Let's go Kinda Crazy

This month in KidStuf and Sunday School we'll be talking about Kindness!

Now, I don't know what comes to mind when you think of kindness. If you grew up with rough and tumble siblings, you may have come to the conclusion that nice guys finish last. If you work in a cutthroat environment, you know it doesn't pay to be seen as Mr. or Ms. Milk Toast. If your children watched Barney (of purple dinosaur fame), you may have the desire to pull your hair out if you hear that song one more time. You know which one.

Rest assured, we will not be going there! Kindness is not insipid, limp wristed, or ineffectual. It takes (and makes) some real muscle to be kind. It often requires an iron will. It may insist that we roll up our sleeves and get our hands dirty. It even necessitates, on occasion, radical action.

Jesus was kind, of course. But He definitely wasn't namby-pamby. The Jesus who took those little kids in His arms and blessed them was the same one who ran off the moneychangers and called out the Pharisees--not the actions of a weak person, which unfortunately is often how kindness is perceived.

We need to paint a truer picture of kindness for our kids, one that sets the bar higher than merely responding to someone else in kind. One that kindles consideration of others, that stirs up empathy for their needs, that ignites a generous rather than a fighting spirit when they do us wrong. In short, one that looks more like Jesus.

So we'll be exploring what Jesus did and said about kindness, which is showing others they are valuable by how you treat them:

Do to others what you want them to do to you. The gold standard of kindness, from Luke 6.

Treat others the way Jesus would treat them. Jesus gave others (including kids!) His time and attention, from Mark 10.

Treat others as if they belong to God. When you do, it's as if you're treating Jesus that way, from Matthew 25.

Do for your enemies what they wouldn't do for you. Give them another chance, from Acts 9.

Here's the challenge to both adults and students: go kinda crazy and surprise the people around you with kindness!

By Melanie Williams. © 2010 The reThink Group * www.rethinkgroup.org * All rights reserved. Used by permission

Pray for KidStuf

I’m really excited to kick-off a new year of KidStuf! Will you join with me in asking God to move in amazing ways this year? Below are a few ideas of things we can be praying for. Let’s pray with confidence, asking God to touch lives through our ministries on Wednesday nights. I’m so excited to see how the Lord will move this year! Thank you for teaming with me in prayer!

1. Salvation. Ask God to bring children into a relationship with Him through KidStuf. Pray that children will understand the Gospel and we will know how to present it well.

2. Vision. Ask God to provide vision for reaching families and vision for the future of this ministry.

3. Families. Ask God to equip parents as spiritual leaders. Ask God to lay it on parents’ hearts to join their children for KidStuf.

4. Curriculum. Ask God to use 252 basics to help children come to know Him, to understand Him more, and be challenged to be more like Him.

5. Leaders. Pray that adults will be filled with the Spirit so they can serve with excellence. Pray that they’ll be inspired and encouraged to build relationships with children and demonstrate God’s love to them. Pray that they will be energized to continue serving and blessed for their service.

Pray for TrendSetters

I’m really looking forward to kicking off a NEW year of ministry to 5^th & 6^th graders. Will you join me in thanking the Lord in advance for what he will do in the lives of preteens at FBC this year? Let’s pray together for our TrendSetters. Here are a few things I’m asking God for in 2011:

1. Salvation! That 5^th & 6^th graders hearts will be softened to God’s Word and they will accept His grace, confess their sins, and surrender their lives to Him. Also that the families of these students will come to know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Let’s pray with faith that students will come to know Jesus this year through TrendSetters.

2. Vision for how to reach the families of the 5th & 6th graders that attend TrendSetters.

3. Teaching that challenges students to come to know Christ and to draw nearer to Him. That the curriculum we use will be effective.

4. Understanding of God’s Word. That these students will recognize the Bible as a source of authority in their lives and allow the Holy Spirit to help them understand and apply it.

5. Servant focus for the Christian students @ TrendSetters. That the students in TrendSetters that have a relationship with Jesus would see TrendSetters as an opportunity to show Christ’s love and grace to the others there. That they would not come merely for themselves, but to be an example and witness to others.

6. Energy, enthusiasm, grace, unity, and vision for our leadership team. Pray that our leaders will be filled with the Spirit and have all it takes to minister to these students with excellence.

Determination - January KidStuf

This month during Sunday School and KidStuf, we'll be studying the virtue of Determination. As a reminder, virtues are things God does in us to change the world around us. As our character looks more and more like God's, he can use us to show others how incredible He is! Determination is deciding it's worth it to finish what you started. You better believe I need this reminder at the start of a New Year. Let's all resolve to draw nearer to Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith, this year. We'll need lots of determination to do that. Students will memorize Hebrews 12: 1 "Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." I want to make sure we remember verse 2 as well - "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith." We certainly don't have the strength to persevere on our own, but when we fix our eyes on Jesus He will give us the determination we need.

Here's an overview of what we'll talk about...
Keep doing what God says because He is God. (The Israelites leave Egypt, Exodus)

Keep doing what you should do so you don't miss something really good. (40 years in the wilderness, Numbers 14)

Keep doing what you should do because God says you can. (Learning from Israel's history, 1 Corinthians 10)

Keep doing what you should do even if it's hard. (Paul and his trials, 2 Corinthians 11; Acts 20)

Thank goodness God is our source of strength. Remember to use God-Time cards and refrigerator doors for great discussion starters at home. Be determined to discuss spiritual things with your children this month. Be determined to make time alone with God an important part of your schedule and your child's. Blessings!

Are You Plugged In? - January TrendSetters

We're kicking off a NEW series at TrendSetters this month - ARE YOU PLUGGED IN? This series will take a serious look at what it really means to be a Christian. Check out an overview of the lessons below.

Week 1 (Jan. 5): Relationship vs. Rules
Main Point: Christianity is about a relationship with God, not about following the rules.
Bible: John 10:10; Mathew 23:27; Galatians 5:22

Week 2 (Jan. 12): God's Way vs. Our Way
Main Point: God's way is always the best way!
Bible References: Acts 8:4-6;26-40

Week 3 (Jan. 19): Doing vs. Knowing
Main Point: Put Your Faith Into Action
Bible References: James 1:22;25; Matthew 7:24-27

Week 4 (Feb. 2): Accepting vs. Trying
Main Point: Rely on God, not yourself!
Bible References: Matthew 26:31-35, Act 2:41-45