SERVING

Every lesson that we teach whether in the Nursery, FirstLook, KidQuest or The Challenge has a time of life application that we call an environment.  For the next 4 weeks, that environement is SERVING.

This environment of SERVING is really a posture of our heart and asks the question, "What needs to be done?" It allows the Holy Spirit to cultivate a sensitivity to others and focuses on a cause bigger than one individual life. It helps fulfill the mandate that as Christ followers we are to view our lives as living sacrifices that we generously give away!

Every time we switch enviroments, we also switch memory verses that help us focus on the application into our personal lives. Here are the memory verses in our different areas of worship:

KidQuest (elementary worship)

Mark 9:35b

"If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all."

FirstLook (preschool worship)

Galatians 5:13b

"Serve one another in love."

We would love to see your kids put these great verses into their minds and hearts as they learn about serving over the next four weeks!

Upcoming Changes and Needs

I am excited to tell you about the latest happenings in FirstLook, our preschool through kindergarten worship environment. 

We have experience tremendous growth over the past 6 weeks.  We were averaging 8-12 at each service and now we are averaging 15-20 at each service! That is exciting news!

With growth comes growing pains.  We need to bulk up our team and we want you! Right now we have 2 adults with our preschoolers in FirstLook, with the recent growth we feel it is in the best interest of your kids to make that 3 or 4 adults in the room at each service.  We would love to keep about a 4 or 5 kids to 1 adult ratio.

Now I know what you are saying, "I don't want to teach." The best news of this email is YOU WON'T HAVE TO TEACH.  We already have our main teachers in place (even me teaching some on video).
We would love to add you to our great team.  If you are interested, please let me know so we can bulk up our team starting January 1! (email Matt)

 

On January 8, we will move into the brand new KidQuest room! We are excited to have our own space and be able to worship there on Sundays in KidQuest and Wednesday evenings in The Challenge.

Other than dropping your child off in a different place, here are some MAJOR points that you need to know about this room switch.

• The New KidQuest room is room 205.
• We will open a new check-in counter upstairs in front of room 205 to be used by KidQuest and FirstLook families.
• We would ask you to start using the back stairway, next to the nursery, and checking in upstairs at the new counter. There will be a self-checkin station and a manned station. We would like to keep the downstairs foyer computer for our guests and visitors.
• With the growth rate we have had, we are also looking for some new small group leader to serve on the children's ministry team. Your job would simply be to ask a small group of kids pre-prepared questions about the Bible Story and lead and activity (game or craft)

Jesus is Here (December 18 -- FirstLook)

I hope you had an opportunity this weekend to come out and see our Living Nativity.  We had a great time and there were a lot of cars that drove through the hear and see the story of Jesus' birth. This week in FirstLook we are going to learn about the birth of Jesus as well.  We hope you use this blog to talk about the birth of Jesus in your home this week. The HomeFront Weekly has a great activity that will help you talk about the birth of Jesus at bedtime.

The news that Jesus was here was what faithful men and women had been anticipating since the garden. In the second chapter of Luke, we read how angels announced the birth of Jesus to shepherds—not to kings, or noblemen, or men of religious virtue. Shepherds. These men who lived on the fringe of society were chosen to experience the most incredible testimony given by celestial beings. It was here in this humble setting among the most common of people that the “chosen One of God enters creation among the creation” (IVP New Testament Commentaries).

Shepherds were hired by farmers to look after their flock of sheep. They were typically single men who didn’t have families. The duties of shepherds inhibited the men’s abilities to participate in religious activities with the community. However, this did not prohibit them from experiencing the holy. Some scholars believe the shepherds who witnessed the heavenly announcement were not ordinary shepherds. During the time of Caesar Augustus, flocks of sheep were being raised around the city of Jerusalem to be used as sacrifices in the temple. It is quite possible the men who were tending sheep the night Jesus was born were in fact caring for the temple flock. These men may have been tending sheep meant for sacrifices, and then gone on to be some of the first to meet the Lamb of God, who became the final payment for our sin.

