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May – it’s the end of the school year. I’m sure everyone has a lot going on with school activities wrapping up, so I’ll keep this brief for you. We’ll be finishing looking at the Sermon on the Mount from Matthew 7 with three weeks of a series called “Two Types.” May is also our “Sneak Peak” month for now 5th graders who will be in Blast in the fall to come on any/all Wednesday nights to see what we’re about. And since May 18th is our last night, there are only three chances for them to check it out. Lastly, we are planning a few things for the summer time, so keep in touch for the details.
Here’s a quick overview of the month:
Parent Tip Music is a big part of most teenagers’ lives. There are a number of reasons why a teenager will make their musical selection: style, peer pressure, identify with the message, etc. However you feel about their musical choice, it can give you insight into your teenager. But don’t just stop at observation; take a few opportunities to ask questions. Don’t critique, but ask open ended questions (not yes/no questions) to learn more about why your teenager picks that music. Here’s a few that could open up discussions: · What do you like about this musical style? · What is this song about? / What’s the message of this song? · How did you find out about this band? · Do you know how the band came up with their name? · Generally, how do feel after listening to this? Even though these questions are about music, it’d be easy to adjust them for any entertainment: video games, TV/Netflix/Hulu shows, websites, etc. I’ll be praying for you and let me know how it goes. Jim
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In April we are still going through the Sermon on the Mount. As we get closer to the summer, let me give you a heads up on two things. One, our last night of Blast & Ignite is on May 18th. Two, May is what we call “Sneak Peak” month. That’s when we invite the now 5th graders who will be in Blast in the fall to come on any/all Wednesday nights in May to see what we’re about. We also the option for the now 8th graders to hang out with Ignite since next year that will be their group. So I think it’d be a big help to encourage, not demand, your son/daughter to be friendly with the new people who might show up.
Here’s a quick overview of the month:
Parent Tip Spring is here and summer’s right around the corner. Teenagers will hear summer and think “No School!” “Free time!” “Nothing to do!” After a long year in school, that’s understandable. Let me encourage you to take some time and talk with your son/daughter about the summer. Ask two simple questions to get a conversation started. “What do you want to do this summer?” and “How can I help you so you enjoy, but not waste, the summer?” Most likely you and your son/daughter will have different ideas of what “not waste” means, but this is a good opportunity to work on communication by clarifying terms. In March we are going to start our series from Matthew 6 called “No Spiritual Show Offs.” I mentioned last month, a couple times a year we like to mix things up, usually when we change a series. Instead of a regular Blast and Ignite format, we have a worship night. Because of some snow days, our first worship night has been pushed back to March 16th. If you want to know more about a worship night, please refer back the February’s post.
Here’s a quick overview of the month:
Parent Tip Teenagers and digital communication go hand in hand. It’s quick, easy, and convenient; which is why my suggestion for this month might seem so stupid. I think you should consider write a letter to your son and/or daughter. Yes, let’s de-evolve and pick up the ancient tools of a pen and paper and write a good old fashion letter. This simple, counter teenage cultural way of communicating could have a big impact on him/her and improve your relationship. A letter is unique in that it communicates time just by the nature of having to sit down and actually write something down. And it communicates effort; it takes intentional thought to write something good. Compare that to the short, reactive, instant text message and you can see difference. Granted, it does take more effort (a lot more!) to write a long, well thought out text message, but what teenager will want to read that? (And what adult has the finger dexterity to type it out?) It would come across overwhelming, where a written letter doesn’t, for some reason. “But what would I say?” Great question. Maybe tell your son/daughter about some of your favorite memories from their childhood. Or tell them about the qualities that you enjoy and admire in them. Really anything is fine as long as it’s not critical, doesn’t put pressure on them, or anything else that could start a fight. And resist the temptation to make this about you: how you’ve done something wrong, or you wish things were better, or your hopes and dreams. This is about communicating love and acceptance to your son/daughter for who they are right now, regardless of what has happened in the past or might happen in the future. Wouldn’t you like to get a letter like that? Glad you made it. In February we’re going to be finishing up our “You Heard It” series from Matthew 5 and starting Matthew 6 with “Rewards.” A couple times a year we like to mix things up, usually when we change a series. Instead of a regular Blast and Ignite format, we have a worship night. Our first worship night will be February 24th. Everyone meets upstairs for the whole night and we’ll still have a time for games and a message. But instead of small groups we have a time for singing and other thought provoking aspects.
Here’s a quick overview of the month:
Parent Tip Last month I suggested that you pray for your teenager to understand and embrace what was being taught. This month my suggestion is that you encourage what you see. Look for ways that your teenager’s life is connecting to what we’re going to be talking about in February. Obviously it'll help if you're familiar with the passages listed above. (You don't mind a little extra reading, do you?) When you do see something that lines up with Jesus teaching, point it out. For the month of February, just be an encourager. Try not to focus on the times they failed or could have done better. Don’t give into the temptation to lay a guilt trip while they’re trying to decide what choice to make. Face it, nagging isn’t helping your teenager love you, Jesus, friends or anyone, more. Just encourage. I even tossed you a bone and picked the shortest month for this challenge. (Sorry, I can’t do anything about the leap year thing!) You can do this. I’ll be praying for you and let me know if there’s anything I can do to help. Jim Thanks for stopping by. Let me catch you up. Toward the end of last year we asked the question "Is Jesus worth following?" We answered "Yes!" since Matthew 4 tells us he is the Son of God and he is able to resist and overcome all evil. Then we asked "What does it mean to follow Jesus?" Using the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5, we looked at the famous beatitudes, Jesus teaching on being salt and light in this world, and watched a helpful video about the commands of how the Old Testaments fit in with Jesus' teachings. (See the video here.)
Call me crazy, but I think it's a really good idea to read the Bible in order. That's why we're going to be starting where we left off in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:21. Like I mentioned in the newsletter, we're going to be covering hate, lust, marriage, and keeping promises. Here's a quick overview for each:
As you see, we’re not shy about tackling some tough topics. Let me give you one simple way to use this information. Ready? Pray. Really, that’s it. Pray for your son/daughter to understand and embrace what Jesus is teaching. Pray for us leaders to communicate it clearly and lovingly. Pray for enjoyment every Wednesday night. Pray for wisdom for all. Pray for lives to be changed. Pray for God to do what only He can do. I have other suggestions, but I’ll save those for later. For now, pray. I think you’ll find is a good, challenging place to start. |
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