Pastor's Corner-Discipling Our Children

Dear Friends,
I am very passionate about sharing resources with our church family that can help you disciple your children, your grandchildren and help all of us fulfill the vow every time that we baptize one of our covenant children: that we will assist the parents in the Christian nurture of their children.  Below are two resources that I want to commend to all of us, whether you are parent or not, because you may personally benefit from the resources, you have a friend who is a parent, or you work with children and can benefit from these resources.
The first is a new Bible story book by PCA pastor Kevin DeYoung called The Biggest Story: How the Snake Crusher Brings Us Back to the Garden. This is an EXCELLENT knew reformed, biblical, Bible story book to add to your arsenal of solid books to read and teach your children about the wonderful Gospel story that reigns throughout the whole Bible. DeYoung crafted this book out of his pastoral ministry first to his own children and second to his congregation. One year during the advent season, he sought to teach his congregation the great Gospel story as it is traced through the Scripture and from that sermon series, this children's book was born. I highly commend it to you as it is a wonderful Gospel story and it also has some great thought-provoking art by Don Clark that will help you continue the conversation with your children. I have written about other Bible story books that I recommend for families - you can find those here.
Second is a resource that is a not-so-light subject to talk about with your children yet it is ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL that you do. That subject is talking to your children about their bodies and how they must protect them. As a parent, I find this subject difficult to talk about with my children and yet, Laura and I have been convicted that we must absolutely do it early and often with our children if we are serious about protecting them and discipling them. To that end, there is an excellent resource hot off the press called, God Made All of Me: A Book to Help Children Protect Their Bodies by Justin and Lindsey Holcomb. This book guides parents through the conversation with their children about this critical life-saving, soul-saving issue of protecting their bodies. Parents with children who have not reached the stages of puberty should absolutely get this book right away and use it as an aide to talk to your children about protecting their bodies and the dangers of a fallen world where there are people who want to harm them and, more often than not, the person wanting to harm them is someone they know.
For parents who need to have "the talk" with their older child, I recommend that all dads get a copy of Time for the Talk. I have written about this resource here. For moms, I recommend Five Conversations You Must Have With Your Daughter. 
Sorry to add to your book budget this week but when I discover resources that I know will help you disciple your children and help you fulfill the vows that you have made to assist our children, I have to share!  Over the years I have discovered that most parents (even Christian parents) are not having these conversations with their children - this is to their peril and their children's peril!

Please let me know if you would like to discuss any of these resources. I hope they will be a blessing to you and your family.

See you Sunday! Can't wait to worship our Savior with you.

By His grace and to His praise,

Wilson

Worship Notes: September 13, 2015

  • The story of Hosea will now transition in Hosea 4:1-19 this week as we will begin to see the prophetic nature of Hosea begin to take shape. 
  • In preparation for the sermon: "But men must be often awakened, for forgetfulness of God often creeps over them; they indulge themselves, and nothing is more difficult than to lead them to God; nay, when they have made some advances, they soon turn aside to some other course." ~John Calvin on Hosea 4:1
  • A new hymn for the week: O Day of Rest and Gladness
  • Click here for this week's bulletin. 
  • We are podcasting! Catch up on sermons on iTunes.

Wilson's Weekly

  • The news has been flooded with news about Kim Davis, a county clerk in Kentucky who was jailed for her Christian beliefs. Christians have had many different responses to this situation. Pastor Harry Reeder wrote a helpful article to help us understand the matter. Click here. 
  • This is cool! David Talley is Jenni Boerner's brother-in-law who has visited Cornerstone before. His book is featured on The Gospel Coalition. Click here. 
  • I love Pastor Steve Smallman and his contribution to discipleship in the local church. Here is a great article in ByFaith, Discipleship: A Synonym for Christian Living
Blog Posts, Newsmackenzie_mmodern