2014 Awana Clubs International

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2 2014 Awana Clubs International Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV ), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

3 What Worldview Are You Teaching Your Kids?... 6 Pray for them Pray with them...8 Show respect for the authority of God...12 Show them how to be students of the Bible...16 Teach during the teachable moments...20 Explain that the Bible is alive and relevant...24 Encourage good friendships Be an example of someone who is not afraid to stand firm...32 Answer the hard questions...36 Introduce them to others who have a strong faith...40 Serve together...44 Develop a global awareness Suggested resources...52

4 WHAT WORLDVIEW ARE YOU TEACHING YOUR KIDS? Every child has a worldview. And most children learn their worldview from their parents. Some children are taught a worldview of Materialism. Or humanism Or despair Our desire is to teach our children a biblical worldview; a worldview that looks at everything in life through the lens of what God says in His Word, the Bible. That includes what they watch on TV, the friends they choose, the parties they attend, the books they read, the classes they take, the words they use the list goes on. Paul wrote to Timothy: and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings [Scripture], which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. (2 Timothy 3:15, ESV) Timothy learned Scripture Introduction and in doing so, learned wisdom wisdom that affected all aspects of his life. Wisdom that enabled him to develop a biblical worldview. We don t want our kids to have a worldview of materialism, humanism or despair. We want to guide children toward developing a worldview of godly wisdom so that each word they say and each thing they do is aligned with God s Word. Whether you re a parent, a grandparent or a children s ministry leader here are 11 key components to instilling a biblical worldview in kids. 11 Ways to Instill a Biblical Worldview in Your Kids 7

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6 PRAY FOR THEM PRAY WITH THEM Pray that they will grow spiritually and be discerning in the choices they make - And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. (Philippians 1:9-11, ESV) Teach them that prayer is communicating with God, asking Him to give us wisdom in the decisions we make in our daily lives, talking over our problems with Him. But most of all, prayer is thanking the Lord for all the wonderful things He has done for us. Find moments each day to model prayer for your child. Those kittens are cute, Christi. Let s thank the Lord for creating kittens. Austin, I know you re nervous about the test. Why not talk to the Lord about your nervousness? Ask Him to help you remain calm and to remember what you ve studied. Those girls were mean to you, Sophie. We can talk to the Lord right now and ask Him to help you be courageous in spite of the way they are treating you. Kids need to know that prayer doesn t always change circumstances. (We live in a messedup, sinful world), but prayer does change our attitude toward the circumstances when we recognize that the Lord is with us through the tough times and the easy times.) 11 Ways to Instill a Biblical Worldview in Your Kids 11

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8 SHOW RESPECT FOR THE AUTHORITY OF GOD We live in a world where many people have no use for God except to flippantly use His name during frustrating moments. Or to ridicule Him, His Word and those of us who believe in Him. We watch TV and hear people carelessly make jokes about their beliefs and read news reports about atheist camps for kids (because why should Christian kids have all the fun?) or atheist churches and chaplains. These people are proud of their disregard for God. Yet the Bible says - For I know that the Lord is great, and that our Lord is above all gods. (Psalm 135:5, ESV) The God of the Bible is the one true God. He is sovereign and nothing in this world surprises Him. He has given us a choice we can choose to follow Him or we can choose not to follow Him. However, whether or not we choose to follow Him does not negate His authority. He is in charge as Isaiah stated hundreds and hundreds of years ago Remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose, (Isaiah 46:9-10, ESV). Just as God gave us a choice so He gives our children a choice. We need to guide them toward making the right choice. 11 Ways to Instill a Biblical Worldview in Your Kids 15

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10 SHOW THEM HOW TO BE STUDENTS OF THE BIBLE Do your kids know how to study the Bible? Do they know how to find the Greek or Hebrew meaning of a word? Do they know that the places talked about in the Bible are real places? Do they know how to use a concordance or Bible dictionary? (With so many resources online, researching is easier than ever.) Why not study a verse a day or a week? Read it. Memorize it. Look up the meaning of the words in their original language. Talk about the context. Who was saying it to whom? Why was he saying it? How can the verse apply to your own life? Often we read some prewritten devotional that has a verse tagged onto the end. Sometimes we actually look up the verse and sometimes we don t because we re in a hurry. Devotional books are great, but, in addition, kids need to study the Bible itself. Remember what Paul wrote to Timothy: Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15, ESV) Show your children how to be a student of the Bible, a right handler of the word of truth; a student as interested in finding all the facets of a verse as they are learning stats for their favorite sports team or computer game. Make the study fascinating. Do it together. Or, choose a verse and have each family member do his own research and then get together and all share what they learned. Making sure, of course, that the final result is biblically accurate. 11 Ways to Instill a Biblical Worldview in Your Kids 19

