"You don't have to take my word for it..."

Though I watched many episodes of Reading Rainbow during the summers of my childhood, I’ve never really been a strong reader. In fact, reading and writing have always been subjects I’ve had to give extra time and effort to, just to get by academically. Wanting better for our kids, my wife and I made reading a point of emphasis with our three children this summer. We read to them some and required them to spend a little extra time in a book or two over the break. We even got a little crazy and tried to intentionally pick a reading we could do together as a family that might possibly stimulate some “spiritual ”discussions. And what do you know; we actually picked out a winner.

Mainly because of our own interest in the insanely smart mathematician and scientist, Brittany and I landed on reading a chapter a night to our children from Blaise Pascal’s biography entitled, A Piece of the Mountain. Since the publisher claimed that it was “written on a 5^th-6^th grade reading level" but that "younger children will enjoy having it read out loud to them”, we figured it was worth a shot. By the close of the first chapter, our family was engrossed in this man’s story. We eagerly anticipated what we might discover at our next bedtime reading.

If you’re not familiar with Blaise Pascal, let me give you a quick scouting report. As a teenager he began to gain notoriety for some of his accomplishments in mathematics and science. He was one of the top European intellectuals of his time with major contributions to the theory of probability, projective geometry, and the concepts of barometric pressure and vacuum. He designed the world’s first mechanical calculating machine and the first public transportation service in Paris. While all of that is more than impressive, some of Pascal’s greatest works came from his efforts as a Christian philosopher. He became somewhat of an apologist of his day and a stout defender of the faith. He challenged false teaching and enthusiastically proclaimed the wonder of God’s saving grace.

As we worked through his biography we were intrigued by the life experiences that shaped the genius. Perhaps the best part of the biography is that nearly each chapter set our family up for a faith-based talk. We simply read a chapter and asked our kiddos what they thought about the events they just heard. Whether it was the chapter about the God-Shaped Vacuum, or the one concerning Weighty Issues, or the Wager Between Friends, it seemed each chapter title gave us something tangible to discuss.

Pascal’s intellect was special but it didn’t satisfy the longing of his soul. He wrestled with the scriptures for a considerable time before finally coming to genuinely believe in Jesus as his Savior and Lord. As a new convert, he passionately shared his beliefs with others and eventually led his father and sister to faith in Christ. But Joyce McPherson’s book does a great job of honestly addressing Pascal’s humanity. As a gifted and talented thinker, Blaise struggled with pride and it was something he had to often repent of. A Piece of the Mountain tracks his spiritual growth from a life of selfish materialism to one that humbly lived out his final years persevering in the good fight of faith.

There are many other details from his life that I’d love to share with you, however, Blaise’s experiences aren’t exactly the point of today’s blog. The encouragement I hope to offer is that opportunities to discuss topics of faith can be as simple as debriefing after a bedtime story. Reading of Pascal’s ups and downs created many great talking points with our kiddos. Granted, our first grader didn’t seem to consistently get as much out of it as her two older brothers, but as a family we were able to routinely share fruitful dialogue.

We were fortunate enough to stumble into a great tool that worked for our family. Sure we’ve attempted other things to purposefully interact with our children that were not quite as successful. But then, maybe that’s the point. Perhaps the goal is that we keep on searching - continuing to find new ways to share our faith with our youth. It seems to be quite a task – one that will require a lifetime commitment. Yet there is a joy found in such a challenge, but to borrow a line from LeVar Burton, “you don’t have to take my word for it.”

May the Lord fill us with energy to consistently pursue experiences and conversations that point our children toward the hope of the gospel…

Thrilling Adventure!

If you don’t like to read stories about a man who loves his kids then stop reading now. One of the hardest parts about reading and writing for this blog is knowing that my kids have emptied from my nest. Don’t get me wrong, it’s nice having a little extra room, a little less drama, and a little extra cash. But I miss my kids everyday and I remember just how much I love them when I hear stories coming from California (Julie and Jill) and OKC (Josh).

One of the key features of NBFamilies is Faith Mission. In pursuit of achieving God’s mission to redeem the world we have dared to ask ourselves the following questions:

• What would change for our families if we began to recognize our responsibility to spread the good news of Jesus Christ?
• How would our family change and grow if we planned and went on a family mission trip instead of a family vacation?
• What could God do through me and my family to reach our neighbors, our ball teams, our school classes or clubs, or our extended family for Jesus?
• What will my kids learn as they watch me ministering with them to their friends or to kids from homes where whose parents are disengaged?

