Bethel Christmas 2012: God of Wonder

This Christmas at Bethel we are coordinating our Sunday morning messages with our Kids Church curriculum. The message you hear Pastor Tim preach upstairs will be the same message your children are taught in their classrooms. This provides you parents with an excellent opportunity to teach your children God’s word. Each Sunday you will be taught from a passage in Luke chapter 1 so you can go home and teach the same thing to your children.

The back of this newsletter provides you with the Bible Passage, Memory Verse, and At Home activity for each of the three Christmas messages. During the week before each Sunday, read the Bible Passage and work on memorizing the Memory Verse with your children. After church each Sunday, do the At Home activity with your children. Throughout the following week, help your children to apply the Bible message to their lives by following through with the At Home activity. For example, after Sunday, December 16th, help your children be more humble, obedient, or trusting in one area of their lives.

As your Children’s Pastor, my job is to help you parents disciple your children at home. This Christmas will test what I think could be the most effective way to do this. Please do your best to teach your children Luke chapter 1 this Christmas and please give me feedback on how it goes. God truly is a God of wonder. I pray that all of us will fall more in love with him this Christmas season.

By God's grace,

Pastor Stephen

Honor Your Father and Your Mother

“Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.” Exodus 20:12

Most people think this commandment was meant only for kids. However, this commandment’s basic intention was actually to command grown children to take care of their aging parents. God’s retirement plan for parents was children. God said here that if children provided for their parents for a long time, he would provide for them for a long time. Jesus himself showed that he interpreted the commandment in this way when he criticized the Pharisees for allowing people to give money that was meant to take care of their parents as an offering instead (Matthew 15:3-6; Mark 7:9-13).

Having said that, this commandment was not meant for only grown children either. Parents and teachers can appropriately use this commandment to tell kids that God wants them to obey their parents. Paul used it this way in Ephesians 6:1-2, where he said, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ‘Honor your father and mother’...” Apparently Paul thought that this commandment taught children to obey their parents. But how could Paul think this? How does “Honor your father and mother” command grown children to take care of their parents and young children to obey their parents? The answer to this question lies in the nature of Old Testament law.

Old Testament law is much different than American law. American laws are intended to cover every crime a person could commit. Consequently, the United States Code of Laws is over 200,000 pages long. Our judges cannot convict someone of a crime if it is not specifically prohibited. Old Testament law, on the other land, was not intended to cover every crime. Instead, it’s 613 laws were meant to give models of how God wanted the Israelites to live. Israel’s judges were expected to “read between the lines” to decide what God would want for any given court case. For example, no Israelite could successfully defend himself by saying, “Sure, Exodus 23:4 says to return my enemy’s ox or donkey if it wanders off, but it says nothing about what to do if I find his goat wandering off.” In a word, American law is exhaustive while Old Testament law is paradigmatic.

Within Old Testament law, the Ten Commandments hold a special place. These ten rules were meant to be a memorable summary of all six hundred and thirteen of God’s rules for living in the Pentateuch. An even shorter summary would be “Love God, Love People” (Matthew 22:37-40), but the Ten Commandments help us better understand what that means.

The commandment “Honor your father and mother” is a rather specific law requiring grown children to take care of their aging parents. However, as with all of God’s laws and especially the Ten Commandments, it was meant to communicate one of God’s broader desires. In this case, God wants us to understand that his desire is for children to honor their parents and for everyone to respect God’s representatives of authority in their lives. Therefore, Paul could rightly tell children that this commandment asks them to obey their parents because in this way they would both honor their parents and respect the authorities God had placed over them.

Instruct your children to obey the commandment “Honor your father and mother” by respecting and obeying you. But more importantly, set an example for your children by honoring your parents and all those in authority over you. When your children see the blessing of coming under God’s order in your life, they will be more likely to come under God’s order in their lives.

By God’s Grace,

Pastor Stephen

Generational Curses?

