Preschool (2yrs-PreK)

God Loves Me

This week your preschooler will be encouraged to make the right choice.  They will continue to “Learn to do what is right” (Isaiah 1:17).   Making the right choice usually involves motivation.  How do you attempt to motivate your preschooler?  Do you use consequences or positive reinforcement?

While consequences are definitely a part of life they aren’t always enough to make us make the right choice.  We all know the consequences of eating too much and not getting enough exercise.  Does that stop you at the buffet or get you into the gym?  But how do you feel when you lose a few pounds and someone comments on how great you look?  Motivated to make more of the right choices concerning your health?

Daniel was motivated to make the right choice in Babylon (Daniel 1:1-16) by God’s love for him, probably the most powerful positive reinforcement in the world.   We want your preschooler to be motivated to make the right choice by that same love.  At this age, the most tangible form of God’s love to them is your love.

Fight for the Heart this week by putting forth extra effort to motivate positively rather than with threats of consequences.  Spend extra time talking about your expectations and letting your preschooler know how much you love them and believe in them.  See them make the right choice because they want to please you.  Over time, watch that translate into a desire to please the heart of the Father.

Elementary (K-3^rd Grade)

Responsibility – showing you can be trusted with what’s expected of you

The story of the “Good Samaritan” is typically one that most people know.  This week we will be looking at that account with your students and challenging them to be responsible, take action, do something, and go beyond what they are expected to do and do what God would do.

In the story of the Samaritan, he helps a guy when no one else would.  He doesn’t care what anyone is going to say about it.  He doesn’t care what anyone else thinks.  He doesn’t even care that the guy he helped was most likely Jewish and thought the Samaritans were kind of the scum of the earth back then.  He does the right thing because it was the right thing to do.

Talk with your student about being a friend to people who need a friend.  Not just the cool kids.  Not just the kids they are always friends with.  Not just the kids who are easy to be friends with.  Help them Imagine the End by talking through examples of people they can be kind to.  Ways they can be responsible and show God they can be trusted with what’s expected of them.

 Club 45 (4-5^th grade)

Anger

Your student is at a point in life where emotions start raging and everyone is learning how to deal with them…including you!  For the next few weeks we are going to be looking at four different emotions and helping your student understand their purpose and what to do with them.

The book of Psalms is full of songs and poems that describe various emotions.  God made us emotional beings.  He expects us to experience emotions…even anger.  Being angry is not a sin.  What we do with that anger is what is important.

Talk with your student this week about the truth that their battle is not with flesh and blood.  There will be many things in life that will cause them to be angry.  Fight for the Heart by discussing ways to harness that anger and redirect it into energy that creates good.  That’s what God did.  He was not happy with Adam in the garden…so He set in motion a plan that would reproduce His ultimate plan for good in the earth…Jesus.  He redirected His anger and continued to create goodness in the earth.

School is coming to a close, and with that comes the lazy days of summer.  If your family is like ours, then you are definitely in the middle of planning for summer activities.  One powerful experience for teenagers is our Summer Beach Camp for all teenagers sixth through twelfth grade.  Here are the reasons why I think summer beach camp will be a powerful experience for your teen, and why you should sign them up today for this life changing experience.

Reason # 1:  There is Power in a Different Routine.  What do I mean by this?  For a full week, we will take your teenager  out of their normal day to day routine that they are used to.  A magical thing happens when we break out of the daily grind and place ourselves in a new situation and routine.  We are challenged to think differently about ourselves and about our lives.  For a week we will put your student into a routine that will challenge them to do some things differently that will help them grow closer to Christ.

Reason # 2:  There is Power in Focus:  It’s simple.  When we remove all the distractions that fight for our attention, it becomes easier to focus in on what matters most.  For a week, we will remove all TV, IPODS, cell phones, text messages, Facebook, and many other distractions.  Why do we do this?  Because when those things are gone, it becomes much easier to focus in on God and what He wants to do in our lives.  Not only will these distractions be gone, but they will be surrounded with godly men and women who are daily pouring God’s life changing truth into their hearts.  With these distractions gone, it will be much easier to be receptive of God’s truth that they need to hear.  During camp there will be a powerful focus on what matters most…God, and I know that your student will be powerfully changed because of this. 

Reason # 3:  There is Power in Concentration:  Have you ever used frozen concentrate to make Orange Juice before?  It’s some pretty potent stuff.  In fact one container of concentrate will make a lot of orange juice.  Now compare that to how much orange juice you can make with a simple glass of OJ.  It doesn’t make much.  It’s good, but it just does not go as far as the concentrate does.  The same is true of camp.  Weekly meeting together for a couple of hours is great, and students grow through these experiences, however when we take one week (a week that subsequently has the same number of hours in it as a full year of Wednesday night programming does) and focus twenty four hours a day with no distractions on what’s most important, a powerful impact is made on students.  It’s an impact that will last for months, even years to come.  Many of us can recall huge moments spiritually in our lives, and attribute those to things that happened in a camp style environment.  It’s the power of concentration.

