2-17-23 This Week in Faith
/For Kids in February
Children’s Message During the Service THIS Sunday we are going to try something new. When Brandon Nelms gets up to do the Children's Message, he will invite the kids to come sit up front and listen. Our hope is that it will help kids focus on the message and set that time apart a little more in their minds.
Sunday School EVERY Sunday Sundays from 9:45AM-10:45AM There are classes for 5th grade and under. Check in at the desk in the foyer. This month we are studying:
Children’s Church [8:30AM Service] Children’s Church is available during the 8:30AM service. There’s a kids message in both services. 2nd grade and under will be invited to leave for Children’s Church after that in the 8:30AM service.
* We also have a Children’s Bulletin that is ideal for 3rd-5th graders. It incorporates the worship bulletin but helps kids track through the service, stay engaged, and worship more fully with us. Look for it on the way into the sanctuary with the other bulletins.
For Students in February
The Mix is Feb. 24-26 Sunday is the last day to register for your students and their friends. Registration is open HERE for this incredible weekend.
Wednesday Nights for Middle School [6-8PM] Join us this Wednesday for discussion time, games, and snacks.
Sunday Nights for High School [6-8PM] This Sunday night we are talking about tough questions that students have submitted over the past few weeks. Encourage them to think of more questions over the next few days.
No Sunday Night for High School students on Feb. 26 [Due to The Mix]
Sunday School [9:45AM-10:45AM] Students either serve in a kids Sunday school class, or attend the middle school [Understanding the Faith] or high school [New City Catechism] class.
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God Wins Every Time
“But what if God is content not doing anything particularly dramatic right now? Is God not glorified by the missionary who faithfully serves for fifty years and sees two converts over that entire time? Or even no converts? What an extraordinary work of God’s grace it must be to keep someone faithful in serving him in a setting like that—far more remarkable than enabling a saint to face a firing squad for their faith, because the first person has to choose to die to themselves day after day after day.”
There are a lot of interesting points in this article about the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. But I think this quote from a section about 2/3 of the way through gets to the heart of what makes parenting so challenging some times. But his encouragement, as you read the article, is that god always wins and that, as Pastor Nathan taught us last week from 2 Corinthians, “God’s power is made perfect in our weaknesses.”
Click here to read the article by Ian Duguid.
Help Teenagers Find Belonging in a Digital World
This seems like a pretty balanced perspective on the good and bad of technology which I appreciate. I also like how they talk about not just the importance of parents setting boundaries, but in helping students think about what boundaries they could set for themselves. I fell like I have mixed results when I bring up these conversations with my kids, which can be frustrating sometimes. But it's also why I appreciate the helpful questions and suggestions at the end of this article for starting better conversations, because I know I don't always get started on the right foot.
Click here to read the article by Brad Grifin.
Young Men Need Better Than Andrew Tate’s Masculinity
Honestly, one of the main reasons I read this article is because one of my kids is always talking to me about Andrew Tate. And the article is a good reminder of the power of any social media influencer to disciple our kids. In particular, to give our sons and grandsons an unBiblical view of manhood. There are so many different messages our boys receive about what it means to be a man that it is vital for us to help them sort through this messages with good questions, good conversations and pointing them to the goodness of God and his wisdom. We want to start with the fruits of the Spirit instead of the antics of an online personality to help them discover what is at the heart of being a man.
Click here to read the article by Vince Greenwald.
‘I’ll Call an Uber or 911’: Why Gen Z Doesn’t Want to Drive
This is definitely a trend I have seen with students- less and less motivation to drive. The article is interesting because it points to many different factors for why this is the case. I’ll admit this is one of the things that I struggle to understand about this generation. So my reaction is typically that it is all rooted in bad, or unhealthy, reasoning. But the article shows it isn’t. And I thought the following perspective and discussion questions from the Axis Culture Translator email were really helpful in thinking about it and talking to my kids about it:
“For many adults in 2023, the idea of going without an automobile might seem absurd. But for most of human history, cars didn't even exist. The incredulity many parents and caring adults feel toward Gen Z not wanting to get drivers’ licenses can sometimes eclipse this important historical fact.
The first “automobile,” created by Carl Benz, came out in 1886. Then, for over a century, automobiles became the primary symbol of autonomy and independence. They allowed us to go where we wanted, see who we wanted, and to do so whenever we wanted. In many ways they still allow this, but today Gen Z has a new symbol of autonomy and independence: the smartphone.
Online, Gen Z can also go wherever they want, see whoever they want, and do so whenever they want. And when virtually all our friends feel accessible to us online via the smartphone and computer, the payoff for learning to drive and braving the highways can feel less significant than it used to.
The Washington Post article also rightly highlights Gen Z’s concerns about climate change and general anxiety as reasons why fewer may be interested in learning how to drive. Eschewing automobiles may also be much more doable and appealing for teens in an urban context. A teen growing up on a farm, for example, may have a stronger motivation to learn how to drive than a teen with easy access to public transportation or e-bikes. And yet even for teens in less urban settings, social media and online gaming can placate most of this desire.
“The times, they are a-changing” as Bob Dylan once sang. Here are three questions to get this conversation going with your teens:
Do you agree that your generation isn’t as excited about getting drivers’ licenses as previous generations? Why or why not?
What do you think are the main reasons for that?
What would be one pro of having a driver’s license? What would be one con?”
Click here to read the article by Shannon Osaka.
VIDEO: Prioritizing Mental Health for High School Seniors
We have 9 seniors from our church and student ministry this year- including my daughter Emily. And we have many more families who will be there soon. The process our kids go through to figure out where God is leading them next is a stressful one. And I know from personal experience :) parents sometimes add more stress than help with it. As a parent it can be hard to let go and let you child take ownership of the process, but it’s what they need most from us. THIS ARTICLE is some advice from the Florida State University Office of Admissions to help parents best help their kids. And this interview is great. It’s for more than just parents of seniors. She has a great perspective on the role of high school and how we can help take the pressure off for our kids. I love how she ends with maybe what our kids need most from us, “snacks and hugs”.
