Trying To….Sorta.

It’s Not About Being a Good Girl

jrstephenson — Tue, 31 May 2011 02:12:03 +0000

At this point, many dads become fatalistically passive as they wait for their children to believe. Behavioral modification when compared to biblical faith is always the path of least resistance. We do have the power to make a child do their chores. We don’t have the power to make them give their lives to Christ.

It’s Not About Being a “Good Girl”
From Mars Hill Church Seattle

We Are What We Consume

jrstephenson — Thu, 26 May 2011 14:48:29 +0000

Brands say a lot about status, but interestingly it is not the branded product itself that confers the status. That’s why possessions or objects are called ‘status symbols’. The item can onlycommunicate status. Status is actually conferred by other people. When kids allow their status to reside solely in the minds of others through a reliance on brands, appearance becomes the core way kids measure their value and self-worth.

We Are What We Consume
From Fuller Youth Institute

Parenting 001

jrstephenson — Mon, 16 May 2011 14:27:42 +0000

For those of you who are tired of all the complicated parenting advice!

I could be wrong. My kids are still young. Maybe this no-theory is a theory of its own. I just know that the longer I parent the more I want to focus on doing a few things really well, and not get too passionate about all the rest. I want to spend time with my kids, teach them the Bible, take them to church, laugh with them, cry with them, discipline them when they disobey, say sorry when I mess up, and pray like crazy. I want them to look back and think, “I’m not sure what my parents were doing or if they even knew what they were doing. But I always knew my parents loved me and I knew they loved Jesus.” Maybe it’s not that complicated after all.

Parenting 001
By Kevin DeYoung