Carol and I took every opportunity to take our kids on mission trips and involve them in our ministry when they were young. All of their lives they have been PK’s (Preacher’s Kids). I have tremendous respect for PK’s because I saw what my three kids had to go through. They not only had to experience firsthand the hypocrisy of their pastor/dad (me), they were also forced to experience most extreme incidents of ugliness from their church’s parishioners (you).

Some PK’s rebel from the church, run away, and never look back. Others carry the missional torch and continue serving God and working His mission. I am honored that my kids each have carried the torch in their own way. I shared stories about Julie, Jill, and Josh. I also told you how they were each great storytellers.

Today I’m going to feature my oldest daughter Julie and her husband Kyle. Recently, I explained how they were involved in a very unique ministry called Cares Ministry.

Watch this local Los Angeles news report and get a glimpse of what God can do through a young couple who thinks and lives God’s Mission.


ABC 7 News Spot - Highland Park 1,000 Backpack Giveaway from Freedom Church on Vimeo.

Last week Julie reposted the Facebook post from ABC7 the Los Angeles news station.

More than 2,000 backpacks full of school supplies are being given away this morning.

1,000 backpacks will be given out at Freedom Church in Highland Park starting at 9 a.m. - no strings attached. The other 1,000 will be given out the church's Chatsworth branch at the same time.

The church is trying to lend a hand to those preparing for the new school year.

The Facebook post had over 3,382 “Likes”, and 464 “Shares.” Good news spreads like good news does.

I know parents don’t like to think about their kids leaving them home in an empty nest. But let me assure you, it’s going to happen. The only thing worse than your kids leaving home, is that they will still be living with you in their 30s and 40s. But they will go. The sting of missing them is lessened when you hear stories about them experiencing God's grace.

Live the mission as a family. Live God’s risky, adventurous, thrill of a lifetime mission. And when your kids leave home they soar! (Isaiah 40:31)

What is it about movies?

One of my favorite questions is: "What's the point?". As I was driving home from church last night, I was giving a ride home to a couple sons of a church member and close neighbor. One of the boys was telling me about the movie he had just watched in the high school group. He said it was one of his favorite movies of all time. I asked him what made it his favorite and he said, he felt like he could really relate to it. It really hit home for him. The interesting thing was that I had just watched a movie myself, the movie "Courageous", with a group of men and women from our church. It was a movie I could relate to and "hit home" for me as well. I have seen the movie at least 4 times now and there are still multiple parts of the movie that affect me emotionally, spiritually, inspire and motivate me.The last message from Adam in the movie, when he presents the need for men to step up and lead their homes as the husbands and fathers that God has always intended for them to be, it is inspiring EVERY time I hear it. How does that happen? Why does that happen? And why are we watching movies at church?

The bottom line is that movies are many things. They are entertaining, educational, inspirational, motivational, emotional, challenging, thought-provoking, life-changing, etc. They affect the individual, in an individual way. This provides a great opportunity for discussion and for learning from each other. In the high school group, they have great discussion around the points of a movie and they do that all summer long on Wednesday nights. The students get to share what impacted them about the movie and why. This fosters learning, especially, when that discussion is brought back to how the message or characters, in the movie, either do or do not relate to the Gospel message and the Christian walk, which is always part of that discussion.

In the movie "Courageous", there are many different values exhibited through the various characters: integrity, honesty, love, dishonesty, greed, anger, selfishness, etc.The values are exhibited through their life experiences, which, for me, drew me in to each character as I began to relate to the various values and how they were being "lived out" in the movie.The Gospel message is also presented in the movie, which is another learning, as there are many different ways to present the Gospel message to a stranger, friend, co-worker or family member.

What's the point? Movies provide us: husbands and wives, friends and co-workers, fathers and mothers, with a great opportunity for discussion about the characters and the message in the movie and how that compares to the Gospel message and what is going on in our lives right now in our Christian walk. Movies provide an excellent opportunity for parents to have a "faith walk" discussion with your children to help them see the right versus the wrong, the good versus the bad, the real versus the unreal, the truth versus the lie.

