Be Careful Little Eyes, What You See

CC's bright eyes!

It’s no secret that I am using my weekly blog posts to show pictures of my grand daughter CC. If that bother’s you then"

1. You have not met my grand daughter, or
2. You are not a grand parent, or
3. There is something wrong with you but God still loves you.

It is this little face, and the billions of other beautiful faces like this one, that motivate New Beginnings Church to focus on family ministry. The goal of Family Ministry?

New Beginnings Church is realigning it’s proclamation and practices so that parents—especially fathers—are acknowledged, trained, and held accountable as persons primarily responsible for their kids’ discipleship.

March 14, 2014 I started a blog theme that asked the question, “Which way is the right way to raise our children?” I would like to recommend that you read the blog post about starting with the Gospel in raising your children.

How do most parents feel about raising children in the prevailing culture?

• Missiologists say the church may become unable to fulfill the Great Commission within 12 years.
• Hundreds of unfunded missionaries wait and try to find vanishing funding.
• Pastors are quitting.
• Churches are closing.
• Islam is the fastest growing religion in America.
• Baptisms have spiraled downward for 14 years in a row.
• Our children are shot down in grade school.
• Gangs are the new family.
• Homosexuality is celebrated.
• Politicians are scandalized.
• Marriages end in divorce, while more young adults choose to cohabitate.
• Terrorism threatens.

What can guide us through the travails of raising children in a chaotic culture and transform our characters through the power of the gospel (Romans 1:16-17)?

 

CC's peaceful sleep

Michelle Anthony in her book, “Spiritual Parenting" seeks to discover what it means to seek God as our primary audience. Spiritual Parenting isn’t perfect parenting - it’s parenting from a spiritual perspective with eternity in mind. This means putting God at the center of the family. She says, If we want faith to endure for all generations, we must become increasingly confident and focused about the kind of faith we are trying to pass to our children. (Spiritual Parenting," Page 27)

Psalm 78:1-8 has been called the blueprint for families who understand that God has called them to be the primary disciple-makers for their children. The Psalm explains that it is God’s desire for each family to pass on their faith to the next generation. God set up the infrastructure that He envisioned would be best for this replication – the family! (Spiritual Parenting," Page 30)

Psalm 78:1-8 My people, hear my instruction; listen to what I say. 2 I will declare wise sayings; I will speak mysteries from the past— 3 things we have heard and known and that our fathers have passed down to us. 4 We must not hide them from their children, but must tell a future generation the praises of the Lord,
His might, and the wonderful works He has performed. 5 He established a testimony in Jacob and set up a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers to teach to their children 6 so that a future generation— children yet to be born—might know. They were to rise and tell their children 7 so that they might put their confidence in God and not forget God’s works, but keep His commands. 8 Then they would not be like their fathers,
 a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not loyal and whose spirit was not faithful to God.

It is exciting to dream that one day your great-great grandchildren will gather to recount how their ancestors were God-fearing and faithful examples of Jesus’ devoted disciples. They will describe how without you, your children, your grandchildren, and their children had faith that has impacted the world.

• Being transformed by the Gospel of Jesus Christ?
• Becoming Jesus’ trusted disciples?
• Passing down the faith and mission of Jesus to our kids, grand kids, great-grandkids, and beyond?
• This is the best hope we have for our families.
• This is the best hope we have for our church.
• This is the best hope we have for our nation.
• This is how we express God's glory!
  Isn’t CC lovely?

  

  Dr. Phil Sallee, Pastor
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