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Family Ministry Moments - November 2024

Kids Ministry Serving Opportunities

11 AM Worship Hour

• 1st - 2nd Grade Kids Life Group Leader and Assistant Leader
• 3rd - 5th Grade Kids Life Group Assistant Leader

Contact me if you are interested in learning more about these opportunities!

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A few years ago Lifeway Research published a huge study about discipling children who will have a strong faith into adulthood.  The study was published in a book by Jana Magruder called Nothing Less.  They identified 10 spiritual influencers that have an impact on your child's spiritual health.  I did a series of podcasts on these influencers a few years ago.  You can find the first episode at https://ohbcfamilies.podbean.com/e/episode-1-modern-parenting/  

The spiritual influences are things you would expect–parents who encourage prayer, serving, Christian music, and missions are important influencers; however, there was one influence that blew the others away.  The one that moved the needle the most in the area of spiritual health was Bible reading.

Parents who encouraged Bible reading in their homes were far more likely to have children who stuck to their faith into adulthood.  Barna Research indicated in 2019 that the church dropout rate among college students was 64% (https://www.barna.com/research/resilient-disciples/).  There is an epidemic among Christian families that must be addressed, but waiting until children are in college is too late!  We must address this problem early, preferably starting when children are toddlers. 

When children are little it is easy to introduce them to the Bible.  Many parents I know have a bedtime routine that includes reading.  Reading the Bible and praying naturally fits into this time.  As children grow, life gets very busy and times like this can become more difficult.  Parents must make Bible reading a priority. I have seen some families
incorporate a family devotion time at a time that is convenient for them, like dinner time, or in the morning before everyone heads out the door.  In our stage of life, we now have three teenagers, the routine that we like is to have a family prayer time before bed and then encourage everyone (even the adults) to go do a devotion or Bible reading and personal prayer time.

Do we do this every night? I wish, sometimes we forget or our schedule gets messed up.  The point is not to be legalistic about it, the studies indicate that regular (meaning most of the time) Bible reading has a great impact on children’s faith.  So the challenge is for parents to find what works for their family with the time they have.

While this study is very enlightening, we don’t need a study to tell us that God’s Word is important.  God’s Word testifies to its importance. Mediate on these familiar verses:

• Psalm 119:105  - Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
• Matthew 4:4 - “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
• 2 Timothy 3:16-17 - All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work
  Do you want a strong faith? Do you want your children to have a strong faith? Read God’s Word!!!

Student Life - November 2024

During our “Follow Me” series we have been going through, I recently taught the students how Jesus is our Good Shepherd. Many times, the students have heard of Jesus as Savior, Messiah, Teacher, Sustainer, Servant, etc. But this time, I wanted them to hear and understand how Jesus is our Shepherd. This title, shepherd, is actually important to our Old Testament history. As God chose Israel to make His covenant in, Israel still needed guidance. And in Numbers 27:16-17, we see that a man should be appointed over the congregation (Israel) and should lead them just as a shepherd would with his sheep. So as Moses was once the leader, it was then decided that Joshua should succeed Moses and become Israel’s shepherd. 

However, there were not always good shepherds over God’s people. Sadly, selfishness, perversion, pride, and anger took root in those who were supposed to be shepherds over God’s flock. In Ezekiel 34, God rebukes the shepherds, He calls them out for eating off the fat of what they were given and not giving it to the sheep. They clothed only themselves, when the sheep still needed warmth. They cared only for themselves. And sadly, this failure of leadership only continued for the people of Israel. 

After painting this picture, we begin to see our narrative of sheep needing a shepherd. But not only just some shepherd, but one who could do the job well, the TRUE Shepherd. Thus, we look at John 10. In this chapter, Jesus continues to be berated by the Pharisees. And yet, in humility, He reminds these Pharisees of the analogy of sheep needing a shepherd. One who would shepherd them well, care for them immensely, and lead them carefully. In His analogy, He notes that the sheep hear their shepherds voice and know him and follow him. After this beautiful example, the Pharisees still did not understand. So, Jesus doubles down. He says “I AM the good Shepherd.” In verses 7-18, Jesus paints us a beautiful picture of how He leads us. He explains that He is the door of the sheep. These shepherds that came before Him were thieves and
robbers who did not lead the sheep well (thieves and robbers were the example of Israel’s previous horrible leaders). Jesus explains that He is the door to the sheep, to the flock. If anyone enters in through Him, they will be saved, can find pasture, have life and have it abundantly. How amazing and beautiful! Jesus goes on to explain that He would lay down His life for the flock, where thieves, robbers, and hired hands would not (hired hands were those who did not own the flock but were over them). These people do not care for the flock, whereas Jesus lays His life down for them AND unites them! He explains that He has other sheep elsewhere, but He will bring them as well, so that His flock may become ONE. 

Even after explaining all of this, some of the Pharisees still did not understand. Some still didn’t understand who Jesus really was. Thus, He explains that He and the Father are One. They do not understand this because they are not His sheep. Which brings us to our “Follow Me” verse in verse 27. Jesus explains “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” 

So, dear reader, please hear the words of our Savior. He is our Good Shepherd. He cares for us, tends for us, dies for us, leads us, defends us, unites us, restores us, calls us by name, and knows us. He is truly a Good Shepherd. He fulfills the job no one in the Old Testament could. He cares for the sheep and makes us glad to be His sheep. This
causes such joy and peace for me. I hope it does for you as well.