Teaching Biblical Truth to Children – A Young Child’s Catechism

“What is truth?” sneered Pilate to Jesus.

Earlier in His ministry Jesus had said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father but through Me.”

Jesus didn’t answer the Roman governor. He didn’t need to. And even though Pilate washed His hands of innocent blood, I think he knew the answer to his question.

But do you know the Truth? Do our kids know the Truth? Do my kids have a solid rock foundation of Biblical Truth so that their Awana and Sunday School classes can build onto that knowledge and help them grow spiritually?

It is our job as parents to make sure that our kids have the Bible training that they need in order for God to grow them as disciples. We can’t get our kids saved. We can’t make their choices for them. But we can teach them the Truth to the best of our abilities and trust the Holy Spirit to do the rest.

Guest Bloggers and Writers Needed for a New FFS Series!

Hello everyone!! I am so excited to share with you a new series that I will be starting on FFS. This will be a series that will boast in our God and encourage all believers.

The series will be called I Will Boast in God and I am asking for YOU, bloggers or writers, from around the nation and world to please contribute YOUR story that boasts in the majesty and glory of our Creator.

So many times we get tunnel vision as we go about life. We forget that God is at work around us. I want this series to show how God is at work everywhere and every day.

Here are the requirements for a submission:

1) It should be no more than 450 words.
2) The article should be about a time, past or present, when you could, or can now, see God at work in your life.
3) Include a Bible story, character, scripture, or life verse that encouraged you during this time period.
4) Include 1-2 pictures.
5) End your article with the sentence: “I will boast in the Lord!”
5) Include a short blurb at the very end about your blog, if you have one. Something like: John can be found wrestling bears when he isn’t writing for his blog “All Creatures Great and Small.”

Keep in mind, you DO NOT have to have a blog to submit an article. If you choose to submit an article, please comment below or email me at future.flying.saucers@klopex.com so I can give you a scheduled date.

I Think I’m Going Through a Mid-Life Crisis

I really think I am. I’m the right age for one, I guess. Perhaps its a “maturing” thing as one gets older. I don’t know. While I’m not planning on buying the red sports car just yet, I have been asking some pointed questions.

Have you asked these questions of yourself?

Am I doing anything that really matters?
What is my calling?
Time is flying by. What do I have to show for it?
What do I really believe?
What will happen when I die?
What if everything I’ve given my life to is a lie?

These are some big-time questions that have been rolling around in my brain the past few months. And Reader, I have to admit my faith has been really small. Perhaps this isn’t so much a mid-life crisis, as it is a crisis of belief.

Have you noticed that when you decide to get serious about God and Who He is, then reality as you know it changes? Your perspectives towards things of the world changes. Your opinions on matters of the heart change. Your political stance on heated issues become more conservative, or liberal. And then you begin questioning who you are, why you are on this earth, and what your purpose is.

Drawing the Bible: Genesis through Deuteronomy

I am super excited to share this wonderful teaching method with you!! This method is based on a graduate course I took and one that taught me SO much about the Bible. The concept is to draw the main events of the Bible while telling how God brings about redemption through Jesus.

I’ve been teaching this to my Awana kids and the results have absolutely amazed me! I add a new drawing each week and the kids get so excited about it! They even take notes now during my Bible story time so they can remember the pictures. As a review, I have some of the kids come to my white board and draw the pictures out and they help each other if someone misses something. It’s been awesome!

This is only part 1 of Drawing the Bible. The drawing will go all the way through Revelation. But because of how long the drawing is, I decided to split up the process so it doesn’t become confusing. Once you get the hang of it, it’s pretty simple. After all, my kindergarten kids can explain it!

Reminders for Studying the Word of God

Tonight at church one of my Pastors taught on the spiritual discipline of Bible study. I thought it was a good way to begin this new online study! He had some great reminders, so I wanted to pass them along to you.

1. Listen to the Word of God – Be sure that you are going to a Bible believing church with a pastor who is not afraid to preach the Truth. And then…make sure you attend regularly! God wants us to be around other believers for many reasons, but He wants us to gather together in worship to hear His called Shepherds teach His word. In conjunction with corporate worship, there are so many other ways to get good preaching to your ears. Radio, podcasts, Youtube, and TV. We are without excuse to hear to Word of the Lord. For some GREAT FREE podcasts, click HERE for the ones I listen to. (Scroll to the end of the page.)

