Help for Parents to Discuss Spiritual Things at Christmas

Christmas is a great time for parents to have extended times of conversation with their teens. Donald Whitney has put together a useful tool to direct conversations at any Christmas gathering. I would encourage parents to use this with their families as a way to focus our attention on Christ.

Ten Questions to Ask at a Christmas Gathering

Many of us struggle to make conversation at Christmas gatherings, whether church events, work-related parties, neighborhood drop-ins, or annual family occasions. Sometimes our difficulty lies in having to chat with people we rarely see or have never met. At other times we simply don't know what to say to those with whom we feel little in common. Moreover, as Christians we want to take advantage of the special opportunities provided by the Christmas season to share our faith, but are often unsure how to begin. Here's a list of questions designed not only to kindle a conversation in almost any Christmas situation, but also to take the dialogue gradually to a deeper level. Use them in a private conversation or as a group exercise, with believers or unbelievers, with strangers or with family.

1. What's the best thing that's happened to you since last Christmas?
2. What was your best Christmas ever? Why?
3. What's the most meaningful Christmas gift you've ever received?
4. What was the most appreciated Christmas gift you've ever given?
5. What was your favorite Christmas tradition as a child?
6. What is your favorite Christmas tradition now?
7. What do you do to try to keep Christ in Christmas?
8. Why do you think people started celebrating the birth of Jesus?
9. Do you think the birth of Jesus deserves such a nearly worldwide celebration? 10. Why do you think Jesus came to earth?


Of course, remember to pray before your Christmas gatherings. Ask the Lord to grant you "divine appointments," to guide your conversations, and to open doors for the gospel. May He use you to bring glory to Christ this Christmas.

Copyright © 2003 Donald S. Whitney.

Copyright Disclaimer: All the information contained on the Center for Biblical Spirituality website is copyrighted by Donald S. Whitney. Permission granted to copy this material in its complete text only for not-for-profit use (sharing with a friend, church, school, Bible study, etc.) and including all copyright information. No portion of this website may be sold, distributed, published, edited, altered, changed, broadcast, or commercially exploited without the prior written permission from Donald S. Whitney.

For more short, reproducible pieces like this, see www.BiblicalSpirituality.org

Special Speaker on Sunday

Parents

On Sunday, December 20th after the worship service during Adult Bible Communities the youth ministry will have a special speaker:Sam Burba. Sam is going to share about his drug abuse and how it was the power of the gospel which finally freed him from his addiction. We are delighted to have Sam encourage us in the gospel. Sam has spoken to several thousand teens sharing his story and the gospel in public schools throughout Phoenix, Arizona.


We not only want our teens to hear Sam and his story, we also want all parents of teens to come as well. This will be a tremendous opportunity for parents to use Sam's testimony as a platform to speak with their teens about drug abuse and any other addictive behavior (video games, TV, sex, pornography) and how the power of the gospel can break the power of sin. Please join us as we will have good food and good coffee and most important we will all be encouraged in the gospel of Christ.

Denver Post Reports on Sexting

Here is an article which showed up in last week's Denver Post. In the article a teen who has been involved in sexting is interviewed his response is astounding, "I just don't see it as that big of a problem, personally."
Parents should read and be aware.


Sexting Among Young People More Common Than You Might Think

Written by Libby Quaid

WASHINGTON — Think your kid isn't "sexting"? Think again.

Sexting — sharing sexually explicit photos, videos and chat by cellphone or online — is fairly commonplace among young people, despite sometimes grim consequences for those who do it. More than a quarter of young people have been involved in sexting in some form, an Associated Press-MTV poll found.

That includes Sammy, a 16-year-old from the San Francisco Bay Area who asked that his last name not be used.

Sammy said he had shared naked pictures of himself with girlfriends. He also shared naked pictures of someone else that a friend had sent him.

What he didn't realize at the time was that young people across the country — in Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Pennsylvania — have faced charges, in some cases felony charges, for sending nude pictures.

"That's why I probably wouldn't do it again," Sammy said. "(But) I just don't see it as that big of a problem, personally."

That was the view of nearly half of those surveyed who have been involved in sexting. The other half said it's a serious problem — and did it anyway. Knowing there might be consequences hasn't stopped them.

"There's definitely the invincibility factor that young people feel," said Kathleen Bogle, a sociology professor at La Salle University in Philadelphia and author of the book "Hooking Up: Sex, Dating and Relationships on Campus." "That's part of the reason why they have a high rate of car accidents and things like that, is they think, 'Oh, well, that will never happen to me.' "

Sexting doesn't stop with teenagers.

