six14 Year-End Recap

It was great being together last Sunday night to recount all of the grace in our midst.  I was asked if we recorded it, and I don’t believe we did.  However, I’m attaching my notes and the testimonies that were shared in case you missed our time together (click here to download).

It’s been a real privilege to serve and support all of the parents as you engage in this wonderful, God-given task of “gospel-centered discipleship.”  May the Lord bless and empower all of our efforts in this holy task!

Tab

Schedule Updates

After we printed the monthly announcements for May, we made some schedule changes for the parent-youth ministry.  These were announced at the six14 meeting last Saturday, but we wanted to make sure everyone was aware of the updates by posting them here.  Please note:

• The Age of Opportunity meeting for the month of May has been canceled.
• The six14 Parent + Youth meeting in June has been moved to Sunday, June 14 (same times and place as usual).  This meeting will serve as a recap for the year, and some seniors will share testimonies and exhortations.

Please let us know if you have any questions.

six14 Recap (5.16)

It was great being with you, youth and parents, this past Saturday!  I hope you found our time together helpful on this important, but sometimes difficult, topic of guy/gal relationships.    If you weren’t able to be there, or if you’d like to review this message, you can find my manuscript for the message here.

Here are a few other points we made from our meeting.  First, I would recommend that parents read and determine an appropriate time to discuss with your youth the book I Kissed Dating Goodbye.  It’s a very fine book, but I think it’s helpful to remember that Josh’s point in it is to address what we might call “worldly forms of dating” – patterns and habits of relating in which God’s word isn’t clearly obeyed or applied.

As we discussed, the issue here is not terminology – i.e., dating vs. courtship.  It really isn’t that important what we call a given relationship, but it’s absolutely crucial that we’re seeking to apply biblical principles in that relationship.  In leading and discipling our teens in this area, it’s vital that we seek to build biblical convictions in their lives for this area.  Specifically, we must build biblical convictions for at least the following categories:

• purpose (as in the purpose of relating being to discern if marriage is in the future)
• purity (a crucial arena for parental discipleship)
• parents (and their vital role in their authority and their wise counsel for the teen’s life)

To help us build those biblical convictions, I would highly recommend a parenting seminar recently given by our friend Kenneth Maresco at Covenant Life Church.  It’s called “Parenting Ages 15 to 18” and you can find it here.    Part 3 in particular addresses this issue of relationships, and you will hear many points that I gleaned from our good friend Kenneth.

I hope these brief thoughts are helpful; if you have any questions at all, please do let me know.  I’m happy to try to serve you in any way that I can.

Lastly, below you’ll find the discussion questions I provided.  Please consider using questions like these on a regular basis to care for and disciple your teen in this important area.

Grateful to walk alongside of you in this holy task of parenting!

Tab

DISCUSS – discussion questions for parents and youth

1. What questions would you have about this area/topic?
2. What was unclear for you from this message?  What do you find you agree with?  What are you not sure about?
3. Do you feel comfortable in talking with me about this area?  How can I make it easier for you to talk with me about this?
4. How are you doing in this area of your life?  Are there “interests” you’re having or thinking about?
5. What truths or passages from God’s word could or should shape your thinking there?  Let’s talk together about that, and walk together in that!

Thursday Thought for Parents (5.14)

I hope you’re doing well and enjoying God’s grace today!  I just wanted to send you a reminder about our six14 parent-youth meeting this Saturday night.

We’re going to be finishing our “My Peers” series by talking a bit about how to think about and relate to those of the opposite gender.  In talking with some parents, I know that this is a very real issue for some and for others it’s not even on the radar.  That’s why I wanted to give you a heads up about this topic.  I won’t say anything that would be inappropriate for middle schoolers, but I do want you to use your discretion as to what would best serve your youth.

In terms of content in the message, I’m planning to hit the following:

• issue is not terminology – i.e. dating vs. courtship
• issue is applying God’s word to relate appropriately (explaining what that looks like)
• then discuss relating wisely, appropriately now… in brotherly/sisterly care, etc.

