Jesus and Culture: Lesson 2

Dear Parents,

Greetings! We just wrapped up our second lesson in our four-lesson look at what Jesus had to say about how we, His followers, are to engage with our culture. This week’s lesson was titled “Different Than The Rest.” In this lesson, we helped students learn that Jesus wants His followers to be countercultural in their humility, living in the world as servants of others. Your teenager was challenged to identify any actions or attitudes in his or her life that represent culture’s definition of success through selfishness, and to commit to embracing Jesus’ idea of success through serving others. It was a really meaningful time of Bible study and discussion.

We looked at the following Scripture passages:

• Mark 10:35-45
• Ephesians 4:2

Please take a few minutes this week to read these passages.

Next Steps...
During the next week as you have time to talk with your teenager, remember that one way that will help him or her to understand and apply what he or she has learned is to explain it to someone else. Use the following questions to guide your conversation:

• Ask your teenager if he or she can summarize what he or she learned in Bible study this week. Focus as much on the application of what was learned as you would on the knowledge itself.

• Ask your teenager if he or she had a chance to think about his or her attitude when it came to achieving or succeeding at the things he or she is passionate about. Encourage honesty: could he or she think of times when he or she sought success over the well being of others?

• Encourage your teenager that humility and serving others are really tough characteristics to master, especially since they go against much of what our world says about how to get ahead.

• Brainstorm with your teenager ways he or she can serve some specific people in his or her life, showing humility to this individual and putting this person’s needs above his or her own.

Thank you for your support as we partner together to help our students grow closer to Christ. If you have any questions about anything, please don’t hesitate to call me.

REMINDERS
DNOW16 is this weekend – March 4-6. Parents, this is a “don’t miss” ministry event that engages students in Bible study, inspiring worship, and group-building fellowship. We have top-notch college students that join us for the weekend that do a super job ministering to our group. If your student is not signed up yet please know it is NOT too late. Contact Linka, Jim, or Eric at the office and we will make it happen. A special Wed night FUEL at 6:30pm will provide students everything they need for the big weekend. PARENTS, we can use some more help with lunch set up and serving on Saturday. Also, please try to come to the ADULT ONLY breakout session at NSBC this Sat. morning @ 11am on “Communicating Successfully about Sex with Teens”.

Jesus and Culture: Lesson 1

Dear Parents,

Hello! I wanted to remind you about the study we’re doing on what Jesus had to say about engaging our culture. This week, the lesson was titled “Alike But Not Alike.” In this lesson, we helped students learn that they are called by Jesus to be in the world, but to live as if they were separate. We challenged them to honestly evaluate their relationship with culture, and who their actions say they more strongly identify with: Christ or the world.

We looked at the following Scripture passages: 

• John 15:18-21
• 1 John 2:15-17

Please take a few minutes this week to read these passages.

Next Steps...
During the next week as you have time to talk with your teenager, remember that one way that will help him or her to understand and apply what he or she has learned is to explain it to someone else. Use the following questions to guide your conversation:

• Ask your teenager if he or she can summarize what he or she learned in Bible study this week. Focus as much on the application of what was learned as you would on the knowledge itself.

• Take turns coming up with practical examples of how Christ-followers set themselves apart from culture. 

• Think of areas in your life where you may be too cozy with culture. Share these with your teenager. Ask him or her to do the same with you.

• Evaluate areas in your family’s life where you might be too strongly identified with the world (i.e., the movies you watch, some of the music you listen to, and so on) and commit to changing your attitude toward these areas. 

Thank you for all you do. If you have any questions about anything, please don’t hesitate to call me.

REMINDERS

DNOW16 > March 4-6, 2016
The “best” price deadline was this past Sunday, February 21st. Registration brochures are available in the MSM and HSM welcome desk areas. Students are welcome to invite friends but please let us know as soon as possible so food and transportation issues can be worked out in advance. Parents, we can use your help in certain areas during the weekend. Please see Linka.

In Christ,
Jim & Eric

Compassion: Lesson 3

Dear Parents,

Hello again! We hope you had a “lovely” Valentine’s weekend. It was busy around student ministry with the HSM childcare fundraiser and the Mission Team lunch-in. This was the final week in our three-week study on compassion. This week’s lesson was entitled “It Takes Action,” and focused on the practical side of showing God’s compassion to others. We challenged students to embrace the idea that our compassion can’t just be limited to talk. There has to be action behind it.

Think About Questions

• Talk as a family about people you respect because of their compassion. Share examples. 