Young adults are even more likely to have sexted; a third of them said they had been involved in sexting, compared with about a fourth of teenagers.

Those who sent nude pictures of themselves mostly said they went to a boyfriend, girlfriend or romantic interest.

But 14 percent said they suspect the pictures were shared without permission, and they may be right: Seventeen percent of those who received naked pictures said they passed them along to someone else, often to more than just one person.

Criminal charges aren't the worst consequences of sexting. In at least two cases, sexting has been linked to suicide. Last year in Cincinnati, 18-year-old Jessica Logan hanged herself after weeks of ridicule at school; she had sent a nude cellphone picture to her boyfriend, and after they broke up, he forwarded the picture to other girls.

And three months ago, 13-year-old Hope Witsell hanged herself after relentless taunting at her school near Tampa, Fla. She had sent a nude photo of herself to a boy she liked, and another girl used his phone to send the picture to other students who forwarded it along.

Other teenage suicides have been linked to online bullying, also a subject of the AP-MTV poll. Half of all young people said they have been targets of digital bullying.

The poll, conducted Sept. 11-22, involved online interviews with 1,247 teenagers and adults ages 14-24. It has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 2.8 percentage points.

The Associated Press
Posted: 12/04/2009 01:00:00 AM MST

Does God Care How we Parent?

All parents have a particular style or principles by which they parent. Yet how many of us have considered what God says about parenting. In this sermon Randy Stinson gives us a basic overview of what a Biblical understanding of parenting might look like. Dr. Randy Stinson is the Dean of the School of Church ministries at SBTS and Randy also serves as president for the Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood. (Once you press play the video quality is very good)


Part 2

Modesty Pushing Back Against A Sexually Charged Culture

From Denny Burk's Blog

Nightline ran a story last week called “Girls Gone Mild” about a program called “Pure Fashion” that encourages young girls to dress modestly.
You can watch the video here or read the text version here.

If parents raise their children according to the Bible, does God promise to bring them to know him?

The Desiring God website has a useful section, Ask Pastor John, where John Piper answers many questions. Piper's answers are always grounded in the Scriptures, thoughtful and stimulating even if you disagree with his answer. I think this is a great resource for parents many of the answers are in a video format and are about 3 to 4 minutes in length. In this video Piper answers a question that is on every Christian parent's mind.

How well does your teen know the gospel?

When was the last time you and your teen discussed the gospel? Can your teen explain the gospel to you in a minute? Better yet, can you explain the gospel to your teen in a minute?

By asking your teen to explain the gospel to you in a minute or less you may open up a great conversation with them about Christ's work. Futher, we all need to be ready to give a reason for the hope in us (1 Peter 3:15).

Just to help get the ball rolling here is a great definition of the gospel from
Together for the Gospel


The Gospel is the joyous declaration that God is redeeming the world through Christ (Matt 1:21; Luke 1:68; Eph 1:7; Col 1:20), and that he calls everyone everywhere to repent from sin and trust Jesus Christ for salvation (Mark 1:15; Acts 2:38; 17:30).

Each of us has sinned against God (Rom 3:23), breaking his law and rebelling against his rule, and the penalty for our sin is death and hell (Rom 6:23). But because he loves us, God sent his Son Jesus (John 3:16; Eph 2:4; 1 John 4:10) to live for his people’s sake the perfect, obedient life God requires (Rom 8:4; 1 Cor 1:30; Heb 4:15) and to die in their place for their sin (Isa 53:5; Mat 20:28; 26:28; Mark 10:45; 14:24; Luke 22:20; John 11:50-51; Rom 3:24-25; 4:25; 1 Cor 15:3; 2 Cor 5:21; Eph 5:2; Heb 10:14; 1 Pet 3:18). On the third day, He rose bodily from the grave (Mat 28:6) and now reigns in heaven (Luke 22:69; 24:51; Heb 8:1), offering forgiveness (Eph 1:7), righteousness (Rom 5:19), resurrection (Rom 8:11), and eternal blessedness in God’s presence (Rev 22:4) to everyone who repents of sin and trusts solely in Him for salvation.

Gender bending and blending.

Albert Mohler has an insightful commentary at his blog today regarding boys wearing skirts to school.

Perhaps the greatest challenge this generation of high school students will face centers around the definition of gender. How will they answer the question, what makes a man a man and what makes a woman a woman? The lines between genders is no longer just bending what we see now in the culture is that the two genders are blended together. Culture is working towards one gender. This of course is the work of the prince of the power of the air. In the creation account we see God creating two wonderful and complementary genders. The new gender blending is just one more way the world seeks to destroy the beauty of God's creation.