 Six full days of nothing but Jesus, without distractions, in a different environment than your students are used, honed in and focused on what’s most important,  all add up to powerful life change.  I hope that your will see the value and power in the camp experience for your teen and that they will be a part of this life changing experience.  Space is limited, and you can get them registered here:  www.fpstudents.com.  Simply select your campus, and go to the events page.  Look for the link that says “Sign Up Here”.

For families, the arrival of summer brings with it amazing potential. As you consider summer begin by determining that this approximately 10 week window will be a form of fun and deepening relationships for your family. The following are a few summer thoughts:

1. Plan the fun. As a family plan some intentional fun activities at least one time per week. This doesn’t have to be an expensive vacation. Depending on the age of your kids have a water balloon fight in the yard (my family has soaked me a few times upon my arrival home), go to a park with a picnic; rent a movie (bed times are often more relaxed in the summer), etc. Let each member of the family offer suggestions and perhaps be in charge of developing the activity for a particular week.
2. Plan to serve. One of the best things any of our families can do is to experience serving together. Is there a project or cause that your family can benefit from through service? Whether it’s at church or a neighborhood project, summer provides a window for a new experience. Start serving together.
3. Plan to grow. Summer often provides, because of relaxed scheduling for kids, opportunities for intentional growth. A few possible growth possibilities include:

• Visits to the public library
• Begin a family fitness program. Start walking or play the Wii together
• If you have elementary, middle or high school students, check out the Faith Promise Church summer camps. Camp provides a great setting for our children to deepen their walk with the Lord in a fun filled environment.

Ready or not summer is headed toward your family. Start making plans today for a great summer.

God Loves Me

This week we continue to drive home the truth that God LOVES your preschooler! God shows us his love in so many different ways. The most important of all is the way He forgives us through His son.

Joseph is a great example of the power that lies in forgiveness. His brothers betrayed him in the most hurtful ways. They hated Joseph and sold him, AFTER they tried to kill him! God took all the bad circumstances in Joseph’s life and made great things come out of them. At the end, Joseph had an amazing opportunity to forgive his brothers and walk in the power of God. Because of Joseph’s ability to DO THE RIGHT THING, an entire nation was impacted.

Create a Rhythm with your children by praying this prayer together and actively forgiving others. Teach them that forgiveness releases power in their lives. Talk about ways they can forgive others. Even at their ages they can hold grudges! Don’t let them develop a habit that will cripple them when they are older!

“Dear God, thank You for helping us to forgive others, even when it‟s hard. We know that You want us to do the right thing and that You are always with us. You are amazing God, we love you so much. Thank You, God! Amen”

Elementary (K-3rd Grade)

Responsibility is showing you can be trusted

with what’s expected of you

This week we are talking about our responsibility to choose the right words, with the RIGHT HEART. Ephesians 4:29 tells us not to let foul language or unwholesome talk come out of our mouths, but only words that are good and beneficial to the spiritual progress of others. Often times religion gets hung up on the idea that the “foul words” in this verse are what our culture would call “cuss words”.

Words only have meaning because of the meaning we give them. Words are only beneficial or harmful because of the heart they are spoken from. We must bridle our tongues and take responsibility for the words we say. However, the right words will come out of a heart that is right. It takes a lot less effort to say the right things if you have the right things inside, waiting to come out.

Are the words spoken in your home LIFE GIVING? Or do they DEVALUE the person they are intended for? Create a Rhythmwith your student by spending time in the word finding all the good things God says about us. Get those words in your hearts so they become the words you choose to say about others. Here’s a great starting place http://bible.org/article/who-does-god-say-i-am.

Club 45 (4-5th grade)

BULLIES: TAKING DOWN GOLIATH

This week we are wrapping up the Bullies lesson. We have been talking about the reasons people bully, ways to avoid bullies and most importantly how to forgive a bully.

As hard as it might be, your student needs to know that they will walk in power when they walk in forgiveness. The best way to beat a bully is to forgive that person. We want your student to remember that people are bullies because they have something in their lives that is HURTING THEM. There is always a root for the behavior we exhibit, good and bad.

Imagine the End with your student by talking about how they can show love and forgiveness to the bullies in their lives. Even if they aren’t the target, an act of unexpected kindness could turn the tide for a kid who bullies and totally change their lives. Encourage your student to show love to the unlovable, the way Jesus did. There may even be an opportunity for you to be an example for your student! Don’t miss it!

Today marks a unique day in the journey of our family.  As I write this blog post my wife and I are preparing to spend the last day with our daughter before she officially becomes a toddler.  She will no longer be a baby, but transition to the next stage of development.  I am being told daily that this just gets faster and fast from here.

 As I reflect over this past year there is one particular thing that sticks out in my memory.  Right after our daughter was born a dear friend commented on a picture of Elin, my daughter, taken right after she arrived home from the hospital.  She reminded us that children are a gift from God.  She told us to always remember that our kids are on loan to us from God and that we get the chance to show them exactly who God is while they are on loan to us. 

            I love that thought.  It is a reminder that our kids are not an accident, but that they are carefully planned and placed with us from God.  It is our job to do our best to show them who God is through how we live out our lives in front of them.  If we are going to give our children a healthy image of God, then we will have to reflect some key pictures of God in the lives we share with them. 

