Sunday night my pastor was preaching on friends. Toward the end of the message, we read from 3 John, verse 14. It says, “Greet the friends there by name.”

How well are you doing remembering people’s names? This doesn’t come easy for me. I struggle with my short-term memory. I have to make a game out of it and learn names like I learn Scripture verses – by repetition. If I meet someone new at church, I will repeat their name back to them a half dozen times in our conversation. That’s how I remember.

Dale Carnegie was right when he said, “Remember that a [person]’s name is to [them] the sweetest and most important sound in any language.”

Do you feel like you need more free time? I know I do sometimes. Here are three proven ways to get more free time in your schedule:

1. Learn to work faster. Sometimes you just need to get more efficient and start doing what you do quicker. For example, if you spend half your day on email, you’re a slave to your email and it’s a time waster.

2. Start delegating to other people. You don’t have to do everything yourself. Get qualified people to help you and watch your free time grow.

3. Look at what you’re doing right now and give some of it up. Simply quit doing some of the stuff you are doing right now – it’s that plain (but not always that simple). My hunch is that this one is the one that will really pay off.

It’s time to talk about the final chapter of Raising a Modern-Day Joseph.

Chapter 7: Connecting Life Threads with Life Segments

Chapter 7 in a 111 words or less:
In this chapter, Larry takes a closer look at the five life threads that should be weaved throughout all do you to spiritually develop kids. The five life threads are 1) respect, 2) wisdom, 3) grace, 4) destiny and 5) perspective. When reading this chapter we are reminded of the importance of these life threads and very practical ways to weave them in every day life. The chapter ends with a prayer that each reader will be effective in discipling children.

Thought-provoking quote from chapter 7:
“…we’re the first ‘Jesus’ our children will see.”

If you don’t have your hands on this book you need to buy it today! I bought a copy of the book for every member of our church staff. You should too.

It’s winter right now in Indiana.  That means that spring is just a few months away.  (I went to school for 12 years to learn that!)  Here in Indiana, spring means time to plow and plant for most farmers.  They tear up the old stalks and roots, and bring fresh soil to the surface.  That allows them to plant new seed on top that will flourish and grow.  But what happens if that farmer doesn’t plow his field and just throws seed on top of it all?  (Some of you from in the city may have to think harder about this one.)  Very little grows.  Shocking, I know.  Scripture points this out to us too:

Proverbs 20:4 (NCV) “Lazy farmers don’t plow when they should; they expect a harvest, but there is none.”

I find myself like that lazy farmer a lot.  It’s hard to part with old things.  They’re just comfortable.  I’m pretty sure you know what I’m talking about too.  What are those policies, programs, ideas, or people that are comfortable and are so hard to get rid of?  They’re like the old crops for the farmer.  We try and tell ourselves that we can add this new thing to the old thing, and it’ll be better.  Take this hypothetical classroom for example: you have an old, grumpy, generally angry guy teaching a class.  So you think, “Well, if I just put someone less grumpy in there with him, it’ll all be OK.”  The thing is, the problem is still there.  You’re just masking it.  You can throw fertile new young hearts out onto that soil, but few of them will take.  You haven’t plowed the problem.

Sometimes, plowing things up and getting rid of the old is painful.  It takes a sharp blade to plow.  You’ll make people mad.  It’s guaranteed.  I realize you can’t just go around offending everybody.  That’s poor leadership.  There’s also a point at which you let yourself be walked on too much.  That’s poor leadership too.  It all comes down to what’s more important.  Offending a few adults who have had years to grow in their faith, or turning an entire generation of kids with fertile new hearts (seeds) off to the Gospel because you weren’t willing to plow up the old stuff?  Take a look at your ministry today: what can you start plowing up?

Ready for the plan? That’s what chapter seven of Raising a Modern-Day Joseph is all about. Here’s my review.

Chapter 6: The Joseph Plan

Chapter 6 in a 111 words or less:
Ultimately how a child turns out is between them and God. However, as parents and children’s leaders we are obligated to do our part. Introducing the Joseph plan. Chapter 6 helps you create a workable plan for growing Joseph’s in your family and church. The plan starts with involving everyone – this means the children’s workers, youth workers and parents and ends with celebrating the milestones of spiritual growth in their young lives. To learn all ten steps of the plan, pick up the book and start reading!

Thought-provoking quote from chapter 6:
“…when it comes to raising our kids, there is a spiritual parallel to GPS. It’s the work of the Holy Spirit in a young person’s life.”