This is an important issue for parents to discuss with their teen.

I would encourage all parents to read Dr. Mohler's post and then use dinnertime as a time to discuss gender what they see at school and how they are thinking about gender.

How can God be loving and yet send people to Hell?

If your students are understanding who God is this should be a question on their minds. I would encourage all our parents to watch this short clip and then discuss it with their Teen during your family devotions.

The speaker D. A. Carson is certainly one of the most brilliant New Testament scholars of the last 100 years.

How can God be loving yet send people to hell? from A Passion for Life on Vimeo.

The Hypersocialized Generation

http://www.albermohler.com/
Posted: Friday, November 06, 2009 at 2:08 pm ET

Jeffery Zaslow of The Wall Street Journal opens his article with the story of a 17-year-old boy sent to the vice principal's office after being caught sending text messages in class. The vice principal, Steve Gallagher, told the boy to pay attention to the teacher, not to his cellphone. Even as the boy nodded politely, Gallagher noticed something amiss -- the boy was texting about his discipline for being caught texting.

"It was a subconscious act," said Gallagher. "Young people today are connected socially from the moment they open their eyes in the morning until they close their eyes at night. It's compulsive."

Zaslow calls the lifestyle of these young people "hypersocializing." As he observes:

Because so many people in their teens and early 20s are in this constant whir of socializing—accessible to each other every minute of the day via cellphone, instant messaging and social-networking Web sites—there are a host of new questions that need to be addressed in schools, in the workplace and at home. Chief among them: How much work can "hyper-socializing" students or employees really accomplish if they are holding multiple conversations with friends via text-messaging, or are obsessively checking Facebook?

There is an argument to be noticed here. Some assert that this generation of teens and twenty-somethings has developed an invaluable ability to multitask, to frame arguments with few words, and to stay constantly connected. Some, like Ben Bajarin of Creative Strategies, go so far as to argue that these young people are so skilled at "multimedia socializing" that their social skills are superior to previous generations, rightly understood.

Others, noting the time spent obsessively checking digital devices, see a loss of community, a fog of constant chatter, and, for both employers and educators, a massive volume of lost time. As P. M. Forni at Johns Hopkins University observes, "There is a lot of communication going on that is futile and trivial."

Consider what this means for educators:

Educators are also being asked by parents, students and educational strategists to reconsider their rules. In past generations, students got in trouble for passing notes in class. Now students are adept at texting with their phones still in their pockets, says 40-year-old Mr. Gallagher, the vice principal, "and they're able to communicate with someone one floor down and three rows over. Students are just fundamentally different today. They will take suspensions rather than give up their phones."

As Gallagher concludes, asking students to separate themselves from social media for the school day seems futile. "It's like talking to kids about why they don't need air."

Jeffery Zaslow's article, published in the invaluable "Personal Journal" section of The Wall Street Journal, is directed mainly to the business community, where executives are hard pressed to know how much they should (or even can) restrict social networking among younger employees. But the issues he addresses go far beyond the business context. His article should be read by parents, pastors, teachers, and anyone who cares about the minds and souls of young people.

One thing is clear -- Zaslow is not exaggerating. Almost every parent of a teenager or twenty-something will recognize the truth of his diagnosis of "hypersocializing" among the young. If anything, the issues range beyond the concerns he identifies. Business executives are concerned about the financial costs and economic impact. Educators are rightly concerned about distractions from the learning process. But what does this hypersocializing do to the souls of young people?

As prophets of technological pessimism from Jacques Ellul to Neil Postman have reminded us, every technology comes with an effect on the soul. How does this digital revolution effect the souls of young people who quite literally sleep with cellphones on the pillow, lest they miss a text message in the night? What space is left for the development of flesh-and-blood friendships? How are they related to people who do not have access to text messages? Is their communicative ability now limited to 140 characters in a burst?

Among young Christians, what space is left for the development of a devotional life? Do their lives contain any space for extended quiet and reflection, for prayer, or for reading anything longer than a text message?

This is precisely where evangelical Christians need to invest serious thought and reflection. We should all be concerned when Steve Gallagher laments that these young people think they need constant access to social media the way they need oxygen for breathing.

Then again, maybe the real problem is much worse than Zaslow and Gallagher acknowledge. Is this phenomenon limited to the "hypersocialized" young? In the spirit of personal confession I must admit that I turn on my iPhone the moment the plane hits the tarmac on landing. I feel irresponsible if I do not post regular Twitter updates and check email and messages constantly. Colleagues, friends, and constituents expect "hypersocializing," and they now range across the age spectrum.