Picture of God # 1:  Always Present.  Today as I was studying the word, a name of God jumped off the page at me that I don’t always do a great job of remembering.  It is Jehovah Nisei.  This literally means God, always present.  The reality is that God is always present.  He is everywhere we go and his is always accessible to His children.  As parents we must model this to our own kids.  They need to know that when they need us that we will always be there…that we are willing to move Heaven and Earth to make ourselves available to them.  When we are always present in our kids’ lives, it becomes easier for them to know that God is always present in their lives, and a part of their foundation of faith and relationship with God. 

Picture of God # 2:  Unconditional Love.  I love the fact that God has no reason for loving me…He simply loves me.  There is nothing about me that warrants God’s affection and love towards me.  That is the same type of love that God calls us to love our kids with.  At least once a day I will ask my daughter Elin this question:  “Elin do you know that your Daddy loves you so much?”  Then I will ask her this next question:  “Elin do you know why your Daddy loves you so much?”  After a pause I will answer my question like this: “Elin your Daddy loves you simply because you are Elin.”  I want her to know that my love for her is not based on being good, or following my instructions, taking her naps, or playing well with her toys.  I want her to know that I love her simply because she is my daughter.  When she knows that my love for her is unconditional, she will be better able to trust that God’s love for her is the same. 

Picture of God # 3: Comforter.  You know there are those times in our lives where all we need is a little comfort.  There are those times where all we need is for someone to remind us that we are cared for and loved, for someone to simply support us.  One unfortunate fact about Elin is that she does not like to be cuddled.  It is a sad reality that I have had to come to grips with.  The only time that she does want to be cuddled is when she is sick.  Usually Elin gets her bath at night before she goes to bed, but on some days when things are really super busy, she takes her bath with me when I get my shower in the morning.  The other morning I was getting out of the shower and had Elin on my side wrapped in her hooded towel when all of a sudden she wrapped her left arm around my back and her right arm up over my shoulder and laid her head on my shoulder against my neck, and my heart melted.   For whatever reason, in that moment, she wanted to be comforted and snuggled up to her dad.  After a few minutes she perked up and was ready to go and get dressed.  I don’t know what was running through her little mind in that moment.  What I could sense was that she wanted to be comforted and reminded that she is cared for and loved.  It was my honor and responsibility as her Dad to see that moment and reflect to her that God is her comfort.   As parents God is calling us to show our kids that He is their ultimate comforter. 

            I am so thankful for my friends post almost a year ago.  It was a great reminder that our kids are not ours…they are simply on loan to us from God.  I believe that it’s the best loan we can ever have.  As good stewards of the gifts that He has given us, we are called to reflect God by the pictures of Him we show our kids with our how we choose to live our lives out in front of them.  So as you read this post today, what image of God are you reflecting to your kids?  Do your kids have a healthy image of God?  Can they see that God is always present, that He loves them unconditionally, and that He is their comforter through the way you live your life out before them?  I believe with everything in me, that when we take these pictures of God, and start reflecting them to our kids through how we live our lives, then they will have a healthy, biblical view of God.  It is then that we will prove good stewards of these great gifts that God has entrusted us with.

This week fpStudents: High School is continuing the series “There’s No Place Like Home” with a discussion on our true home, Heaven.  That destination is the “end” that we as Christ-followers are all striving towards.  As parents, we must interact with our students with the end in mind, as well.  As such, we have provided this prayer guide to give you a consistent way to pray for your student and their future.  Know that we are praying for you and your family as you lift up your student!

 Please click the link below for the Parent Prayer Guide:

Parent Prayer Guide

At FP we use lots of technology, all the time.  For instance, I am currently typing this on a computer (not pen and parchment).  At various times today I will send out “tweets” from my twitter account (@michaelbwallace) and from fpStudents (@fp_students) to keep info flowing out to the Family Ministry community.  We even have a special text service now for students where one can receive a text a week with special info about our Wednesday night services.  All you have to do is text “PELSTUD” (or BLNSTUD, NKXSTUD for other campuses) to “75309”.  Shameless promotions, I know…but here’s the point:  While we use technology in a GREAT way at FP, I tend to find myself hyper-focused on the tools of technology.  Do you?

While my phone has the ability to connect me we families, students and volunteers at a moment’s notice, what should my response be when I find myself neglecting my own family because I am glued to a device?  The simple response is to just “put it away” but I will be back on it tomorrow, right?

So, I have two questions for you today.

1. Are you using technology as a tool to leverage to make Jesus famous? What I mean is, do you harness the influence you have in your own circles to share Jesus with others?
2. Are you using technology as a tool to distance yourself from others? Parents, are you telling your kids that they are less important than your phone/laptop/ipad? Students, are you creating a techno-wall between you and your family?

I am, by no means, an expert at finding the “happy medium” between using and abusing technology.  What are your thoughts? How are you able to be affective with technology without alienating those around you?

Recently, I had the privilege of taking my 14-year old daughter, Maggie, out on a date. We had been planning and anticipating this special time together for over a month. We both dressed up and Maggie wore a beautiful dress and fixed her hair special. She called it her “prom date” (too bad I won’t always be able to be her prom date). We had dinner at a nice restaurant and had the sweetest time just talking. We talked about her dreams and her future. I took the opportunity to speak life into Maggie and who God has created her to be as well as talk about what I believe God has for her. Maggie and I took pictures to remind us of this special evening.