Upon finding the Christ child, the shepherds responded by “glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen” (Luke 2:20). They broke out in praise because God’s promise had come to pass. Jesus is the deliverer, Master, and anointed King. The prophesied royal leader had come to restore the kingdom. God came not for a select group of people, but for all, with the most common people being the first to receive the news. They were privileged with the opportunity to spread the message that Jesus is here!

We pray that we are also equipping you to spread the message that Jesus was born and is alive!

Jesus is Immanuel (December 11 -- FirstLook)

Our God was drawing near to us through the Savior in the form of a man. It was so important for us to understand our Savior’s lineage that each of the gospels record the genealogy of Christ with a unique perspective. Matthew lists the generations from King David and traces Jesus’ royal lineage through Joseph. Luke traces the bloodline from Adam to David, and his genealogy from Abraham to David is identical to Matthew’s account. Luke diverges from Matthew after David, tracing the lineage not through Solomon but another son of David, Nathan, to Heli, the father of Mary, Jesus’ mother. The significance is that the combined genealogies establish Jesus’ absolute right to the throne of David through the bloodline of Mary (Luke 3:23–38) and by title through Mary’s husband, Joseph.

The genealogy of Jesus shows God’s hand orchestrating His divine plan of  redemption, but names also play an important role throughout Scripture. They intentionally point to the character and role a person will play. There were several names given to the Lord before He came to earth as an infant. These include: Jesus, “Savior” (Jehovah is salvation); Christ, “Anointed” (the Greek equivalent to “Messiah”); and Immanuel, “God with us.” Each of these names defines His title, purpose, and identity.

God came to earth and dwelt among men. He gave up His kingly rights to become a servant to all. He is the Messiah and the Savior of Israel and the world. He became God incarnate. The name Immanuel, God with us, was prophesied in Isaiah 7:14: “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” Jesus’ names announced His arrival and His purpose: God Himself will save us from our sins. He is with us. He has come.

Jesus is Immanuel!!!

God Gets His People Ready to Meet His Son (December 4 FirstLook)

We pray that you had a great Thanksgiving with your family! We have so much to be thankful for!  Now its time to transition into the Christmas season.

In FirstLook, that means we take a break from our chronological study of the Bible to learn about Christ's birth.  As you gear up for Christmas this year, please use this and future posts to help talk about Jesus in your home.

Believe it or not, God prepared the people for the birth of Jesus before he was even born. In FirstLook this week we will open to Luke 1 and see how God used Zechariah to prepare the way for Jesus. Also make sure you check your inbox later this week as I send out the December Children's Ministry E-Newsletter.

 As God was preparing the people to meet His Son, He chose Zechariah, one of about 18,000 priests serving Yahweh. Due to sheer numbers, priests served in the temple only twice a year. It was extremely rare for a priest to have the honor of serving the Lord by entering the holy place within the temple. Those chosen were selected by casting lots (a practice often used to determine God’s will in given situations). This opportunity to enter the holy place would probably happen once in a lifetime.

Luke chapter 1 says Zechariah offered incense as a sacrifice to the Lord, representing the prayers being lifted to God. During this time of service, he would have lifted up prayers specifically for Israel. Psalm 141 says, “May my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice.” As the incense rose, these were holy moments. While Zechariah lifted his prayers for the nation, the other priests prayed and waited outside.

These priestly rituals had been carried on for centuries. In the time between the Old Testament and the New Testament, there is no record of God speaking to His people. This is often referred to as the period of silence or the 400 Silent Years. Then, “God renewed His activity on behalf of His people in light of promises made long ago” (InterVarsity Press Commentary). God sent a message for His people to Zechariah. The angel Gabriel declared, “Your prayer has been heard” (Luke 1:13). There were two parts to the message that was given. While it is clear that Zechariah, as an elderly Jewish male with no descendants, must have frequently prayed for an heir, Gabriel is also addressing his prayers for the nation. This is clear in the angel’s prophetic message of John’s life. He assures Zechariah that not only will he have a son, but that his son will turn the hearts of many Israelites back to the Lord. God had chosen this holy, pious moment to unveil His plans for Israel.