“You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.” Exodus 20:4-6

Some people use the last couple verses of this commandment to support the idea of “generational curses,” and by that they mean the idea that God curses the children of parents who disobey him. There are a couple of problems with this interpretation. First, this would go directly against God's standard in Deuteronomy 24:16: “Parents are not to be put to death for their children, nor children put to death for their parents; each will die for their own sin.” Second and most importantly, these verses were meant to teach something different. God spoke these words to explain how much he hates idolatry because of its potential to pervert successive generations. 

Idolatry was an attractive option to people in the Old Testament. It was the normal religion in the ancient world and a constant temptation for the Israelites. God knew that this temptation would be all the greater if an Israelite was raised in a family that worshipped idols. Here and elsewhere*, God said these words to warn children that he will punish them if they continue doing the same sins as their parents did. In other words, God won't give the next generation a break from his punishment because they are “innocently” following in their parents' footsteps. Instead, God will punish everyone who disobeys him, even if he punished their parents for the same sins, "to the third and fourth generation." 

This warning lies in stark contrast to God's true desire: to bless those who keep his commandments "to a thousand generations." This numerical difference highlights God's greatest desire: to abundantly bless those who are loyal to him.

Exodus 20:4-6 teaches us several things: that God hates idolatry, that he will always punish sin (even if that's just the way we were raised), and that he deeply wants us to obey him so he can reward us. However, it does not teach that God will punish children because their parents sinned. Simply put, "generational curses" are not taught in the Bible. Christians and non-Christians alike should not be afraid of God punishing them for sins their parents committed.

That said, when many people say "generational curses," they are speaking of the tendency of children to sin in the same way their parents did. Exodus 20:4-6 does not deny this pattern. In fact, it acknowledges it. Just as idolatry can be easily passed on to the next generation, so can sins like abuse, divorce, and alcoholism. Parents who have committed their lives to Jesus should make it their goal to break these sinful family traditions by the power of the Holy Spirit. A belief in “generational curses” can make Christians think that there is no escape from inherited traits and behavioral patterns. The Bible teaches directly against this way of thinking. Romans 6:11 tells us to count ourselves “dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.” Christians do not have to sin anymore, even if we are inclined to sin in the same way our parents did.

“If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” John 8:36

By God’s Grace,

Pastor Stephen

*See Exodus 34:7, Numbers 14:18, Deuteronomy 5:9, and Jeremiah 32:18.

Tell Your Children Stories about God from the Bible

Your child’s greatest need is to love God. This is the starting point for joy in every child. In fact, this is the starting point for joy in every human. We were all created to love God and we are all happiest when we are fulfilling this purpose. Parents, if you want to raise happy kids, your highest priority should be to inspire your children to love God. And no tool inspires love for God better than the Bible.

It comes as no surprise, then, that God’s most frequent command to parents is that they tell their children stories about God from the Bible.* God’s plan is for children to hear about how great he is and fall in love with him. God is convinced that children are more likely to love him if they get to know him.

This is why we have created our own Bethel Kids Church Curriculum, which begins on Sunday, September 9th. This curriculum teaches through the basic story of the Bible in two years. Attached to this newsletter is an overview of this curriculum. You’ll also get this newsletter each month so you know the Bible Passage, Memory Verse, and Big Idea for each upcoming lesson. And finally, your child will be given a Take-Home sheet each Sunday with this information on it.

If you aren’t telling your child stories from the Bible, or you aren’t teaching your child the basics of the Christian faith, this curriculum is perfect for you. Use the two-year plan we’ve put together to tell your child the most important stories and lessons from the Bible. Sit down with your child and read the Bible Passage together each week. Talk to your child about the Bible Passage throughout the week. Post your child’s Take-Home Sheets in your home and reward him or her for memorizing the Memory Verse each week.

God’s greatest desire for parents is that they tell their children stories about him from the Bible. As a church, let’s commit ourselves to doing this with excellence. As parents, commit yourselves to tell your children stories about God from the Bible.

“We will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord... so the next generation... would put their trust in God.” -Psalm 78:4-7

By God’s Grace,

Pastor Stephen

*See Exodus 10:2; Exodus 12:26-27; Exodus 13:8; Exodus 13:14; Deuteronomy 4:9; Deuteronomy 6:7; Deuteronomy 6:20-21; Deuteronomy 11:19; Joshua 4:6-7; Joshua 4:21-22.