I will leave you with some of my favorite quotes from the movie "Courageous":
"A child desperately needs a dad."
"We need to understand how crucial the role is of the father."
"God desires every father to courageously step up."
"Don't waste the priceless time we have with our children"
"Thanks for your integrity(Javier)....it's rare."
"A child is a gift from God."
"You are accountable to God for the position of influence God has given you as a father."
"We all agreed we are doubly accountable..." (now that we know what God expects from us in our role as a father)
"I want the favor of God's blessings on my home."

 http://www.courageousthemovie.com/


Terry Langenberg
Twitter: TheLangenberg
Facebook: TheLangenberg

An Unlikely Source of Wisdom

Did you see this video?  Did you hear what Ashton, I mean Chris Kutcher said?  Did you see the Teen Choice video?  Those were the questions that flooded my inbox this week in regards to an acceptance speech delivered during the 2013 Teen Choice Awards.

Now, given the audience that I think typically reads this blog, I'm assuming that most of you completely missed the Teen Choice Awards Sunday!!  As a Family Pastor focused on High School students and their families I don't always catch these events live but I do keep a pulse on them to know what's going on in youth culture.  This particular event boasted "150 million votes" and over hundreds of thousands of views on each of the videos they have post from the live performances.

So Jeff, why are you asking us about whether we watched the Teen Choice Awards!?  It all has to do with truth.  And though this specific person (Ashton Kutcher) didn't say "Jesus"... He did give some incredible wisdom to an audience that resembles, if not IS, our kids!!  Before I go on, please take 4 minutes and watch this video:

Can't view it? Try clicking on this link: Ashton Kutcher Acceptance Speech

Three things Chris learned before he became Ashton: Opportunity - Being Sexy - Living Life!!  

At first glance it seems like every other "Star"with the exception that he told us from a stage his real name and said he feels like a "fraud".  But that first insert should have been enough for us to listen a little deeper (something the teenage girls in the audience didn't pick up on)!  

As Chris/Ashton goes on he explains his three things:

- Opportunity looks a lot like work: "I didn't quit my job until I had another one"
- Being Sexy is actually being Smart... Thoughtful... Generous
- Don't live a life but build one

Ummm... WOW!!  This is NOT the typical message we get from Hollywood and honestly not even the message we have heard from the young actor in the past 10 years.  So what changed?  Why the sudden insight for his fans...is 100% Jesus?  I have no clue for him but I know what the ultimate answer is for all of us: The Gospel (Romans 6:23)!!

My encouragement this week, if you have teens or tweens, is to watch the video and talk about the message he shared.  What an incredible launching point for great conversation of having a point to this life.  What an even better opportunity to dig deeper and show our kids where such wisdom truly comes from... the Bible (Examples: Work Hard: Colossians 3:23, Be Smart: Proverbs 19:20, Build a Life: John 10:10)!!  If you do not have tweens or teens, what did you think of his advice?  Did you connect with any of his points?  What can you glean this week from those three truths?

May the Spirit use this time to connect you with His Word... May He connect you in new ways with your kids... May He open your ears to learn something new about your kids... May this week be a blessing of growth in your life... May God be the center of your family... May Jesus be the answer to the questions you have had!! 

Soak It Up

As I reflect back, I wish we had taken more pics (if that’s even possible). You know, just to try and capture more of the experience. Yet, I think there were times we probably should have put the cameras and iPhones away earlier and just absorbed the fullness of the moment. What a gift it was to be able to deeply breathe in some crisp, mountain air together, gaze at a star-filled sky, and watch the kids play in an alpine creek until their lips turned blue. Gosh, we really made some awesome memories this past month! Our time was so rich it will probably take the better part of the next calendar year for me to process it all.

And while I’m beyond grateful for the sweet time our family shared on our summer vacation, there is however, some regret. And it’s not because I was grumpy on the road (although I was occasionally that), but for some precious time I took for granted prior to our departure. In all the excitement of the upcoming trips, I unfortunately neglected some great opportunities. There were days scattered throughout June and July that I was far less than engaged because I was planning ahead or daydreaming about a future get-away. I assumed tomorrow would come and forfeited some of the blessing of that day.

