Raising our children to love and follow Jesus Christ is our highest parenting priority. But most parents are woefully uninformed and unequipped in this area. They are leaving it all to the church. In this seminar, we want to inspire, encourage, exhort and equip the parents in this vital area of living the Christian life.
Invite Chap to Speak
Consider hosting Chap for your in-person or virtual event.
Conference Topics
The Disciple-Making Parent: Raising Your Children to Love and Follow Jesus Christ
Outline
Session 1 – Where We Are Now and Why They Walk Away– In this first session we look at the precious gift God has given us, the dangers awaiting them, and the call of God upon us to pass the gospel baton. We also look at some reasons that children don’t keep following the Lord.
God’s Most Effective Shepherd – For the second part of this session, we look at God’s calling on parents as the primary disciplers of their children.
Session 2 – Commitments 1 and 2 of Disciple-Making Parents – In this session, we start our journey through 2 Timothy 3:14-15, looking at the process 2nd gen Christians go through and how the most important commitment has to do with our “North Star.” We also look at the power of the local church.
Session 3 – Model and Love. In this session, we talk about two of the most important qualities of our discipleship – modeling a living faith and making our home a loving place. We will talk about home as a place of sanctification and how to emotionally connect with our children.
Session 4 – Teach, Serve, and Pray. In this session, we talk about our commitment to teach the gospel and the Bible and how to do that. We will give particular attention to making suggestions for family devotions and speaking the gospel to your children.
Session 5 – Issues Teens Face. In this optional session, we take a look at some special issues that teens face. We will also quickly cover some thoughts on doubts and the media.
Intended Outcome
Parents will be challenged, inspired, and equipped to take up their God-given role. Pastors and youth pastors can cast a vision for family involved discipleship.
What Others Are Saying
During The Disciple-Making Parent Conference, Chap rightly reorients parents to raise their child in light of eternity, offering biblical and practical advice for discipling the next generation of believers. If I could recommend one conference for the parents of your church, it would be this one.
Joshua Johnson, Family Discipleship Pastor, Fairview Baptist Church, Apex NC
Parenting with Confidence: Biblical Truth in a Chaotic World
Summary
Young parents are looking for in-the-flesh guidance from older parents who can present God’s word mixed with life wisdom. Without a plan, they are wandering around, buying into the world’s system. Disunified parenting leads to disunified churches. In this presentation, we will talk about biblical principles, biblical commands and then wisdom applications.
Outline
Session 1: Biblical Themes – What does the Bible say about us as parent, our children, and the goal of parenting?
Session 2: God Speaks – What does God have to say to his people? In Ephesians 6:1-4 God speaks clearly, authoritatively, and wisely to both parents and children.
Session 3: Training and Instruction/Routines and Rules – How do we train our children to obey us? What role do instruction and habits play? How do we teach our children to put off bad actions and to put on good ones. In this section we introduce the Family Principles Poster and the Character Chart.
Session 4: Correction, Discipline and Rewards– What does God say about how we use real life consequences to help train our children?
Family Reflection – We build time into the seminar for husband and wives to talk. You will leave with a plan!
Patient Parenting: Overcoming Your Anger – This additional 1-2 hour session fits easily as a Sunday School lesson or stand alone session.
Intended Outcome
Your parents will be equipped to care for their children. They will walk away with a plan for the issues they are facing.
What Others Are Saying
“Parenting with Confidence was both biblical and accessible. Many commented on how the talks removed worldly pressure by providing a biblical framework for parenting. Combine this with Chap’s experience and compassion, we are grateful to God for this ministry.”
Erik Raymond, Author and Pastor, Redeemer Fellowship Church
7 Questions Everyone Should Answer
Summary
The word “Apologetics” is the word that is used for the reasons for the Christian faith. Our faith in Jesus is reasonable. In fact, it takes more faith to be an atheist than a Christian.
And yet our young people are wrestling with doubt. One study found that 40% of young people have their first doubts in junior high and 43% have those first doubts in high school. I almost walked away from my faith because of nagging questions.
In this seminar, we will answer 7 Questions that come up again and again.
Outline
1. Without the Bible, how do we know that Jesus ever existed at all? Is the only evidence we have the gospels? Maybe the gospel writers made up this idea of Jesus. This session conclusively proves from nonbiblical sources that Jesus did exist.
2. Is the New Testament reliable as history? Well, maybe Jesus existed but we cannot trust the biographies of Jesus, can we? They are biased and copies from much later, right? This session proves that we can trust the biographies of Jesus as history.
3. Who is Jesus of Nazareth? Is Jesus really God? Or was he just a good man? Many people say that Jesus was a good man but not God. Did he claim to be God or did the disciples push that on him? Was he a revolutionary that people made into a Messiah? This session proves that Jesus did claim to be God.
4. Did Jesus really rise from the dead? Or did the disciples make up this story? If Jesus rose from the dead, it is the most sensational event in history. If he did not, Christianity crumbles. Which is it? In this session, we will look at the proof that Jesus rose from the dead.
5. Is Jesus really the only way? What about other religions? How can Christians be so narrow-minded?In today’s pluralistic society, many church members don’t believe that Jesus is the only way to God. Did Jesus really claim to be the only way? In this session, we will see that Jesus did in fact, claim to be the only way to God.