Dads, if you have a teenage daughter or younger, plan a special night for the two of you. We have an incredible opportunity to show our daughters how they can expect to be treated on a date. More importantly, the affirmation and attention we provide our daughters will likely have a profound impact on how they see themselves.

Preschool (2yrs to PreK)

God wants me to do the right thing!

Elementary (K-3rd)

Responsibility is showing you can be trusted with what’s expected of you.

Club 45 (4th & 5th grade)

A Special Note To Parents:

It is likely that you are familiar with the concept of the classic film “The Wizard Of Oz”.  In the movie, Dorothy is transported away from her home during a tornado to the magical land of Oz and is forced to find her way back to Kansas.

I believe that many students, if not all, fail to fully recognize the importance of the word HOME.  For some it may be a place of tension and turmoil.  For others it is a place of solitude and loneliness.  It may even be a place of love and laughter!  Whatever home looks like for you, it is likely at best a shadow of the HOME we are designed to experience in eternity. In our new fpStudents series “No Place Like Home” we will dig into the elements of our homes that are mirrored in eternity.  It’s a series your student can’t afford to miss!

As a supplement to this series, we are offering a special Parent Breakout session during the service.  This will be an awesome opportunity for parents of high school students (at the Pellissippi campus) to enhance their parenting process and lead their students to be mature Christ-followers.  These Breakouts begin tonight and continue through this series.

May 2 –   How To Pray For My Student
May 9 –   How To Prepare My Student For Life After High School
May 16 – How To Support My Student’s Dreams

These experiences will coincide with the fpStudents services, beginning at 6:30pm and ending at 8:30pm.  If you would like to join us for the Parent Breakouts, please RSVP by emailing tonjab@faithpromise.org today so we can have materials prepared for you. 

I’m praying for your family and the impact you get to have as a parent!

Here For You,

Michael Wallace

Series:  The Dead
Topic: Salvation

Service Summary:

This special series called “The Dead” was concluded with a special movie premiere of our newest short film, with a unique zombie theme.  After experiencing this movie event, we discussed the reason that Jesus came to earth.  As Jesus communicates in John 3 to Nicodemus, he didn’t come to make bad people good, but to make dead people alive!  God sent Jesus so that we wouldn’t have to spend eternity separated from Him, but living with Him in Heaven. 

If you have a relationship with God, at some point your story has told this unique transition from death to life.  At the point of salvation we meet Jesus and our story changes forever.  It is greatly important to tell this story!

Family Discussion:

1. How often do you share and celebrate your story of salvation with your family?  Take the time over your next meal to do this.

Recently I attended the movie “The Lucky One” with my wife Emily. In the spirit of full disclosure it should be noted that this type of movie (love story) is really not my favorite. In fact, my son Zach said that if I went to this movie I would have to surrender my “man card.” While this type of movie may not my favorite, Emily without question is my favorite and I enjoyed spending a day with her doing what she wanted.

I want to share a couple of parenting principles that jumped out to me based on one scene from the movie. In this particular scene a little boy (8-9 years old) had spent considerable time practicing tying a tie for a formal event. The little boy was proud of his hard work and ran to show his dad. The dad immediately began to fix his tie and remarked something like “you need to learn to tie a tie.” Naturally, the little boy was demoralized.

Parenting Principle: Recognize, appreciate and encourage our kids when they have tried their best even if the outcome is less than desired. They won’t always hit a homerun or make straight A’s. If they did their best, recognize their effort. If necessary, we can then focus on how we can appropriately help them. Our words are powerful and can impact our kids for years or even a lifetime. Is it really a big deal if an 8 year olds tie isn’t perfect?

In the same scene the grandfather of the little boy criticizes his son’s choice of suits. This criticism was so similar to the way his son had just criticized his grandson about his tie.

Parenting Principle: We often parent like we were parented. Let’s keep the positive parenting examples we learned from our parents. However, let’s not repeat the characteristics or habits that don’t benefit our kids.

If you didn’t have the blessing of Godly parents I encourage you to seek out parenting role models. While there are no perfect parents, Biblically based parenting is God’s best for our kids.

Preschool (2yrs-PreK)

Jesus is my good friend!

In John 14:1-4 Jesus tells the disciples something very important.   They have lots of questions about what He is saying and are obviously distressed (14:1).  Jesus proceeds to talk about going away and preparing a place for them (and us).  But the most important instruction he gives to the disciples is in v1.  He tells them to “….adhere to, trust in and rely also on me.”

Jesus is telling them that no matter what, don’t be worried, just trust Him!  Stay close to him, rely on him.  He will make it all ok.  Isn’t that what a good friend does?  Your preschooler relies on you the same way.  They stay close, trust we will make the best decisions for them and rely on us at all times.  You are the good friend that they learn about Jesus through.  Sort of sobering huh?  How can we make sure we are the best example of the good friend that Jesus is to our kids?  By letting him also be that good friend to us.

Fight for the Heart  this week by talking to your preschooler about what a good friend Jesus is to you.  Tell them about all the ways He shows His love to you, and show that same love to them.  Let them see you clinging to, trusting in , and relying on your good friend, Jesus.  They will do the same.