The Apostles' Creed

This fall we are launching a new Kids Church curriculum that teaches through the basic stories and lessons of the Bible in two years. Our goal is to show kids how God is the hero of the Bible and to inspire them to make God the hero of their lives. I am so excited to help teach kids the big picture of the Bible and what it means for their lives today!

This curriculum is, in many ways, going "back to the basics." We will simply teach through the Bible every Sunday and we are going to use traditional teaching methods to do it. Kids Church will start in the Fellowship Hall for a game, worship, and a Bible Message, but then we will break into classrooms for the rest of the morning. The bulk of the teaching will take place in these classrooms.

Through this two-year curriculum, we are going to be asking children to memorize new Bible verses every week. However, our main memory focus is going to be on three larger passages: the Ten Commandments, the Lord’s Prayer, and the Apostles’ Creed. These have formed the basis of children’s discipleship for centuries and they summarize the Christian faith well. The last two Parent Newsletters have covered the Ten Commandments and the Lord’s Prayer. This month’s newsletter will explain what version of the the Apostles’ Creed to have your kids memorize and why this memorization is valuable. The version of the Apostles’ Creed we will memorize and use for teaching is as follows:

I believe in God the Father Almighty; Maker of heaven and earth.

And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried;* the third day he rose from the dead; he ascended into heaven; and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit; the holy catholic** Church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen.

The beauty of the Apostles’ Creed is that it is an historic, universal, and concise summary of the basics of the Christian faith. Legend tells us that the Apostles’ Creed was authored by the twelve apostles. This is hard to believe, but it is almost that old. Earliest copies of the Creed are dated to about 200 A.D. Christian churches across the world accept the Apostles’ Creed as a basis for church belief and unity. While it is a short statement, it covers the basics of what all Christians believe. All these make the Apostles’ Creed a perfect statement of faith for children to memorize. In short, the Apostle’s Creed helps unite children in the faith with Christians across the world and throughout history.

By God’s Grace,

Pastor Stephen

*We will not use the phrase, "he descended into hell," because it is not in the earliest versions of the Apostles’ Creed. This phrase was used by one person in 390 A.D. (Rufinus), but he took it to mean that Christ "descended into the grave." Until 650 A.D. no version of the Creed included this phrase with the intention of saying that Christ “descended into hell.” Cf. Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology, p. 586-7, 1169.

** "Catholic" means "universal."

The Lord's Prayer

Along with reading the Bible and worship, prayer is one of the foundational practices of the Christian life. Parents, you should teach your children how to pray as soon as they are able. Fortunately, God has provided you with the perfect tool for teaching your children how to pray: it’s a model prayer called “The Lord’s Prayer.”

All Christians should use The Lord’s Prayer as a model, but it is especially useful for young Christians to memorize and pray this prayer word for word. This will help mold their prayers for the rest of their lives. Have your children memorize the following version of The Lord’s Prayer, taken from Matthew 6:9-13 (NIV):

“Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name,

your kingdom come,

your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”

As your children memorize this prayer, teach them what it means. Use the following material to help you teach your children correctly. Most of this has been taken from First Catechism: Teaching Children Biblical Truths (Suwanee, GA: Great Commission Publications, 2003).

The Lord’s Prayer begins by addressing God as “Our Father in heaven.” This teaches us that we should pray to God with respect and trust. Because of Jesus, God has become as close to us as a father. God always loves and cares for us, his children.

The first three requests are for God. “Hallowed be your name” asks God to help us and others respect and honor him. “Your kingdom come” asks God to bring more and more people to hear, believe, and obey his gospel. “Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” asks God to make us able and willing to serve him on earth just as he is served in heaven.

The last three requests are for us. “Give us today our daily bread” asks God to provide us with all that we really need. “Forgive us out debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors” asks God to forgive our sins for Jesus’s sake, and to make us willing to forgive others. “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one” asks God to keep us from being tempted and to make us strong enough to resist when we are tempted.