• What is something you can participate in as a family this week to demonstrate compassion to others?

We looked at the following Scripture passages:

• 2 Corinthians 1:3-4
• Luke 3:9-11
• James 2:15-18

Check out these passages and see some of the ways we can follow Christ’s example of showing compassion.


Next Steps...
During the next week as you have time to talk with your teenager, consider asking the following questions:

• Christ was compassionate to those around Him. Do we have to do the same to be a Christ-follower? Why or why not?

• Being there for people in times of need can take a lot of time, energy, and resources. Why is it important that we sacrifice to show God’s compassion to those in need?

• What are some things our family can do to put these verses into practice?

Review...
Our next series will focus on “Jesus & Culture”. It’s pretty clear when you read through the Gospel stories (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) that Jesus shook things up pretty good. I’m sure he felt like an outcast. He definitely was a “fish out of water” or “alien from a different world”. But that didn’t keep him from immersing himself in the existing culture and making a difference in people’s lives then and creating a lasting tidal wave that has impacted history and cultures for the past 2,000 years. I can’t wait to see how these lessons challenge our students and leaders.

DNOW16 is one of the foundational cornerstones to our student ministry here at North Side. We hope you and your student have set aside this weekend (March 4-6, 2016) to be a part of a community event involving ten churches from across Parker County and 300 students that will hopefully make an impact in schools, homes, and churches. Even if your student has an event on one of the days, DNOW allows you time to get away and then come back to your group so you don’t miss out on what God is doing. We hope your student can join us and there are places to serve if you are able.


Have a super week!
Jim & Eric

Compassion: Lesson 2

Dear Parents,

What a busy weekend with “Breakfast Sunday” and the MSM & HSM Super Bowl Party! But what a blast!!! In Bible study we finished the second in our three-week series look at God’s compassion. We think it gave everyone a lot to think about through the week. The lesson was entitled “Compassion Revealed” and it focused on Christ as the full revelation of God’s compassion.

Think About Questions

• How has Jesus shown you compassion in your life?

• With the same compassion the Lord has shown you and your family, how can you pass it on to others for them to see this godly attribute in your family as you seek to impact your neighborhood or community?

We looked at the following Scripture passages:

• Mark 6:30-34
• Matthew 9:35-38
• Mark 10:45
• Matthew 15:32
• Matthew 5:7

Check out these passages and see how Jesus shows us what God’s compassion truly looks like.

Next Steps...

During the next week as you have time to talk with your teenager, consider asking the following questions:

• How does Jesus reveal things about God to us?
• What can we learn from how Jesus showed compassion and met people’s needs?
• As a family, do you think we do a good job showing Christ-like compassion to those around us? Talk to me about it.

Review...

Thank you for all you are doing to show your child an active and meaningful faith. We hope the daily devotionals on the church website are helping your student and giving y’all a chance to connect as a family. Be on the lookout for “The Parent Point” on Thursdays. It will be a weekly article to ponder as a parent of teens. We hope it provides helpful information, encouragement, or a challenge to consider in your family relationships.

We will be doing a special series on Wednesday nights during the month of February on meaningful relationships – love, dating, and sex – with both MSM and HSM students. Please be in prayer for us and our ministry to students as we seek open and clear communication on this important subject. It doesn’t matter if the students are just dreaming about dating or have already had a serious girlfriend. There is something for everyone. If you have any questions about anything, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Have a great week!
Jim & Eric

Compassion: Lesson 1

Dear Parents,

We’ve just finished the first week of our three-week study on “COMPASSION”. The lesson was entitled “Full of Compassion” and it focused on helping students understand that God is full of compassion for those in need. We helped students understand that they can trust and depend on Him during times of distress.

We looked at the following Scripture passages: 

• Exodus 34:1-7
• Psalm 86:15
• Psalm 121:1-2
• 2 Samuel 24:14
• Isaiah 49:13

You’ll enjoy reading these passages and seeing God’s mercy and compassion for His people.

Next Steps...

During this week when you talk with your teenager at the dinner table or riding down the road, consider asking the following questions:

• I know in your Sunday Bible study you talked a lot about compassion being a part of God’s nature and character. What does that mean to you? How do you think He demonstrates it to us

• So, God’s compassion for His people will ultimately lead to an eternity with Him where all things are made right. How can we keep this eternal perspective when there’s so much stuff, good and bad, going on in the world and our lives? In other words, how do we reconcile all the “bad” in this world and the fact that “God is Love” (last series)?