I’m sure we are all guilty of doing this from time to time. We get caught up thinking about stuff that is to come and miss the right now. Middle school kids can’t wait to be in high school and one day get their driver’s license. 16 year-olds can’t wait to turn 18 so they can vote (just kidding)…Then there is college, then marriage, then children and career decisions, and retirement, and on and on and on… The lists change as we get older but they always exist. There are always “better” things or life stages we look forward to with countless other mini-goals and wants we pursue in the interim. It has been my experience that this kind of “always gazing ahead” often comes with loss.

As our kiddos head back to school next week, I’d love to regain some of those “boring”, uneventful times of “just” sitting around the house with them. I wish I could add some days to the summer and throw in a mulligan or two. I’d love to go back and intentionally pour life and time into them on those days, engage them in conversations, or just simply hold them and remind them of the thousands of reasons my wife and I are blessed to be their parents.

My encouragement is to not miss opportunities over the next couple of months, as we’re tempted to fix our eyes on fall break. May we not just expect that our health and safety be guaranteed through another Christmas. May we see each day as the gift that it is and embrace the moments we are given. “Hey man, we are already bummed that our kids are getting older and moving up a grade! Why do you have to start talking like they may not see graduation?” Well, because they may not. Hopefully they will, but then again, there is no promise that you’ll get to see it either. I’m not trying to play on your emotions or be some kind of Debbie Downer. That’s not my intent at all. In fact, I believe it is God’s favor for us to be allowed to see our life in such a way.

The following lyrics encapsulate the message I’m trying to convey. I know it’s an oldie but here are a few lines from Warren Barfield’s song, Soak It Up…

Oh, and the days go by so fast. And the memories, they never seem to last.

And I’m quick to see all I don’t have. I need to change the way I look at, all I look at…

And soak it up, every little bit I can. Enjoy all my day, before all my days end.


And whatever I get, always let that be enough
. And never forget to soak it up…

Friend, don’t disregard the beauty of right now, looking ahead to what may never be. While we often (& rightfully so) long for vacations and a break from the hustle and bustle of life, we must remember they are given in due season and for a specific purpose. God commands such rest and has proven these things to be good. Remember though, timeouts are designed to get us back into action, positioned to thrive and succeed, not merely endure. Our neighborhoods, schools, workplaces, and most importantly, our homes, need us to be present. Might our focus be on the day at hand and our hope be found in Christ. May we see the blessing of life right now and truly, soak it up.

The Sweet Secret for Healthy Families

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A Time for Reflection, A Time for Rest

This past weekend my wife Monica and I enjoyed our 10th wedding anniversary. We had a short two and a half day, getaway planned to a nearby quiet and scenic location in Arkansas. The plan from the beginning was to go to a place within a short driving distance where we could just be still and enjoy each others' undivided and uninterrupted attention. The location was at the highest point in Arkansas called Magazine Mountain and there was no cell phone or internet reception up there, so that ended up being an added blessing.

Monica and I spent our time gazing over a huge valley and talking for hours. We talked about our wedding. We talked about our past ten years together. We talked about how we have grown together as a couple.We talked about our children and their individual growth over the past 10 years. We talked about me being called to the ministry; how that call has changed our lives and how it has impacted our relationship, our marriage and our family. We talked about how God was working in each of our lives currently. We talked about how blessed we have been over the years, even through tough times financially, personally, together as a couple and individually. That was all in day one.

Day two, Monica and I then spent our time talking about the future. We talked about what we want for our future together? What will the next ten years be like? We spent some time dreaming about the future years. We spent some time reading and we spent some time in prayer.

I wish we would not have waited so long to take time to reflect and to dream about the future.Life with 4 children and two careers tends to keep everyone busy. But the time spent this past weekend was freeing. It was inspiring and it was filling to us both. We are very thankful to God for blessing us with each other, for the time we were able to get away to draw closer to each other and to God.

We understand that we need to do this more often for our relationship and for our individual mental and spiritual health. We are looking forward to making future plans to do just that on a more regular basis.

Hebrews 4:9-11 ⁹ Therefore, a Sabbath rest remains for God’s people. ¹⁰ For the person who has entered His rest has rested from his own works, just as God did from His. ¹¹ Let us then make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall into the same pattern of disobedience.