FAMILY PLUS Children's - A week to remember!

Hey Everyone!

Last week we are finished up our last week of camp for the summer. I was with some incredible leaders and our 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders in Livingston, TN at camp. It was wonderful! A great way to close out the summer!

I wanted to share with you 1 story and thought about last week. 

I have been a part of or led many, many elementary age camps over the last 10 yrs, and I didn't expect what happened last week on several occassions. During the heat of the day (1pm) we had small group Bible Study with the kids. We focused on God's story and we introduced how they fit in God's story. At the end of the week my heart was that your kids will love God more than before we went. That sounds cliche but the truth is that is a simple yet profound goal for life. As we talked I began describing what the Bible says about God. I didn't hold anything back. In fact I read many passages and had the kids read many passages that described God in detail. This next part is the best part...After reading those passages hands began to fly into the air and 1 by 1 we answered their questions about God. These were great questions like...

- Are God and Jesus the same thing?

- If we are alive when Jesus comes back will we see him on his white horse (we read Rev 19:11ff)?

- Can we see/touch God? If we did see Him would we die (we read exodus where Moses asks to see God)? 

And the list goes on and on and on. This happened every day during small group!

I have never see that happen...ever. I have never seen 25 kids intensely engaged enough to ask questions that long, sit still that long, and be interested that long. This tells me one thing. God is way more amazing than we are or how we describe Him to our kids.

Here are the details for the week:

Scripture: Luke 18:18-30 (The Rich Young Ruler)

Memory Verse: “Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God.” 1 John 4:7

Prayer for the Nations: Belgium - This week we ate some Belgian chocolate. Don't be jealous!

Praying for kids at camp...Here's how!

This week will be halfway over around lunch time today. As a parent you are wondering on and off throughout your day how your kids are doing. The answer is better than I could expect, which means a lot. Let me explain.

I have been a part of or led many, many elementary age camps over the last 10 yrs, and I didn't expect what happened yesterday. During the heat of the day (1pm) we have small group Bible Study with the kids. Yesterday we focused on God's story and we introduced how they fit in God's story. At the end of this week my heart is that your kids will love God more than before we came. That sounds cliche but the truth is that is a simple yet profound goal for life. As we talked I began describing what the Bible says about God. I didn't hold anything back. In fact I read many passages and had the kids read many passages that described God in detail. This next part is the best part...After reading those passages hands began to fly into the air and 1 by 1 we answered their questions about God. These were great questions like...

- Are God and Jesus the same thing?

- If we are alive when Jesus comes back will we see him on his white horse (we read Rev 19:11ff)?

- Can we see/touch God? If we did see Him would we die (we read exodus where Moses asks to see God)?

And the list goes on and on and on. This went on for at least 20 minutes.

I have never see that happen...ever. I have never seen 25 kids intensely engaged enough to ask questions that long, sit still that long, and be interested that long. This tells me one thing. God is way more amazing than we are or how we describe Him to our kids.

I say that to ask for your prayer. Pray that these kids would continue to fall in love with God more because of their glimpses of God from Scripture. In fact, if you just read this I want to ask you to stop Doing whatever your doing and pray right now!

Jared

FAMILY PLUS Children's - Shock your kids by doing this...

Hey Parents!

This week is a week of thankfulness! I know that's something we could all use more of in our homes...I know Katie and I could. From the time our kids begin talking we teach them to say, "Thank you!" Let's face it! Sometimes they say it begrudgingly and sometimes they say it sincerely. Our hope is that they'll turn the duty of saying "thank you" into a delight of blessing someone with their actions. 

Thanks what this weeks lesson is about...10 lepers that are healed, but only 1 returns to praise Jesus. We all want our kids to be the 1...don't we? I long for my boys to be the 1 that recognizes God's work around them and turns to praise God.

This week simply point out things verbally that God has done, and immediately stop and praise God through prayer. Intentionally shock them by doing this at seemingly random times. Times they wouldn't expect it! Do things like...

-Fill up you car with gas, and as soon as you get in the car stop and say a prayer of thanks for gas.

-After loading the groceries in the car get in and say a prayer of thanks for groceries.

-After a fun event with your kids, stop and say a prayer of thanks for your kids.

This week your job is to catch them off guard with your thankfulness. Have some fun with this one!

The details of this week are:

Scripture: Luke 17:11-19

Memory Verse: “Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God.” 1 John 4:7

Prayer for the Nations: Belgium

Upcoming Events you need to know about!!!

August 4th - Illuminate - A family friendly time to celebrate what God has done in the New Generations Ministry and worship Him!

August 7th - 

Taste and See - A time to "taste and see" delicious food prepared by the Hospitality Ministry and to "taste and see" various adult groups and ministries beginning in the Fall.

Back to School Bash - While the parents are at "Taste and See" the kids will be having their own celebration. Students will be cooking out and listening to a great band, and kids will be partying on inflatables and watching an illusionist!

Jared Norris

Children's Minister

The Glade Church

FAMILY PLUS Children's - 2nd Chance Conversations

Hey Everyone!

On Sunday your kids are going to be hearing all about the one who had a 2nd chance from his father, the Lost/Prodigal Son. It was a 2nd chance that included grace and mercy, a chance that all of us would want. It was a chance that was undeserved. This is important to note because we will be tying their lesson back to the 2nd chance that God, our Father, gives us through Jesus Christ. 

This week talk to your kids about their faith. Do you know where they spiritually are? For the past 2 weeks I've been following up with approximately 40-50 kids from Summer Jam about where they are spiritually. Some parents have a great handle on where their children are. Some parents have literally never had a conversation with their kids about their faith. I say that to encourage you to start having those conversations. They're vitally important and will stick with your kids for years to come. 

This week's Kidstuf details are...

Scripture: Luke 15:11-24 (The Lost Son or Prodigal Son)

Memory Verse: “Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God.” 1 John 4:7 

Prayer for the Nations:  Belgium

Jared Norris

Children's Minister

The Glade Church

FAMILY PLUS Children's - This Works!

Hey Everyone!

This week in Kidstuf it's all about "loving your enemy". Let's face it...when it comes to our kids somedays it's a win if you can get them to "love" anyone, not just their enemy. Our kids get in moods just like any of us can, and love can be a difficult verb to enact. Also, many of our kids don't exactly have enemies till around 4th/5th grade at the earliest (at least in my observation), but be assured they know what an enemy is. The shows they watch and books they read have plenty of enemies in them, or at least an antagonist of some kind.

This is one of those instances where you can be a proactive parent, not a reactive parent. You can proactively discuss how we should "love our enemies," and then when you have a difficult situation arise in your own life model how to "love your enemies."

This works! In fact, I'm a product of it. My father is/was very active in the community. He was a teacher/administrator in the schools for 35+ years, so let's just say he was a part of a few tense situations. When I was in high school and early college, I was a part of some really painful situations in several areas of my life. Dad and I would talk about the situation, and often he would tell me to love those people and move on. When he told me to love them, I never hesitated because I had seen his response in several of the tense situations he had been in. I can remember them vividly to this day. 

Bottom Line...Because I chose to love them, I can still serve them today with integrity. Actually this next week, I get to serve them on the Middle School Mission Trip because it's in my hometown. And in August, I get to go back and serve them again with another situation. Don't get me wrong, it took many years to heal my heart, and I will never forget the pain. The difference is I don't have to live with the pain of the poor choices I made in that circumstance. I can't tell you how grateful I am for that!

This details for this week...

Scripture: Luke 6:27-36

Memory Verse: “Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God.” 1 John 4:7 

Prayer for the Nations: Belgium

Jared Norris

Children's Minister 

The Glade Church