The Beginning of the Family Discipleship Seminar (FDS) - Pt. 2
Bill looked me straight in the face. He was dead serious. “John, I have been thinking about home- schooling my children. When they leave high school, they will enter a pagan world. Even the best Christian colleges are filled with temptations. With the explosion of the Internet, it is now possible to home-school my children right through college and this is what I plan to do. I mean, in Biblical times, a child was a child well into his thirties.” MY ANSWER TO THIS SECOND QUESTION, “HOW CAN I ASSURE THAT MY CHILDREN WILL TURN OUT OK?” IS THAT YOU CANNOT. You will discover as you read the Family Discipleship Seminar Workbook that it is first and foremost a volume on “Parenting” as opposed to “Childrening." By that, I mean that it is addressed to parents. It assures not that your children will “turn out all right,” but that you, as parents, “turn out all right." It is my conviction that true parenting is preparing children to successfully leave the home with the wisdom and life skills necessary to live a fruitful and fulfilled life apart from their parents. It is also my conviction that the Bible does not guarantee a set of methods which when employed will guarantee that children “turn out all right." Rather, it addresses the parents in the hope of their “turning out all right." It is my experience and seems to be the presupposition of the Bible that when the parent turns out all right, the odds of the children following suit are greatly increased. The Word of God gives us certain injunctions or guidelines to follow in our role as parents. It is our responsibility to master these principles and incorporate them into our family life. As we do this we become disciples—followers of Christ, of God and of His pattern for our family. A follower of Christ is a disciple, thus the title of this workshop: Family Discipleship. As such, we are authority driven, not results driven. By authority driven, I mean that we base our decisions not on visible results but on the authority of the Word of God…What this means is that if God’s Word tells us to behave a certain way—even if we do not experience this behavior as positive or profitable—that we will still conform our behavior to God’s will, using His Word as our standard, irrespective of our own personal experience or the perceived experiences of others. Contrastingly, if God’s Word tells us to refrain from certain behaviors, then, even if we experience this behavior as pleasant, as profitable, or perceive it as such in others, we will still refrain from this behavior, based on the authority of God’s Word. The goal of the Family Discipleship Seminar and Manual is that you as parents would conform to the Word of God and in so doing, ensure your children the opportunity of growing up and leaving home as fruitful and fulfilled disciples of Jesus Christ. For more visit http://www.gciweb.org and click on “Family Discipleship Seminars Workbook.”
Our Blog
-- recent blog posts -- 04/09/18 - A Call To Prayer for Our Nigerian... 03/22/18 - Baseball, Fishing and Witnessing – The... 03/04/18 - Could A Muslim or Mormon Worship With... 02/22/18 - Putting the church in Tyumen in a... 02/13/18 - This Valentine’s Day, make a commitment... 02/07/18 - Eleanor has been seriously ill. 02/02/18 - Three Fold Cord of Missions Part Two 01/27/18 - Three Fold Cord of Missions Part One 01/05/18 - The Global Impact of Your Prayers and... 01/02/18 - Seven Resolutions Guaranteed To Improve... 12/25/17 - December 25th Family Christmas... 12/23/17 - December 23rd Family Christmas... 12/21/17 - 10 Great Doctrines of Christmas…. 11/22/17 - Thanksgiving Blog #6 - Thankful for... 11/20/17 - Thanksgiving Blog #5 Giving Thanks -... 11/16/17 - Thanksgiving Blog #4 "In Everything... 11/09/17 - Thanksgiving Blog #3 - Sharing from... 11/07/17 - Thanksgiving Blog #2 Thankfulness At... 11/04/17 - Thanksgiving Blog #1 Your Children,... 