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.
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!
This week I had the opportunity to speak at Camp Patmos to a group of two hundred 4th-6th graders. Camp Patmos is located on the beautiful Kelleys Island on Lake Eerie. My schedule doesn’t allow me to do much camp speaking (although I love it) but I accepted this invitation from one of my best childhood friends.
The theme of camp this summer was Pursuit. I decided to speak on Jonah each night (a guy who made one bad choice after another and was pursued by God) and Corrie Ten Boom each morning (a lady who made one good choice after another and pursued God). The story of Jonah is always a hit with kids. I wasn’t sure how Corrie Ten Boom would go but really felt compelled to share her story. These tweens loved Corrie’s story.
Question: How much time do you give to sharing the stories of great Christian heroes of the faith? As children’s pastors, we are the first one to shake our heads at Miley Cyrus and other famous people that kids choose as heroes.
Think about the lives of great people like Corrie Ten Boom, Jim Elliot, Amy Carmichael, Fanny Crosby, Martin Luther, Joni Eareckson Tada, and others. How will the kids in our churches learn about them if we don’t tell them? Are we justified in “preaching” to them about bad role models and heroes if we don’t tell them the stories of the good ones?
I think there needs to be a return to telling some hero stories – intentionally. That’s the way I see it.
About five years ago I decided to take a break from Veggie Tales on Sunday mornings. Don’t get me wrong, I never played Veggie Tales week after week, but occasionally would show one for something different. One day I decided that the kids had seen enough Veggie Tales in Kids Church. Maybe it was me that had seen enough Veggie Tales in Kids Church. I figured they all have the videos at home and I wanted them to have something different at church.
Last week I had a few minutes to kill (waiting for a haircut) and stopped at the local Christian bookstore. I saw a POP display with the new Veggie Tale’s movie, “The Wizard of Ha’s”. I decided to buy the DVD and add it to the library in the resource room at church. Without going into the details, I decided to show a video yesterday morning in our second service Kids Church. I decided to show my new Veggie Tales DVD.
Boy was I surprised. Here’s why.
Continue reading ‘Bob, Larry and bus kids’
Purple Cow
Written by: Seth Godin
ISBN: 159184021X
Pages: 160
Themes: Marketing, Ideas, Growth
One reason I love hanging out with Nevan Hooker (our Product Development Director) is because he’s always giving me out-of-the-box ideas and telling me about the books he is reading. A few months back he told me that one of our new products looked really purple to him. Purple? That’s when I learned about the Purple Cow.
I got on Amazon.com and bought the book. One thing I love about Amazon.com is how easy it is to buy a book. They really make it too easy! From the time I go to their website until the time I check out it’s under 60 seconds. Okay, I’ll get off that rabbit trail and back to the subject at hand.
Here’s the low-down on the Purple Cow. How do great ideas spread? Why do some churches, companies, salesmen, game systems, etc. succeed while others fade away? Purple Cow is a book about how to move your business (or ministry) from ho-hum to wow.
So where does the name Purple Cow come from?
Continue reading ‘Super-Ultra-Amazing-Must-Read Book: Purple Cow’
