Plugged-In Parent Newsletter (March 2015) by Immanuel Baptist Church

MARCH 2015

PLUGGED IN A MONTHLY PUBLICATIONTO HELP PARENTS BETTER PLUG INTOTHE SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT OFTHEIR STUDENT

March Issue THIS MONTH

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DODGEBALL @ WAR MEMORIAL (3/11)

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HS GO TRIP REGISTRATION DEADLINE (3/15)

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WAKING THE FAMILY WITH DR. RICHARD ROSS (3/15)

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GIRLS MINISTRY (3/15) SPRING BREAK (3/23-27)

COMING SOON

KINGDOM COOPERATION THIS MONTH, WE HAVE A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE KINGDOM COOPERATION HERE IN LITTLE ROCK. A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO OUR STUDENT MINISTRY AND OVER A DOZEN OTHER CHURCHES IN THE METRO AREA CREATED THE 501 NETWORK TO HELP EXPOSE EVERY SCHOOL CAMPUS/TEENAGER TO THE GOOD NEWS OF CHRIST. ONE TOOL WE HOPE WILL HELP WITH THIS CHALLENGE IS DODGEBALL ON MARCH 11. WE ARE ANTICIPATING OVER 2000 TEENAGERS AT WAR MEMORIAL STADIUM THAT EVENING, MANY OF WHOM WHO HAVE NEVER HEARD OF JESUS. WOULD JOIN US IN THIS COOPERATIVE EFFORT? WE NEED HUNDREDS OF ADULT VOLUNTEERS TO MAKE THIS A HAPPEN. SIGN UP AT WWW.501NETWORK.ORG A publication of IBC Student Ministr y.  www.ibclrstudents.org © 2015

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STUDENT TAKEOVER (ALL OF APRIL)

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EASTER (4/5) IMPACT LITTLE ROCK (4/18) GRADUATE RECOGNITION WEEKEND (5/2-3)

HE A RT CONNE X RESPECTING GOD’S AUTHORITY

ENGAGE

RULES FOR BIBLICAL DATING (PART 2)

EQUIP

FOUR WORDS THAT CAN TRANSFORM YOUR CONVERSATION WITH TEENAGERS

STUDENT MINISTRY STAFF

Matt Hubbard

Melissa Sponer

Ross Spigner

Amanda Beach

Lead Student Pastor

Girls Ministry Associate

Middle School Pastor

Ministry Assistant

AS A KID, I ALWAYS WANTED TO BE…    A PROFESSIONAL GOLFER.

AS A KID, I ALWAYS WANTED TO BE…    A DANCER.

AS A KID, I ALWAYS WANTED TO BE…    A PRO BASKETBALL PLAYER.

AS A KID, I ALWAYS WANTED TO BE…    AN ARTIST.

From Our Heart The lasting effects of a revival, I think, depends on families to disciple their children who will then disciple their children. We believe that Waking the Family Sunday on March 15 will be a day where the Lord speaks to parents to either begin or continue a work of generational disciple-making in the home. I was struck this week by the generational family description in Proverbs 4:1-6. Throughout the book of Proverbs, a father in memorable fashion pleas with his son to listen carefully to his teachings. It reads in v. 1 saying, “Hear, O sons, a Father’s instruction and be attentive, that you may gain insight, for I give you good precepts; do not forsake my teaching.” But what struck me is that the current day proverbial father explains that he was once in his son’s shoes. Verses 3 and 4 read, “When I was a son with my father, tender, the only one in the sight of my mother, he taught me…” Just in these few verses, we see discipleship occurred through two generations. We have a father who taught his son; and that son became a father who is now teaching his son. Maybe you can say that you had the father who taught you the wisdom of walking with the Lord. Others of you might readily admit that your father inadequately taught you the ways of God. In either case, we as a church desire to come alongside to reinstate parents who will disciple their families so that when your children are grown, they will choose to disciple their children. For this reason, from our hearts, we are praying for God to spark revival in our homes. We, with confidence, are praying particularly for March 15, that God will stir in your heart.

HEART CONNEX This is an excerpt on Respecting God’s Authority in Heart Connex a FREE, weekly devotional for parents of teens by Dr. Richard Ross (Lifeway). 1. HE ART SURPR ISE (TODAY THE PARENT GOES FIR ST); SAY I AM IN AWE THAT CHR IST DIED FOR MY SINS AND HAS

FORGIVEN ME. IF I WERE TO ACCEPT TOTAL FORGIVENESS FROM HIM, BUT REF USE TO FORGIVE MEMBER S OF THIS FAMILY WHO HURT ME, I WOULD BE…

2. RE AD SCR IPTURE: IN VITE A FAMILY MEMBER TO PR AY. ASK FAMILY MEMBER S TO READ DEUTERONOMY 10:12-22. DISCUSS THE TRUTH AND UNTRUTHS IN LIGHT OF THIS PASSAGE  TRUTH  - GOD BOTH DESERVES AND COMMANDS RESPECT FOR HIS AUTHOR ITY.  UNTRUTHS  - GOD IS TOO FAR AWAY FOR ME TO WOR RY ABOUT HIM.  - GOD IS LIK E A GR ANDFATHER—HE’S NICE, BUT YOU RE ALLY DON’T HAVE TO LISTEN TO HIM.  - WHETHER OR NOT GOD E XISTS, I AM MY OWN HIGHEST AUTHOR ITY.