There is no going back -- at least not in terms of retreat. The social universe is a fact of life, and a missiological challenge for the Christian church. We are all Facebookers now.

The hypersocialized generation of teenagers and young adults needs to learn limits. Parents must provide those limits for their children and encourage them in older offspring. Educators and executives cannot ignore the challenge, but there is as yet no mechanism for determining proper balance in a world growing more hypersocialized by the day.

We are all looking for someone to figure this out and find the responsible boundaries. When this happens, let's hope they send a text message to the rest of us.

_____________________________

Jeffery Zaslow, "The Greatest Generation (of Networkers)," The Wall Street Journal, Wednesday, November 4, 2009.

Youth Group Cancelled

Youth Group is cancelled October 28th 2009 due to the weather

Stay at home and read your Bibles and think about how Christ has cleansed us whiter than snow.

Phill

Mohler on Parents Obey Your Children

Albert Mohler one of the most insightful cultural commentators of our day posted an article today titled, "Parents Obey Your Children." In his article Mohler notes the monumental shift in how both children and parents understand the parental role in curbing and disciplining a child's behavior.

From the article

"As Zalewski argues, today's young parents "learn that there are many things they must never do to their willful young child: spank, scold, bestow frequent praise, criticize, plead, withhold affection, take away toys, 'model' angry emotions, intimidate, bargain, nag. In other words, nearly all forms of discipline appear morally suspect."

Modern "experts" like Alfie Kohn now go so far as to argue that rewarding children for good behavior is virtually as injurious to the child as punishing children for negative behavior. Arguing against what he calls "conditional parenting," Kohn came out against everything from the "time out" to positive reinforcement."

Parents should read Mohlers article and be aware that cultural assumptions concerning parenting are in direct opposition to God's revealed will for parents (see Prov 13:24). This is just one more way that Satan and this present evil age are waging war against the Kingdom of Christ.

How to be a Good Husband

Many of may not know but I spent several years of my undergraduate degree as a trumpet major. While studying music I discovered the power of music to inspire. So I would encourage all husbands to allow this video to inspire you.

Graphes Theles Is Calling All Women and Girls!

Single Women, Married Women,

Young Women, Empty Nesters,

Mothers of sons, Grandmothers,

Daughters, Sisters,

Mothers of girls,Teenagers, GIRLS, ……….

If you fit into any of the above categories,

You should join us for the Graphe Thelus on

Saturday, October 10th at 11:30 am in the chapel!!!!!!!

$2.00 FOR WOMEN AND $1.00 FOR GIRLS

CALL THE CHURCH OFFICE!
303-841-2273

1 Peter 3:3-4 “Do not let your adorning be external –the

Braiding of hair and putting on of gold jewelry, or the

Clothing that you wear- but let your adorning be the

Hidden person of the heart with the imperishable

Beauty of a quiet and gentle spirit, which in GodsSight is very precious.”

Men's Conference

Just a quick glance at most TV sitcoms and we learn that men are buffoons. They cannot be trusted with the smallest tasks because they will inevitably mess it up creating a circus of the situation. However, what is most damaging about this message is no the message itself, rather the hopelessness of it. The real message being sent is that it's okay for a man to be a buffoon; he can't help it.

Brothers, you and I were created in the image of God as leaders. It is time for the men of the church to wage war against the world by embracing God's excellent design for us.

Join us this weekend, October 2-3 at Faith Baptist Church as we hear from Dr. Randy Stinson as he shares his passion to call men to embrace God's design for biblical manhood.

Conference is $45.00 and $60.00 for a father and son to attend together and $20.00 for each additional son. *Scholarships are available* Cost includes breakfast and lunch Saturday plus a book.

Call the church office if you would like to register or have questions! 303-841-2273

Q and A wtih Paul David Tripp Part 2

Jeff Robinson
September 21, 2009
http://wwwcbmw.org

Following is the second part of a three-part interview with him. Read Part 1.
Paul Tripp is the president of Paul Tripp Ministries, a nonprofit organization,
whose mission statement is "Connecting the transforming power of Jesus Christ to everyday life." He is on the pastoral staff at Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, Pa., where he preaches on Sunday evenings and leads the ministry to Center City.

Gender Blog: How specifically do parents combat gender confusion? Do we insulate our children completely from the world?