However, I do want to invite all parents to attend who might be served by thinking further on this issue, even for the future.  If so, then please come join us as well.

Hope to see you soon!

- Tab

Growth Group Assignment

For our High School Growth Group meeting this Saturday (May 9 at 8:00 a.m.), here is what I assigned:

• Ch. 13 in Whitney, “Persevering in the Disciplines”
• Ch. 12 in Grudem, “Man as Male and Female”
• give out an Easter invite (no problem if you didn’t get to this)

We’ll likely follow up on Bible intake goals, too.

I’m looking forward to being with you on Saturday!

six14 Recap (3.28) – Part 3

Here’s the last installment from our most recent corporate meeting…

(Part 1)

(Part 2)

Main point:  Out of a heart of love for the Savior, we seek to help others to grow in their love for the Savior.

We reach out, we encourage – and there is one more way we can be an influence on others for godliness.

3. CORRECT

six14 Recap (3.28) – Part 2

Here’s the second part of our recap from our most recent parent-youth corporate meeting.  (Click here for part 1.) I hope it’s helpful…

How Children Come to Faith in Christ

I saw this post on Justin Taylor’s blog, and I thought the messages mentioned could serve…

How Children Come to Faith in Christ

Ryan Kelly:

In an earlier post I pointed to some resources for wrestling through the issues of the gospel, conversion, and assurance with our kids. One of the best resources I’ve found is the the Family Life Today radio interviews with Jim Elliff, “How Children Come to Faith in Christ.” You can purchase the series on audio CDs here, which I already mentioned. However, in addition I discovered that six of the sessions are available online for free:

1. Genuine Salvation: More Than a Prayer

2. How Children Come to Faith in Christ

3. Taking Our Children to Church: Is That Enough?

4. How to Deal With Doubt

5. Observing Salvation in Your Child: What Does It Look Like?

6. The Family: No Better Place to Come to Know Christ!

Transcripts are also available at the bottom of each of these pages’ links.

I cannot recommend these talks enough to any parent wanting to be thoughtful, careful, and prayerful in the salvation of their children.

six14 Recap (3.28) – Part 1

It was great being with so many of you last Saturday night!  I hope you enjoyed our time together as parents and youth as much as I did.   I thought it might serve if I recapped our time by taking the message I gave and making three blog posts out of it.  I hope doing so serves you as you “continue the conversation” with your youth, helping them to understand and apply what we talked about.  Here are the fellowship points I suggested to continue the conversation:

• The Encouragement Point (for parents to ask):  As your parent, the ways in which I’m most encouraged about how you influence others for godliness would be…
• The Application Point (for parents to ask):  Which of these three areas (reach out, encourage, correct) is most difficult for you?  How can I help you with that area?  What do you think specific growth looks like that you might care for others more in the ways we’ve discussed?
• The Input Point (for youth to ask):  As my parent, what concerns or questions would you have about the ways I do or do not influence others for godliness?

Click below to continue reading the introduction and point one from Saturday night…

Coming Soon to “Thursday Thoughts”

I know that I’ve been very infrequent about posting any “Thursday Thoughts For Parents” – sorry about that!  Starting next week my goal is to begin working through another book on a weekly (or close to weekly) basis.  The book is Get Outta My Face! by Rick Horne.  I believe we have this book in our book-store now; if not, you can certainly find it online.  I would recommend the book, and I would encourage you to consider picking up a copy and reading along with me.

Here’s Dave Harvey’s endorsement of the book, in case this helps to whet your appetite:  “Rick Horne knows teens – the kind that won’t talk and those that won’t stop talking.  If you have a teenager, you need this book.  In fact, don’t wait for the teen years!  Arm yourself now with the timeless truths from this book that counsels moms and dads with gospel hope for teenage trials.”

Hope to have you reading along with me!

Tab