by Jared Kennedy on March 3, 2010
Sojourn’s Student and Family Ministry is offering class for children and their parents called “Ask Class: For Kids & Parents with Questions about Salvation & Baptism.” The goal is to answer the questions of kids and their parents who are seeking to understand the gospel, salvation, baptism, and assurance. We want to partner with parents, who have been commanded to teach their kids about God. The class will be led by Pastors Jared Kennedy and Gary Almon. Our hope is that this class will be a catalyst for more gospel conversations between parents and their children. The two-week class is on March 21st & 28th during the 11:00 AM service at the Midtown Campus, The 930 Art Center, on the third floor. The first session will cover issues related to Jesus and salvation. The second session will cover issues related to baptism and assurance. Read More!
by Jared Kennedy on March 11, 2010
Wise advice from C.J. Mahaney to a concerned dad who fears that that the way in which he insists his kids obey him in the Lord could lead them to think of God the Father apart from love and grace:
* You have the privilege of introducing them to God the Father and describing the ways in which he is different from you, different from all sinful fathers, and how in any way you are like him it’s only because of grace that you reflect him. See Luke 11:11–13.
* Your honest confession of your sin to your children will protect them from having hard thoughts about you or God.
* Communicating your affection for them—and joy when you are with them—promotes both good and accurate thoughts about God.
* Initiate time with them at both planned and spontaneous times. Don’t leave them with the impression that they get most of your attention when they disobey. Let them know you are so grateful for them and love being with them as much as possible.
* Bless your children with many gifts in many forms! See Luke 11 again. Study your children in order to discern what gifts would genuinely bless them and then purpose to surprise them as often as possible.
* Requiring appropriate obedience does not promote hard thoughts about God. This only happens when we do so in self-righteousness or anger. See point 2 again.
* Frequently preach the gospel to them (and not at them). Reveal to your children just how far God has gone to show his love for sinners like us.
See the whole post for a link to his two-part sermon on Jude where he touches on this theme.
HT: Justin Taylor