By God’s Grace,

Pastor Stephen

The Ten Commandments

This September we are launching our own two-year curriculum for K-5th grade kids on Sunday mornings. One of our goals in this curriculum is for every child to memorize and understand the Ten Commandments, the Lord’s Prayer, and the Apostle’s Creed. These have been used to teach children since the early days of the church and they summarize the Christian faith well. Parents, we need your help to accomplish this goal! For the next three newsletters, I am going to go through each of these and tell you what to have your kids memorize and what you should teach your children about these things.

What to Have Your Kids Memorize

Have your children memorize the Ten Commandments using the following version and numbering. Watch Pastor Stephen’s two-minute video below to learn a fun way to help your kids memorize the Ten Commandments.

The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:3-17, NIV, abbreviated) 

I am the LORD your God... 

1 You shall have no other gods before me. 

2 You shall not make for yourself an image... you shall not bow down to them or worship them. 

3 You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God. 

4 Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 

5 Honor your father and your mother. 

6 You shall not murder. 

7 You shall not commit adultery. 

8 You shall not steal. 

9 You shall not give false testimony. 

10 You shall not covet.

What To Teach Your Children About the Ten Commandments

The Ten Commandments summarize God’s rules for living. A shorter summary would be, “Love God, love people” (Matthew 22:37-40), but the Ten Commandments help us better understand what that means. The first four commandments tell us how we should love God and the last six commandments tell us how we should love people.

The introduction to the Ten Commandments (“I am the LORD your God”) tells us that God has earned the right to our obedience. He has rescued us from slavery to sin so that we can serve him instead. The first commandment tells us to worship, love, and trust God alone. The second commandment tells us not to worship idols or trust in magic or superstition. The third commandment tells us not to use God’s name in cursing or swears or in any way that does not show God respect. We should honor God’s name, Word, and works. The fourth commandment tells us to set aside one day each week to God for worship, fellowship, prayer, Bible study, and doing good works. The fifth commandment tells us to honor, love, and (for children) obey our parents, teachers, and all those in authority over us. The sixth commandment tells us not to murder, hurt, hate, or make fun of people. The seventh commandment tells us to honor marriage and to be pure in heart, language, and conduct. The eighth commandment tells us not to take anything that does not belong to us. The ninth commandment tells us not to say anything that is untrue about people and  not to lie. The tenth commandment tell us not to want somebody else’s things.

As you teach your children the Ten Commandments, tell them that nobody can keep God’s rules perfectly. That’s why we need Jesus. Jesus took the punishment we deserve for not obeying God’s rules, he fixes our hearts by making us want to obey God, and he gives us the Holy Spirit to help us obey God.

By God’s Grace,

Pastor Stephen

Bedtime Prayers

Bedtime is an ideal time to teach your children to pray. At bedtime, many children are scared of the dark and don't like being left alone. What a perfect time to teach your children that when they are scared or alone they should look to God. Below are some bedtime prayers from the Bible. Pray these with your children or have your children memorize and pray these when you tuck them in at night.

“I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the LORD sustains me.” Psalm 3:5 

“In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, LORD, make me dwell in safety.” 

Psalm 4:8 

“The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” Psalm 23

“The LORD is my light and my salvation — whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life — of whom shall I be afraid?”  Psalm 27:1

“When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise — in God I trust and am not afraid.” Psalm 56:3-4

“On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night. Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings. I cling to you; your right hand upholds me.” Psalm 63:6-8

“He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD watches over you... the LORD will keep you from all harm — he will watch over your life; the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.” Psalm 121:4-8

As Christian parents, you can offer your children something other parents can’t: true peace. Tell your children they don’t have to be afraid at night because God is with them. God is more powerful than anything or anyone, he never sleeps, and he always protects his children.

By God’s Grace,

Pastor Stephen

Mealtime Prayers

Some families ask a blessing, some say grace, and others give thanks. But what does the Bible say we should do before we eat? 

The core message of the Bible is that we should do two things before we eat: remember that our food is from God and thank him for it. From the very beginning of the Bible it is clear that all food comes from God’s hand (see Genesis 1:29 and 9:3). Unfortunately, Israel didn’t remember this. They thought their food came from other gods. Because of this, God punished them by taking their food away (Hosea 2:5-9). This serves as a strong warning to us to never forget where our food really comes from.

