Hello Parents and Leaders, you have probably noticed me really encouraging people to sign up by 2/9 for FamiliesOnMission. Why? Why are we emphasizing this for our families? Keep reading to find out.
Every sheep needs a shepherd. And we want each of the kids in our church to echo Psalm 23, saying, “The Lord is my shepherd.” But there are other forces that want to lead our little sheep to places other than green pastures beside still waters. There are shepherds that want our kids, not to go through the valley of the shadow of death, but to make their homes there. Psalm 49 tells us that those who trust in themselves will die and “death will be their shepherd.” If you are a parent in the twenty-first century, I do not need to tell you of all the would-be-shepherds that try to lead our kids toward death. And the Bible, in places like Proverbs 7, tells us that this is not something new in our times. And the solution isn’t new either. The solution, parents, is you.
Now, I don’t mean that you can save your children or keep them from following the path of fools. But I do mean to clearly say that God has called you to lead them, and He powerfully uses parents as a part of his good plan. Proverbs famously opens, saying, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction” (1:7). That is a heavy truth; what is the plan to help our kids not be fools? The next verse answers: “Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.” God empowers parents to faithfully shepherd the sheep He has given to them.
So, what does all this have to do with FamiliesOnMission? Well, as we continue to develop our family ministry at Sandhurst, we want to have some time with the shepherds (parents) and the sheep (your kids) together so that we can encourage and equip you to do what God has tasked you to do. Christian parents have been given a mission by God. You are a family on a mission. And we want to help you do it!
In Ephesians 6:4, Paul tells the parents in that church not to exasperate their children, but to “bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.” So, parents, you are a shepherd. You are bringing your sheep somewhere as you follow our Great Shepherd. There are lions lurking. There are dangerous snakes coiled in the grass. There is treacherous land off the path. But God has called you to lead. And, we believe that He is using his church here to help you do it better and better.
So sign up here for FamiliesOnMission by 2/9. Don’t miss it! Here are the details:
In place of KidsOnMission, we will be having a family event on 3/1 for parents and their preschool/elementary school kids. (There will be a nursery as well.) This is going to be a great time of fun, family, and growing together as we look to equip and encourage parents in the mission God has given to them. The event will include food, a family devotional/discussion time, and a DIY building project for kids to do with their parent(s). This is a great event for families with kids between 31months and 10years old. The cost will be $7 per family.
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