Paul David Tripp: You ought to want to protect your child from that, but you will never successfully insulate your child. It's nearly impossible for a family living in Western culture not to breathe some of its air. When I think of isolating my children, I tend to think of it in one of two ways: it's sort of like the medieval monastery, which didn't work, or it feels like what Tom Ridge told us to do when there was some concern about a biological attack on America—‘Get a lot of plastic and duct tape.' I was thinking, ‘Are you serious, this is going to keep us safe?' Well, I think there is a whole lot of plastic and duct tape going on in Christian families. I think a better protection is just getting the topic on the table. Be honest with your children. Be honest early and don't stop being honest. Parents need to build relationships with their children where their children know it's safe here for me to talk about all my confusion and for me to ask embarrassing questions. I'll never be mocked. I'll never be made fun of. My parents will never respond in fear and end up grounding me or punishing me. This is a place of safety and grace and patience and we are going to talk our way through all of the confusion and all of the attack and all of the distortions and delusions that are out there. So that means you can't have just one talk about sexuality. You have to open that topic and keep it open and build relationships with their children where they feel safe and comfortable in both talking and listening.

Gender Blog: Is it ever too young to start teaching about gender?


Paul David Tripp: No. I think we would all say the greatest guardian for our children against falsehood is to enculturate them with truth. So, a boy who is taught God's design for a man, a girl who is taught God's design for a woman, will be taught honestly about the dangers and distortions that get all mixed up and blended and will also be taught about the dangers on the far end of a man being a chauvinistic arrogant blowhard—that's not godly—or a girl being so prissy and delicate that she becomes a diva that nobody can touch, which are distortions too. You have to do that in a way that is wholesome and balanced, but wow, we've got to do that. My son is 33 years old, but I would feel a much bigger burden to do that today than I did when he was coming up. That's how much things have changed. We did that, but it's a huge issue now.

Q and A with Paul David Tripp Part I

By Jeff RobinsonSeptember 18, 2009
www.cbmw.org

Paul David Tripp recently visited Louisville for a conference on biblical counseling. Gender Blog was fortunate to have an opportunity to sit down with him and discuss issues of gender and culture. Following is the first part of a three-part interview with him.
Paul Tripp is the president of Paul Tripp Ministries, a nonprofit organization, whose mission statement is "Connecting the transforming power of Jesus Christ to everyday life." He is on the pastoral staff at Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, Pa., where he preaches on Sunday evenings and leads the ministry to Center City.

Gender Blog: As you travel and speak across the evangelical world, are you seeing more men and women embracing God's good design for the home and the church as it has been historically understood by the church?

Paul David Tripp: My observation of this present generation of young families that are in the church is that they are more serious and more informed than my generation was. When I am doing parenting conferences, I am talking very strongly about boys needing their dad and girls needing their mom to teach them what a godly man looks like and what a godly woman looks like. I see young couples who are eating that up. On the other hand, I think that our 10-year-olds to 18-year-olds are absolutely under siege. I think androgynous Western culture is everywhere. I think homosexuality is normalized to the junior high schooler/high schooler in ways that are shocking. We are facing a tidal wave of gender-confused young people in the church.

Gender Blog: Where do you see culture pushing in on biblical truth and causing such gender confusion?

Paul David Tripp: When you have girls who sort of like intense relationships with their peers and guys who like to have ‘best buds' in their lives and you have a culture that sexualizes all of that, it creates all kinds of confusion. They see on television young girls kissing one another and those kinds of things—what is a natural desire for community gets interpreted as being something sexual—and then it begins to blur the boundaries of what a woman is and what a man is, and there is the whole genre of music and fashion that caters to that; it's vexing.

Gender Blog: Where are some specific places you see this happening?

Paul David Tripp: There is a college in the suburbs of Philadelphia, as part of their week of orientation, have a couple of days of gender clarification. Basically, they ask a set of questions and put students through a set of exercises that, unless you are very strong and very aware, you will leave absolutely confused as to what it's like to be a man and what it's like to be a woman and whether you are a homosexual or straight. It is a crafted attempt to blur all the boundaries. When you add to that the whole normalization of "transgender," homosexuality, I just think that our kids are under siege. I can't help but think that this is fairly typical in our colleges and universities.

Gender Blog: Given the present cultural realities, must parents be intentional in teaching on gender from a young age?

Paul David Tripp: When I talk about sexuality in that way, every time I do a parenting weekend, I say to parents, ‘It's no longer just an issue of sexuality or gender, it's a fundamental cultural redefinition of human identity.' It's that profound and we do not have the ability to be silent because the world is not silent. We have to speak in ways that are clarifying to protect our children against that confusion... I have a letter that was handed to me from a man who is in ministry in Philadelphia that tries to minister to the homosexual community. He spoke at Tenth (Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia) on Sunday, and it was a letter written by a 15-year-old girl who had attended Tenth her whole life and who was in massive confusion. She was very offended by what he had said and could not believe that God would ever treat these issues and treat these people in this way. Her parents have no idea, because she has matriculated in that wider culture. So, while her parents are being silent—had one quasi-embarrassed talk about the subject—the world is not being silent.

