Better Connecting with Parents

[Pages:16]discipleship

SOLUTIONS FOR SUNDAY SCHOOL & SMALL GROUP LEADERS

DEC/JAN/FEB 2019-2020

Leveling the Praying

Field

Better Connecting

with Parents

DEVELOPING

"the Gift" in Students

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contents

PAGE 4

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Leveling the Praying Field

PAGE 6

Better Connecting with Parents

PAGE 8

Developing "the Gift" in Students

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PAGE 10

Radiant Life Themes

PAGE 12

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Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ?1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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Leveling the PRA

By Donna Barrett

Ever feel like PRAYER is just not your "thing"?

If you answered YES, this book is for you.

In Leveling the Praying Field, you'll discover how to overcome what holds you back when you explore prayer as an unlimited opportunity to talk with--and hear from--the Creator of all things.

English 02LS7042 | $12.99 Spanish 02LS7045 | $12.99

Find out more at .

Audiobook available.

JAMES HUDSON TAYLOR

always to get--and leaving the results

said, "When we work, we work.

to God.

When we pray, God works." God works even if we can't see the change or it's not in our timing. His mercy and grace give us what He desires for our lives. So, do we just keep on praying even when it appears not to make any difference? Absolutely! Here's what we know for sure. There's no doubt that every Christian is supposed to pray. No argument could ever be made using the Bible that prayer is optional or a special

On the playing field, what if we played like we were winning even if the scoreboard was covered? On the praying field, what if we prayed with confidence that God is responding even when we can't see the results? What if we gave up the need to be the arbiters of God's will because we understand that His plans are far above anything our most astute minds could dream up?

assignment for a few. Prayer

is to every Christian what

breathing is to a body.

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

But don't I have a right to see the answers to my

neither are your ways my ways," declares the Lord.

prayers? Well, not really.

As the heavens are higher than the earth,

Sometimes it happens that we see answers and it gives us encouragement and something to celebrate. But

so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."

(Isaiah 55:8?9)

imagine how strong your

prayer life would become if you gave up the right or the need to see the results. Absolutely we can trust God to do what is His will to do when we pray. But our human limitations of time and location and perspective keep us from seeing what God is doing in response to our prayers. Sure, God is responding. But we don't always see what He sees.

When there's a good team leader, each person on the team only needs to carry out the assignment given to them and the group wins. General Motors makes cars on an assembly line. There may be an employee who puts four bolts on the floorboards of cars all day long but never gets to see the finished shiny car on the showroom floor. If he faithfully

I totally get it that a testimony of

completes his assignment, he knows

answered prayer can really boost

he helped to build that final product.

one's faith and motivate us toward prayer. I think a full 360o view of

In a similar way, we're on God's team and our assignment is to pray for His

prayer includes praying to give--not

purposes to be fulfilled. We need to

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Discipleship Ideas ? Winter 2019?20

AYING Field

pray faithfully, knowing we have a Creator God who is doing His part to answer our prayers.

Prayer works if we're praying according to God's will and leaving the results up to Him. We aren't in charge, He is--and we can trust Him. It takes a mature person to give your best energy to an investment like prayer that is private before the Lord, knowing the results may or may not be measurable within your view and within your lifetime.

"These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect" (Hebrews 11:39?40). God can be trusted to have "something better" for us if we'll patiently trust Him beyond what we can see immediately.

This article is excerpted from Leveling the Praying Field by Donna Barrett.

Published by Gospel Publishing House. All rights reserved.

RadiantLife

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Better Connecting

with Parents

By Brian Eno

As a young pastor I was intimidated by parents. I avoided them, didn't want them on my volunteer team or in my services, and was always nervous when they called. As I grew older and matured in ministry, I discovered the importance of connecting with parents, gaining their support, and having them on my volunteer team.

3 Pray with Parents Parenting is hard today. They need our prayers. It doesn't matter your age, life experience, or ministry experience--parents need help. Notice I said, "pray with them." Yes, pray for them too, but pray with them. Create the habit of always

It is easy to overlook parents, but this is a huge

including, in every conversation the question,

"How can I pray for you?" Then take a moment to

mistake. We need them and they need us. So

pray together.

here are five ways I have found over two decades of youth and kids ministry to help you better connect with parents.

1 Communicate with Parents

4 Resource Parents Create a private social media group for parents to share and pray with other parents. Offer a parenting class. Provide childcare for

When I served as NextGen pastor, I would

a parent night out. Write a parenting blog.

communicate with all my parents by sending a

monthly newsletter. At first it was printed, folded,

Give away helpful books. Hold a semiannual

parents informational lunch following a Sunday

and sent snail mail; later we sent it via email.

Today I might use a social media platform. A

morning service. Ask them what they need. The

2 Talk with Parents 5 Recruit Parents newsletter is a parent touchpoint, a simple way to

possibilities for resourcing are endless.

keep the happenings of your ministry in front of

them. NMoantetwhes wis nCoot lglovoedr nheawds,nito's jiudsetanownheawts.he was

getting into.

When he arrived in the Denver neighborhood

of Park Hill

to plant a church, Collver quickly realized

Pthaaretnhtsenweeadsa place to serve in the church

planting in a divided community. Park Hill was aonndewoefnteheed vfiorlsutnteers in children's ministries.

Tainlktewgitrhattheedmnfaeciegthobfoacreh. oThoids scainn hthapepeUnnited StatesA. Uskntfhoermtutno asetervlye,, to help, to join your team.

formaltlyhoavtelrecgoaffceye odriidnnfo'trmcaolnlytinutheetchhruoruchgh the decadePsa.rents have a vested interest in your ministry, so

capitalize on this opportunity.

parking"Wlote. Bgraogtoon athpeiarrkkidns.oLretththoefmMkLnKow[Boulevard] and we're the only

what ywouhsietee Gpoedoips ldeoitnhgeirnet.hTeyirpyiocuanllgyl,ivwees. go to a park sMouintihsteorfinMg LtoKpaarnednts is part of your ministry

Don't avoid the difficult parents. Sometimes a simple icto'snvaellrswathioitnewpitehoapdleiff,"icsualtipdaPreanst tcoarn

Collver

of

TheaHs kilildssCanhdurycohut.h whatever you can

pastors. So, I encourage you do to better connect with parents.

end up being a big win. Talking with parents takes

Remember you need them and they need you.

time, energy, and intentionality, but the fruit is

priceless.

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Discipleship Ideas ? Winter 2019?20

RadiantLife

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DEVELOPING

"the Gift" in Students

"God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another" (1 Peter 4:10, NLT).

Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 12:7, "A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other" (NLT). Isn't that amazing? God offers a great variety of spiritual gifts, and has chosen to give one or more to each of us so we can serve and help each other. How do we know what that is? How can we develop the skills and abilities God has given us?

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Discipleship Ideas ? Winter 2019?20

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