God Wants Us To Say Yes To Him (November 20 in FirstLook)

This week in FirstLook we get to talk about one of my family's favorite Bible story! We love this story so much that we named our first cat Gideon.  Its funny the name of this lesson is "God Wants Us to Say Yes to Him" because when we went to pick a cat, Gideon was the only cat that purred when Stephanie picked it up. Gideon wanted us to say yes to him and God wants all of us to say yes to him!

Although we know God wants us to say yes to Him, this was a hard concept for the Israelites to grasp. In Judges 6, the Israelites had once again turned from the one true God and sought fulfillment through the worship of false gods. Because of their disobedience, God permitted neighboring countries to overpower Israel. Each time the people attempted to plant crops, the Midianites and Amalekites would sweep in and destroy what had been planted. After years of stubbornness, the Israelites finally cried out to God.

The Lord heard their petitions and sent a judge to lead them to victory over their enemies. Ironically, God chose to use a simple farmer to redeem Israel. A farmer! Gideon was not trained in the military, and yet the angel of the Lord called him “mighty warrior.” The Hebrew translation of the word gibbowr describes the warrior as strong, mighty, and impetuous (aggressive and fast-moving). A warrior is also described as having hunter-like qualities and capabilities.

There are some interesting parallels between the calling of Gideon (Judges 6) and the calling of Moses (Exodus 3). In Exodus 3, Moses protests his fitness to be the deliverer of God’s chosen people. He asks the question, “Who am I?” and highlights for God (as if He is unaware) his weaknesses. Gideon responds in a similar way, pointing out to God that not only is he from the weakest tribe in Israel, but he is the least of the weakest. God’s response to both Moses and Gideon is the same—“I will be with you.”

It was not Gideon’s skill and experience that made him fit to be a warrior; it was the Lord God. A simple farmer became a strategic warrior. Gideon was used by the Lord of Israel to redeem and save her from her enemies when he said yes to God.

God wants us to say yes to Him.

FirstLook -- October 24 - 30 (God Shows Me How to Live)

Don't forget about Trunk or Treat on Sunday afternoon from 3-5pm.  Its not too late to register your trunk, just give me a call at the church office.

Also this Sunday in FirstLook, we will give the kids their new memory verse for the next four weeks. Here it is for you to start working on now.

John 14:9b
"Jesus answered...Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father."

When we switch memory verses, we also switch environments. In our children's ministry an environment is a common goal or focus we can use to create enviroments in the home and at church which draw us closer to Christ.  For the next 4 weeks we will focus on the environment of MODELING. Here is our description of MODELING:

Biblical content needs a practical living expression in order for it to be spiritually impacting. This environment serves as a hands-on example of what it means for children to put their faith into action. Modeling puts flesh on faith and reminds us that others are watching to see if we live what we believe.

God has always shown us how to live. Once He redeemed Israel from the land of Egypt, God formed the Mosaic covenant between Himself and His people. It began a new era in their history. God continued to fulfill the promises He made to Abraham and to Moses. But the Mosaic covenant was the law that addressed Israel alone. This covenant established the standards of righteousness for God’s people—His holy nation.

Yahweh was the God of Israel, and the people were in relationship with Him. The Mosaic covenant was not a means to salvation. Instead, God gave His people a model for living through the Ten Commandments that enhanced their worship and service to Him. This covenant demanded not only that the Israelites conform to a set of laws, but also that their hearts be oriented toward God. When the people lived out the laws, their lives demonstrated the intimate relationship they shared with God. A holy nation living in worship and service to the Lord acts as a catalyst to bring the nations of the earth into relationship with Him.

The covenant between God and His people at Sinai was a foreshadowing of what was to come. His law was put in place to “lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith” (Galatians 3:24). In Him our worship, and our service, is complete. He has shown us how to live with Him and with others. As we follow the Lord we model for others the relationship it is possible to have with the Holy God.

You can also go download the MODELING HomeFront Monthly for activities to connect home and church by going to http://wentzvillecc.org/621738.ihtml.