Resources for Jr. and Sr. High Parents

FBC Student Ministries Parent blog
www.fbc78-4.blogspot.com

Parenting

The Age of Opportunity by Paul Tripp

Teach Them Diligently: How to use the Scriptures in Child Training By Loui Priolo

Shepherding a Childs Heart by Ted Tripp

Get Outta My Face: How to Reach Angry, Unmotivated Teens with Biblical Counsel by Rick Horne


Family Devotion Resources

Family Worship by Donald Whitney

Whiter than Snow: Meditations on Sin and Mercy by Paul Tripp

Pursuit of God by A. W. Tozer

Josh McDowell's Family Devotions by Josh McDowell

Josh McDowell's Youth Devotions by Josh McDowell

Fathers and Sons Stand Fast 2 vols by Douglas Bond


Cultivating Masculinity and Femininity

Girl Talk by Caroline Mahaney and Nicole Mahaney Whitacre

Lies Young Women Believe by Nancy Leigh DeMoss and Dannah Gresh

King Me: What Every Son Wants and Needs to Hear From His Father by Steve Farrar

Raising a Modern-Day Knight by Robert Lewis

Disciplines of a Godly Man by Kent Hughes


Books all Parents Should Read with Their Teen

The Peace Maker Student Edition by Ken Sande and Kevin Johnson

When People are Big and God is Small: Overcoming Peer Pressure, Codependency and the Fear of Man by Edward Welch

Sex is not the Problem Lust is by Josh Harris

I Kissed Dating Goodbye by Josh Harris

Boy Meets Girl by Josh Harris

Internet Filter Software

What to look for in Internet Filter Software

Even though the perfect internet Filter does not exist in today's marketplace, there are a number of great solutions depending on your family's needs. Below are the criteria Top Ten REVIEWS used to evaluate internet filter software:

Ease of Use
The most important attribute an Internet filter program can offer is an easy-to-use design, making it possible for people with all levels of computer experience to easily install and use the filter to its fullest capacity.

Effective at filtering
Top internet filter software offers a good balance between filtering objectionable material and not filtering too much content. Another important aspect is the ability to customize the filter's sensitivity for each family member.

Filtering algorithm
The best filter programs use a combination of filtering techniques, including URL filtering, keyword filtering and dynamic filtering.

Activity reporting
The most useful internet filter software offer reports on what each family member has been doing on the computer, which includes websites visited, chat room activities, IM conversations and so on.

Client-Server based
Good filtering programs offer a flexible platform, which allows users to decide whether their optimal filtering solution is client (home computer) based, server (Proxy or ISP) based or a combination of both.

Foreign language filtering
Effective internet filter programs offer the capacity to filter keywords in multiple languages. One of the tricks that many teenagers have discovered to bypass internet filters is to type in the foreign language equivalent of certain keywords.

Port filtering and blocking
Filtering programs should block or filter all major internet protocols, including web access, chat rooms, email, peer-to-peer networks, bulletin boards and pop-up windows.

With internet filter software and proper supervision, parents can keep their families safe from the ever-present problems and help them enjoy the most educational and entertaining aspects of the internet.

Find more information on different internet filters at:

http://internet-filter-review.toptenreviews.com/



Suggestions for parents to help their teen use technology in a way that honors God

1. Place the computer in a central location in your home.

2. Limit virtual relationships encourage face to face contact.

3. Set ground rules for networking sites such as Facebook (As a parent you should be able to view your student's Facebook page).

4. Check to see if your student has spent time in God's word and prayer before they start texting all of their friends or checking Facebook.

5. Limit the applications they can have on their cell phones (i.e. internet, pictures, text messaging).

6. Have agreed upon times for technology use (i.e. no computer use past 9 pm).

7. Establish times of technological fasting for the whole family use this to spend quality time together camping game night.

8. Model moderation in your own life when it comes to technology use.

9. As their responsibility increases so should their privileges.

10. Remember the goal is not to just keep them safe but to train them to use technology in a way that pleases and honors God.

Curriculum Note to Jr. High Parents

This year your youth will be using a curriculum called Teach Me Your Way. It is a study on surrendering to Jesus Christ in salvation and submitting to His will and way. The following is a brief summary of the contents:



Although created to worship God, man is prone by nature to worship the creation rather than the Creator. We are inclined to pursue the temporal benefits of this physical world over the eternal treasure of the spiritual world. Only God can open blind eyes to the surpassing worth of knowing Christ. Surrendering to Christ in salvation involves the mind, heart, and will of the person, and true saving faith results in submission to the will and ways of Jesus.


