Do you know what today is?

One of our family’s favorite movies is the animated feature, Up. It is filled with moments of humorous adventure and has many beautiful pictures of love and friendship sprinkled throughout. In fact, the final scene is one of the most powerful and moving clips I’ve watched. However, you need to know some of the backstory to fully appreciate it.

Russell is a young boy scout that inadvertently became a tagalong on Carl Fredricksen’s journey to remote South America. Though they are seemingly forced into comradery by their challenging circumstances, this unlikely duo builds a very special chemistry. As the film winds down, Russell (whose dad is out of the picture) has earned a prestigious badge and it appears will go through this special pinning ceremony all alone. Enter Mr. Fredricksen…

For a moment it looks as though Russell might be the only boy to go without a representative, before Mr. Fredricksen suddenly shows up and with the simple words, “I'm here for him,” saves the day. In the clip, Carl speaks for Russell. He stands by him and with him in a statement symbolic of so much more. It is as if Mr. Fredricksen is saying, “No, he’s not alone. He is mine. I claim him. Russell is spoken for.”

Wouldn’t it be something to have that kind of impact - to be that kind of support for someone else? I mean, how awesome would it be if we could show love to the ones that stand alone - to speak up for those who can’t speak for themselves? Good news is that we can be that! We can participate in an impactful role in our world and we can get started today. Today is #SPEAKUP Day!

#SPEAKUP Day is an opportunity to bring awareness to people with Special Needs and Orphans around the world by giving them an opportunity to experience a day where the focus is on how AMAZING they are. There are various ways to get involved and take part in this special day but first hear the backstory. 

On September 30^th of last year, Jay, a young man who was suffering from epilepsy, autism, and various other ailments, passed away. Jay lived on the My Life Speaks campus in Neply, Haiti for only 6 months. However, during that brief time, his life helped change the culture of that village. He went from being “that” child with issues to simply being a child in which the community came to know and love. His life reminds us all of how amazing changes can happen from the most unusual sources. Today, My Life Speaks wants to use the gift of his life as a springboard for change – for both children with Special Needs and Orphans around the globe.

My wife and I were blessed to spend some time with Jay the month before he passed. He truly had a sweet heart and an amazing story. The above picture is one of him being ornery and trying to hide from one of his friends. Our church has partnered with My Life Speaks in the past and we currently have two teams lined-up to return to Neply in November and May. You may not be able to make one of those trips but you can participate in good right where you live. Please click on the following link to learn more about this wonderful opportunity and consider how you and your family might speak up... http://www.mylifespeaks.com/speak-up-day/

I cannot watch a movie like Up or read about #SPEAKUP Day without thinking of how Jesus has loved us in this way. He is our Advocate! He stands by us, speaks for us, and says, “No, this one will not go alone for He is mine! I am with her. She belongs to me!” What a privilege it is join in Christ’s mission to reach the world through loving like Him. Though Jay has gone to be with His Father in glory, his life still speaks. May we answer the call of the Father and use our opportunity to speak up today.

The Mystery of Parenting

No parent can deny powerful sense of love and responsibility they feel for their kids. Yet the entire experience is like a mystery. Bill Cosby said,

“In spite of the six thousand manuals on child raising in the bookstores, child raising is still a dark continent and no one really knows anything. You just need a lot of love and luck - and, of course, courage.”

The mystery of parenting is exacerbated when you toss in the biblical responsibility of family ministry. We know we are responsible, yet we know so little about how to parent well.

Proverbs 22:6	Ephesians 6:1-4	Deuteronomy 6:4-9
Proverbs 22:6 leads us to believe that we can be of some positive influence on our children’s adult lives. However, sadly, we can also be a negative influence (Matthew 18:2-6).	Ephesians 6:1-4 teaches us that the family experience is a powerful set of relationships with significant spiritual consequences.	Deuteronomy 6:4-9 may give us the most practical “how to’s” found in scripture. This verse is the inspiration for NBFamilies influential actions: Faith Talk & Faith Walk .

We should be thankful that God has formed a partnership between parents and the New Beginnings Church. Together we can become leaders in this holy responsibility. We are on the cutting edge of a sacred trust between God, His disciples who are parents, and their kids. We must give this our best.