God Is the One True God (October 16 in FirstLook)

God does nothing by accident! If you don't believe me check out what your FirstLook student will be learning this Sunday about the 10 plagues over Egypt.

Undoubtedly the mighty hand of the one true God was demonstrated in contrast to the powerlessness of the Egyptian false gods. Prior to the Passover, God declared, “I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the Lord” (Exodus 12:12b). Many scholars believe the plagues were directly attacking the ancient Egyptian gods. The table below demonstrates the correlation between the plagues and the Egyptian gods.

In the Bible, even the number of plagues was significant. To the Israelites, the number 10 represented wholeness and completion. For instance, the Ten Commandments are the complete, divine perfection of the Law. By sending 10 plagues, God was stating they were completely plagued and completely judged. He was demonstrating His total power as the one true God.

PLAGUE	EGYPTIAN GOD
Moses lifts his staff over the Nile and God turns all the water in Egypt into blood (Exodus 7:14–24).	Hapi: The Egyptian god of the Nile.
God sends swarms of frogs out of the water to cover the land of Egypt (Exodus 8:1–15).	Heket: The Egyptian goddess of fertility, water, and renewal. She is depicted as having the head of a frog.
Moses strikes the ground with his staff, and God turns the dust into gnats which cover men and animals. This is the first plague that the Egyptian magicians could not replicate (Exodus 8:16–19).	Geb: The Egyptian god who ruled over the dust of the earth.
God sends dense swarms of flies which plague only the Egyptians. The Israelites are not affected by this wonder (Exodus 8:20–32).	Khepri: The god of creation. He is depicted with the head of a fly.
God sends a plague over all of the Egyptians’ livestock. Not a single animal belonging to the Israelites is affected (Exodus 9:1–7).	Hathor: The goddess of love and protection; depicted with the head of a cow.
God instructs Moses to throw a handful of ashes in the presence of Pharaoh. Doing so unleashes sores on all the Egyptians and their animals (Exodus 9:8–12). Cleanliness was of utmost importance to the Egyptians. Historically, this would have made them ceremonially unclean and therefore unable to worship their gods. They weren’t even allowed in the presence of Pharaoh. Therefore, only Moses and Aaron could now be in contact with him.	Isis: The goddess of medicine and peace.
God sends the worst hail and lightning storm the Egyptians had ever experienced. Israelites are, once again, unharmed (Exodus 9:13–35).	Nut: The goddess of the sky.
Moses lifted his staff against Egypt, and God sent a massive storm of locusts—so many that the ground was entirely black. They devoured every crop and every last piece of fruit growing on the trees (Exodus 10:1–20).	Seth: The god of storms and disorder.
God instructs Moses to lift his hand to the sky. In doing so, total darkness blankets Egypt for three full days. No Egyptian could see anyone else or leave his house. Only the Israelites have light where they live (Exodus 10:21–29). Scholars believe that, in Egyptian culture, darkness represented death, judgment, and hopelessness.	Ra: The sun god.
The final plague: The firstborn of each Egyptian household would die. The Israelites were instructed in the Passover rituals and no Israelite child was harmed (Exodus 11—12).	Pharaoh: The ultimate power of Egypt; considered the greatest god of all. He was believed to be the son of Ra, manifest in the flesh.

Passover (October 9 in KidQuest and FirstLook)

Every 6th and 13th lesson, we pause to remember and celebrate, just as God instructed His people to do. Here is some info that will help you talk about the feast of Passover at home.  If you go to our Parent Resource page on the WCC website and find the HomeFront Weekly section, you will find a great activity to do at home to help introduce Passover with your kids.

Feast of Passover
During the Feast of Passover, the Israelites celebrated their deliverance from the Egyptians, as well as God as the Deliverer. The Passover meal is symbolic in form and also in the food choices. Each food represents a different part of the story of their escape from Egypt. The meal includes lamb to symbolize the slain lambs whose blood marked the Hebrews’ doorposts on the night of the 10th plague, on which the angel of death “passed over” their homes. In the New Testament, Jesus became the sacrificial Passover Lamb to offer deliverance from sin to all people for all time, for those who receive it.

