daddy4ms

Over the last several months, I have been sharing new books that I have received.  Over the next few weeks, I will now be sharing some of my favorite kid's books.  Enjoy!

Today's Favorite Book Friday is one that has shaped how I view children's ministry.  It is a great reminder that the hero of the Bible is Jesus.  Klumpenhower gives practical ways to do this in the church as well as the home.  Check it out!

Today I return from sabbatical and will be back at Hesston MB Church. It has been a great 3 month sabbatical.  I will be posting some thoughts over the next few days on the blog on rest, relationships, and reflections.  Check back in the coming week! However, I want to say how excited my family is to be back "home" at Hesston MB.  The hardest part of sabbatical was Sunday mornings.  It was nice to have no responsibilities wherever we went, to show up right as worship was beginning, and to leave immediately after church ended.  It was also good to experience other churches in the Hesston area . BUT, it was hard.  My kids were ready to go back to Hesston MB after week 2 in May.  I struggled to get them to church during sabbatical which has not been a problem in 15 years of parenting.  I realized the wisdom of God in encouraging his people to be part of a church body.  Jumping from church to church was not fun.  I don't unders...

My last workshop at Orange was led by Daniel Scott.  He shared about the 5th/6th grade transition.  Here are my notes: The Kids-What is Generation Z? Born Between 1994 and 2010 Over 16 million in the US alone This Year's 5/6 Graders: 1999-2001 Most are growing up in a post 9/11 world They are more over-protected and over-parented than any previous generation. Tween-Agers-Do they even exist? Origins of the word: Late 90's when marketing companies studied brand awareness with 7-12 year olds (i.e. stores like Justice, Limited Too, etc.)  Buying power: Tweens spend $30 billion on clothes, music, toys, and entertainment each year. Youngest mother in 2011 was 11 years old. What do they face? Home: Untraditional 6 living generations Seniors 1900-1928 Builders 1929-1945 Boomers 1946-1964 Busters 1965-1980 Millenials 1981-1993 Generation Z 1994-2010 School: Unconventional Culture: Unprecedented "The problem: our culture is redefining the word, kid....

Today, I had the privilege of leading the parent/child dedication at church. I have done a couple before. As I reflected on the dedication, I was again reminded of the importance of church and home. As I meet with parents, I make it clear that Scripture shows it is their responsibility to pass on their faith to their kids as seen in Deuteronomy 6, Ephesians 6, and Psalm 78. We in the church have said this for a long time, but we have failed because we do not then equip parents how to do this. I pray and hope this will change in the body of Christ. As Associate Pastor, I want to equip parents through training and teaching that will help them impact their kids. I want to encourage and pray for parents to do this well. This is just one part of the equation. The next part is my role as a parent. Not only does Scripture speak to this topic, but research is also supporting it over and over. Mom, you are the number 1 influence in your kids' faith development. Dad, you are number...