For those of you who have more time, read the following two blogs and see if you can identify the correlation between a confused generation and an out of balanced parenting style.

1. 3 Mistakes We Make Leading Kids
2. Why Generation Y Yuppies Are Unhappy

Pass It On (Part 2)

Last week I wrote about the upcoming Promise Keepers Conference in Tulsa that I was going to attend with my two step sons. Today I can talk about our experience together. I was very blessed that both of the young men were very positive about coming with me. I thanked them numerous times for coming with me and noting the sacrifice they were making from their social time and time away from college work, etc.This was their Friday night that they could have spent with friends and their Saturday that they could have slept in, but instead spent both with their step dad and 3000 other men hearing various Godly men talk about some really deep issues that men need to be hear about.

Here is a little of what they got to experience: On Friday night after the first speaker, a former NFL football player now pastor of a church, was done speaking, over 250 men prayed to receive Christ. There was excellent praise and worship music by the lead singer of Salvador, Nic Gonzales and the Onebody Band(all men). We then got to hear another great speaker, who is also a pastor and former NFL football player. Jeremy Camp then came on to end the night with an outstanding time of praise and worship. We didn't get home til after 11pm.

Over 30 men from our church also attended and many brought their sons with them, which was very cool to see and to be experiencing it with them as well!

The boys and I were up and out the door by 7:30am Saturday with a promise from me to stop at Starbucks so they might get a little "wake up" energy.

Saturday was filled with more speakers, more praise and worship, but was also a little more intense and personal. Three topics specifically that were "get your attention" type topics. The first speaker talked on the subject of pornography. Following that message many men came down front to ask for prayer regarding the pornography bondage they were in and to have that evil bond broken.

Another speaker talked about racism and this was a very powerful moment when he asked all of the white men in the room to stand who have been hurt by a black man. (the speaker was a black man). Then the speaker, got down on his knees on the stage and very emotional, asked for their forgiveness. Then he asked the black men standing near any of those white men to go over and to pray with them as we prayed together as a group for forgiveness and reconciliation.Then out from the crowd came a voice saying "what about the black men?" The voice came from a white man. Then he asked all of the men of Jewish decent, African American decent, Indian decent, Hispanic decent, Asian decent and any other race not mentioned to stand and then he asked white men to pray for them as we prayed together for the same forgiveness and reconciliation. This was an amazingly powerful moment in my eyes.

The next speaker talked about men taking responsibility of their families. He gave an example of himself when he had young children. His daughter brought him a picture of their family, but it didn't include him. So, he asked his daughter where was daddy in the picture. And she said, you are at work. This got his attention and for the next two years he was determined to not be absent from his family and to become the father and husband he needed to be and that God had intended for him to be for his family. Later, he talked about when he was speaking at another past Promise Keepers conference and he talked about having his wife come on stage. Asking her forgiveness for not being the husband and father he should have been, he knelt down and washed her feet in front of 27,000 men. The next week he gets a phone call from a guy who told him he was at that Promise Keepers conference. He told him that he just sent him a video. He wanted him to watch it and then to give him a call.

The same speaker then played that video for all of us to see. It showed a man on Fathers Day with his family in their living room together. The man asked his family for their forgiveness and then he washed each ones feet and as he washed them he talked about the things that he was thankful for in them, beginning with his wife, then his two grown daughters, then his grandchildren and then asked them to forgive him for the times he hadn't been the best dad or grandfather. This again was another very powerful moment. I struggled to watch the video without totally crying my eyes out, so much so, that I felt myself shaking from holding it in. It was very emotional to see and to "feel" in the moment.

There is something very powerful that happens when men gather together to worship God. Proverbs 27:17 says "Iron sharpens Iron, and one man sharpens another."

My sons got to experience all of this together with me. They got to see grown men dealing with their issues in a Godly way, understanding that men can and should turn to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, in all circumstances; for healing, forgiveness, redemption, saving grace, comfort, wisdom, spiritual strength, courage, peace and joy AND still be manly. They learned that even manly NFL football players, making millions of dollars a year, don't have it all together and struggle with the meaning of life. Money, fame and materialism are not the answer. Drugs and alcohol are not the answer. Sex and pornography are not the answer. Violence, hate and racism are not the answer. Jesus is the only answer. Jesus is the only true fulfilling answer to joy in life AND the only true answer to defeat the evils that confront men daily in this life.