It’s time for me to tell you about the next chapter of Raising a Modern-Day Joseph. This chapter is all about teamwork. Here we go!

Chapter 5: Dream Team, Dream Teamwork

Chapter 5 in a 111 words or less:
There’s a lot to digest and process in chapter five of this excellent book. I’ll summarize the entire chapter in a word: teamwork. Too often in church the children’s ministry, the youth ministry, the adult ministry, and parents all want the best for the young people, but they aren’t working together as a team. Larry challenges the children’s ministry and youth ministry to start integrating their efforts. The chapter ends with an important reminder to involve parents in the process. After all, the home is the most important element.

Thought-provoking quote from chapter 5:
“Teamwork. It trumps talent and technique.”

Chapter four of Raising a Modern-Day Joseph is one of the best chapters of the book! You should buy the book if for no other reason than to read these pages. Here’s an overview.

Chapter 4: A Clear Target

Chapter 4 in a 111 words or less:
This chapter begins with a very eye-opening story that you have to read for yourself. It’s a stark reminder that we need to have a target for how we want out kids to turn out. The reader is introduced to five “master life threads” that should be woven throughout a child’s spiritual training. Joseph modeled these for every parent and children’s worker. They are 1) respect, 2) wisdom, 3) grace, 4) destiny and 5) perspective. As parents and children’s pastors, we have to weave these master life threads into the lives of our children starting today!

Thought-provoking quote from chapter 4:
“Joseph… portrays for us a clear picture – a target – for what our kids should be like when we’ve relinquished control over them. It’s like having the box cover to look at before you put the jigsaw together.”

Are you ready to learn about chapter three of Larry Fowler’s book, Raising a Modern-Day Joseph? Here we go!

Chapter 3: Joseph and an Anti-Joseph

Chapter 3 in a 111 words or less:
In this chapter, Larry Fowler provides an extensive comparison between Joseph and the anti-Joseph, the Prodigal Son. There are a lot of similarities between the two! However, there are several contrasts as well. Would you rather have the kids in your ministry (or your own kids at home) grow up to be Josephs or prodigal sons? We all know the answer to that question – we’d choose Joseph. To raise a Joseph (or generation of Josephs) you have to be intentional. You have to have a target. The target is coming in chapter four.

Thought-provoking quote from chapter 3:
“Joseph is an incredible picture of how we hope our children will turn out. We might not choose the circumstances he had to go through, but we certainly prefer to see our children respond to any difficulties they encounter in the same way Joseph did.”

I am continuing my blog notes on Larry Fowler’s book, Raising a Modern-Day Joseph. Now for chapter 2.

Chapter 2: The Christian Kid Next Door

Chapter 2 in a 111 words or less:
What is the spiritual condition of today’s kids? Most statistics you read are very bleak. Unfortunately, they seem to be true. Research shows that young people have a declining commitment to their faith, they are not transforming what they know about the Bible to how they live, and they don’t know near as much about the Bible as they used to. This is discouraging, but we can’t be too hard on ourselves. There has been progress. In the past decade, the awareness of children’s spiritual development has increased, but there’s still a way to go. To start we need to establish a clear target. That’s where the next chapter comes in.

Thought-provoking quote from chapter 2:
“The true measure of worldview is not found in answers to a survey or multiple-choice test, but in the real decisions of life.”

Last week at CPC I had the chance to hang out with my friend, Larry Fowler, and catch up on life and ministry. Larry is the director of training at Awana and is the author of the new book, Raising a Modern-Day Joseph. Over the next several days, I am going to give you some blog notes from the book. Are you ready?

Chapter 1: The Most Difficult Moment in Parenting

Chapter 1 in a 111 words or less:
From birth, parents prepare for the day when they will let go. This can be difficult as parents finally let go and their child is faced with the opportunity to make their own life decisions. Every Christian parent wants their children to honor God when on their own. In this chapter, Larry introduces us to two dads that we will be acquainted with in the book – the father of Joseph and the father of the Prodigal. We all want our kids to be Josephs when they are out on their own. How can we make sure that happens? We have to take a second look at how we guide children spiritually.

Thought-provoking quote from chapter 1:
“When parents begin to see signs that their children are struggling spiritually, they often direct their angst toward the church.”

Check back for my blog notes on chapter 2. Maybe you should buy the book so you can read it along with me!