Old Testament Significance
Several times a year the Israelites gathered together for a feast or festival. In Leviticus 23, “the Lord said to Moses, ‘Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘These are my appointed feasts … which you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies.’” These seven feasts and festivals are: Feast of Passover, Feast of Unleavened Bread, Festival of First Fruits, Feast of Harvest, Feast of Trumpets, Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles (or Booths). In addition, the Israelites would gather weekly to celebrate the Sabbath. These were times to remember what God had done for His people and to celebrate His goodness. They were a time for the entire faith community to gather together without the burden of work to simply worship and celebrate. During the feasts, the Israelites ate, danced, sang, played instruments, prayed, and offered sacrifices to God.

New Testament Significance
The Feast of Passover was fulfilled by the death of the Messiah, the Feast of Unleavened Bread was fulfilled by His sinless sacrifice, and the Festival of First Fruits was fulfilled by the resurrection of the Messiah. The Feast of Harvest began with a great harvest of three-thousand souls by the coming of the promised Holy Spirit, who continues to harvest souls today. The Feast of Trumpets will announce Christ’s return, the Day of Atonement anticipated the Messiah’s perfect sacrifice, and, finally, the Feast of Tabernacles begins the journey to our new home in a new heaven and new earth.

October in the Children's Ministry

Thanks for sharing your kids with us this past month at WCC! We had a great month of September at the church. We added a new worship minister, kicked off our Wednesday night Bible studies, and started our small groups.  Not to mention that in KidQuest and FirstLook, we started telling God's Big story at the very beginning!  Check out the rest of this email for great information about what is happening in the Children's Ministry at Wentzville Christian Church in October as well as some great parenting resources.

The main focus of October will be the enviroment of Course Correction. Let’s face it … none of us really like to be corrected, especially when being corrected involves a season of pain. We would all like to make the right decisions the first time around and live in an environment that is filled with joy and easy living.

However, when we truly look at the environment of COURSE CORREC TIO N we realize it is an environment filled with grace, mercy, and, yes, even joy. To grasp the fact that we have a heavenly Father who loves us as His own sons and daughters and disciplines us only because He loves us is amazing and overwhelming. He doesn’t just discipline us and walk away, He takes the time to lift us up and get us back on the right path. He makes something beautiful out of the messes we create. I don’t know about you, but for me that is true joy!

This environment flows out of Hebrews 12:11–13 and is the direct opposite of punishment. Instead, biblical discipline encompasses: a season of pain, a building up in love, and a vision for a corrected path for the individual with the purpose of healing at its core.

This month we are looking at the environment of COURSE CORREC TIO N. Most people might think this sounds like a painful process. The truth is, it can be! When we find ourselves “off course” in life, sometimes just the realization that we are wrong can be painful. Sometimes the consequences of our decisions can be painful. However, God has a way of using our mistakes and missteps to make us beautiful and powerful examples of His love in our lives. I pray your family will experience the beautiful healing and restoration that God brings to His children.

MEMORY VERSES FOR OCTOBER
KIDQUEST (elementary)
“O Lord my God, I called to you for help and you healed me.”
Psalm 30:2 (NIV)

FIRSTLOOK (preschool)
“You always show me the path that leads to life.”
Psalm 16:11a (NIrV)


IMPORTANT DATES

• Starting in October we will be serving a dinner on Wednesday nights, 5:15 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. before Bible studies. Be sure to come eat with us!
• Taking the Plunge -- A Baptism Class for Kids begins on October 12. Go to www.wentzvillecc.org/plunge for more info.
• On October 30 at 3:00pm, we will host Trunk or Treat! Kids will have an opportunity to walk around our parking lot and trick or treat at decorated trunks.  This has been a great event in years past and we expect it to be even better this year.  Be on the lookout for how to sign up your trunk too!
• Operation Christmas Child Supply Drive and Packing Party. Right now we are in the middle of a supply drive for our 2nd Annual Operation Christmas Child Packing Party.  In August, we collected school suppllies; In September, we collected hygine supplies; in October we will be collecting small toys.  Please drop off any of these items in the green drop box under the missions bulletin board. The packing party will be November 5 at 10am (there is a rumor that we will also be having a pancake breakfast that morning prior to the packing party).
• SuperStart registration (4th, 5th, and 6th Graders) has started.  SuperStart is the nation's largest preteen Christian conference.  This year, we will be attending the conference in Louisville, KY on November 11, and 12.  You can go to www.wentzvillecc.org/superstart for more info.