In John 15:5 Jesus says, "I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without Me."

I was SO blessed to get to experience the conference with my sons. I never got to experience something like that with my dad. I experienced my first Promise Keepers conference back in the 90s with men from my church that I barely knew. I was a brand new, born again, 28 year old Christian, at the time. I don't have a relationship with any of those men today, since I have moved to two different cities since that time. That was almost 20 years ago.

Now, I was able to talk(Faith Walk discussions) with them about their experience a little and am looking forward to times in the future when we can look back at this past weekend and talk(Faith Walk discussions) more about what it meant to both of them.

"As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." Joshua 24:15

10 things parents can do to raise healthy kids in today’s culture

Raising kids in today’s culture is not easy. There’s no question that the way we parent is influenced by the world we live in. And what a world it is! We need to help our children deal with drugs, sexuality, movies, television, video games, the Internet, peer pressure, and the list goes on. Our goal as parents is to raise our kids in this X-rated culture to become G-rated people. 

1. Instill belief in them.
The beliefs and values your children will carry into adulthood are very dependent on the examples they see parents setting at home. It’s critical to understand and believe that as a parent, your actions, values, and beliefs will have the greatest influence in the life of your maturing child. Parental influence is a high calling. It’s part of your destiny and your enduring legacy, for better or for worse.

2. Be present in your kids’ lives.
Presence in a kid’s life is spelled T-I-M-E. One of the major contributing factors for healthy kids points back to parents who were present in those kids’ lives. Some parents subscribe to the theory that quality time beats quantity time. These parents are simply wrong. Parents must prioritize and reorganize their schedules to be present for their kids. When they get older, your kids won’t care that you worked more so they could ride in nicer cars or live in a bigger home. They will care about how much time you spent with them!

3. Make memories with them.Our lives are a museum of memories that contribute to who we are today. That’s why it’s key to strive to create good memories for our kids. Good kids have good memories. This isn’t to say that our kids’ lives won’t have their share of bad memories. But, on balance, good memories trump bad ones. So, build great family traditions at holidays, birthday celebrations, and summer vacations, just to name a few. Make memories for your family by creating new adventures for them. Solidify these memories by being sure to capture them through pictures, video, and in writing through journals or letters.

4. Give them encouragement.Encouragement is food for our souls and we all long for it. Our kids need encouragement, too. Words are powerful. Words can either build confidence or they can destroy. A parent’s words have lasting effect. Learn to be an encourager. Catch your kids in the act of doing something right, and then take the opportunity to mention it! In addition, be sure to go beyond encouraging for just a job well done. Kids mess up and fail all the time. Find ways to encourage your kids, despite their failures. Encouraging beyond performance means conveying that you love and value your kids even when they mess up.

5. Be positive and caring role models.You are your children’s role model for living life. Be assured that they are watching you. They know what you say and how you say it. They know how you treat people. They know how you respond to conflict. Kids need you to set a positive and caring standard for living life. They need your integrity, and they need you to set the pace when it comes to faith. Your kids know that you aren’t perfect, so there’s no pressure to try to act like it. What your kids need are parents who demonstrate what it means to be a lover and follower of God, despite their shortcomings.

6. Give them discipline and boundaries.Providing your kids with consistent boundaries and discipline is all about guidance, not punishment. Boundaries and discipline are the result of love. Giving kids too much freedom and not holding them accountable for their actions does not demonstrate love. When disciplining, be delicate. Don’t discipline in anger.

7. Give them affection.Emotionally healthy kids have been given lots of proper affection. Kids who don’t get adequate affection from their parents often turn to inappropriate sources of affection. And, there’s plenty of inappropriate affection to be found in today’s X-rated culture. Unfortunately, kids who have their needs for affection met in inappropriate ways, often become emotionally distant, not emotionally healthy. If you aren’t an affectionate parent, get over it! Learn to become one. It’s that important to the health of your child!

8. Develop responsibility in them.Parents want their kids to grow up into responsible, functioning adults. Unfortunately, we often unintentionally teach irresponsibility, instead. We allow kids to become apathetic by too quickly solving their problems for them. We allow kids to pass the buck by blaming others. And, we are slow to force our kids to carry their own weight. The solution comes in not rescuing our kids from their problems. Sure, there are times that we need to lend a hand and help out, but these times are, in reality, few and far between. We must let kids wrestle with consequences. Whenever we jump in to bail our kids out, they never learn to take responsibility for themselves and they don’t have to experience consequences. Learning from mistakes is a great path to responsibility and wisdom.