10/27/17 - Why should I go to “the remotest part... 10/18/17 - Ministry Financial Need Report For 2018 10/06/17 - Halloween Trivia Test For... 10/01/17 - Halloween and The Gospel 09/24/17 - The Pumpkin As A Picture Of Salvation 09/17/17 - “What about the unborn and children who... 08/01/17 - My Experiences Witnessing – From... 07/28/17 - Thoughts from a Layman in Nigeria, by... 07/24/17 - Things God Taught Me From My Time In... 07/22/17 - Your Faith and Prayers Are Making A... 07/05/17 - Guilt Free Victory Prayers 06/28/17 - Exploding The Myth - 25 Exemplary... 06/15/17 - Honoring Our Mothers All Year Long Part... 06/09/17 - Reflection - “Honoring Our Mothers All... 05/09/17 - In Celebration of Mothers 04/29/17 - Two Disappointing Questions Concerning... 04/17/17 - Countdown To A Mission Trip 02/24/17 - John Wesley's - The Twelve Rules of... 02/06/17 - The Rod As A Tool of Grace – A... 01/30/17 - Ten Days in St. Petersburg, Russia … 01/12/17 - 2016 GCI Ministry Report 12/29/16 - Rusty Lacy - Kenya Mission Trip... 12/21/16 - Richard and Kathy Smith Cameroon... 12/17/16 - 10 Great Doctrines of Christmas…. 12/09/16 - Turning Upside-Down Christianity... 11/22/16 - What Spiritual Warfare Is NOT… 11/03/16 - Upside Down Christianity 10/22/16 - Halloween - A Spiritual Harvest Time 10/13/16 - The Pumpkin As A Picture Of Salvation 09/27/16 - Three Fold Cord of Missions Part Two 09/23/16 - Three Fold Cord of Missions Part One 09/18/16 - Upside Down Christianity 09/08/16 - satan's score card - in the battle part... 09/02/16 - Mission Report: "For our struggle is... 02/24/16 - The Mission Field, Food Stories and The... 02/12/16 - A Vegan New Year’s Resolution (with... 02/12/16 - A Vegan New Year’s Resolution (with... 02/04/16 - Valentine’s Day in Siberia - It is on... 01/30/16 - Here we are in Russia – by your faith,... 12/28/15 - How To Make A Merchant Say "Merry... 12/18/15 - The Eight “Don’ts” of Christmas 11/24/15 - Four Ideas From Family and Friends 11/20/15 - Celebrating Thanksgiving By Sharing... 11/18/15 - Practical Family Thanksgiving Mealtime... 11/16/15 - Your Children, “Thankfulness” and... 10/30/15 - Halloween Triva Test - Part Four of Four 10/29/15 - Halloween Triva Test - Part Three of... 10/26/15 - Halloween Trivia Test - (Part Two of... 10/23/15 - Evangelistic Halloween Party Tips and... 10/19/15 - The Gospel Pumpkin 10/14/15 - “That’s Not My Marriage, I Am Not That... 09/29/15 - Spiritism, satan, Demons, Hell and... 09/25/15 - Spiritism, satan, Demons, Hell and... 09/17/15 - Spiritism, satan, demons, and mysticism... 09/13/15 - Slandering God The Holy Spirit Part Two: 09/03/15 - Slandering God the Holy Spirit - Part... 07/16/15 - “chocks off”, “turn to the right”,... 07/11/15 - Thankfulness (4): “These are the names... 07/03/15 - #3 of 4 - Thanking God For A Terrible... 06/22/15 - Introducing Lord Teach Us To Pray... 06/10/15 - South Africa Report 05/20/15 - Thankfulness: Part Two of Four 05/18/15 - Paul and the Apostles: Part Two 05/13/15 - Paul and the Apostles: Part One 05/07/15 - Thankfulness Part One of Four 04/16/15 - Doctrinal Misconceptions - Protestant... 04/10/15 - 24 Apocryphal Myths Commonly Associated... 04/04/15 - 24 Apocryphal Myths Commonly Associated... 04/03/15 - 24 Apocryphal Myths Commonly Associated... 04/02/15 - 24 Apocryphal Myths Commonly Associated... 04/01/15 - 24 Apocryphal Myths Commonly Associated... 03/30/15 - 24 Apocryphal Myths Commonly... 03/24/15 - Sharing Christ This Easter 03/20/15 - Doctrinal Misconceptions - Protestant... 03/13/15 - Doctrinal Misconceptions - Protestant... 03/07/15 - The Sanctity of Marriage - Part Three... 03/03/15 - Doctrinal Misconceptions - Protestant... 02/26/15 - The Sanctity of Marriage - Part Two of... 02/24/15 - Doctrinal Misconceptions - Protestant... 02/21/15 - The Sanctity of Marriage - Part One of... 02/16/15 - Doctrinal Misconceptions - Protestant... 02/14/15 - #5 God's original plan was that we all... 02/12/15 - #5 God’s original plan was that we all... 02/06/15 - The Four Issues Facing Modern Missions... 02/03/15 - Doctrinal Misconceptions: Protestant... 01/29/15 - The Four Issues Facing Modern Missions... 01/01/15 - Lessons To Be Learned From Scriptural... 