The evidence of a surrendered heart is obedience, and the mark of the obedient heart is reflected in the true righteousness of the person who has “put off the old self” and has “put on the new self.” Though perfect righteousness has been legally imputed to the believer through the cross, the life of righteous living, though imperfect till heaven, can be reflected in the believer here. The righteous heart attitude and actions taught in the Sermon on the Mount are a picture of the “already but not yet” perfected believer.


Because sin is subtle and man’s nature is sinful, Christians must encourage each other daily to submit to God and to resist sin until Jesus returns and we reflect the perfection of the character of Christ.


This curriculum is not intended to be an exhaustive study of the Sermon on the Mount, but rather a study of surrender to Christ in salvation and subsequent submission to His way using the Sermon on the Mount to demonstrate the character of the true believer.


Your son or daughter will be given a Student Journal to use for classroom note taking and to use at home. The at-home exercises in the journal will be a means of reinforcing and applying the truths taught at church. Please encourage your young person to use the journal and to dialogue with you about what he/she is learning in class and in the journal activities.


In addition, we would like to encourage you to read with your son or daughter, the book The Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer. This will give you a springboard for spiritual discussion with your son or daughter. Assigned portions are noted at the end of each week’s journal activities.


“Teach Me Your Way” (Psalm 86:11) is an expression of need, an acknowledgement of dependency, and a prayer for help. Please pray for your son or daughter as he/she is exposed to the great truths of God contained in this curriculum.


Please contact your student’s teacher with any questions or concerns you may have. Thank you for the privilege of ministering to your son/daughter this year.

Guidelines & Expectations for Regular Attendees

Guidelines & Expectations for Regular Attendees

Please remember:

Reverence for God- We want to honor God in all we do.
When dealing with non-Christian students, our desire is to be gracious, compassionate, and loving. At the same time we want to provide a safe environment for them to hear and respond to the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The safety of all who participate in our ministry.
Effective and consistent communication. Respect for each other and adults.
Discipline is an essential part of making disciples. Hebrews 12:1-11


Note:

We want students to be assured that if an incident occurs, necessary people will be involved in the process. Example: Student(s), Parent(s), Adult leader(s), Pastoral Staff, Elders, and Local Authorities are possible people who might be involved.


General Respect Expectations:
Student Participation- We expect students to be involved, connected, and cooperate fully with the adult leadership.

Appropriate Attire- It should be the desire of
every Christian to please God with their life and
appearance. Paul said, “I appeal to you
therefore, brothers, by the mercies
of God, to present your bodies as a living
sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God,
which is your spiritual worship. Do not
be conformed to this world, but be
transformed by the renewal of your
mind, that by testing you may discern
what is the will of God, what is good and
acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:1-2)
With this in mind, we expect modest and
appropriate clothing. To be specific: clothing
with holes in inappropriate places, skirts and
shorts that go above the length of the mid-
thigh, pants or shorts that show underwear when walking or sitting. Also, shirts that are low cut exposing cleavage, shirts that show belly and tank tops that expose the bra and or bra straps are not acceptable.

Remember- “under” wear means under
clothes. As for visitors/guests, our main goal is
to point them to Christ, not rules.

Alcohol/Drugs- We have a no tolerance policy
concerning the use of alcohol and drugs. Not only does it have negative spiritual and physiological implications, it is against the law. If a student is found to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol at a FBC youth sponsored event, the process of dealing with it will be:
Local authorities and parents called and a report given
A follow up meeting with parents to discuss the students ongoing involvement with our youth ministries.


Weapons - If any weapon (open knives, mace, guns of any type, clubs, brass knuckles, or any other item that can be used to inflict bodily harm) in the possession of the student the process of dealing with it will be:
Item(s) immediately taken from the student.
Parents will be contacted.
The student(s) will be suspended from youth ministries until a meeting with their parents has taken place and criteria for the student to return is discussed and determined.
If any student brings a gun of any type Police will be contacted and a report will be filed.
Fighting- Our student ministries are to be a safe place where students can come to learn about God and enjoy the fellowship of those in the church. If a fight occurs on the church property, the manner in which it will be handled is this:
Parent(s) and /or Police will be called and student(s) will leave with their parent. A follow-up meeting will be made with the student(s) and parent(s)


Disruptive Behavior- We expect students to have fun, interact, and participate in an orderly, respectful manner. Therefore, any student who is not cooperative with the adult leadership will be addressed in the following manner:
Adult leadership and student will discuss actions and seek resolution.
If a student persists in the disruptive behavior after Adult leadership has given a warning Leadership will have to meet with parents before the student will be allowed to return to any of our youth activities.
Continued incidences after parent meeting will result in the student not being welcome to return to any youth event without a parent as chaperone. After a period of time and in concert with the parent’s and student’s affirmation of compliance to our policies regarding behavior we will allow the student to return without a chaperone.
When legal action is necessary, local authorities will be notified.
In the case of inappropriate touching, parents will be immediately contacted and steps 3 & 4 will be followed.