9. Be fun.In the book of Ecclesiastes it says this: One of the necessary rhythms of life is laughter and dance.  If you want to fully understand life, if you want to fully live abundantly, meaningfully, joyfully you need to have some laughing and dance in your life.  It’s one of the necessary rhythms of life. This generation of kids is totally stressed out. So, when kids see their parents injecting fun and laughter into life, it helps relieve some of the anxieties they feel. So, lighten up the mood in your home. Have some fun with the life and family God has given to you.

10. Give them a peaceful home.Your kids don’t need a perfect home, but to thrive, they need a peaceful one. Kids are at battle all day long. They’re battling an X-rated culture and language and values. They’re battling bullies and peer pressure and body image and conforming. In your teen’s world, there are battles going on all the time.  They need to come home to a place where they can retreat and drop their battle gear at the door and be in a shelter where they can just be themselves. Your home ought to be the one place your kids feel truly safe; where they can be loved and known and cared for.

Repost from "Raising G-Rated Kids in an X-Rated World" by: Doug Fields

7 Year-Olds: Pharisees or Jesus Freaks

This is a form of worship--but not the kind we want for them.

7 Year-Olds: Pharisees or Jesus Freaks

How do you teach your kids that obedience is good and that rules are there for their good--while at the same time keeping them from putting faith in morals, obedience and rule-keeping? 

How do you protect your children from BOTH the deadness of legalism and the debauchery of rebellion? 

How does a 7 year-old draw the line between true worship and subtle idolatry? 

This past Wednesday night, as we’re all headed to the car after church, my oldest son Sankie began to complain over and over again about not getting the Kidz Cash he earned for bringing his Bible that night. I told him I would make sure he got what he had earned for bringing his Bible. He kept reminding me that he had done what he was told to do--but did not get the reward he was promised. On and on it went. Let me explain a little about this scenario. 

On the left is our Kidz Cash Store

Our church (nbchurch.info) has many great blessings for our children. One of those is a thing we call “Kidz Cash.” Kids “earn” Kidz Cash for all sorts of things including winning games, bringing their Bibles, focused participation, learning memory verses, reciting books of the Bible, etc. They save up Kidz Cash to be able to go to the Kidz Cash Store. This idea, I’m guessing, was adapted from the idea of Chuck E. Cheese and Incredible Pizza--(otherwise known as Parent’s Purgatory). At the store, they are able to trade their earned Kidz Cash for little toys and trinkets, all Christ-centered of course (for those of you elder-brother types already judging the idea). It is amazing to see how this really motivates the kids to participate, bring their Bibles, memorize verses, etc. 

Sankie is the true elder brother type. He brings his Bible each week. That means he gets Kidz Cash for bringing it. He also really enjoys learning the books of the Bible and being able to find the verses we’re studying and reading it in his own little Bible. Did you get that? He likes rule-keeping. Bring your Bible--checkmark. Learn books of the Bible--checkmark. Find the Scripture reference--checkmark. Memorize it--checkmark. Stand proudly and recite the verse--checkmark. Meet parents and teachers approval--checkmark. And if not guided correctly--he may begin to think and live life in the paradigm that God will accept him based on those same behaviors and many more. Before long, a heart of pride and self-righteousness is being formed based on what he does instead of a heart of humility and awe at what Christ has done on his behalf that enables him to enjoy his Bible. 

What is a little person learning in that process? Hopefully, he is learning that these things are all good if used for the purpose of growing in knowledge of God, salvation, and further Christ-likeness. But as parents, we need to help them to think through why they are doing what they are doing. I don’t want to proudly stand back and watch as my son keeps all the rules and impresses all the other adults with outward obedience. Those rules and actions DO NOT mean his heart is being captivated by Christ. I want to see a heart that is broken by the horrors of sin with the type of Godly sorrow that leads to repentance. I want to see deeper humility developed and a compassion for others instead of a focus on himself. What’s difficult is those are things I’m wanting to see further developed in me at 40 and I know how hard it can be. 