Coming Up in 2013 at FFS

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Yep.

I don’t know about you, but I was in bed when the new year ball dropped. Not very exciting…

BUT!!! There are LOTS of exciting things going on at FFS!

1. The kids and I use a January through December school calendar, so we are officially beginning a NEW YEAR of school this week!

Come Join an Online Mom’s Bible Study in January!

I have enjoyed working through the Made to Crave Bible study. I have one lesson left and should finish that up by the end of December. That means it is time to find another study to do! I love studying God’s word, especially with others!!

Beginning in mid-January I will begin an online study of God’s Wisdom for a Mother’s Heart by Bobbie Wolgemuth. Moms need encouragement. And this study looks like it will be practical and help encourage us moms to set priorities, teach obedience, how to pray for our kids, and how to help our kids form God-filled dreams. I’m excited about this!!

The study is meant to last 7 weeks. But I am going to stretch it out over 14 weeks. This will allow “life” to happen. And because this will be an online study, we’ll have discussion and accountability through comments.

If you are interested in joining me, leave a comment below, and then order you a book if you so choose. You do not necessarily need a book. But I will only post the highlights from the study. If you are not a “follower” of my blog, you can either click on the “Follow Me!” button over there to the right, OR you can bookmark the blog so you can check in as you work through the study. All of the studies are listed under the Adult Bible Studies section at the top of the page.

Let’s be real, moms. We need help. We can’t do this parenting thing alone. We need mentoring from each other and, most importantly, wisdom from God’s word.

I hope you will join me in January!!

 

Weight Loss: From Permissible to Beneficial (Part 2)

It’s been hard keeping up with this study, so I apologize to those of you who have been diligent with it. “I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to spend the next forty years of my life learning this lesson.” (pg 132) And things have hit the fan so to speak during the last 3 weeks and things are beginning to turn around. I’ve lost about 5 pounds and I can tell some of my eating habits have changed. This is a slow process, and I guess in the back of my mind I keep thinking, “Come on! You should be seeing results!” and I have been disappointed. (Which leads to more eating…)

In this section of the study, Lysa asked: If you could capture your woundedness in a photo, what would the image be? Here’s mine.

Weight Loss: From Permissible to Beneficial

For those of you who may have just joined my blog, I have been working through the Bible study Made to Crave by Lysa TerKeurst. If you look up in the heading, you’ll find the back lessons under Adult Bible Studies. I’ve been watching the videos and working through the study book. My friend, Audria, over at The Well has completed the study as well. Please take a moment to click over to her page and read her results and life changes. She has been much more diligent than me. I’m afraid I have dragged my feet quite a bit. And I think I know why.

I’ll admit it. I have a food addiction. I’ve had the mindset that all food is permissible, so eat it all. But that’s not Biblical. Yes, everything is permissible, but not everything is BENEFICIAL. So my battle is not with food, it isn’t with the scale, it isn’t with the skinny jeans…

My battle is in my head. And my mind is supposed to be transformed and renewed! But let me tell you, it is a HARD process!! It is a SLOW process!!

How to Teach Bible Stories So Children Will Gain Heart Knowledge

You have volunteered to teach Children’s Church this Sunday. Now what do you do? Find a craft? Choose a snack? Grab a Bible coloring book?

Or perhaps you teach the 4 year old Sunday School class and it has become boring, even to you? Or do you teach the 5th graders and it’s the “same old, same old” stories?

The coolest thing about the Bible, besides the fact that is was written by the God of the universe, is that it is the Living Word. It’s ALIVE and ACTIVE! Don’t you want these kids, who you see on a regular basis, to have a love of the scriptures? I do.

Over the last 20 years I have learned how to teach the Bible to kids. I’ve practiced and become better at it. And I still want to improve. Why? Because I don’t want them to just “know Bible stories.” I want these kids to see God’s Truth and character through the people He has chosen to interact with over the years to bring about His plan and purposes.

Here are my tips on teaching Bible stories so children will gain heart knowledge and not just head knowledge.