Elementary (K-3^rd Grade)

Jesus has overcome the world!

This week we continue with our virtue, Hope-believing that something good can come out of something bad.  Your student will see an example of hope in the story of Peter and John before the Sanhedrin (Acts 3:1-10).

When Jesus left, he told the disciples to go about doing good and telling everyone about God.  Peter and John did this!  Everywhere they went they met people who needed to hear and see that Jesus had overcome the world.  In Acts3, as they were walking to the temple, they met a crippled beggar.  The beggar asked them for a gift.  He was thinking money.  Peter had another idea!  Peter got the man’s attention and told him to get up and walk!  Jesus didn’t come to provide a temporary fix.  He overcame the world and all the trouble we might have while we live here!  The crippled beggar was healed and given new life…and he responded by walking and leaping and praising God!  He was now telling others about what God had done…and Jesus’ ministry continues through us today.

Create a Rhythm with your student by making a list of all the great things God has done in your lives.  Talk about them and be ready to tell others! Practice telling each other!

Club 45 (4-5^th grade)

BULLIES: TAKING DOWN GOLIATH

This week your preteen will be learning ways to “Beat the Bullies”.  Goliath was a bully.  David didn’t play his game though.  He established who God was and who he was because of God.  Then he won!  There are multiple ways kids are bullied these days.  We will be talking about real life examples and giving your kids tools to help them win!

You might hear your student say “I don’t play that!”.  That is the number one way to overcome a bully….just don’t play his game!  We want your student to be as confident in God as David was so they can walk away from a bully.  We want them to know that they don’t have anything to prove and that God will always come through for them.

Create A Rhythm with this list of things we can all do when confronted by a bully.  Talk about these options with your preteen so when they are faced with a situation, they know what they are going to do, how they are going to react.  We fail because we don’t have a plan.  Help your student develop a plan so they can “Beat the Bullies”!

- LEAVE THE SCENE

- STAY AWAY FROM THEM

- LEARN KARATE

- TELL AN ADULT

- BECOME THEIR FRIEND

- DON’T LET THEIR ACTIONS BOTHER YOU

- DON’T LET THEIR ACTIONS CHANGE WHAT YOU DO

- PRETEND YOU DON’T HEAR THEM

-PRAY FOR THEM!!!!

In marriage if only one person is “winning” then really no one is “winning.” Marriage is intended to be the ultimate win/win relationship. If you currently feel that your spouse is “winning” and you are losing, I want to encourage you to take a counter intuitive approach. Instead of demanding better or equal treatment, try serving your spouse even more. In my own marriage I have noticed through the years that when I feel like Emily is “winning” and I am “losing” that my perspective can be, and actually is quite often, wrong. In fact, I have found that the more I serve Emily the better equipped/able she is to serve me. Try it – instead of demanding better treatment, serve your spouse to a greater level.

Who is “winning” in your marriage?

Preschool (2yrs-PreK)

Jesus is my good friend!

This weekend we will be sharing the story of the woman who washed Jesus’ feet with her perfume.  In Luke 7:36-50, we see a room full of men, many of them religious.  They are eating with Jesus when a woman who had made many bad choices (like all of us) falls at Jesus’ feet and begins to worship him.  She is moved to tears and continues to clean His feet with her tears, hair and then her most prized possession, her perfume.

Why did she do this?  Because she recognized His love for her, despite her bad choices.  She knew she was forgiven and she was overwhelmed with thankfulness.  We want your preschooler to know that Jesus loves them the same way, even when they make a bad choice.  One of the most obvious ways they can understand the love of Jesus is by how we as parents react to what they do.

Fight for the Heart this week by choosing not to be angry when your child makes an unwise choice.  Love on them FIRST, the way Jesus loved on the woman.  Our kids want to please us.  They will make good choices as a response to the great love we display to them, the same way people change when they realize how much Jesus loves them.  Talk to your child about the wise choice they could have made, but tell them you love them no matter what.  Help them understand that Jesus is their friend, NO MATTER WHAT!

Elementary (K-3^rd Grade)

Jesus has overcome the world!

We’re continuing to talk to your students about how something good can come from something bad.  Some of the disciples still had doubt after Jesus was resurrected (Matt 28:17).  Jesus answered that doubt with a declaration of the authority that he carries.  All authority in heaven and on earth had been given to him (v18).  He didn’t just leave it at that.  He then sent the disciples out in that power to make more disciples and baptize them into the name of the Father and of the Son and the Holy Spirit (v19).

That means that even though Jesus leaving earth seemed really bad, it was actually the best thing!  Once Jesus went back to heaven, the Holy Spirit came and gave all believers access to the throne!  God made something great out of what seemed like something very bad.

For some of us, it can take a lot of effort to see the good in a situation.  We are conditioned by the world to focus on the negative, to be “Debbie Downers” and “Negative Nellies”.  As a believer though, we are supposed to be constantly looking for the GOOD in situations!  Take the time to Create a Rhythm with your student and help them change the way they think until it is the natural response to look for the good things in all situations!  You’ll find your own ways of “stinking thinking” changing too!