3. E XPLORE SCR IPTURE: MAK E SURE EVERY FAMILY MEMBER CAN SEE A BIBLE FOR THE RE ADING OF

DEUTERONOMY 10:12-22. ASK FAMILY MEMBER S TO RE AD THE PASSAGE SILENTLY. USING THE PASSAGE, DISCUSS WHY WE SHOULD RESPECT THE AUTHOR ITY OF GOD. EMPHASIZE THE FOLLOWING (AND POSSIBLY OTHER S):  - A HE ALTHY RESPECT FOR GOD LE ADS TO BLESSINGS (V. 13).  - EVERYTHING IN THE UNIVER SE (INCLUDING PEOPLE) BELONGS TO GOD (V.14).  - GOD PER SONALLY CHOSE EVERY BELIEVER (V. 15).  - GOD IS SOVEREIGN AND RULES OVER ALL OTHER POWER S (V. 17).  - GOD IS COMPLETELY FAIR AND DEEPLY COMPASSIONATE (V V. 17-18).  - GOD HAS DONE AMAZING THINGS IN AND AROUND BELIEVER S (V. 21-22).  READ THE LIST AGAIN. ASK: DO YOU FIND THIS A CON VINCING CASE FOR RESPECTING GOD’S AUTHOR ITY?

4. THINK IT THROUGH: A TEENAGER WILL LEAD THIS STEP. 5. NAIL IT DOWN: SAY: SOME PEOPLE WHO GREW UP WITH TWISTED IDEAS ABOUT GOD MIGHT SAY, “I CAN ONLY

FE AR HIM, NOT LOVE HIM.” OTHER S MAY WANT TO CONSTRUCT A GOD IN THEIR OWN MINDS. HOLD A COIN IN YOUR HAND. ASK: IF WE USED A JEWELER’S SAW TO CUT THIS COIN IN TWO—SEPAR ATING THE HE AD FROM THE TAIL—WOULD IT STILL BE A COIN? (NO) CAN YOU “SAW” GOD IN TWO AND HE STILL BE GOD? (NO) CHALLENGE YOUR FAMILY TO WORK TOWAR D BLENDING THEIR LOVE FOR GOD AND THEIR RESPECT FOR HIS AUTHOR ITY.

6. PR AY: A TEENAGER WILL LEAD THIS PR AYER. 7. BLESSING: SAY: I BLESS THIS FAMILY FOR YOUR LOVE TOWAR D GOD AND RESPECT FOR HIS AUTHOR ITY. PARENT TIP: PARENTING STY LES CAN INFLUENCE HOW A CHILD MOVES TOWAR D A PER SONAL RELATIONSHIP

WITH JESUS. IT IS EASIER FOR CHILDREN TO GR ASP GOD’S GR ACE WHEN THEY LIVE WITH PARENTS WHO RELATE TO THEM IN GR ACE. CON VER SELY, IT IS DIFFICULT FOR CHILDREN TO SEE HIS GR ACE WHEN THEY SELDOM SEE THE QUALITY AT HOME.

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2015 / March 1

Registration opens for Collide Summer Camp

MS / HS worship/meal

Dodgeball Tournament @ War Memorial 5:30

MS / HS 19 worship/meal

Praise Band Auditions

Dodgeball Reg. Due

Waking the Family GM Event 12-2pm Go Trip Reg. Due

Spring Break

24 Spring Break 25

No Youth Worship

Spring Break

COMING SOON

April April 5 April 4 or 11 April 18 April 19 May 2-3 June 15-19

Student Takeover Easter Sunday High School Boys Hiking Trip (TBD) Impact Little Rock SE Asia GO Training 101 Senior Recognition Weekend Collide Summer Camp

ENGAGE

WILL YOU GO OUT WITH ME? RULES FOR BIBLICAL DATING Many of us date poorly. A high view of true, biblical manhood and womanhood leads us to a high view of dating. May we date well, intentionally, and for the glory of God.

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In my last post, I gave you three rules on dating according to the Bible. And just in terms of review, the three rules were:

• Don’t follow your heart

• You can’t go halfway in dating

• Always return your date “more holy” than she was when you picked her up.