Jesus spoke to a group divided over this issue: on one side He had a group of rough-edged messy people--on the other side He had a group of morally upstanding, clean-living people.

The Parable of the Prodigal God (Luke 15) is the famous story of the younger son who takes and wastes all his father’s inheritance on licentious living. After realizing his sin and betrayal against his father, he returns to meet his father running and embracing him before he even has the chance to confess all his wrong-doing. Great picture, right! This father represents the gracious and merciful heavenly Father who is calling all wild, rebellious, rule-breaking people back home. No matter how bad you’ve blown it--God’s grace is greater than your sin. 

Many times the story in Sunday school lessons ends there.  But what about the other son in the story--the elder son? 

Jesus actually decided to tell this parable because of the different types of people gathered around Him. He read the thoughts of one group of people who were the rule-keepers. They never considered themselves as anything other than “good.” They’re saying, “This man welcomes sinners and even eats with them” (Luke 15:2). Jesus creates the character of the older brother for those in that crowd. The older brother in the story hears that his father has welcomed his younger brother back into the family even though he had rejected the family and broken all of the father’s rules of morality. 

The older brother refuses to go into the feast of celebration over his brother’s repentance and return. Instead, we hear him screaming words of anger and resentment at his father, “Look, all these years I’ve been slaving for you and I have never broken any of your commands...” (Luke 15:29). We clearly see the indignant self-righteousness in this resentful heart. This elder brother compares his moral list to his younger brothers and determines he is more worthy as a son--yet fires allegations at his father. 

For the father, he thought that the end-goal was communion and belonging to the family. But the elder brother reveals that the end-goal for him was his own elevated, self-merited position. 

So the amazing point of the story is that the merciful heavenly Father is not only calling those wild younger brother types to repentance because they are far from Him--but the loving heavenly Father is also calling those rule-keeping elder brother types to repentance because they are far from Him as well. Neither the wild rebellious nor the approval-seeking perfectionists can earn their way to the Father. Christ alone and His cross is the only hope. 

How does that fit in with parenting my three boys and particularly a 7 year-old demanding his reward for outward obedience? 

First, I wanted to help Sankie to see that the whole point of bringing his Bible was not to earn Kidz Cash--but to actually learn about following Jesus. And part of following Jesus means honoring and respecting your parents (Ex. 19; Eph. 6:1). I asked him which one God was more pleased with: a little boy screaming at his father because he had brought his Bible to church and didn’t get his Kidz Cash or a little boy who was honoring and respecting his dad and learning to live by the Bible? He didn’t like it at first, but about ten minutes later he came humbly apologizing and said he knew which one God wanted to see in us. 

Second, I’m learning to trust God with their personality bents as I continue to shepherd their hearts (not merely behaviors) towards greater passions--eventually one holy passion. 

For Sankie (elder brother type) I want him to know we appreciate his learning to obey and to submit to the authorities over him--which will hopefully help in training his heart to submit ultimately to God as his true authority. But we have to be careful not to allow his bent for approval through rule-keeping to crossover and confuse him in thinking that God’s favor is something earned. He needs beautiful freeing grace for a legalistic little heart. 

For Owen (younger brother type) I want him to know the dangers of rebellion. He needs to learn to appreciate God’s law as a truly good thing--because those bent to rebellion see rules as stifling and confining. But we have to be careful not to allow his bent for rule-breaking to allow him to think that God only loves rule-keepers. He needs the amazing grace that captivates hearts bent with strong burning passions. 

For Jackson...well, the jury is still out on him. All three of our boys have extremely strong passions. The object of their passion changes about every sixty seconds. That’s normal for young kids. Our job as parents is to help guide those strong rivers in their hearts towards the worthy object of all passions--Jesus Christ! That takes continual and perpetual evaluation and communication as well as remembering there is no quick fix--this is a process. 

Sankie P. Lynch

Signs, signs, everywhere there's signs...

Signs, signs, everywhere there’s signs! “Do this.” “Don’t do that.” “Can’t you read the sign?” Someone really should write a song about this situation. Okay, I’m obviously teasing, but seriously… Have you ever noticed how many signs there are these days? There are advertisements, instructions, and suggestions at every turn. With all these signs, it seems we often pick and choose the ones we really care to obey or pay attention to (particularly when it comes to the traffic variety). Sometimes we miss the ones right in front of us. Maybe it’s caused by our familiarity with them, or perhaps we’re just kind of de-sensitized to their purpose. And then again, maybe we ignore their suggestions because we pretty much already have things figured out.

