Are you looking for a creative way to teach the truth of the gospel to your kids this summer? I would highly recommend The Prince’s Poison Cup by R.C. Sproul. My whole family watched the DVD last night and it prompted a lot of good discussion. Even my four-year old boy was captivated with the story and listened intently. Take a look at this intro video below and buy the DVD and/or book.
Looking for more ideas to prepare your family for Easter? Go here.
I like these videos of the Easter Story (taken from this website) that walk through the Book of Mark:
And Watch the Jesus Storybook Bible video below w/your kids
Advent is a time of expectation and preparation for the celebration of Christ’s birth. I encourage you to set aside some time with your family to focus on Jesus in these weeks leading up to Christmas. Here are some ideas:
Christ the King Presbyterian Church has developed two Advent devotionals you can download here and here.
Jared Kennedy posted some great ideas for families to celebrate the Advent season.
The Resurgence also has an excellent series of posts onLearning to Advent together.
Justin Taylor points to a new Advent Narrative Book that looks really good.
Tony Kummer highlights some Advent Lessons for Kids that teach through the nativity.
One thing we do in our home is sing Christmas songs together (I can still manage to play a few on the guitar!) and talk about the words to these songs. I’ve found that some of them are rich in theology (i.e. Joy to the World). Whatever you do, make it simple and fun for your kids!
For those of you who don’t know, my twin brother, Mark Wolter, is a missionary in Kyoto, Japan. Check out this video below to see a bit of his world. I got the opportunity to visit Kyoto back when Mark and Maki got married. It was amazing to see my brother speak the language and interact so well with the people. I’ll never forget him going through a drive-thru at a Japanese burger joint and ordering our food in Japanese. It was pretty crazy! Please pray for him and his wife, Maki, and two sons, Noah and Taka. I miss these guys!
It is with sadness in my heart that my time at LaGrange Baptist Church is coming to an end. Last weekend, Oak Hill Baptist Church, in Humboldt (pronounced HUM-BOLT), Iowa, called me to be their Senior Pastor. After talking and praying with my wife, my kids, and close friends, we believe God is leading us to this new chapter in our lives. God has burdened my heart to preach the gospel, and I can’t not do what he’s called me to do. Though I feel a real sense of grief in leaving, I feel an equally strong sense of excitement and calling to be a part of what God is doing in Humboldt, Iowa, and beyond.
Eight years ago, I started serving at LBC. I was 27 years old with so much to learn. And the people of LBC taught me. They taught me way more than I could’ve taught them. They loved me. They prayed for me. They gave me patience to grow as a husband, father, and pastor. They supported me and sincerely cared for my wife and my kids. They celebrated with us and cried with us. They served alongside us and sacrificed their time to reach kids & families for Christ. They even let me spread my wings with new ideas and dreams. Some that worked and others that didn’t. Through it all, they have shown me what it means to be a church family.
We have loved serving at LaGrange. I never once thought of my position as a stepping stone. Pastoring the children and students and families has been a tremendous privilege … and I’m thankful that the vision to reach the next generation will continue when I’m gone.
My last day at LaGrange Baptist will be Sunday, November 6. We are hoping to move to Iowa and start at Oak Hill as soon as we can. Please pray for our house to sell and for our entire family during this emotional time of transition. God is at work, and we greatly appreciate your prayers as he turns the pages and begins this new chapter in our lives.
With you for the kingdom,
Doug and Jaime (Emie, Lily, & Luke)
It’s been a great month of SEEDS! LBC members, spread the word about this great ministry to children and families on Wed. nights at 6:15. And parents, come to Parent Chat on Oct. 5th as Pastor Tony speaks on the Foundations of Parenting.
If we take the Bible seriously (you do, right?), then we know that finding a way to honor our parents, no matter who they have been, no matter what they have done, is a very significant action. I’m serious. The Bible is filled with stories of people who honored their parents and succeeded and of those who did not honor their parents and failed. If you’re alive, you’ve got parents (even if they are no longer living)—and God’s command is to honor them (see Exodus 20:12).
Now you may think, “If this guy thinks for a moment that I’m going to honor my old man, he has got another thing coming!” Well, let me try to get by your resistance. Honoring our parents does not mean several things.
First, honoring our parents does not mean to go back groveling and seeking their approval (again). Children need to get freed from my-parents’-approval bondage.
Secondly, it does not mean to make yourself vulnerable to their hurtful behavior. Sometimes appropriate boundaries between children and abusive parents are necessary. But the need for that boundary does not free us from the obligation of honoring our parents.
Thirdly, honoring our parents does not mean ignoring or denying the past.
Here is what honoring does mean. It means choosing to place great value upon our relationship with them. It means not kidding myself into thinking that my parents don’t matter to me. It involves taking the initiative to improve the relationship whatever its current condition. And it means recognizing what they have done right. You say, “They haven’t done a lot right.” They have done something right, even if it’s little more than giving you life (that’s big). So, express that recognition. Acknowledge the sacrifices that they have made for you. Honoring includes seeing them as Christ does, with compassion and mercy. It means forgiving them as Christ has forgiven you.
(HT: Zach Nielsen)
This looks like a great devotion written by the folks from Seeds Family Worship.
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