This week, we look at three more rules for biblical dating, but there is a twist. You could title this week’s article, “Rules for a Biblical Break Up,” as we are going to look at some common pitfalls if and when dating relationships do not end in marriage. Again, I give you these not as a man who has all of the answers, but as a friend trying to remind you of God’s truth in order that you would glorify God in the strange world called dating.

RULE NUMBER FOUR: When someone breaks up with you, don’t ask them why.

I hate to break it to you, but when someone breaks up with you and they are not giving you a reason, that means that they may be

breaking up with you because of something that you can’t change—for example your looks, your personality, your convictions, etc. So don’t press them, don’t ask why. The relationship is not going to work out, and my best advice to you is just accept that and move on. The thing that you don’t want to do is to change who you are to win someone back. The Bible says that you are fearfully and wonderfully made, and intricately woven together by the hand of God (Psalm 139:14-15). The Bible also says that God has good plans for you (Jeremiah 29:11). One day someone will love you for exactly who you are, for exactly who God made you to be. So, don’t worry why someone doesn’t like the person you are, be yourself and know that putting on an act to win someone’s aﬀection will never make you happy.

RULE NUMBER FIVE: Move On.

When someone breaks up with you—or more importantly, when you break up with someone else—make the decision and move on. Most great dating mistakes are made after the initial break up. Couples half-heartedly get back together because of loneliness or jealousy and can really hurt one another. If you have dated someone and for some reason the relationship needs to end, you need to separate yourself emotionally from that person, at least for a period of time. Do not be selfish, especially by continuing to toy with the emotions of someone you are not truly committed to. The only purpose for dating is to pursue A publication of IBC Student Ministr y.  www.ibclrstudents.org © 2015

God’s design for relationships between a man and a woman: marriage. I am reminded of the words of Paul from Philippians 2:3-4, “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” Remember, if you are going to honor God in your dating, you must guard the heart of the one you are dating, and this is especially diﬃcult and important in a break up.

RULE NUMBER SIX: Don’t be desperate.

There is an old adage that says, “It is better to be single and wish you were married than married and wish you were single.” There is a lot of truth in that statement, but let me give you another statement (less

pithy but no less true): If you are trying to find ultimate fulfillment in dating and marriage you never will. God designed you to find fulfillment in him above all else. Dating and marriage are great gifts, but they are not able to give you the ultimate fulfillment that you desire, only God can do that. So focus on him, find a place to serve him, be consistent in worshipping him and when you least expect it he will bring into your life the person of your dreams.

I hope this list is helpful and that you will take these things to heart, for your own joy and the glory of Christ in all the earth.

BY JASON DEES, SENIOR PASTOR,VALLEYDALE CHURCH, BIRMINGHAM,AL ABAMA

WAKING THE

FAMILY

Home 22:6 Sunday

MARCH 15 | 9:00 & 10:30 am Family isn’t something we do, it’s who we are.

Special Guest Speaker

Dr. Richard Ross

EQUIP

FOUR WORDS THAT CAN TRANSFORM YOUR CONVERSATION WITH TEENAGERS Ever been in a conversation with a teenager where you weren’t sure what to say next?

Maybe it was because of a surprising statement or shocking word choice. Maybe it was because you suddenly heard a secret, something incredible or something tragic. Or Maybe it was because you got hit with a hard question.

Over on the YS Blog we shared three things you can say when you aren't quite sure how to respond. When faced with tough—and real—questions, most of the time we need to “put pastoral care before apologetics.”

Our friend Andrew Zirschky at the Center for Youth Ministry Training urges based on

his own research, “If we are going to respond adequately to the doubting experiences of youth, we need to ensure that young people … have patient, understanding companions who can guide and care for them through the twists and turns of the journey of doubt.”

You might, of course, have an answer to the question. But even if you do, it might be wise to step back and probe a bit before unleashing your “right” answer. It might turn out that being heard is more important than the answer itself, at least at the moment.

I don’t know, but …

So with that theme of companionship in mind, here are the four words we think every parent, leader, and mentor should keep handy in their back pocket for moments like these:

“I don’t know, but …”

There are a handful of great ways to complete that sentence.

I don’t know, but …

‣ … that's an important question.

‣ … let’s find out.

‣ … I wonder that, too.

‣ … I bet you’re not the first person to ask that.

‣ … who do you think we could ask about that?

‣ … I wonder what stirred up that question just now?

‣ … God can handle that question.

‣ … thanks for sharing it with me.

What else have you found helpful in responding to teenagers’ hard questions?

What other endings to that sentence would you add to this list? BY BRAD GRIFFIN,ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF FULLER YOUTH INSTITUTE

https:// ibclr.ccbchurch.com/ form_response.php?id=155

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