daddy4ms

One of the sessions at D6 this year was a Student Ministry Panel from student ministers from a variety of churches.  You can view some of the dialog here .  While I agreed with much of the content, there was something missing.  As a former youth pastor myself, I struggled with how to engage parents in ministry with students.  Several volunteered to help out with activities, but I was not sure how involved they were in passing on faith at home.  I tried seminars such Understanding Your Teenager and other parenting classes, but the only ones that showed up were parents that seemed to being doing well at home.  I knew there must be a better way. I hoped that this panel would give me new ideas to share, but I heard a lot of the same "excuses" youth pastors have been using for years.  I realize that teenagers are separating from their parents, but does that mean the parent does not have influence any longer.  I know our teenagers need other voices ...

Mark Holmen will be coming to Countryside Christian Church in Wichita, KS as part of the D6 Tour on Oct. 1-2.  Hesston MB Church will be attending this seminar.  Here are some questions that I asked Mark Holmen via email. What was key thing/event that led you to Faith @ Home? Ultimately it was a change God made in my life through a survey that showed that parents, and what happens in the home when it comes to faith formation, is 2-3 times more influential than any church program.  When that sank in, I realized I needed to be a more faith@home focused leader where I spent as much of my time energy and resources focusing on helping people live out their faith@home as I was doing on getting them to church events and programs.  Holmen has written a resource called Take It Home.  I asked Mark, how did you pick specific skills? We were looking for skills/behaviors that enhance your relationship with God.  For example, I believe you grow deeper i...

I am so proud of our 5th & 6th graders which is called fuzion.  One of my favorite parts of this ministry is our monthly service projects.  As I read about pre-teen ministry, I discovered that at this age there is great potential for developing and using their gifts.  Therefore, I incorporated service into the DNA of this ministry.  Tonight, a group of 24 fuzion students & 9 leaders headed to North Newton to fill MCC Kits.  For those who are unfamiliar with MCC Kits, they are bags of school supplies that go throughout the world.  They include 4 notebooks, 4 pencils, 12 colored pencils, an eraser, & a ruler.  Our fuzion students made 286 kits in a little over 30 minutes.  These kits will go to students in Bosnia, Iraq, Haiti, & Jordan.  I was so proud as they worked really hard to get the kits done.  God is pleased with your service as well.  Way to go, fuzion!

While at the D6 Conference, I had the privilege to interview Rob & Amy Rienow backstage. My questions and their answers are listed below. I mentioned to Rob that our small group had completed Visionary Parenting and enjoyed it. Recently, I purchased Visionary Parenting: Encouragement for Single Parents. I asked Rob about that new resource. Rienow shared the heart behind this new resource.  His parents got divorced when he was in high school.  He also experienced a lot of pastoral ministry to single parents. He continued sharing that single parents face particular challenges. In this resource, he talks plainly about how single parenting is an “impossible” job. There is just too much to do, and not enough hours in the day. So how do we need to respond? We choose what will get our best, and what will get less than our best. Rob then goes on to encourage and equip single parents to make the spiritual training of their children their top priority. The res...

I wanted to share a few highlights from the D6 Conference this year. Great hotel, great made to order omelets for breakfast, & great meals (In & Out Burger, Cheesecake Factory, & Ted's in OKC) Great conversations with Brad & Brad (my team from Hesston) Excellent hospitality from Jacob Riggs & the Randall House team as I was part of the blogger's circle Excellent labs on Wednesday especially Michelle Anthony & Timothy Paul Jones Hearing David Platt & Voddie Baucham speak A great evening with Steven Curtis Chapman Lots of ideas to pray through and see what God has in store for Hesston MB for the coming year Check back throughout the week for interviews with Rob Rienow & Mark Holmen.  As well, watch for my response to the student ministry panel later in the week.  I will also share one quote from each speaker on Saturday.  Enjoy this week's posts!

Doug Fields talking about the ministry bait and switch. Doug Fields talking about ministry bait & switch. Bait-to be good in ministry-you just need to love teenagers. Switch-to be good in ministry-you must develop leaders. Second bait: Grow the ministry Switch: To manage your ministry growth Third bait: Growth requires strong leadership/management Switch: Pressure requires inner world management Bait: Marriage is going to be awesome. Switch: Where is the church that helped me get to this awesome marriage? The perfect storm: ministry meeting the family. What next? Church needs leaders who: Can authentically say, Follow me as I follow Jesus. Walking & talking with Jesus Value a collective vision Are acutely aware of the twisters impacting families . We need to start spending time with families. Talk to them. Is our church doing anything that is adding to the twisters that families are experiencing? If you want to be a leader in today's church, we have to focus o...

