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Church Life

Aug 17
Love0

How to Help Your Children Build Relationships with Christian Mentors

By Church Life, Parenting: Teens and Beyond
Studies show that one of the most significant factors in a young person walking with the Lord is a quality relationship with a parent or mentor. How can we encourage these relationships in the church? Family-Initiated MentorsOne way to connect others involves helping parents realize the importance of these relationships. Often parents are so busy “doing the next thing” that they are not looking at the bigger picture. But if parents realized how vital these connections are, they would be motivated to find mentors or prayer partners for their children. They will take initiative and make connections themselves.Youth group training material often encourages there…
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Jul 30
Love0

Children’s Ministry and Its Importance in the Church – Jared Kennedy

By Church Life, Family Discipleship, Parenting: Childhood, Parenting: Early Years, Parenting: Teens and Beyond, Podcast
On this episode of The Disciple-Making Parent podcast, we explore the critical balance between children's ministry and parental discipleship in the church. We speak with Jared Kennedy, author of "Keeping Your Children's Ministry on Mission: Practical Strategies for Discipling the Next Generation," who shares his journey from aspiring missionary to children's ministry leader. We discuss how children's ministry is not merely childcare but a vital part of the church's mission to pass faith to the next generation. Kennedy challenges the notion that parents are the sole disciplers of children, arguing that Scripture places this responsibility on the entire covenant community.…
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Jun 25
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The Pastor’s Family – Brian Croft

By Church Life, Leadership, Marriage, Podcast
On this episode of The Disciple-Making Parent, we welcome Brian Croft to discuss the delicate balance between pastoral ministry and family life. We explore practical ways pastors can faithfully serve their church while prioritizing their spouse and children. Brian shares personal stories about adapting his parenting approach to meet each child's unique needs and how these family experiences have made him a more effective pastor. We discuss how receiving honest feedback from family members can improve preaching, and how explaining scripture to children helps create messages that connect with all ages. Brian also offers valuable insights on maintaining meaningful connections…
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Jun 11
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Managing Your Households Well (Part 2) – Chap Bettis

By Christian Living, Church Life, Family Discipleship, Podcast
On this episode of The Disciple-Making Parent Podcast, we continue our look at my newest book, Managing Your Households Well. We’ll explore the vital connection between family and church leadership through Paul's teaching in 1 Timothy 3:5. We discover how leading a family well directly impacts church leadership, examining four key areas: leading effectively, communicating with purpose, handling conflict, and building character. We also discuss how true leadership involves both serving others and maintaining forward momentum in our God-given responsibilities.  Resources Mentioned: Join Newsletter and get The Disciple-Making Parent audiobook for freeManaging Your Households Well - AmazonManaging Your Households Well bonuses…
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May 28
Love0

Managing Your Households Well (Part 1) – Chap Bettis

By Christian Living, Church Life, Family Discipleship, Podcast
On this episode of The Disciple-Making Parent Podcast, we explore the critical but often misunderstood topic of managing our households well. We're excited to announce the release of Chap’s new book "Managing Your Households Well" which examines how family leadership prepares us for church leadership. The episode unpacks two key insights from first half of the book. Chap will discuss the delicate balance of authority and affection in both parenting and pastoring, and why authenticity matters more than maintaining a perfect appearance. Join us as we discover why managing our households well isn't about having a perfect family, but about…
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May 03
Love0

Real Men Sing

By Church Life
What is it about men and young men singing in worship? So many times, it seems that our young men are slouching in worship both literally and figuratively. And then these same men don't seem to outgrow this phase. As a pastor, I have had grown men look me in the eye and say, "I don't sing." It is like I was asking them to paint their toenails pink.My response was this: "Singing is a duty. And it is a delight." The following are some thoughts prompted by Bob Kauflin's article of over 10 years ago. The sentences below, between quotation marks, are…
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Oct 23
Love0

Thoughts on Biblical Hospitality – Jason Hsieh

By Christian Living, Church Life, Family Discipleship, Leadership, Podcast
On this episode of The Disciple-Making Parent, we welcome Jason Hsieh as we explore thoughts on biblical hospitality. We dive into the biblical foundations of hospitality, discussing passages from Romans, Deuteronomy, and Hebrews that shed light on this often misunderstood practice. Jason and I discuss the common cultural misconceptions about hospitality, emphasizing that it's not just about fancy meals or social gatherings, but a profound way of showing love to strangers and those in vulnerable positions. We examine how hospitality reflects God's grace towards us and how we can embody this in our own lives. Join us as we unpack…
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Oct 15
Love0

Building Backbone as a Leader

By Christian Living, Church Life, Leadership
I am still working on a book that, Lord willing, will be published next summer. In it, I am arguing that many church leadership lessons can be learned in the home. We can learn to lead, communicate, and handle conflict in the smaller context of family. But we also need to learn character lessons. The following is one section from the character chapter.   Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. (Josh. 1:9)With sweating hands and a racing heart, I picked up the phone. An older woman had become dissatisfied with our church and left for another church. I accepted…
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Apr 22
Love0

Greeting Each Other: The Most Basic Expression of Love

By Christian Living, Church Life
Our children are watching how we interact at church. Over the years, I have noticed that some Christians have not mastered the most basic form of love: greeting one another. The simple act of greeting is seen by some as optional. But Christians are commanded in God's word by precept and example to express love to one another in the most basic of ways. A quick survey of the New Testament reveals that we are commanded by God to: Greet one another with a holy kiss. (Romans 16:16, 1 Corinthians 16:20, 2 Corinthians 13:12) Greet one another with a kiss of love.…
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Mar 18
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Family Pastor, Your Home is Your Focus Group

By Church Life, Family Discipleship, Parenting: Childhood, Parenting: Early Years, Parenting: Teens and Beyond
As a side benefit of my conference ministry, I am privileged to meet a number of godly young pastors. Some have the role of family pastor and some are senior pastors with a heart for family discipleship. The very reason they have me in to speak is because they want to equip the parents in their church to pass the gospel to the next generation.  They also know the church is important in this calling. And so they will launch initiatives to encourage and help parents. But too often those initiatives have less success than they wanted. What seemed like a…
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