brianrushing.net

    Defensive children’s ministry and defensive parenting play “not to lose” the heart of the child to the world. The focus is primarily on protecting children from influences in the world and pulling out great character traits that must already be within the child. The theology beneath the practice is the assumption that the hearts of children are pure and in need of protection.
    Theologically, this is deeply flawed. We are not pure from birth but are terribly sinful — sinful from the time our mothers conceived us. So the hearts of children ultimately do not need protections but transformation.
–Matt Chandler

No matter whether you feel that some of Chandler’s words may be too strong or not… I think the final sentence is right on track – the hearts of children (and all people) need transformation. Therefore the encouragement is not to be reactive in a defensive manner on how to protect your child from each new harmful influence that pops up. Instead, take the offense and begin to actively disciple your child so that he or she is being transformed into the likeness of Jesus.

And certainly that is easier said than done, but as I have shared with dads – we actively teach our children how to play ball, how to hunt and fish, how to interact with others, how to do their homework, etc…. but we often throw up our hands and say “I don’t know how to disciple my child, so I’ll just leave it to the church.” This is relinquishing your responsibility. If you don’t know how to disciple your child toward Christlikeness, then go get some help. You would go get help if you weren’t sure how to help your child complete their math homework, so go get help on how to be a disciple-making parent who takes the offense and shoulders the responsibility for transforming your child into the likeness of Jesus.

In spite of all of her lamentable weaknesses, appalling failures, and indefensible shortcomings, the church is the mightiest —the only— force that is contesting satan’s rule in human affairs! And that Church on her knees is the purifying and preserving influence which has kept the fabric of all we call civilization from total disintegration, decay, and despair.
–Neal Pirolo

Jesus loves His Bride.
You should too.

Are you connected to a local church family?
Are you committed to them?
Are you learning to love them more and more?
If you are a Christian, Jesus Christ calls you into relationship with others in His Body… His Bride… His Church.

Do not forsake the assembling together with other believers – this is a command of God.

Jesus says, “If you’re not greater than your master, and he has been willing to do this disgusting thing, you must also be willing. If you are my ambassadors, called to represent my will and way, called to be tools of my redeeming grace, then you must not think that any ministry task is beneath you. You must be willing to do the lowest, most debased thing so that my work and my will be done. You must not refuse. You must not think of yourself as too good. You must be willing to be the lowest of slaves in order that my kingdom may come and my will may be done. You must be willing to do whatever is necessary to position yourself as a tool of redeeming grace. You must not be too proud. You must not be unwilling.” Let’s be honest… we are tempted to think of ourselves more highly than we ought to think.
–Paul David Tripp

May we be willing to be doormats for others, so that as they wipe their boots on us, we will not only serve them, but they will be cleaned up and better because of us and so that they will have the smallest idea of what it means to stand on the foundation of Jesus.

Our prayers are important to God. But how should we pray?
In just four succinct sentences, this quote tells us so very much about how we are to pray:

Praying in His Name means “presenting all I AM.” All of the character of Jesus Christ is set forth in His Name. This means all of the character of God. What we ask, then, should be in keeping with what He is like, and a request unlike Him cannot be granted to us.
–Rosalind Rinker

May your prayers today be in line with what He is like.

The Word Compassion. It is a word of Conviction for me. And that is why this quote is important. It is funny how 550-year-old words can step so hard on my toes!

If you cannot make yourself what you would wish to be, how can you bend others to your will? We want them to be perfect, yet we do not correct our own faults. We wish them to be severely corrected, yet we will not correct ourselves. Their great liberty displeases us, yet we would not be denied what we ask. We would have them bound by laws, yet we will allow ourselves to be restrained in nothing. Hence, it is clear how seldom we think of others as we do of ourselves.
–Thomas à Kempis

The second greatest commandment in all of God’s Word: Love your neighbor as yourself.
Much more easily said than done.

God help me to love others as I love myself.
Help me to consider the needs of others above my own.
Help me to have the compassion and love of Jesus.