PARENT RESOURCES

• HomeFront Monthly
  This month's HomeFront flows out of Hebrews 12:11-13 and focuses on the environement of "Course Correction".  This great resource include food and game activities for the whole family as well as some great reading for you! You can download this month's HomeFront Monthly here.
• ParentLink
  ParentLink is our monthly parenting podcast that helps us understand key elements of an Orange Parenting Strategy. This month, I talk about "Creating a Rhythm" in your home that allows for spiritual formation to take place.  This month, I propose an idea of a "To-Don't List." You can listen/download a number of different ways. You can listen on our website, download from the iTunes store, listen on our blog or Facebook page.
• Family Currents
  This month's Family Currents is all about "Living a Legacy" and goes right along with our current sermon series "Outlive Your Life." You can download this month's resource here.
• Coming Soon!
  A resource that will give you devotions that will help you walk through the Bible with your kids! We are going to call this resource "The Big God Story Bible Study."

IMPORTANT CHANGES

• Our elementary kids will be getting their OWN room for Sunday morning worship very soon!  We are in the construction phase of the KidQuest Room!  We are going to have a paint day on October 8!

God Saves (FirstLook -- October 2)

This week in FirstLook we will be talking about Baby Moses and how his part of God's Big Story is connected to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Do you know how and why God's people were enslaved in Egypt and why Moses was put in a basket on the river? Keep reading to find out the answer that your preschoolers will be learning about this weekend and don't forget to download this week's HomeFront Weekly which will give you a great baby floating activity!

To be sure, our God saved Abraham and blessed him with many descendants. God kept His covenant with Abraham. The book of Exodus opens by listing the sons of Jacob (Israel) who brought their families to Egypt to escape the famine in Canaan. It’s possible that in Egypt they were doubling their population about every 25 years. This is the same rate of growth we are currently experiencing worldwide.

This population explosion amongst the Israelites concerned the later pharaoh. His fear led him to devise a plan to enslave the people and destroy newborn Hebrew boys. Two Hebrew midwives outsmarted the pharaoh. They told him the Hebrew women were just too strong and were able to deliver the babies before they could arrive. When Pharaoh realized he had been deceived and his attempts had failed, he ordered his people to act as spies and cast any male babies of the Israelites into the Nile River.

In the midst of it all, a son was born into the tribe of Levi. Trusting in God, the child’s parents defied Pharaoh’s edict and hid their son for three months. Ironically, it was Pharaoh’s daughter who rescued the baby and named him Moses. God then used Moses’ sister to help the princess arrange for a nurse, the child’s own mother, to care for him. The child was able to grow up in the home of his parents during his early years, receiving the strong inculcating of Hebrew traditions. Moses’ foundation of faith was received at his parents’ knees. Jewish mothers would, from the time a baby was first cradled in their arms, begin to whisper in their ears, “Jehovah is God.”

God is a God of salvation. He delivered Moses and set a corrected course for him to deliver a nation. It is through this nation (specifically, the tribe of Judah) that salvation came to the world through Jesus Christ. Our God saves!

God is with Us in FirstLook (September 25)

This week in FirstLook we are goign to be teaching about Joseph.  Here is the HomeFront Monthly and some other great info to help you talk about Joseph in your home!

