Sunday School Danger!

There are a lot of positive things to say about Sunday School for kids.  For parents, however, there is a hidden danger.  Decades ago it was not uncommon for kids to attend the same service as their parents.  This gave parents an opportunity to explain thoroughly what had been preached and apply it personally to the lives of their children.  Frankly I do not know the exact history of what has brought us to the current system of kids having their own separate classes with activities, crafts, and snack apart from convenience.  As much as children have benefited from having a class geared to their level of understanding, teachers have also grown through the preparation and prayer for children and services.  This is good.  But I believe parents should live as if their kids never went to church at all.  Allow me to explain.

Sunday School attendance has the power to subversively deceive parents into thinking their children are being taught the Word of God and thus have all the spiritual training they need.  This causes parents to shirk their God-given duty of taking a proactive role in their children's spiritual growth and understanding.  It insulates the parents from concern or care of their child's relationship with God.  The fact their kids go to church and hand them a coloring page or craft every week makes them content.  Have we become ignorant to the fact a huge majority of "churched" kids fall away from God entirely after they leave home?  They become hardened from much hearing.  There is nothing more dangerous to a child than church attendance without a real walk with God.  This "churchianity" breeds spiritual pride, boredom, disillusionment, hardness of heart, and hatred of church gatherings.

I suspect the vast majority of children who go to their classes are never engaged in their heads or hearts with observing, interpreting, and applying scripture.  If they were their lives would bear the long-term results of fruitfulness.  The fact is kids learn very quickly how to behave in a Sunday School environment.  Be quiet at the right time, answer "Jesus" when a question is presented, and colour inside the lines.  To have the teacher pull his parent aside would mean discipline, so the child learns to behave according to proper church decorum.  Therefore the kids who are the most quiet are considered attentive and Christian, while the kids who struggle in the class environment are seen as the ones who must be reached - or at least conditioned to be quiet and attentive like the rest.  All parents want their children to go to heaven.  But the stark reality may be few do little for their children's spiritual benefit aside from a weekly taxi service to and from a church building.  

Deuteronomy 6:4-9 reads:  "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one! ⁵ You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. ⁶ "And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. ⁷ You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. ^{8 9} You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes."  God commands us as parents to teach our children of God, His righteous laws, the truth of His Word, to provide an environment at home that nurtures spiritual growth, answer their questions, live out biblical truth constantly as an example, and to cultivate in their hearts love for God.  It is well said that "more is caught than taught."  Sunday School will never replace this personal instruction with a complimentary Christian witness, nor does church attendance free us from our personal duty and responsibility to teach and train our children in the admonition of the LORD.  Do you know how many millions of souls have been doomed to hell by a parent's poor example?  I would say even more have been lost because of lack of instruction, prayer, and carelessness.  God says through the prophet in Hosea 4:6, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge..."  Why should our children perish because of our negligence?

Speaking for myself as a "churched" kid, my heart was virtually never engaged in Sunday School.  It was little more than reading comprehension:  a story was read and we would answer questions about it.  I cannot remember scripture being applied to my life.  Sadly, I believed my job in Sunday School was to make sure everything the teacher said was correct according to scripture.  I had a reputation among my peers and teachers of knowing everything about the Bible, but I harboured a critical spirit in pride.  I strained out the gnats and swallowed the camel!  God used an atheist college professor and public university to humble me and compel me to seek Him.  Questions were asked I had never heard in Sunday School!  The validity and social relevance of the Bible were not assumed like in church services.  I was forced to either throw out everything I believed or actually discover the person of Jesus Christ as revealed in scripture.  Don't get me wrong.  I had great Sunday School teachers and godly parents who took the time to disciple me.  But it was not until I was confronted with a challenge from a godless environment that caused me to develop spiritually.

When I was on staff at a church, God convicted me that I was not performing my duty as a parent to personally instruct my children.  My kids are very well-mannered, obedient, and respectful in church.  They know that if they do not behave there will be consequences!  But because of their attentiveness and knowledge, they were flying under the radar.  It is a sad truth knowledge can often pass as spirituality, though knowledge of God's Word does not mean a person knows God!  My wife and I repented of our lax leadership, and instituted a "Bible night" where we discuss a basic doctrine of scripture.  It marked the start of us walking in obedience to God in teaching our children of Him.  One day a week is still not enough impart all the spiritual nourishment needed.  Like the scripture states, we should be diligent to instruct them concerning God when we rise up, lie down, walk in the way, or sit in our house.  God's truth should be so plastered all over our lives that when our kids see us they see Jesus Christ.  I am not saying we should be legalistic, but on the contrary:  our relationship with Jesus should govern our thoughts, mouths, activities, intentions, and attitudes.

