Spiritually Encouraging Our Children

by Jim on September 5, 2012

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Ministry Encouragement Podcast – Episode TEN

Introduction and Welcome:

Hello and welcome to the TENTH EPISODE of the Ministry Encouragement Podcast, an experience that will touch you at the point of one or more of your greatest needs, lift your life spiritually AND provide you with new Christ-empowered motivation to move fully into the JOY of discipleship and the ADVENTURE of ministry.  I am SO appreciative of you allowing me to share in your life today through this Podcast!

I am Rev. Jim W. Hollis, the Founder and Executive Director of Proactive Ministries.  This ministry has grown from a spiritual vision and a Staff of one – ME – to a ministry Staff of 22 today.  Proactive Ministries has provided ministry coaching and training to more than 900 congregations across North America since 1993.

In today’s tenth Episode of our Podcast, I will be beginning a series that will go for four weeks on the theme of, “Ministry With Children and Youth.”  In our ministry, two of the 20+ areas of teaching, coaching and training we provide in churches are working in ministry with our children and our youth.

How am I defining the words, “children” and “youth” for the sake of these discussions?  We define ministry with children, as working with children who are from ages 4-12.  We define working with Youth as including youth from ages 13 – 17.  Generally speaking, we are talking about children from kindergarten through traditional 5th grade in schools.  And we are intending youth discussions for those from 6th grade through 12th grades in a traditional educational setting.

As we talk about this today there WILL be overlap in some of the “Life Lessons & Joys” that I will be encouraging for the children and the youth that could be applied to either of these groups.  These can be applied in the context of families, churches, schools, and a variety of other groups such as sports teams, clubs, interest groups, etc…

The major method of sharing the Three Life Lessons and Joys with Children today is by MODELING:

  • When I speak of modeling, I am promoting the clear example of our living out what we authentically believe and live in front of our children and youth.  If you tell your children or youth in so many ways, “Live the actions I SAY, but not the actions I DO,” you will teach them what being false and hypocrisy are all about.  Our children and youth know us far better than we ever want to admit in life because they are witnesses to the way we ACTUALLY LIVE our lives.  They hear what we talk about, sure.  But they have modeled for them what we DO consistently.  This is an important foundation in our understanding how we can spiritually encourage and teach our children and youth – by modeling the principles, truths, values and qualities of life that matter most to us.

With that in mind, we will look closely at: 

1)   Three TOP Life Lessons & Joys to teach and model with our children

  • The power and reality of praying with our children
  • The Bible as the book for life
  • The sharing of ministry experiences with our children

 

Please let me hear from you personally on Email.  I would love to get your responses to this Episode on Spiritually Encouraging Our Children.  Is this on the mark for you?  As a parent, do these principles and strategies speak to you and your kids?  What are some stories you may like to share with me about how you are living out your faith with your own children or the children of others that you have an privilege to influence for Christ?

Send your email responses or thoughts to me at:  jim@ministryencouragementpodcast.com

And, while you are reflecting on this week’s Episode, please prayerfully consider sharing it with your friends, colleagues or others who are working closely with children.  Blessings on you!  I always covet your prayers.

{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }

Amedar September 6, 2012 at 1:23 am

I’ve been absent for some time, but now I remember why I used to love this web site. Thanks , Iˇ¦ll try and check back more frequently. How frequently you update your site?

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Jim September 11, 2012 at 4:36 pm

Thanks for the note of affirmation about the Ministry Encouragement Podcast. I would love to hear a bit of your story. I update the site at least once weekly with a new podcast episode. Most of them are running about 45 minutes to an hour long. Blessings.

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Nilushi October 25, 2012 at 4:28 pm

Proverbs 22:6Parents deos not make or take decisions for their chderiln but instead they are there to guied them in doing what is right and also to comply with the command of our LORD Jesus christ. EgTrain up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.Ephesians 6:4Fathers, do not exasperate your chderiln; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.Also you should not fail to understand the ten commandmentAnd ask the Holy Spirit to help u apply it in your lifeExodus 20:12“Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the lord your God is giving you.

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more... September 22, 2012 at 7:21 pm

It’s a nice post.

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kindlehelp5 September 28, 2012 at 8:36 pm

WOW!!! Nice Post!Kind Regards

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Carman Wipprecht October 15, 2012 at 9:05 pm

When I initially left a comment I appear to have clicked the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and now whenever a comment is added I recieve 4 emails with the same comment. There has to be a way you are able to remove me from that service? Thanks!

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Jim October 16, 2012 at 4:26 pm

I will talk with my administrative people about this and see if they can resolve it. You may have subscribed twice and one letter be off on your emails. You may try UNsubscribing for a day and then subscribing again or using another email when you reconnect. Thank you so much for listening to our Ministry Encouragement Podcast and I would love to learn a little about your story.

Jim Hollis

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Gabriel October 25, 2012 at 3:41 pm

to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6 He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 7 ‘The Son of Man must be dleeverid over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ” 8 Then they remembered his words. 9 When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. 10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. 11 But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. 12 Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.more evidence Luke 24: 30-49(read)

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