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12 TEACH DURING THE TEACHABLE MOMENTS In Deuteronomy 6, the children of Israel were instructed: And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise (vs. 6-7, ESV). Paul is telling Timothy to be prepared to teach those to whom he ministers, but this is also good admonition for today s parents. We, too, need to be prepared at all times. We often talk about teachable moments in a child s life, but the truth is, for those teachable moments to be worth anything, we actually have to take advantage of them. We might be walking past a squirmy caterpillar with our child and think how this would be a great opportunity to talk to our child about creation. We might listen as our daughter tells us that her friend s little brother was diagnosed with leukemia and think it would be a good opportunity to pray with her. We might listen to our teen high school kids discuss a humanistic philosophy they heard from a teacher at school and think it would be good to guide them toward biblical conclusions. But if we don t actually do anything about these teachable situations, we haven t accomplished a thing. We need to be ready and prepared to take advantage of teachable moments. 11 Ways to Instill a Biblical Worldview in Your Kids 23

13 People say that the Bible was written so many years ago that the words couldn t possibly have any meaning for us today. Not true. God s words are living words. For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12, ESV) Whom does your family know who has died? Do you have any old letters from that person or something else that person has written? For instance, perhaps you have a letter from 11 Ways to Instill a Biblical Worldview in Your Kids 25

14 great-grandpa written when your child was younger. (This illustration works particularly well if your child remembers the older person and if the person was a Christian.) Read the letter with your child. Emphasize that great-grandpa loved your child and even wrote words of love in the letter yet, now greatgrandpa is in heaven. Even though he meant every word he wrote when he was alive, he is no longer here on earth and isn t thinking about those words today. But God s words are living. God s words are just as real today as when the Bible was first written. When we read the Bible, we can imagine the Lord sitting right across the table from us saying the words. Read a few verses with your child and talk about the Lord sitting with you, actually talking to you and your son or daughter. You can choose verses that talk about the child/ parent relationship, like Ephesians 6:1 or verses that talk about the Christian life, like Galatians 5: Choose verses that mean a lot to you and your child. Ask your child what verse they would like to thank the Lord for including in the Bible and then pray together and thank God for giving us His Word. Our kids need to learn to depend on Scripture. 11 Ways to Instill a Biblical Worldview in Your Kids 27

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16 ENCOURAGE GOOD FRIENDSHIPS Friends who stick together and make the right choices together are less likely to get involved in inappropriate activities. On the other hand, if all of a child s friends are doing something wrong, the child may have a difficult time doing what s right. The Bible is clear about this. Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm. (Proverbs 13:20, ESV) Parents can help their child make good choices in friends. By teaching your child how to be a good friend. By teaching your child the characteristics of a good friend so that he can make wise choices. By getting together with likeminded families. When two sets of parents participate in activities, the kids are naturally thrown together and often this leads to strong friendships. By allowing children to bring friends along on picnics, trips to the museum, etc. By opening your home to your child s friends. That way, you can know what s going on. Sometimes having the home where other kids congregate is expensive (all that food they eat), noisy (they re always yelling) and inconvenient (I wanted to watch the documentary and they re all watching the game). But helping our children make good friend choices can be the difference between someone who walks away from all she s been taught and someone who stays involved in church. 11 Ways to Instill a Biblical Worldview in Your Kids 31

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18 BE AN EXAMPLE OF SOMEONE WHO IS NOT AFRAID TO STAND FIRM We live in a world that is not God-friendly. We live in a world that fights against anything that has to do with the Bible. We live in a world where morals are turned upside down. What God says is right, the world says is wrong. What God says is wrong, the world says is right. The Lord isn t surprised at this He knows life in this sin-filled world is tough. That s why He supplies us with armor. That s why He reminds us to stand firm. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. (Ephesians 6:13, ESV) We can talk to our children about this but showing them is even better. How do we react when someone at work makes fun of us because of our beliefs? we actually lose a job promotion because of our faith? someone lashes out at us because we re holding a Bible study in our home? Do our children see us react with inappropriate language and rage or do they see us be firm (and self-controlled) in our beliefs. Children watch. We need to be good examples in choosing right from wrong. We need to be good examples in standing firm in our faith. Our kids need to see that our faith means something to us. 11 Ways to Instill a Biblical Worldview in Your Kids 35

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20 ANSWER THE HARD QUESTIONS We all have questions that don t have answers. When Awana did a survey of 4,000 kids from preschoolers through high school and asked: What is your biggest question about God and the Bible? The top question was Where did God come from? Truth is we can t answer that, because we don t know. We aren t God so we don t know everything that God knows. He tells us The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law. (Deuteronomy 29:29, ESV). God tells us what we need to know and the rest He keeps to Himself. However (and this is a majorly important however ), we still need to discuss these difficult questions (both the answerable and the unanswerable) with our kids. We don t want them going off to college or getting involved in a career or joining the service and being clueless the first time someone challenges their faith. We need to help them find the answers to the answerable questions. We need to show them verses like Deuteronomy 29:29 and give them perspective on the unanswerable questions. The apostle Peter wrote but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, (1 Peter 3:15, ESV) We apply that verse to people we meet in our workplace or neighborhood but shouldn t that also apply to our own families? Shouldn t we be ready to respectfully and gently talk to our kids about their questions? 11 Ways to Instill a Biblical Worldview in Your Kids 39

