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Kids Need Candor

“Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.” —Ephesians 4:15, NLT   How Kids Think: Kids ask, “What am I really good at doing?“ Some children are accustomed to candy-coated compliments and praise for mediocre efforts. But they soon see through superficiality and learn to spot insincerity …

Recipe for Thanksgiving Worship

The Thanksgiving holiday starts with great food. Just imagine biting into soft bread rolls or a savory slice of marinated turkey! The right ingredients and consistent practice produce culinary perfection. Do you have a favorite family recipe? In my family, Chocolate Pecan Bars top-off our Thanksgiving meal. My Mom bakes a plate of sweet, chewy pecan bars each year. As a child, I fondly recall …

Teach Kids to Add Energy to Family Life

As children grow, they form patterns of relating to others that remain with them the rest of their lives. Dr. Scott Turansky, co-founder of the National Center for Biblical Parenting, suggests that “honor” is the key ingredient to building robust and spirited families.   Every child is unique and different. Inevitably some kids have significant challenges that seem to suck the energy right out of …

ABCs of Family Discipleship—Imitate Christ’s Character

Discipleship Truth  Jesus Christ embodies all the character traits that Christian parents hope to see their children develop. Though He was a humble servant, the Lord also displayed dynamic leadership (Philippians 2:5-12). Christ mingled with known “sinners,” yet lived in perfect holiness. Jesus promoted peace, yet He expressed zeal for righteousness, denouncing the hypocrisy of His day. True Story  Bree and Cassie were inseparable. The …

Empower Elementary: How to Make “Little Disciples”

Jesus’ Example Jesus modeled true discipleship. While He certainly ministered to the masses, He poured His life into twelve diverse disciples. Jesus walked along dusty paths privately instructing His disciples more often than He stood on a hillside publicly teaching the crowds. Genuine discipleship takes place in one-on-one relationships, or in very small groups. Personal Progress One-on-one discipling has many advantages over group discipleship. In …

3 Practices for Purposeful Parenting

How do we truly guide our children to become disciples of Jesus? Greg Baird provides timely insights that highlight three proven methods of intentional parenting. These truths apply readily to caregivers in ministry as well. _______ As fulfilling as it can be, anyone who’s been a parent for longer than about a week knows that parenting is hard! There’s no manual, and everyone seems to have different …

ABCs of Family Discipleship—Honor Jesus’ Bride

Discipleship Truth: The Bible describes the Church as a radiant bride without wrinkles, blemishes, or flaws. She is stunningly beautiful—adorned for a noble and worthy Husband. Jesus Christ loves the Church the way a groom cherishes his precious bride (Ephesians 5:25-29). Presently, the Lord is purifying and preparing His Church—in anticipation of the great celebration in heaven when Jesus will marry His beloved bride (Matthew …