Here are a few pictures from the D6 Conference.  This first picture is of the D6 attendees sharing the light of Christ with others. The second picture is Brad & Brad on the 2nd row. A special thanks to Green Menace for getting them these seats.

It was so great to sleep in my own bed last night. I love going to conferences, but it is always great to be back home. I enjoyed chatting with Bethany into the late hours of the night and catching up on her week. I have enjoyed time with the kids this morning at soccer games and at home. Now, I am feeling exhausted and ready to go to bed already and it is only 3 p.m. I will be adding some more content from the D6 conference in the days ahead. I have at least one interview to share and quotes from one of the sessions that I did not get posted during the conference. I also hope to share a video from the Sanctus Real concert. However, my phone is not cooperating. Check back next week for these updates. I hope that once I get caught up on being gone for 3 days that I will be able to add some reflections and next steps based on what I heard at D6 this year. Thanks to all who visited my blog these last few days! I hope it was an encouragement and benefit for all of you.

Last session starts out with a life size game of Angry Birds. Skit Guys were up next. Garnett Reid shares about God's Word and looks at inter-generational living throughout the Old Testament. He shared about heritage and legacy. Heritage-"living faithfully today". I want to challenge you, but also want to encourage you. I especially want to encourage the fathers. Psalm 90-You have been our dwelling place throughout all generations. He shared the story of 3 generations. God's story is one of faithfulness. Hesed-Hebrew word for God's loyalty, His covenantal faithfulness. Dad, God will be faithful to you as you lead your family spiritually. 4 Simple Conclusions about Hesed God pledges Himself in "hesed" to every son in every generation. What words are we to teach from Deuteronomy 6? Look at Deuteronomy 5-focus on the 10 commandments. Make no image of God. He keeps His covenant promises. Showing "hesed" to thousands of generations to those wh...

<a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php/option=com_mobile/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=608dcb6835" >Mark Holmen at D6</a>

<a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php/option=com_mobile/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=087a67fb5e" >Student Ministry Panel at D6</a>

Voddie Baucham is up and talking about the culture war. Baucham said the culture war began in Genesis 3. The central issue is the Word of God vs. Word of Man. What happened to marriage? Genesis 2:18-It is not good for the man to be alone. Some have been gifted supernaturally to be single. Notice what is next-Adam is told to name the animals. His response when someone asks "Is the Bible literal?" His response, "where I am supposed to". Adam did not name every genus and species The world would only have contained a representative sampling of the animals we know currently (i.e. the cat or the dog) Adam named categories of animals. Theological Issues Adam has no concept of alone Adam has no concept of need Thus, God demonstrates here that marriage is his idea; not man's. Single people-If God can find Adam a wife, when he was the only human being, he can find you someone too. God Gives Marriage Its Purpose Procreation-Be fruitful & multiply, involves bearin...

Tonight, we had the privilege of spending an evening with Steven Curtis Chapman. Opened by singing, " Speechless ". God has been showing me His goodness over the last few years. Psalm 34:8-Not just the good that comes in heaven, but also the goodness here on earth. I was taken to church by my mom while my dad slept in. His mother was pregnant at the age of 16. His dad eventually became the Minister of Music for the pastor that banged on his bedroom window to get him to wake up and come to church. " Lord of the Dance " Dancing with the Dinosaur-What was I thinking? I think it was influenced by Barney. I wrote all of these songs about dancing and I knew nothing about dancing. I had a sense at the age of 15 of God's call on my life. He wrote his first song at this time. " For the Sake of the Call " He attended Anderson University. One day he received a letter in his mailbox and ripped it open to find out it was actually addressed to Mary Beth Chapman...