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22 INTRODUCE THEM TO OTHERS WHO HAVE A STRONG FAITH Parents should be the primary spiritual nurturers of their children, but others can also have a valuable influence. Do your kids like sports? Are there any sports heroes they admire who have a strong faith? (This could be a professional, but it might be a high school kid in your own church who s a star on the school team.) Is there an older lady in your church who has always taken an interest in your daughter? You know the lady reflects Christ in all she does, so why not encourage your daughter to volunteer to help her clean her house or weed her garden a few hours a week and develop an intergenerational friendship? Does your child know your pastor? (Or, if you go to a mega-church, does your child know a staff member?) Kids who feel comfortable asking their pastor questions, kidding around with him and seeing him as a mentor are less likely to walk away from church when they get out on their own. These types of people can be huge influences on kids. In addition, teach your kids that they can also be examples to younger siblings or children at church. Knowing that someone admires her can encourage her to take her faith seriously. Show him Paul s words to Timothy: Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. (1 Timothy 4:12, ESV) 11 Ways to Instill a Biblical Worldview in Your Kids 43

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24 SERVE TOGETHER A lot of children s lessons end with the application to serve the Lord. We need to teach them how to do that. We need to model what service is all about. Paul commends Timothy s worth because he served with Paul in the gospel. Paul says their relationship during that service was as a son with a father. But you know Timothy s proven worth, how as a son with a father he has served with me in the gospel. (Philippians 2:22, ESV) Sometimes kids think that because they went on a week-long missions trip, they have served the Lord. But service is a lot more than that. Service is a lifestyle. Mission trips are great experiences and if your church offers a family trip go for it. However, during the months between trips to exotic places, make sure you serve in your own community. Can your child mow the neighbor s lawn? Teach a backyard Bible club? Bake cookies for the new mom down the street? Send newsy s to a missionary? Take advantage of church family service opportunities whether that s packing food for the needy or painting a classroom. Teach your kids to serve wherever they are and do so, with them. Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into His presence with singing! (Psalm 100:2, ESV) 11 Ways to Instill a Biblical Worldview in Your Kids 47

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26 DEVELOP A GLOBAL AWARENESS Children learn John 3:16 and that God loves the world. However, sometimes that world is limited to home, family, neighborhood and church. We need to develop a global awareness in our kids and give them insight into other cultures and ethnicities. Consistently pray that the unsaved people around the world would be introduced to the gospel message. Invite missionaries, international students and families with different cultural backgrounds to your house for dinner. If you know your guests won t mind, have your children write questions for them to ask the visitors. You could also ask your guests to bring a dish representing the culture where they are from or where they serve. Study different cultures as a family. Celebrate a different country every month or so. You could connect the countries you choose with missionaries supported by your family or church. Go on a short-term missions trip as a family or collect money for a mission s project. Have your children learn John 3:16 or other familiar verses in the language of the culture you are studying. (You can find translations on the Internet.) Remind them that even though the words are different, the message is the same. Global awareness can be a big event such as participation in a mission s conference or sponsoring a child, but it can also be moments here and there: praying for missionaries at the dinner table, sending a fun to a missionary kid or getting a book about another country from the library. Teach your child that God loves the world and then teach her what that world is. 11 Ways to Instill a Biblical Worldview in Your Kids 51

27 SUGGESTED RESOURCES Raising a Modern-Day Joseph by Larry Fowler This book reveals the five Master Life Threads character qualities of the Old Testament Joseph that map spiritual maturity from childhood through young adulthood. How to Raise a Modern-Day Joseph: A Practical Guide for Growing Great Kids by Linda Massey Weddle Discover the action steps for carrying out the principles in Raising a Modern-Day Joseph to help plan the best itinerary for a child s spiritual journey. Includes checklists for parents to evaluate what they ve taught and a worksheet for families to develop their own spiritual steps. A church section gives ministry leaders suggestions on how to support parents. God s Grand Vision for the Home by Rob Rienow This quick read is packed with encouraging and challenging biblical truth about God s design for families as the first and best disciple-making centers. Reclaiming the Sufficiency of Scripture by Rob Rienow Learn how Scripture is sufficient for every matter of faith and life including the family ministry of the church. Blogs: The Awana Blog awana.org/blog With helpful content from a wide range of contributors, subscribing to the Awana blog is a great way to deepen your ministry skills. Whether you re a full-time pastor,

28 part-time staff member, or ministry volunteer, you ll find relevant posts that will sharpen you as a leader and foster great conversations in your ministry. Parents awana.org/blog/parents Parenting is a full-time job. Our Parents blog channel helps you make the most of every opportunity you have as a parent. With ideas and inspiration, helpful insights and parenting tips, the Parents blog channel equips you to lead your kids spiritually. Are your kids in Awana? Parent Handbooks Parent handbooks give parents a deeper understanding of the material children are learning in their Sparks and T&T handbooks. Grow spiritually, share biblical insights with your child and model pacing and handbook achievement. Life Threads awana.org/blog/lifethreads Looking for posts about effective club ministry, the latest Awana products, and leader tips? Life Threads is the place for you! Curated by 30-year kidmin veteran Linda Weddle, the Life Threads blog channel will help you if you re just starting out in Awana, or if you ve been leading an Awana club for decades.

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