Club 45 (4-5^th grade)

BULLIES: TAKING DOWN GOLIATH

Were you ever bullied?  Maybe you still are?  Maybe, you ARE the bully!  What is a bully? This weekend, your student will be learning what a bully is and what they can do about it.

Bullies are people who DEMAND things from others.  In school, they want lunch money, bus seats, locker space, basically anything that doesn’t belong to them.  They cause turmoil for all those around them.  As grownups, they want to be served.  They feel entitled to things.  They continue to be demanding.  Sound familiar?

Our flesh wants to fight back.  We want to get even with these types of people.  We want to see them get what they deserved.  Did you know that if it wasn’t for Jesus, we would all get what we deserve?  And it wouldn’t be pretty.  Jesus has called us to another level of living as a believers.  We are not supposed to desire for harm to come to ANYONE.  Rather, we are to “love our enemies, treat well those who detest you and pursue you with hatred” (Luke 6:27).  How do you love your enemies?  By “…praying for the happiness of those who curse you…” (Luke 6:28).

Say what?!?!?!  Yep, we have to love the bullies.  We have to pray for the people who cause us the most grief in life.  Imagine the End with your student by talking about ways they can pray for the kids who are bullies.  Imagine how different life would be if that person had a relationship with Jesus?  Do the same for the enemies in your life.  Watch what God will do!

I know that most of my post here are short, however I want to ask your permission to tackle a subject that is of major importance, and in doing so it will require a longer blog post.  The issues is that of authority.  We all struggle with it.  The difficulty is that scripture is clear that as believers we are called to submit and obey those in authority.

I remember one of my mom’s favorite stories of me from childhood was the time she left me in the care of my Grandmother while she went to work.  We lived out in the country and had a long gravel driveway.  My older brother and I loved to play with our tonka trucks in the gravel in our driveway, and before too long we would be right up against the major highway running in front of our house.  We had no idea of the danger of being that close to the road.  On this day my Grandmother who was growing very concerned with how close we were to the road walked out to the driveway and drew a line in the gravel with her foot and said don’t cross this line.  Being the rebellious 3 year old that I was, no sooner did she sit back down on the porch swing did I get up and step over the line.  Not only did I cross the line, I made sure she recognized my defiant rebellion to her authority by sticking out my tongue at her and putting my hands on my hips.  I could have avoided a hard lesson on rebellion and submission to authority, not to mention a severe beating if I had only heard Romans 13:1 which says:

“Obey all the rulers who have authority over you. Only God can give authority to anyone, and He puts the rulers in their places of authority.”

This verse for me is both very simple as well as very complicated.  We live in a society and culture today that is much like I was at age 3.  Our culture drasticaly struggles with submitting and respecting  authority both inside and outside the church. We have a culture that embraces rugged individuality, and looks down on anyone who is in a position of authority.  Think about it, if we are honest with ourselves, most of us struggle with respecting our bosses, or our teachers if we are teenagers.  Now I will give it to you that many in positions of authority have used and abused their positions of authority, and in doing so have scarred many of us making it difficult for us to trust people in authority, however I believe that there is something deeper at work in our struggle with submitting to authority.  At the core of our struggle with submitting to authority lies the reality that their position poses a threat to our ability to have complete control of our lives.  As a society we want all the control that we can get.  We have been conditioned to believe that we are the masters of our own universe, and in response we don’t want anyone else telling us what to do.

What makes this verse so simple is that there is no way to miss what this verse means, God is calling us to submit to those in authority and leadership over us.  The complicated part of this verse is that is very hard to do.  God is calling us to willingly choose to submit to those who are in authority positions over us.  The sad reality is, that is not how most of us live our lives as Christ followers.  Most of us will spend our lives fighting against authority, clawing our way to sit in the position of control of our lives.  My generation is one that has a complete lack of respect and honor for those in authority positions.  In fact my generation will argue that there should be no such thing as authority, that we are all free.  My challenge with that view is Romans 13:1 which clearly says regardless of our view of a person in a position of authority, we are called to submit and surrender our will to their leadership.  From that point God will deal with them if they choose to use or abuse their position of authority.

As parents how can we expect our children to respect and submit to our God given authority over their lives, if we don’t model for them how to submit to those in authority over our own lives?  If we choose to trash our boss, or slam their teachers, both who hold positions of authority, why are we shocked when our kids don’t have respect or honor for us?  Regardless of whether or not we like it, we are called by God, the one who created us, to submit to all authority, because it has been placed there by Him.

So where are you at in submitting to those in authority?  On a scale of 1-10 how would you rate yourself?  In what areas do you struggle with submitting to authority, and how can you this week take some steps towards modeling for your kids, and those around you, a life that is yeilded to God’s authority, and the authorities He has placed in our lives?

Our oldest son is in the 6th grade.  He’s close to exiting his pre-teen season and fully embrace the realm of teen-hood.  (This is a great opportunity for you to pray for me.)
Over the past year he’s grown into a young man that loves his hair, girls and his own opinion.  In fact, he’s grown increasingly bold about sharing his opinion.  A once relatively passive young boy that rolled with the punches, today he’s more apt to let us know when he disagrees and why.  It’s a new world for us.