I can honestly say that for the most part, I don’t ignore them per se. Rather, I make fun of them. For example, the “SLOW children playing” sign. Is there not a better way to tell drivers to slow it down without insulting the very children in which the sign is meant to protect? “SLOW children” seems a tad rude and insensitive to me, but oh well. Or how about this one? “Damaged Guardrail Ahead”… So are you saying that this is the ideal spot to go off the cliff? Thanks! Is it a suggestion to stay on the road? Great idea – I should probably do that! Looking for a guardrail to slam into? Sorry this one has already been hit, so try the next sharp corner. Really, what’s the point?

But as I consider that last one a bit more, I think I can understand the message that is being conveyed. “Look, there is danger ahead. Please proceed with caution, because if you go too fast here or you veer from the desired path, there is nothing to catch you.” There are similar signs that we are given in scripture. Some that deal with a topic so common, that we often ignore it. Maybe on purpose, maybe by accident, or perhaps we overlook the issue because we pretty much have it all figured out.

The topic I’m referring to is sin. We all know it is bad, right? Like cruising through a school zone in the middle of a weekday, we know that this is a serious thing that we should avoid at all costs. Yet, we fall short again and again, and many times seem to be unbothered by our own indifference to the subject. We fail to find the severity of our sin. Truth is that it interrupts our prayers (Psalm 66:18), creates wedges between husbands and wives (1 Peter 3:7-12), hinders our race of endurance (Hebrews 12:1), and weighs our hearts down (Luke 21:34-36). Sin works as a roadblock to spiritual growth not only in individuals but in community as well. Have you ever felt like God was distant? Sometimes our sin can cause such a chasm (Isaiah 59:1-2).

Look this is a Monday and my goal, as always, is to be an encouragement to you, not a depressant. So here’s the deal. Is it possible that we have forgotten that repentance is not a one-time deal? You think that maybe we have mistaken the conviction of the Holy Spirit from the condemnation of the enemy? Truly friend, to be made aware of our own failure and shortcomings is nothing shy of a miraculous gift of God’s grace! To know where we’ve missed the mark means that the Lord is sanctifying and refining us. It is a sign of His grace and mercy. It proves that He is at work in us, for He loves us too much to leave us where we are. Praise God for the times when we can see our need for Him!

Through His Spirit, His Word, and His people, the Lord calls us to see our sin and repent. While our sin is heavy with guilt and shame and is accompanied by the temptation to run from our issues and our Holy God (Genesis 3:6-8), the gospel calls us not to run from God, but to run to Him! Jesus says, “Come to me all who are weak and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). Imagine if we looked at our sin through the lens of the gospel? That is, what if daily we allowed our sin to remind us of our dependence upon our Savior? What if we sought to learn from our mistakes and truly make the most of our struggles by transparently sharing our stories with others in order to help them avoid some similar pitfalls? What if we modeled before our friends and family a genuine eagerness to seek the Lord with a pure heart? Finally, what would it look like if we took God at His word and realized that He has removed our sins from us and offers us forgiveness through the atoning blood of His Son?

Well, this sounds a bit idealistic and I unfortunately don’t have enough experience to explain how I’ve mastered it all. No, I’m more like Paul on this subject (Philippians 3:12-14). However, it sure seems to me like this would lead us toward authentic gospel-centered communities. It seems it would create environments where it is okay, nay, required to bring your baggage, for the purpose of laying it at the foot of the cross. Why? Because we recognize that we are all indeed helpless without Jesus. It seems that our faith might start to speak in such a way that we too become signs. A glimmer of hope in a dark world, a people that faithfully point to the saving, transformative grace that is found in Christ, Lord may we become such signs. 

Read This Great Story!