Through the life of Joseph and his myriad struggles, we can learn about God being with us and working through us. So much so, biblical scholars make a case for Joseph being the Old Testament archetype of Jesus Christ. Both were obedient sons who were beloved by their fathers. Joseph was rejected and sold into slavery by his brothers. Similarly, the Jewish community rejected Jesus and the message He brought. Both were falsely accused and unjustly punished. Yet in the end, both were elevated to a place of powerful position and saved their people from death.

God went before Joseph, preparing the way for the restoration of His people. At this time in God’s grand narrative, His chosen people in Jacob’s family were the faith community. As a result of sin within the family, pain and brokenness permeated it. For Joseph, his father, and his brothers, God used a devastating famine to bring healing and restoration of relationships.

The sin and brokenness within Joseph’s family is present throughout all of humanity. But God Himself is present. He has made a way for all who would receive Him to be adopted into His family. In God’s family we’re part of a faith community that stretches beyond our own lifetime, into eternity past and present.

God Has the Power to Do All He Promises (FirstLook on Sept. 18)

This will be the second week we talk about Abraham.  Last week, your FirstLook student learned that God promised Abraham as many descendants as the number of grains of sand on a beach. Wow, that is a HUGE family, and your child also learned that we are part of that family! So this week, we will continue telling The Big God Story and introduce another character, the son Abraham has as a 100 year old man, Isaac.  For more direct info into specifics about what your child will be learning and an activity to help you introduce Isaac in your home check out this week's HomeFront Weekly that was emailed to you or you can download it here.

To help you out before you set off to tell your children about this great part of God's big story, let us give you a little more background.

Genesis, the book of generations, documents not only the start of human history, but also the plan for the redemption of all mankind. Some scholars believe that each genealogy within this book contrasts the messianic lineage with a nonmessianic lineage, revealing God’s very specific focus to one particular family through whom the Messiah would be revealed.

Throughout the Bible, God refers to Himself in a number of ways. For instance: God Eternal, I AM, and Yahweh. Each time, He reveals a significant attribute about His character. In the first verse of Genesis 17, just before He renews His covenant with Abraham, God reveals Himself as El Shaddai. In English, this translates to God Almighty. Surely, Abraham was shocked that God would promise him a child at the age of 100. Using this name, God was informing Abraham of His ultimate power; He alone is God. He alone is able to accomplish everything He has planned to accomplish.

This moment holds great weight in our lives. God made an amazing promise to Abraham. His covenant with Abraham led to one of the most significant moments in history: the starting point for the family line of Jesus, paving the way to our own salvation. It is because of this family line that we can have a restored relationship with God the Father. We are ushered into God’s family, grafting us into a faith community that stretches around the globe. We have brothers and sisters from every tribe and nation. This family, our family, has the unique opportunity to walk alongside one another in true worship of God Almighty. We can live in such a way that the world will desire to be in relationship with our God—El Shaddai.

In Genesis chapter 17, God met with Abraham to remind him of various aspects of their covenant. Upon hearing this, Abraham was so moved that he fell facedown in awe. This reaction is elicited in other places in Scripture when God reveals His glory to His people. Abraham’s posture of worship demonstrates reverence and submission before a holy God.

Keri Fox, a worship leader, explains, “Sometimes, positioning ourselves in a physical posture of worship—using our bodies to worship Him—can help to move our hearts to worship God as well.”

This week, before you participate our worship service, ask God to reveal Himself to you. Ask Him to free you from distraction so you may hear His voice. As we join with our faith community in a time of corporate worship, be aware of how God is directing you to respond to Him. What is the posture of your heart? What is your physical posture before Him? How does worshipping together with fellow believers impact your time of worship and experience with the Lord?

Upcoming!!!

Its that time again, school has started! This also means a shift in what your kids are learning is coming too!

Right now in KidQuest, we have finished out study through the book of Acts and in the next two weeks we will be lookingn at cellebrating our future with Jesus and our jobs to spread his word.  In FirstLook we are filling some time with famous Old Testament stories like Jonah and Esther.

Well in September we are going to flip our Bibles back to the beginning! From September 2011 to August 2012 we will once again walk through the story of the Bible or like we call it GOD's BIG STORY!

