Author: Francois Maritz

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Keuses

Die Here het die Israeliete uit slawerny bevry en hulle deur die Rietsee en die woestyn tot by die Beloofde Land gelei. Moses het 12 verkenners na die Beloofde Land gestuur sodat hulle kon gaan kyk doe dit daar lyk. Toe hierdie verkenners terugkom, moes die Israeliete kies of hulle aan die Here gehoorsaam sou wees en die land sou inneem en of hulle eerder na die vrese van 10 van die verkenners sou luister. Josua en Kaleb het volgehou dat hulle op God kon vertrou, maar die volk het anders gekies. Hulle ongehoorsaamheid het daartoe gelei dat hulle nog jare lank in die woestyn rondgeswerf het. Josua en Kaleb was bereid om die regte keuse te maak en hulle is beloon deurdat hulle jare later die Beloofde Land kon ingaan.

  • Hoekom was dit vir die Israeliete moeilik om gehoorsaam te wees?
  • Hoekom was Josua en Kaleb bereid om die regte keuse te maak?
  • Vertel vir mekaar van ‘’n keer toe julle die verkeerde keuse gemaak het. Wat was die gevolge daarvan?
  • Wat maak dit vir julle maklik om reg te kies? En wat maak dit vir julle moeilik? Hoe kan julle mekaar hiermee help?
  • Watter keuses moet julle as gesin (of jy as individu) maak om aan die belangrikste dinge aandag te gee?
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Barna Webinar Notes: Childrens Ministry in a New Reality

Vir die meeste kinder bediening leiers is die hoof doel met kinder bediening dat kinders ‘n verhouding met Jesus bou.

When they age out of childrens ministry they should (volgens ouers en leierskap):

  1. Know that Jesus loves them
  2. Feel like a part of the church body
  3. Feel comfortable attending the main worship event with adults
  4. Understand redemption through Jesus Christ
  5. Feel comfortable joining the church’s youth ministry
  6. Understand the bigger picture of the gospel
  7. Know biblical principles
  8. Have a personal relationship with Jesus
  9. Understand the Bible as a unified story
  10. Have a loving, caring relationship with an adult
  11. Engage today’s culture with vibrant faith
  12. Feel like a part of the global church

Are childrens ministry (5-14 years) covering the tough topics?

This is ranked in order of importance according to parents and gaurdians.

  1. Bullying
  2. Loneliness
  3. Social Media
  4. Caring for the environment
  5. Racial Inequality
  6. Depression
  7. Suicide
  8. Self harm
  9. Gender identity
  10. Sexual identity
  11. Politics
  12. Sexism
  13. Gender inequality

In order to address the above we should move towards community and towards equipping parant and kids with the necessary tools to deal with the above topics.

Could meaningful, intergenerational connections be a key to sustaining the future chuch?

The role of the mentor is critical.

What are the primary factors shaping kids today?

Begin with the assumption that our children are being overly exposed to worldly discipleship and underexposed with biblical discipleship. (Secularism in a Post-Christian society)

There are three primary areas of human formation (and also true for kids):

  1. Community -> Relationship -> Belonging
  2. Meaning -> Purpose -> Believing
  3. Freedom -> Experience -> Becoming

For more on this research go to the Barna website.

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Your Teen on a Screen

On Wednesday evening I attended a Heart2Heart talk at the Epworth School in Pietermaritzburg on online/digital health for teens and also on how parents can best manage theire childrens online presence.

Trish Fiendero facilitated the evening and gave a few pointers on the subject. I myself do not yet have kids of age that needs to be guided with regards to this, but am very interested in the subject of technology.

Technology, especially online media can be good if you are in control of the media, but if the media starts to control your behaviour the red lights should start to come on for you and your family.

Here is a few pointers from Trish. If you want to read more on the subject from a Christian perspective I would highly recommend Andy Crouch’s book “The Tech Wise Family” for families and “Digital Minimalism” by Cal Newport for an ever online working adult.

  • Limit unfocused time on screen
  • Not to be used as reward of punishment.
    • the risk is that your teen will be afraid to talk about their online presence when it is linked to reward and punishment.
  • Employ different layers of protection:
    • Physical: Screen free zones, and also screenzones
    • Screen free times:
    • Router level: PiHole / Adguard Home / VPN
    • Device level: Time limits and parental controls
      • Parental control Apps:
        • Bark
        • Custodio
        • Kaspersky Kidz
        • Life360
  • Let your teen have safe people (go to people other than parents)
    • If you do not want to talk to your mom or dad, who do you want to talk too?
    • 3 people
    • Update list 2x per year
  • On social media and onine gaming
    • Beware of:
      • Sexual predators
      • Disappearing messages/pictures
      • Addiction
      • Pornography

Online Health:

  • Create moment to live in real life. Let them experience a real life relationship.
  • Good question to let them ask themselves: “Would you do/say that if you were chatting in real life in a coffeeshop?”
  • Set appropiate bedtimes.
  • Balance.