The Psalms are full of prayers we can pray to remember that our food is from God. It would be a great idea to actually read or memorize some of these Psalms to pray before your family meals:

“The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time. You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.” Psalm 145:15-16

“All creatures look to you to give them their food at the proper time.” Psalm 104:27

“He gives food to every creature. His love endures forever.” Psalm 136:25

Other examples of biblical prayers to pray before mealtimes are Psalm 104:13-15, Psalm 111:5, Psalm 147:8-9, and the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6:9-13 (“Give us today our daily bread”). 

The Bible also tells us that we should thank God for our food. Jesus modeled this in most of his prayers (for example, see Matthew 14:19, 15:36, and 26:26-27), and Paul wrote that all food is acceptable to eat as long as we thank God for it (see Romans 14:6 and 1 Corinthians 10:30-31). But the most important passage in the Bible about mealtime prayers is 1 Timothy 4:3-5. I’ve color-coded this passage to show you the repetition of what Paul is saying. Paul says that some false teachers “order (people) to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth. For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.” Notice that Paul is saying the same thing three times: Food comes from God and is therefore acceptable to eat and we should thank God for it. The last line (“the word of God and prayer”) sums up Paul’s message well: we should remember that the Bible says that God made all food good, and we should always say a prayer of thanks to God for it.

What does the Bible say we should do before we eat? The Bible is clear: remember that our food is from God and thank him for it. However, there are at least a couple instances (Mark 8:7 and Luke 9:16) where Jesus did something else: he prayed a blessing on the meal, probably asking God to purify it. From this we can see that asking God to bless our food by removing harmful substances is also biblical.

In your mealtime prayers with your family, acknowledge that your food comes from God and thank him for it. Also feel free to ask God to bless your food and make it healthy for you. But in everything you say in your mealtime prayer, “do it all for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31).

By God’s Grace,

Pastor Stephen

Children Are a Gift From the LORD

“Children are a gift from the LORD; they are a reward from him.

 Children born to a young man are like arrows in a warrior’s hands.

 How joyful is the man whose quiver is full of them!

      He will not be put to shame when he confronts his accusers at the city gates.”

Psalm 127:3-5 (NLT)

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Children are a gift, and they are given by God. The Hebrew wording in the first line of this passage evokes the image of an inheritance given by a wealthy father. God is a very wealthy father. One of the wonderful blessings he gives us to enjoy is children. The next three lines tell us one of the reasons why children are a blessing: because they can defend their parents in their old age. In ancient Israel, court was held at the city gates. All the men of the town would gather there to make important decisions for the community. Having many children meant having many allies. Children could help protect their parents from any injustice that might be done to them.

Children Are a Gift

The messages of this passage are fairly simple, but they carry many implications for our lives. The first thing this Psalm tells us is that children are a gift. In today’s culture, children are often seen as a burden instead of a blessing. People don’t want to have children because of the added responsibility, or they put off having children so they can enjoy independence for a bit longer. But the Bible’s value system stands in stark contrast to our culture’s value system. We are to view children as a blessing. This means that Christians should treasure children and try to have children if possible, and that once they have children they should treat them as a prize. The Bible tells us that if we don’t value children, our brains aren’t working like they should. Children are a gift.

Children Are Given by God

The second message of this Psalm is that children are given by God. Your children may have not been planned, but that doesn’t mean they are accidents. Your children are God’s gift to you. When you look at them, remember where they really came from: God. Thank your husband or your wife for your kids, but thank God all the more. He is the true source of the joy you have in your children.

Memorize Psalm 127:3 and let it form the way you think about children. In all your interactions with your spouse and children at home, treat your children as blessings . When you converse with other parents, talk of your children and their children as a gift from God. When you talk with teachers, friends, coworkers, bosses, siblings, and relatives, make it clear that you value children and that you are grateful to God for them. Children are a gift from the LORD. We should encourage this way of thinking in every area of our lives.

                                                                                               

By God’s Grace,

Pastor Stephen

Should Christian Parents Spank Their Children?

When it comes to spanking, opinions range across the board. Some parents think you should never spank children and some parents think you should always spank children. But what does the Bible say about spanking?