The most important opinion he will exercise over the next few years is what he believes regarding God, God’s word and God’s plan for Keegan’s life.  You see, what his dad and I believe will increasingly take a backseat to what Keegan believes.  And this is what should happen in order for Keegan to embrace his own faith and not simply assume ours.  

But there is a way that we (as parents) can Hinder this work that God is doing in his life…

• We can hinder by telling him what he should think.  He’s got to be able to think for himself.  That means he needs to wrestle through the problem, weigh it against God’s word and wade through his own thoughts regarding it.
• We can hinder by not allowing him to disagree. Though it’s so simple, the wrong move is to NOT allow him to have an opposing opinion.  Forcing an agreement shuts down the conversation and closes the door on the next open conversation.
• We can hinder by not validating his thought process.  Some of the theories our son conjures are comical.  But the danger lies in our response.  The temptation is to laugh, chide or simply ignore.  Fighting to find a way to validate the thought process encourages him to continue to exercise that muscle.  In the end, I want my kids to learn how to think through an argument so they can further validate what they believe.  We call it apologetics.  The ability to defend our faith.  Even if his conclusion is wrong, doesn’t make the effort wrong.
• We can hinder by not listening.  The biggest culprit.  I quickly communicate how much I value (or devalue) my son’s faith by how much I’m willing to shut my mouth and simply listen.

Or there are ways we can help this work that God is doing in his life…

• We can help by creating opportunities for conversation.  Spending time together you create opportunities for open dialog.  Often our busy schedules can smother any chance we have to simply sit and chat.
• We can help by showing them what Scripture says.  Helping our kids navigate the Bible so they can learn what God’s word has to say is one of the best skills you can teach them.  But show them… don’t just preach to them.
• We can help by listening, listening, listening.  My ability to shut my mouth and open my ears will go a long way toward investing in my son’s relationship with Christ.  Whether he is right, wrong or indifferent… I’ve got to simply listen to his opinion, his thoughts and his interpretations.  From that I am better equipped to guide him and pray for him.
• We can help by praying over them and for them.  I take my son to school every Friday morning.  I enjoy that drive.  Typically we listen to music of his choice and we talk.  Often I pray over him as we get closer to the school.  I want Keegan to hear my heart spoken to God about him.  It’s an opportunity to sew words of confidence, encouragement and faith into his heart.  Then when he’s out of the car I take more time to pray for him.  For the challenges he will face throughout the day.  For the decisions he’ll make.  For the influence he will have.
• We can help by not freaking out!   This should probably be in the number 1 slot.  The last thing we should do is freak out.  My son’s buddy at school is Buddhist.  I can’t freak out about that.  He can’t keep him mind off girls.  I can’t freak out about that.  He thinks he’s going to strike it rich one day because of a magnetic, hover craft transportation system he’s conjured in his head will set him for life.  I can’t freak out about that.  At 12 years old, wise decisions are not his forte.  But he’s learning.  And I can’t freak out in the meantime.  It’s critical that I remember Who is in control, Who is ordering Keegan’s steps, and Who cares more about Keegan’s relationship with Christ than I do.  

As parents, we have a choice as to whether we will Hinder or Help our kids as they grown in their faith.  We can all agree that deep down, we really just want to help.  What ways have you found hinder or help your kids?

Middle School

Week 1:  Dead to ourselves, living for God!

Recap of the Night:

 Tonight in the large group experience, we talked about a tough saying that Jesus made.  Jesus told us that if we wanted to follow Him, that we would have to die to ourselves, and choose to be alive in Him.  In large group the students were challenged with the extreme actions that they must take if they want to die to themselves and choose to be alive in Christ.  The first extreme action that they must take is to actually die to themselves.  This means that they have to let go of their desires and what they want.  The second extreme action that they must take it to give God control of their lives.  The final extreme action that they must take is to choose to follow where God leads them. 

In their group time the discovered in more detail what it means to follow after what God leads them to do.  In group your teen also discussed why it is so hard to follow.  The essence of being a Christian means to follow after Christ.  If we are going to do that, then we have to daily choose to die to ourselves and choose to follow after Christ…to live for Him.

Here are some questions you can use to engage with your students this week:

•             What are some things that are really important to you in your life?

•             Why is it so hard to say no to these things?

•             Is it truly worth it to say no to the things we want in life, in order to live for what God says is most important?  How so? 

•             What does it mean to live for what God says is most important, instead of what we think is  most important?

•             What long term consequences can come if we choose not to die to ourselves, and live for what God says is most important? 

High School

The Dead – Resurrection, Communion, Evangelism and Salvation

Recap of the Series:

Parents, during the series “The Dead” we will be uncovering the truths surrounding Jesus’ death and resurrection, and the impact that this world changing event has in our lives.  Over the next four weeks your student will be equipped with a 2-A-Day reading tool that will help them dig even deeper to apply what is discovered during fpStudents on Wednesday nights.

This is a great opportunity for you to follow along with your student and have some life-altering conversations about God, faith and life.  Don’t miss this opportunity to connect with your student and help direct their steps as they grow in their relationship with the Lord.  You can pick up a 2-A-Day at the FPC kiosk or download it from the website right HERE.

Given the nature of this series, we would love for you to join us at fpStudents to hear first-hand the content of the messages.  It is our prayer that this series will challenge your student and your family to live out God’s truth in full view of an unbelieving world.  Know that we are lifting you up always!