12/30/14 - December 30 Follow-up To Advent Study #5 12/29/14 - December 29 Follow-up To The Advent... 12/28/14 - December 28 Follow-up To The Advent... 12/27/14 - December 27 - Follow-up To The Advent... 12/26/14 - December 26 Post Advent Meditations 12/25/14 - December 25 Advent Study 12/24/14 - December 24 Advent Study 12/23/14 - December 23 Advent Study 12/22/14 - December 22 Advent Study 12/21/14 - December 21 Advent Study 12/20/14 - December 20 Advent Study 12/19/14 - December 19 Advent Study 12/18/14 - December 18 Advent Study 12/17/14 - December 17 Advent Study 12/16/14 - December 16 Advent Study 12/15/14 - December 15 Advent Study 12/14/14 - December 14 Advent Study 12/13/14 - December 13 Advent Study 12/12/14 - December 12 Advent Study 12/11/14 - December 11 Advent Study 12/10/14 - December 10 Advent Study 12/09/14 - December 9 Advent Study 12/08/14 - Daily Advent Questions 10 - 12 12/07/14 - Advent Questions 6 - 9 12/06/14 - Advent Questions 4 & 5 12/05/14 - Advent Questions 1 - 3 12/04/14 - The Gospel According To Hallmark... 11/25/14 - Keeping “Thankfulness” In Thanksgiving... 11/21/14 - The Three Fold Cord of Missions Part... 11/19/14 - The Three Fold Cord & Those Who Pray... 11/11/14 - The Myth of the "Insulated" Christian 10/15/14 - Homosexual Marriage Part Four of Four –... 10/07/14 - Homosexual Marriages – Secular... 09/26/14 - Gender Theology 09/20/14 - Protestant Gender Hypocrisy 09/10/14 - Ministry in Bamenda, Cameroon 08/21/14 - ACameroonian Testimony 08/21/14 - ACameroonian Testimony 08/05/14 - Kathy Smith - On being a missionary’s... 07/30/14 - The Feminization of Christianity 07/22/14 - Ministering Together as a Couple - Rich... 07/18/14 - Nigerian Ministry Mission Report – Part... 07/07/14 - Countdown To A Mission Trip 06/27/14 - Homosexual Marriage is a Sin but not... 06/22/14 - Is It Really Cool To Be Crude? 06/10/14 - South Africa Report – A Full Week Of... 05/29/14 - Zambia Week 2 & 3 Report – On the Banks... 05/27/14 - Zambia Week One Report 05/16/14 - The First Church of the Man-Child 05/07/14 - Spiritual Warfare - Opposing vs.... 04/26/14 - What About The Unborn or Children Who... 04/18/14 - No they didn’t go to heaven, hell, see... 04/11/14 - Is The Easter Bunny A Demon? 03/28/14 - Date Night or How To Make It With Your... 03/15/14 - The Habit Of Being A Family 03/07/14 - What Will The Holy Spirit Be Doing This... 03/03/14 - Jesus – the reason we can’t all get... 02/22/14 - What If The Post Office Refused To... 02/13/14 - The Greatest Valentine's Day Gift A... 02/13/14 - Part Two - The Greatest Valentine's Day... 02/08/14 - A Valentine’s Parable 01/31/14 - Could A Muslim or Mormon Worship With... 01/24/14 - Church and Para church: Jacob and Esau... 01/24/14 - Church and Para church: Jacob and Esau... 01/17/14 - How To Spank Your Child 12/29/13 - Slandering God The Holy Spirit… 12/28/13 - Greeting Cards, Hobbits, Duck Dynasty... 12/27/13 - Christian Swear Words 12/26/13 - December 26th Family Christmas... 12/25/13 - December 25th Family Christmas... 12/24/13 - December 24th Family Christmas... 12/23/13 - December 23rd Family Christmas... 12/22/13 - December 22nd Family Christmas... 12/21/13 - December 21st Family Christmas... 12/20/13 - December 20th Family Christmas... 12/19/13 - December 19th Family Christmas... 12/18/13 - December 18th Family Christmas... 12/16/13 - December 16th Family Christmas... 12/15/13 - December 15th Family Christmas... 12/14/13 - December 14th Family Christmas... 12/13/13 - December 13 Family Christmas Questions... 12/12/13 - December 12 Family Christmas Questions... 12/11/13 - December 11 Family Christmas... 12/10/13 - December 10th Family Christmas... 12/09/13 - December 9 - Family Christmas Questions... 12/08/13 - December 8 - Family Christmas Questions... 12/07/13 - The Gospel Of Jesus According To... 11/27/13 - A Thanksgiving Project 11/18/13 - Appointments with Destiny 11/15/13 - Serving with GCI Abroad 11/11/13 - Nigeria Trip Snapshot 10/30/13 - Quick Update on Nigeria Trip 10/28/13 - Pray Those Bibles In! 10/26/13 - Halloween Trivia Test - Answers and...
Older
Newer
Top