The Bible tells one unified story. The biblical authors were aware of earlier Scripture, and they consciously contributed, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to the developing revelation that God was giving them. That is amazing! There is a big story in the Bible, and you can tell your kids this story.
I have included 3 resources below that will help you learn, share, and discuss God’s story as a family. They are age appropriate and available right now. If you don't have them already, you should click on the links and order these books before you finish this blog post. Children’s books can be great fun to read and re-read to the kids–if they’re well written. These are! Even more importantly, you can tell actual stories from your own perspective. And all along the way, your kids are learning the bible and watching your faith as you plant Gospel seeds in their hearts.

1. Here is a book that comes highly recommended for kids who can sit in your lap. Its called, “The Bible’s Big Story.” . It is written by Jim Hamilton. Jim asks, “What if you could read it to your kids–in less than 5 minutes for less than $5–right there in your rocking chair?” You can. This is it.
2. This is the #1 Bible for kids! This bible, in first class cartoon format, is recommended for ages 9 and up, but the kids who can read have really responded well to The Action Bible too. The Action Bible takes you on a fun, exciting journey through God's Word. Along the way you'll meet all types of people, see all sorts of places, and learn all kinds of things about the Bible.
3. The chart below is a project that the NBFamilies Pastoral staff has been working on. We are using this chart to write the D Groups Family Ministry Facilitators Guide for this Fall’s D Groups. The chart below is a 12 section explanation of the entire bible so you can know what to look for as you are discussing God’s story with your kids.

Theme:	Bible:	Redemptive Gospel Theme:
God’s Creation & Masterpiece	Genesis 1-2	God created everything perfectly with humanity as His masterpiece. God gave us His Image with divine sacred value. God made us male and female and gave us marriage to replicate His love for humanity.
Humanity’s Fall and Chaos	Genesis 3-8	God’s perfect design is broken because of humanity’s rebellion. Humans turned away from God and the chaos began. Shame, blame, and violence begin to prove humanity’s wickedness.
God’s Promises a Coming Hero	Genesis 12:1-3 Exodus	God promised to bless all the nations through Abraham’s family. He promised a Hero. God fulfills His promise and makes Abraham’s family big and shows His power to deliver His people from slavery.
Clues of Conquest	Joshua	God preserves the Hero’s family and makes His people powerful when they obey Him. But God’s people still struggle with sin and idolatry. One day God will send a Hero Who will bring the ultimate conquest.
Hints of Heroes	Judges, Ruth & 1&2 Samuel	God uses broken heroes and leaders to achieve His plan and protect His people. But God’s people still struggle with sin and idolatry. One day God will send the final Hero. He will win victory for eternity.
Kinds of Kingdoms	1 Samuel 8:1-4 1&2 Kings	God spoke to the kings of Israel through prophets. Some obeyed Him and saw His power. But some ignored the God’s instruction and suffered chaos. God will send a Hero Who will be the King of Kings.
Exile and Return	Genesis 12:1-3	God reprimands His people if they continue to ignore Him and God’s people bless others when they obey Him. God’s people returned to the land He promised them. But it was harder when they returned yet His promises are still in effect..
Silenced and Anticipation	Between Old & New Testament	God is quiet for 450 years between the Old Testament and the New Testament. The silence is hard but the anticipation is building. When is the Hero coming?
The Hero Arrives	Mathew Mark Luke John	God sends the Hero. Jesus is born. He lives, teaches, shows His power, and builds His Kingdom and His disciples.
The Hero Gives His Life and Lives Again	Mathew Mark Luke John	God makes the ultimate sacrifice – His Son - to provide forgiveness and redemption for His broken masterpiece. The Hro laid down His life because of His great love.
The Hero Gives His Mission to His Disciples	Acts Epistles	God gives His Son’s disciples a challenge to tell the world the Good News about Jesus, the Hero. God sends His Holy Spirit to help the disciples accomplish His mission. We work for the Hero now.
The Hero Returns in Final Victory	Revelation Consummation	God sends His Son, Jesus the Hero, to Earth to win final the final victory over evil. He promised to build a new heaven and a new earth. Humanity is restored to God’s design. We live with God, in His glory forever.

For NBFamilies, the goal is to help parents and kids remember the high points of the whole Bible story. There is value in being able to see the whole thing all at once, to identify the unity of the Bible, and to cut a path through the neurons and synapses that will be walked and re-walked, run and re-run. Disciples want to cut Bible and Gospel truths grooves deep in their brains, and we can do this with the ones we love most as we read and re-read, tell and discuss these truths with them.