• What are some ways you’ve look to the Lord this week? Has that been different than other weeks?

Review...

I’m sure some of our students have probably gotten tired of hearing the phrase “God is Love” the past few weeks in our most recent series. But as we talked in our Sunday night Bible study with our adult leaders, this is one of the foundation pieces to our faith. If we understand that “God is love” and that if we are going to call ourselves his disciples (followers), then we have to love God and others (in the same way he loved us). If we don’t then the Bible says we don’t know God. That’s some heavy stuff! But what would this community (and North Side) look like if we as his followers actually practiced this daily. Watch out world! Something would be happening and lives would be changed. So let’s go love!

Be sure and check out the new e-mail dealing with family issues called “The Parent Point”. It typically will be out on Thursdays. If you don’t get it then please contact Linka in the office and we will get you set up.

Have a great week!
Jim & Eric

God's Love: Lesson 3

Dear Parents,

We’ve just completed our third lesson in our look at God’s Love. It’s been a great time of study and application for us. While it’s sometimes difficult to show love the way Christ did, we talked about how this plays a part in living out the gospel for others.

This week, the lesson was entitled “Loving Outward,” and it focused on helping students understand that God’s love for them sets in motion their love for others, and how this love is practically lived out in their daily lives.

We looked at the following Scripture passages: 

• John 13:34-35
• 1 John 3:16-18

In the previous weeks, we talked about how love is an essential facet of God’s character. We also looked at how God demonstrated this love to us by sending Christ as the payment for our sins. We put those lessons together this week as we talked about how this love becomes part of our own character and we demonstrate the kind of love Christ did – one that’s self-sacrificing.

Next Steps...

During the next week as you have time to talk with your child, consider asking the following questions:

• What do you think sacrificial love looks like in our world? Have you ever seen anyone demonstrate this kind of love?
• Why do you think it may be difficult for us to show this kind of love to others? Is this hard for you?
• How do you think loving like Christ loved us can show the gospel to those who don’t know Christ?

We hope there have been some great opportunities for discussion with you and your student. Our student ministry leaders here at North Side are thankful for the opportunity to partner with you as we seek to make disciples of students! If you have any questions about anything, please don’t hesitate to call us.

Next Series...

Compassion, a new 3-week study that will start on Sunday morning, January 31, will help students understand that God is full of compassion for those in need, that Jesus is the ultimate revelation of God’s compassion, and that a life void of compassion is a life that hasn’t been changed by Jesus.

Jim & Eric

God's Love: Lesson 2

Dear Parents:

Hello again! We’re already on our second week of our three-week study, God’s Love. It’s been great to receive feedback that parents and students alike are using these discipleship tools for personal and family growth.

This week’s lesson was entitled “Love’s Perfect Expression,” and it focused on helping students see that God’s unfailing love is most fully expressed through Christ, and how this perfect expression of love positively impacts their identity.

We looked at the following Scripture passages: 

• Romans 5:6-8
• John 3:16-17
• Romans 8:35-39

Last week we talked about how love is who God is. Love is an essential facet of His character. We used these verses to build upon that this week as we looked at how God demonstrated this love to us by sending Christ as the payment for our sins.


Next Steps . . .

During the next week as you have time to talk with your students, consider asking the following questions:

• What do you think about our Father’s unconditional love for you? Is it hard for you to believe that you don’t have to do anything to earn or keep His love?
• This week you looked at Romans 5 where Paul pointed out that we are powerless and sinful, and yet God still sent Christ. Why is that important? How would things be different if God only loved righteous people?
• Have there ever been times when you felt like God stopped loving you or loved you less, based on experiences? (Parents, this is a great opportunity to share about a difficult time in life when you questioned or doubted God’s love based on your circumstances.) How did you come to realize that God did still love and was working for your good? What was the outcome of this situation?)

“The Parent Point”

If you have any questions about anything, please don’t hesitate to contact Eric, Jim, or one of the interns. If you are not receiving weekly e-mails from Jim and Eric updating student families about what’s going on, then please contact Linka Wallace, youth assistant. (linka@nsbcweatherford.com)

Be on the lookout soon for a weekly e-mail that will deal with specific topics that parents face in raising teenagers. Hopefully it will provide some encouragement, instruction, and challenge to meet family needs. It is called – “THE PARENT POINT”.

Remember, we are here to serve you and your family. We look forward to being a part of God’s continued work here at North Side and in Parker County.