6. Why is there evil and suffering in this world? If God is all-powerful and all-loving, why doesn’t he stop all the pain? If God is all-loving and all powerful then why does evil exist? In this session, we will see a surprising answer from Jesus and realize how it is the only satisfying intellectual answer.
7. Why is there so much hypocrisy in the church? Why are there good nonChristians and terribly acting people who call themselves Christians? Why are there so many people who call themselves Christians who don’t act like it? Does this call into question what Jesus taught? In this session, we will find out that Jesus actually predicted hypocrisy and hated it.
Intended Outcome
Christians will realize that there are good answers to their questions. Non-Christians will hear the reasons for the Christian faith. Believers will be strengthened.
What Others Are Saying
“I wish I had the information in 7 Questions when I was a teen. It would have kept me from wandering.”
Meghan, Franklin MA
Additional Topics
Short Seminar Topics
- Parenting with Patience: Overcoming Anger in the Home – a one-hour seminar.
- Fight the Good Fight – Men’s retreat material calling men to engage in the spiritual battle.
- How Do I Change – Men’s retreat material. Dynamics of change.
Specifically for Homeschool Audiences – all the above plus
- Gospel Truths that Homeschoolers Forget
- Raising Children to Be Courageous Communicators for Christ
- Secrets Successful Homeschool Fathers Know
- Aaron and His Sons: Understanding the Dangers of Passive Fathering
- No Tears Family Devotions
- Prodigals: A Conversation and Some Strategies
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do you charge?
I never want price to be an issue. Having said that I still need to eat! This is the way I make my living and a laborer is worthy of his hire. Contact me and we will talk through this. Generally, the travel time from my home, the amount of teaching, and the stewardship/size of the church and audience all play into our conversation. But the Lord provides the money so don’t let it be an issue.
Do you suggest we charge?
As a pastor, I used to be against charging. However, now I believe it is a God-honoring manner of putting on an event like this. Charging a fee helps a church offset my honorarium. More importantly, it helps gauge commitment from the audience. It also minimizes no-shows on the day of the event which stewards everybody’s time well. If you are concerned about those who might not be able to afford it, you can always build in some scholarship money. I am happy to help with the administration of this using Eventbrite.
What do you suggest we charge?
Really that is up to you. Somewhere in the $30 range for singles and $40 range for couples. People can easily afford that and it shows their commitment. Most will receive some sort of handout to go with it. I also suggest that you offer an incentive for early signup. This could be a lower price or, even better, a free copy of The Disciple-Making Parent!
What is the typical schedule of the seminar?
Again, I will do what you want. In New England Friday night/Saturday am works well. In other parts of the country, Saturday works well. Give the ubiquitous presence of sports, some hosts are experimenting with a Sunday afternoon with lunch provided.
What are your thoughts about childcare and food?
I HIGHLY recommend you include childcare in the event even if it is an extra donation for the parents taking advantage of it. It removes one more barrier to people coming. And food always attracts people!
What is a mini-conference?
We have been experimenting with mini-conferences that would be a weeknight starting at 6pm and running for several hours or for churches close by. This also works well for smaller churches when I am in the area for another larger event. In addition, a one-hour mini conference over Zoom is a possibility.
What else do we get from having you in?
I am happy to meet with the church leadership and answer any questions. Churches have also had me preach or teach a Sunday School for parents.
Start the process by looking over the speaking events above and then fill out the speaker contact form at the bottom of this page.
Do you have any advice for planning to host an event at our church?
As a pastor I hosted successful and “less than successful” conferences at my church. The following are lessons I learned the hard way.
1. Start early.
Giving a long lead time allows you to beat the drum of advertising. Six months is usually a minimum. A year is not unusual.
2. Obtain personal buy-in from influencers before you commit.
Is your pastor on board and will he promote this? Or is he just “ok” with you doing this? As a former pastor, I know I cannot throw my influence behind everything. For the maximum attendance from your church, the pastor needs to be excited, and promoting rather than just “ok” with your conference.
3. Obtain buy-in from other influencers before you commit.
If you have a smaller church, are there other pastors who are excited as well? Before I invited a national speaker to our church, I asked several others pastors, “If I invited this man for a one day conference, would you come? Would you promote? I am not sure we can gather enough men from just our church.”
4. Obtain buy-in and feedback from your church’s target audience before you commit.
Before you issue a formal invitation, talk with the target audience in your church. Ask them if they will support and what day works for them. Again, before I invited this national speaker, I asked our men (the target audience), “If I invited this man for a one day conference, would you come? I am thinking about this date. Is that a good date? Any concerns you have for me?”
5. Focus on verbal recruiting and publicity.
Don’t rely too heavily on publicity vs verbal recruiting. People attend events like this because someone is championing the cause, not because of flyers and announcements. The six month lead time gives you time to generate excitement.
6. Get financial commitment.
One easy way to offset the honorarium and gauge interest is to charge a small entrance fee. People expect it and it increases commitment. If you are charging a fee for the event, give an early-bird incentive like a lower price or a give away of some sort. To help with the honorarium there might be a member of the church willing to underwrite the conference.
Invite Chap to Speak
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