NextGenKent

A reaction to, EMPOWER YOUR KIDS TO BE ADULTS by Dr. Donald Joy. The practice and art of initiating children in adulthood has been lost in our society. Did we give up those ancient practices or is the need for initiation so hard-wired into us that it comes out in other venues? How can we regain, redeem, reclaim and remember what we have lost so that we can turn the tide on the perpetual adolescent celebrated in our society and launch youth into adulthood with God’s glory? Unlike any other book, Don Joy’s, Empower Your Kids To Be Adults , will help you on your journey by asking the right questions and developing an approach for your home and church to battle against “the world, the flesh and the devil.” Kids want to become adults—better stated, they want to become just like the god-like beings taking care of them, namely their parents. Dr. Joy believes we have missed the implanted “Creator-markers” in our children and therefore leave them to journey into the abyss of adolescence...

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The article of opinion I am referring to is found here : Ms. Stepp states that youth are doing better on every line but one. Less teenage pregnancy, less drinking and driving, less smoking, less firearm related deaths, less suicides, but today's kids are fatter. "A lot fatter" states Stepp. But ask anyone over 40, she says, and they will by majority state that today's youth are NOT doing better. Stepp states kids wonder why parents don't pay any attention to them unless they get in trouble. I can surely attest to that. One of the older youth stopped by for a visit one night and i asked him if he'd like to stay for supper. He said sure. I told him he better call his parents first. He said, "They don't care...as long as I stay out of trouble they really don't care what I do." Sad. Stepp says it is about time we start catching kids doing right! How many of us would say "AMEN!" to that? Stepp barks, "Isn't it time we sh...

A reaction to, The Culturally Savvy Christian, by Dick Staub. Dick Staub does a great service to us in several ways with this piece of work. Not only does he layout the cultural agenda of our day (in a Thesaurus-like manner), he attacks it with spiritual fervor and gives the weaponry needed. Boy can this man write! For a 200 page book, Staub weighs in with an impressive bibliography at seventeen pages. I was inspired to do a Christmas sermon series based on his “Ten Truths You Need to Know About God’s Presence”. He pulls lyrics straight from the ever beloved Christmas hymn, “Joy To The World” and teaches its theology as his main points. This is something I wonder if Pastors could get back to doing with not just the hymns but praise songs in general—an explaining of what we sing and why we sing it. Couple that with how we can sing it best and it is poised for great joy! Several of his introductory quote pull-outs left me several times putting the book down to sip and ponder. I ...

Some thoughts after reading this insert from Andy's, "Culture Making" webpage... The culture of each building, and the culture of the more abstract sphere they represent—retail, water treatment, banking, undergraduate education, and so on—has its own history of making and remaking, of possibility and impossibility. Many things that are entirely possible in a cafeteria—say, a food fight—are all but impossible in a dentist’s office, and vice versa. —Culture Making, p.44 ...I thought about Ken Davis' imagery in his comedy acts. One of which he tells about a moment when he is sharing a certain style of comedy with kids--something to the effect that halfway through a story he blurts out a loud yell and makes them jump, elbow each other, laugh and point at each other... Ken then states you get quite a different reaction if you do the same thing at a nursing home. Somehow painting an image in peoples' minds is an art. How to juxtapose two created images and make...

This is my initial thesis idea which will involve the issue of: --2nd and 3rd generation conversion experiences; --interviews of late adolescent youth and college age; --interested in discovering if the way the church has handled conversion and its experience among those raised in the church/Christians homes has had any impact on where they are today; --especially interested in if this has any reflection on the "exodus studies" have indicated is taking place among this age away from church. Initially I will develop a biblical theology of conversion. This is year one. This will involve a biblical, historical and theological look at conversion. Then I will settle into understanding how the church has handled conversion. I want to understand how the church addresses children and youth raised in their congregation about conversion. Hypotheses:: 1. The study of individuation has led me to believe that perhaps young people have left the church in search of a truer c...

A reaction to Gordon T. Smith's, Beginning Well: Christian Conversion & Authentic Transformation, 2001. Gordon Smith states that “intentional reflection” on conversion has the “capacity to bring renewal and focus to our theological work”—and this hope for the reader is truly felt throughout the book (p10). Although the conversion experience is unique for each individual and “complex”, the author believes that there are “common elements” that can be drawn. Furthermore, the author is lead to conclude from his study “that Scripture calls for and assumes a conversion to Jesus Christ that includes seven distinct but inseparable elements” (p125). I would the point of “transfer of allegiance” instead to “love”. Jesus tells his followers, “everyone will know you are my disciples if you love one another” (John 13:35) and “anyone who loves me will obey my teaching” (John 14:23-24). Jesus left us with the command, “…teaching them to obey”… modeled in love. Smith takes us through a ...