We are so excited about this and we are praying that your kids will begin to see that God's story is huge and that it includes them!

So keep your eyes and ears open because we will soon be talking about God's creation again!

August 21 in KidQuest and FirstLook

KidQuest

Jesus was with God from the beginning. When Jesus came to earth, He made Himself nothing. He became a servant. He relinquished His glorious state in heaven and instead took on human flesh. He was
humble and meek and obedient. One of the images that most vividly portrayed Jesus’ humility was His choice to enter Jerusalem riding on a donkey.

The Israelites longed for a day when their Messiah would appear. Their hope of the Messiah was central to their existence. But contrary to prophecy in Zechariah 9:9 that described the Messiah as “gentle and riding on a donkey,” they yearned for God to send a messiah who was strong, militarily. They expected a great king who would destroy their enemies in war. They waited for a messiah who would ride on horseback. But, of course, Jesus chose to ride a donkey. By doing this, He foreshadowed that His salvation would come by way of peace.

But the story doesn’t end there. The Son of God wasn’t clothed in modesty forever. In Revelation 19, we see a picture of our Savior riding on a white horse. In the Roman world, white symbolized victory. And we read in Revelation that God will ultimately have victory and reign as not only a military King, but also King of Kings and Lord of Lords!

When this time comes, we will see Jesus in all of His glory. He will be clothed in the majesty that He gave up for our sake. At the end of time, when God is victorious, we will see Jesus for who He is: the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. And we will know our true identity, too—children, heirs, worshippers of the King of Kings. 

 Just for fun, before you read The Big God Story this week, give your children some paper and crayons. Then, read together the account of Jesus coming back in revelation 1:5–18, 19:11–16, and 21:1–7, 10–23. Think of some questions that reflect on what you just read such as, “What kinds of things does God say will happen in heaven?” or “Why is there no sun or moon in heaven?”

When you have finished, invite your kids  to draw a picture of what they imagine heaven will be like. Encourage them to tell you about their picture. Explain to them that, while none of us know exactly what heaven will be like, we do know we will be with God forever. It will be exciting to get there one day and discover exactly what it really is like!

Share with your children that what they just heard is a part of The Big God Story in the Bible, and they will hear more in church this week about how God is the beginning and the end. Close your time together by praying and thanking God for being a victorious God who invites all of His children to join Him in heaven! 

FirstLook

In The Big God Story, we see a theme repeated: God has been saving His people throughout history. In the book of Esther, there are many exciting details that make it a triumphant story. None is as amazing as the way God wove every event together to bring about His plan—His desired outcome.

After a falling-out between King Xerxes and Queen Vashti, the king commanded a search be made among all the young virgins (women of marrying age) in every region of his empire for the woman who would take Vashti’s place as queen. A young Jewish woman from Susa named Esther won the favor of the king and was crowned queen in place of Vashti. Esther continued to gain favor not only with the king, but with everyone she met. 

Through a series of events, Haman, one of the king’s officials, devised a plan to wipe out all the Jewish people. Mordecai, Esther’s cousin (and the man who had raised her), implored her to act on behalf of her people and beg the king for mercy. Esther’s first response was one of fear and apprehension. Mordecai responded with a reminder for Esther of who she was. “Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:13–14).

Esther realized what needed to be done and went before the king. God went before Esther and the king gave her everything she asked. The Jewish people were saved and God preserved The Promise within the line of Judah.

This week,  JUST FOR FUN, during mealtime read to your children the biblical account of God saving His people in Esther 8:3–6 and 16–17. Explain to them that the Jewish people feasted and celebrated when they were saved. Encourage them to act out the celebrating and joyous shouts the Jewish people must have made as they feasted.

After you’ve finished reading, think of questions that reflect on the passage, such as, “What did Esther ask the king to do?” or “How did the Jewish people feel when God  saved them?”

Tell your children that what they just heard is true and part of The Big God Story in the Bible. They’ll hear more at church this week about how God is a God who saves and protects His people. Come together as a family to pray and thank God for the way He chooses us to complete His plans, loving and caring for us every day.