(Penn Jillette gets a Bible)

A few weeks ago I saw this video online, and to be honest, I am still trying to get over the impact it has had on me.

As Penn explains in his story, he (an atheist) was approached by a Christ-follower who chose to give him a Bible as well as his contact information. One thing Penn points out has rocked my world.  “How much do you have to hate someone to believe everlasting life is possible, and not tell them?”  Here’s why this hits home for me: This guy doesn’t believe in God, yet he recognizes that to not tell others about Jesus communicates a complete absence of love!

The typical attitude in our world today is that we should not push our beliefs on someone else.  Public education, the government, and activist groups all scream “Church and State” when someone tries to share about God, that we can’t offend someone else’s beliefs by sharing our own.  This attitude is one that I believe has crept into the worldview of the church and crippled us from sharing the Gospel with a lost and dying world!

As Penn puts it, if you believe that there is a Heaven and a Hell, how much do you have to hate someone not to help them meet Jesus?

If you know someone, anyone, who is destined for Hell, take the chance this week to show them you love them by sharing about the Way to experience eternal life with our loving Father!

Recently I had the opportunity to visit with a group of parents of Middle Schoolers who attend Faith Promise Church. The topic of the night was dating. A topic that gets most parents attention. In case you are wondering, we were not advocating that middle schoolers date. Rather, the Family Ministry Team wants to partner with parents and this particular conversation needs to take place in early middle school (in some cases, late elementary school). A couple of observations from my time with this group of parents:

1. There is great potential when parents and the church partner. These parents accepted their responsibility to raise their children and take the lead in their kids’ spiritual formation. At the same time they wanted/allowed the church to be their partner. To provide resources, training, encouragement, support, etc. It’s a powerful partnership.
2. Parenting is tough. It’s challenging in different ways for everybody. When parents gather together and engage in open dialogue it can be very beneficial. We realize that everybody is struggling with some aspect of parenting or is concerned about their kids in a specific area. It’s a great opportunity for parents to share ideas and offer encouragement to each other. Parenting is not designed to be a solo sport.

How could our Family Ministry better serve your family?

Preschool (2yrs-PreK)

Jesus is my good friend!

How many times have our preschoolers asked us to play but we are too busy?  My youngest son wants to be at my side at all times.  He follows me everywhere, wants to help and wants to play.  He just wants my time and attention.  I am many times guilty of being too busy though.  Too busy to play, too busy to explain and let him help, too busy to just slow down and watch him figure out life.

Martha was guilty of the same thing.  Jesus just wanted her time.  He just wanted her attention.  He wanted to talk.  He wanted to hang out.  But she was too busy.  The things Martha was too busy with were good things.  They were admirable.  She was purposeful.  But good is the enemy of great.  Mary was doing the great thing.  She sat at Jesus’ feet and spent time with Him.  He loved it and she was blessed.

Choose the great things this week with your kids.  The dishes, the house, the laundry… it can all wait.  Create a Rhythm with this verse and show your kids what is most important.  Spend time with them and help them believe that Jesus wants to be their friend forever.

“A friend (hook your pointer fingers together) loves (hug yourself) at all times (stretch your arms out to each side with your palms facing up as you turn in a circle),’ Proverbs 17:17” (opening your hands like a book). (Repeat the verse together a few times.)

Elementary (K-3^rd Grade)

Jesus has overcome the world!

Jesus never promised us a perfect life as believers.  He never said if you believe in me, you will not have any problems ever again.  He DID say that “In this world we would have trouble…” (John 16:33).  That wasn’t the end though.

It’s easy to forget the rest of this verse.  It’s easy to get focused on the troubles and forget that those are not the end of our story!  When Jesus was crucified there were many people who were mourning and hopeless.  They didn’t see the big picture.  They didn’t understand that Jesus had defeated to ultimate enemy and had now overcome the world!  Because of what Jesus did at the cross, trouble is not the end of our story.  Jesus overcame the world and gave us His victory.  We want your student to know that despite whatever trouble they face, Jesus has the answer.

 Create a Rhythm with your student by helping them see the big picture when trouble comes instead of focusing on the immediate trouble.  Talk through troubles they are having.  Pray and help them figure out what good things God can do with a bad situation and remind them that Jesus has overcome whatever problem they are facing.

Club 45 (4-5^th grade)

Why did Jesus die?  Why did he rise from the dead?  What does this mean for me?

The Bible from beginning to end is a story of God’s love and redemption.  In the beginning God created man and called them good.  Sin entered and man was not so good anymore.  Jesus came, died, and rose again and God now sees His creation in light of Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice.  He can call us “good” again.

Now what?  Your student has learned this story over the last few weeks.  We have answered those first two questions.  This week we will talk about what it all means for them.  The beauty of walking with Jesus is that He created us all so differently with very special purposes that only we can fulfill.  Your student will learn this week that God’s story is like a symphony and they have a part to play.

Help your student Imagine the End this week by asking God to continue to show them how they fit into His “symphony” and what part they are supposed to play in the Kingdom.  Help them get a head start by figuring out what their purpose is and what all of this means for them now.