The only book of the Bible that deals with spanking is Proverbs. This presents us with a bit of a conundrum. Proverbs by their very nature are generally true statements that are not meant to apply to every situation. For example, Proverbs 26:4 says, “Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be just like him,” while Proverbs 26:5 says, “Answer a fool according to his folly, or he will be wise in his own eyes.” What are you supposed to do? Answer a fool or not? Or take a couple modern proverbs: “Many hands make light work,” and “Too many cooks in the kitchen.” Should you help in the kitchen on Super Bowl Sunday or not? Again, it depends on the situation. Proverbs themselves are meant to be used with wisdom. Keep that in mind as you read the following proverbs about spanking. The different Bible versions reflect what I believe are the best translations of each proverb.

Whoever spares the rod hates their children,

but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them.

Proverbs 13:24 (NIV)

Don't be afraid to correct your young ones; a spanking won't kill them.

A good spanking, in fact, might save them from something worse than death.

Proverbs 23:13-14 (The Message)

Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline will drive it far away.

Proverbs 22:15 (NIV)

The rod and reproof give wisdom, but a child left to himself brings shame to his mother.

Proverbs 29:15 (ESV)

Discipline your son while there is hope, and do not desire his death.

Proverbs 19:18 (NASB)

Discipline your children; you'll be glad you did— they'll turn out delightful to live with.

Proverbs 29:17 (The Message)

How would you summarize what Proverbs says about spanking? If you are inclined to answer, “Spank your children,” then hear this word of caution: Proverbs are generally true statements that are not meant to apply to every situation. Some of your children might need spankings and others might not. God leaves it to you to make this decision. However, if you are inclined against spanking, then heed the advice of these proverbs: Don’t rule out spanking. Although it may seem illogical, spanking can be one of the best ways you love your children.

Whether or not to spank your children is a tough decision, but if you ask God, he will give you the wisdom you need to make the best choice for your children. James 1:5 says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” And whatever you decide about spanking, be careful not to tell other parents what they should decide. God has called and enabled each parent to make this decision for their own children. Don’t assume that what works for your children will work for theirs too.

By God’s Grace,

Pastor Stephen

Impress God's Word on Your Children

“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.” –Deuteronomy 6:4-9

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The Bible consistently puts on parents the main responsibility for teaching God’s truth to their children. Don’t fall into Satan’s trap and believe that the church alone is enough for your kids. God has given this job to you! This is a tremendous privilege and a tremendous responsibility. To succeed in this task will bring you great joy, but to fail in this task is to disobey God and endanger your children. The burden that God puts on parents should drive you to your knees to ask God for help.

Deuteronomy 6:4-9 lays out a pattern for how children should be brought up in the faith. There are three basic commands for parents in this passage. First, you are to hear God’s Word. Don’t neglect reading the Bible and don’t let Sunday’s sermons fall on deaf ears. This is important for every Christian, but especially for parents who are to pass on this teaching to their children.

Second, you are to love God with all your heart. What you treasure most is what you will end up teaching your children. Learn to cherish the infinite value of God.

Third and finally, you are to impress God’s Word on your children. Do this in every way possible because it is the most important thing you can do for your kids. Get your children to read their Bibles. Help your children memorize key Scripture verses. Talk about the Bible with them. Put up Bible verses in their rooms and around your house.

We have put together a Bethel Kids Bible Reading Plan for 2012. I highly encourage you to use this booklet with your children. Sit down with them and pick out one of the three plans for them to follow. Regularly ask them if they are keeping up with their plan and reward them for reading their Bible every day.

Also, on January 8^th, we are kicking off a new series in KidzBlast called “Ten for Life.” Every week we will be teaching one of ten memory verses that we want kids to remember for the rest of their lives. The first four of these memory verses are on the back of this newsletter. Quiz your kids on these after church and during the following weeks. Together we can impress on your children some of the most important verses in the Bible.

If you hear God’s Word, love God with all your heart, and impress God’s Word on your children, you will accomplish most of what God requires of parents and you will help establish your children on the solid rock that will never fail.

By God’s grace,

Pastor Stephen