I like these videos of the Easter Story (taken from this website) that walk through the Book of Mark:
John Piper: The Sum of Your Word Is Truth from Children Desiring God on Vimeo.
Russell Moore: No Longer Tossed To and Fro from Children Desiring God on Vimeo.
Kempton Turner: Your Testimonies Are My Delight from Children Desiring God on Vimeo.
David Michael: Stand from Children Desiring God on Vimeo.
Check out all the other helpful break out sessions with notes and audio here.
Recently I gave a message on the 5th Commandment – Honor your father and mother. Here’s one segment where I adapted Tedd Tripp’s concept of the Circle of Blessing (from Shepherding a Child’s Heart) and brought out our need for the gospel. I also want to give a shout-out to Tony Kummer whose idea I borrowed from this bible lesson for kids.
You can listen or watch the entire message here:
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Tony Kummer shares an interesting report here about what might be coming next in kids ministry.
It’s been about three weeks since I asked readers to pick the most important hymns we should be teaching to the next generation. There was so many good suggestions from Facebook that I launched a poll here on the website to sort out the best.
The results have been steadily coming in and a consensus is growing. Click here if you still want to participate in that selection. Here are the clear front runners as chosen by our readers. The videos below are all from YouTube. I’ve tried to show a little variety in the selection. Enjoy!
I’m curious, what do you think of these selections? What hymns/classics would you add to the list?
Sometimes it’s difficult to discern the validity of a child’s profession of faith. We complicate things further when we look for the wrong thing. When I started out in ministry I remember someone telling me that a child’s love for Jesus is a good indicator that he or she is saved. There’s some truth to that. Our faith should be evidenced by a change in our affections. We ought to love Jesus and hate our sin. Yet discerning how much a child loves Jesus is difficult to gauge. Indeed, many children grow up “loving Jesus” and admiring him as a great person. So the question of how much a child loves Jesus isn’t very helpful. A better question is how much does this child understand (and embrace) the love Jesus has for him. 1 John 4:10 says,
“Herein is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”
This verse puts the emphasis in the right place. It’s not what I do for Jesus that saves me, it’s what Jesus has done for me. My salvation (and assurance of salvation) is not based on how much I love Jesus, it’s based on how much Jesus has loved me through his substitutionary death on the cross.
The story of Saul’s conversion is such a powerful reminder that the gospel is “not about trying, it’s about trusting; it’s not about rules, it’s about grace – God’s free gift that cost him everything.”
A New Way To See from Jonathan Michael on Vimeo.
(HT: Tony Kummer)
Parents, because it’s Sanctity of Life Sunday this weekend, here’s a short, simple devotion to do with your kids. Start by showing this picture above or others like it.
ASK: What is this a picture of?
SAY: This is a picture of a baby at only 10 weeks old.
ASK: Is this a real person? How do you know? What parts of the baby can you see?
READ: Psalm 139:13-14 which says, “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.”
SAY: God made each of us very unique. He knew us before we were even alive. He made us wonderful and special.
ASK: What does it mean that God “KNIT ME” together in my mother’s womb (or tummy)?
SAY: Knitting takes awhile. It takes time. It’s a very intricate process.
SHOW: If you have a homemade quilt or blanket … TELL them who made it and how it took time.
SAY: When God thought about making you (and every person in the world) He had a special plan for your life. He had a specific way he wanted to design you. Each of us is uniquely made by God. No two people are alike. Every single person has qualities that make him or her unique, different, and special.
ASK: What makes you unique from your brothers, sisters, or friends?
SAY: Your outside makes you unique: like your hair, your eyes, and your nose. And your inside makes you unique too. That’s what makes you, you! It’s your personality, what you like to do and what you don’t like to do, what you’re good at, and not so good at. From the inside out, God made you different than anyone else for a reason. Not so that you could stand out in a crowd and show off your uniqueness but that you could play a part in something much bigger than yourself.
SAY: God knit you together for a reason. No one else has the same combination of looks and talents and abilities that you have. This shows just how infinitely creative our God really is! He loves you and made you to point others to Him!
PRAY: Thank you God for making each one of us … Thank you for knitting us together in our mommy’s tummy. Help us to honor you by caring for every single person you made. We love you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
(Optional) Make snowflakes together and talk about how each one is created different and special!
“How do you allow children to negotiate with adults, without allowing them to become obnoxious little princes and princesses who feel the kingdom is entitled to them?” That’s the big question this post seeks to explore. It’s a helpful read.
(HT: Pete Scribner)
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