Children Desiring God

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Children Desiring God

• Our vision for the next generation

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Our Passion for UBC Childrens Ministry

• Glorifying God by treasuring Christ above all
  things and reaching the next generations that
  they may find
• lasting joy in Him!

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Four spheres of influence (responsibility)

• Our own children
• Children of the local church (corporate
  responsibility)
• Children of the world/nations
• Children of future generations

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SOMETHING!

• Too often the extent of vision of Childrens
  Ministry is summed up in one word

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SOMETHING

• Activity oriented
• Emphasizes doing/works
• Lack of direction
• Not intentional about where we are going

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Arrows

• Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the
  children of ones youth. How blessed is the man
  whose quiver is full of them Psalm 1274
• Arrows are to be aimed at VISION,
• not just something.

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Psalm 781-11
1 Give ear, O my people, to my teaching incline
your ears to the words of my mouth! 2 I will open
my mouth in a parable I will utter dark sayings
from of old, 3 things that we have heard and
known, that our fathers have told us. 4 We will
not hide them from their children, but tell to
the coming generation the glorious deeds of the
Lord, and his might, and the wonders that he has
done.
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Psalm 785-7

• 5 He established a testimony in Jacob and
  appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our
  fathers to teach to their children, 6 that the
  next generation might know them, the children yet
  unborn, and arise and tell them to their
  children, 7 so that they should set their hope in
  God and not forget the works of God, but keep his
  commandments

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Psalm 788-11

• 8 and that they should not be like their
  fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a
  generation whose heart was not steadfast, whose
  spirit was not faithful to God. 9 The
  Ephraimites, armed with the bow, turned back on
  the day of battle. 10 They did not keep God's
  covenant, but refused to walk according to his
  law. 11 They forgot his works and the wonders
  that he had shown them.

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Why are we to teach His glorious deeds?

• so that they should set their hope in God
• do not forget the works of God
• keep His commandments
• That they should not be like their fathers
  (stubborn, rebellious, not steadfast, not
  faithful to God)
• That they would be armed for battle, but NOT turn
  back
• so that the next generations will worship Him
• Our hearts should respond in praise to His
  glorious deeds

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The center of our target (vision) for these
arrows (children) is the Glory of God!
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The calling on the lives of Gods people is to
make His praiseworthy deeds known to the next
generation.
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We are not just transferring knowledge we are to
transfer a passion!

• We will not spread a passion or love for Gods
  glory and supremacy until we are personally
  captivated by His glory and supremacy.
• Our aim is to teach more than right or wrong, but
  a delight in doing right.
• We are to provide an ever expanding knowledge of
  God that shapes their mind AND heart.
• We are to teach them to delight in Him in this
  life and eternally.

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Deuteronomy 65-9

• 5. You shall love the Lord your God with all
  your heart and with all your soul and with all
  your might. 6. And these words that I command you
  today shall be on your heart. 7. You shall teach
  them diligently to your children, and shall talk
  of them when you sit in your house, and when you
  walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when
  you rise. 8. You shall bind them as a sign on
  your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between
  your eyes. 9. You shall write them on the
  doorposts of your house and on your gates.

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I Corinthians 1031

• So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you
  do, do all to the glory of God.

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New Curriculum

• God is the heronot His servants.
• Parent Partnering Providing tools to reinforce
  Biblical truths from Sunday throughout the days,
  weeks, months ahead.
• For childrenbut not childish. Not afraid of
  tough issues.

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God is the Hero

• Show them a God worthy of admiring.
• Answer question Why is God.
• Trustworthy
• Faithful
• Satisfying

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God Vision Global Vision
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If God is not glorious in our eyes, we can not
impart a glorious vision of God to our children.
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Questions for all of us to reflect on

• How am I living my life before children that
  helps them glorify God, instilling passion and
  vision for Him?
• How am I helping children become people who not
  only know Him, but love Him, finding their
  lasting satisfaction in Him alone?