Public Display Of Affection (PDA)- The displaying of affection among members of the opposite sex is unacceptable (this includes but is not limited to kissing, frontal hugs, and inappropriate touching, holding or caressing etc.). When this problem occurs, the process will be:
Adult leadership will speak privately with the individual(s) involved explaining our expectation and how it was violated. They will also receive a warning about the consequences should it happen again.
Second incident will require a parental meeting to discuss a strategy for future behavior.
Continued incidences after parent meeting will result in the student not being welcome to return to any youth event without a parent as chaperone. After a period of time and in concert with the parent’s and student’s affirmation of compliance to our policy regarding PDA we will allow the student to return without a chaperone.


Student Drivers- We are excited (and scared!) about students being able to drive. With that in mind, a couple of expectations are required:
Licensed driving students are encouraged to drive safely especially while on church property.
If a student brings a friend, please make sure their parents know about it. Parental permission is a high priority to us.
Students are to drive safely in the church parking lot, NO goofing off will be permitted.
Once a student is on church premises, he/she is to be transported with the rest of the group. No Exceptions! We will not allow any students to drive to any event large or small so please don’t ask.


Cell Phones- Due to the distractions which cell phones present to our ministry we ask that students do not bring their cell phones to any FBC sponsored youth event, including Sunday morning and midweek activities. Parents who need to reach their student while at church can call the church office or youth pastor Phill Crust at 303-519-2413 (additional phone numbers may be designated in the future).

We recognize that on rare occasions there may be an emergency situation where a student might need to carry a cell phone. If your family is in this situation please discuss the situation with the youth pastor prior to sending your student to an FBC Student Ministries event.

Our disciplinary process for cell phone use is as follows:
Student will be made aware of our expectations regarding cell phone use and asked to leave their cell phone at home or in the car in the future.
If after being made aware of our expectation the student continues to bring and use their cell phone, the cell phone will be immediately taken from the student and a meeting with parents will be arranged to discuss our policy regarding cell phones.
Continued incidences after parent meeting will result in the student not being welcome to return to any youth event without a parent as chaperone. After a period of time and in concert with the parent’s and student’s affirmation of compliance to our cell phone policy we will allow the student to return without a chaperone.


Discipline-We value justice and mercy. Issues of discipline will be handled when students and parents have had the opportunity to hear/view the expectations and policies of our ministry. If there is a need for discipline, the goal will be loving correction. Therefore, the first disciplinary step will be for the adult leader to remind the student of the standards of our ministry, and inform the student of the standard that has not been maintained. At the time, the adult leader will inform the student of the consequences should the same standard be broken again. If the standard is not observed for a second time, a meeting with the parents will be initiated. Continued incidences after a parent meeting will result in disciplinary action being taken.


Special Event Discipline- Inappropriate student behaviors such as punching, pinching, hitting, kicking, inappropriate language, while away from FBC will be handled in the following manner:

When this kind of activity takes place, the youth leader will warn the participants to stop.
If the warning is ignored or if the activity restarts later during the event, the youth leader will immediately stop the event, escort the offenders from the room; call their parents asking that they come for their student(s) at the parent’s expense.
When the parents arrive to pick up their student(s) the youth leader will report to the parents what took place.
The students will not be welcomed to return to youth events without their parent as chaperone After a period of time and in concert with the parent’s and student’s affirmation of compliance to our policy we will allow the student to return without a chaperone.


I have read the guidelines and expectations and understand the disciplinary actions that will be taken if I break the guidelines. I further agree to uphold expectations realizing that my conduct at FBC Youth Ministries is a reflection of the body of Christ at Faith Baptist Church. I desire to see Christ honored in my actions attitudes and words.



Student Signature ____________________________________



Parent Signature_____________________________________

Welcome

We hope this will be a place for the parents of FBC Student Ministry to be encouraged in their parenting. Look for weekly articles, upcoming events, student ministry profiles, and resources for parents of teens.

In Christ

Phill