"Some conversations you have with your kids will never be remembered but if you don't have them they will never forget." 3 Types of Conversations Shoreline Most parents Little or No Risk of Conflict Knowledge Conversation with a store clerk Shallow Some parents Begin the Risk of Conflict Understanding of Feelings/Opinions Conversation with your co-workers Deep Few parents Higher Risk of Conflict Influence in Desires, Needs, Beliefs Conversation with close friends/family

Her topic for today is "Keeping the "Good" In Our Boys and the "Little" In Our Girls" What are the messy moments in your life? How do you pray for your families? Matthew 6:9-13 "May people believe in your reign of goodness because of how I live today." Phillip Yancey "The best way the Church can bid His kingdom come is by giving a lost world pause to believe in His reign of goodness because of the goodness they see in our families." "Our theology of sexuality is weak at best." "Most popular television show for girls age 12 now-Desperate Housewives, Vampire Diaries. In 1980, it was Care Bears." " adultescent "-20 year old men who play video games "By age 11, many will be introduced to pornography." "The intent of the Enemy is a direct assault on the picture of Christ and the Church. And we are doing nothing about it." "Go home and start marriage counseling for our children whether...

<a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php/option=com_mobile/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=0504c17aea" >Dannah Gresh at D6 2011</a>

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Emerson Eggerichs is best selling author of Love and Respect. He has been a counselor for over 30 years. A great new resource is Love & Respect for small groups. In marriage, many times we get into conflict over saying the same thing. A funny example is, "I have nothing to wear." For women, this means I don't have anything new. For men, this means I don't have anything clean. Men & women are equal, but not the same. What is the one thing that is going on in the spirit of a woman? What is the one thing that is going on in the spirit of a man? University of Washington studied 2,000 couples over 20 years. We now know the two key successful elements in marriage. They are love & respect. During conflict, a woman tends to feel hostility and wonder why he doesn't love her. Men, on the other hand, as a woman wants to try and communicate, perceive disrespect. Ephesians 5:33-Notice what God's Word says--Husbands, love your wife. Wives, respect your ...

David Platt sharing his story about adopting their first child. After adoption, they found out they were pregnant. Now, he is sharing the story of the birth of their second child. God is sovereign. He is good. In process of adopting a daughter from China. His daughter from China thinking, “Why did I get stuck with the guy rebelling against the American Dream?” 6.8 Billion people in the world today. Massive urgent spiritual needs around the world. We don’t have time to play games with our lives, families and in the church. First thing Platt’s mentor said at a youth event, “I’m going to try and talk you out of following Christ.” How do we teach the next generation to follow Christ? Luke 9:57-62-What does the text speak to us in regard to the next generation? Teach them to treasure the person of Christ more than the possessions of this world . Jesus said, “Follow me. I am all you have.” We teach, “Come to Jesus to get ______________ (fill in the blank). ...

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<a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php/option=com_mobile/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=340e971cb0" >Opening Session-Thursday at D6</a>

Timothy Paul Jones is professor of family ministry at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Starts by sharing a survey that can be used in churches to evaluate. His packet for the pre -con lab is thick. Thanks for the great resources! Three Tools Every Family Needs is the title for his pre -con lab. Our most important ministry is to our wife & children. What we do in the home is who we are. It does not start at church or work, but instead in our own homes. Check out "Family Ministry Field Guide: How Your Church Can Equip Parents to Raise Disciples" by Timothy Paul Jones. 90% of parents say I know I am responsible for discipling my kids. 40% of parents were doing something consistent in discipleship with their kids. Why aren't parents discipling their children? 28%=lack of training 10%=lack of time 52%=lack of training & time 10%=other factors 3 factors to help in this area: telling, training & time Telling How long does it take for someone involved in yo...

Dale Hudson lab was titled, "Magnetic Family Ministry: How to Draw Families to Your Church." Magnets-invisible force that draws things. How can we do this in ministry? We cannot do this. But Jesus can. See John 12:32, John 6:44 Mark 6:5-What barrier is keeping people from being drawn? 10 Principles: 1. Unity that is grounded in love, driven by vision, and empowered by core values. a. See John 17:21, John 13:35, Psalm 133:1, Colossians 3:12-14, Proverbs 29:18 b. “Who you are is more important than what you do.” 2. Keep an outward focus a. See Luke 19:10, 2 Peter 3:9 3. Make sure the front door shines a. First impression is the lasting impression. Decision is made in first 8 minutes when someone visits your church. i. Have guest parking ii. Have signage ...