Please do not fall for the lie that Sunday School provides all the spiritual nourishment and instruction your children need.  It is not the primary job of Sunday School teacher or a pastor to instruct your children:  it is your job!  Instead of working to create a "Christian bubble" around our kids, let us labour to have Christ living inside them.  No matter what struggles they face or what fiery darts Satan throws at them, they can stand firm upon the foundation of Christ as revealed in scripture when we are faithful to instruct and encourage them.  Let us instruct with our lives as well as our mouths.  Have you taken steps to lead your children to Christ today?

More than Appreciation

I'm preparing a Bible study for Tuesday night, and I was deeply challenged by the introduction.  I find that God must challenge me first so I can properly convey the truth of His Word to others.  Hopefully it is an exhortation you too will find profitable!

Can man ever appreciate God enough? Our appreciation is limited by our awareness. An infant which is practically blind and without understanding has hardly the capacity to appreciate all the parents have done for his survival and growth. What pains a pregnant mother takes in eating food and dietary supplements which promote heath, and abstains from drink and activities which could do harm. What of the purchase of clothes, buying a crib, a safety seat for the car, cleaning wipes, diapers, ointments, and the arranging of a nursery? The child realizes none of this. The baby cries when he is hungry, feels the stab of a gas pain, or when he is held in the arms of a stranger. But appreciation? This the child in his immaturity can hardly conceive of himself, much less appreciate anything.

The danger is this child will later in life take for granted all the love and blessings given by his parents. He will assume there is goodness in him which makes him unworthy of anything less than what he wants, and in fact deserves much more than his parents have provided. This is the place where Christians can find themselves, goaded by selfish desires to wallow in discontent while disillusioned by entitlement. What great things God has done for us, and how easily we forget the blessings we have received by God’s grace! God does not simply free us from the pit, but adopts us as sons. He does not punish us according to our iniquities, but rewards us according to his grace and mercies. He does not doom us to eternal servitude in chains under a grievous yoke of oppression, but God delights to make us kings and priests unto God for His glory. No longer outcasts, we are co-heirs with Christ! Gone is our guilt, and replaced with joy, comfort, and rest forevermore! Instead of lamenting what we do not have, let us rejoice in who we have in Christ! Let us spend more time thanking God for who He is than begging Him to give us what we want. After all, we have been created by God for God, and He is our Redeemer and Savior whom we owe all things. Isn’t more than appreciation in order?

What's up? A quick look...

Last night I went with John and Tina Graves to the house of Paul and Christina for a Thanksgiving meal and celebration.  2010 will mark the second time in five years the I will spend the American holiday of Thanksgiving outside of the U.S.  It was fun to watch a downloaded football game ("gridiron" in AUS) and sit around the table with friends new and old.  No one cooks a Thanksgiving meal like my dad or grandpa, but it was delicious just the same.

No matter where I am or what I eat, I can give thanks to the same God.  Celebrating a holiday is so different from house to house, especially from country to country!  The more and more I experience in Australia, the more I am struck by differences.  When I woke up this morning, I did the washing (laundry) and hung it outside to dry.  I vacuumed the pool, read my Bible, played with the dog, and tried to figure out why my computer keeps crashing when I watch streaming video.  Just the daily morning routine on a Saturday!

I'm growing a mustache with Ian (worship and youth leader from church) in honor of Movember, an Australian fundraiser to bring awareness and supply money for men's health, specifically prostate cancer and depression.  Abel cracked me up on Skype when he said, "So instead of Thanksgiving you have Movember all month?"  One of the catchphrases is "Grow a mo, help save a bro."  How mustache can be shortened to "mo" I'll never understand.  Some people say it is rhyming slang, but it doesn't rhyme at all!  But they do both start with an "m!"  It's probably better than saying, "Grow a stache, give some cash..."

Tomorrow I hope to shoot some clips of people at church to make a video to show at church back in the States to introduce them personally to their Aussie brothers and sisters in Christ at Calvary Chapel Sydney.  We put in an application to rent a house in a suburb near the church and we're praying that God would open that door.  Our household goods are due to arrive on December 16th, and the house will be available on December 17th so that would be perfect.  It seems like an ideal setup, and may God's will be done!  We're still waiting on our FBI background checks and need to schedule physicals for the visa completion.

After preaching at CC Sydney Sunday morning, on Tuesday God willing I will lead a Bible study at a local home fellowship.  I'm still thinking and praying about what the text from scripture will be.  On Friday, Ian, Paul, and myself are scheduled to fly to Perth and drive five hours to Calvary Chapel Albany to attend the Word Conference.  It should be an awesome time to hear gifted speakers, meet up with Christians from all over Australia, and enjoy worship and fellowship.  God willing the travel will be smooth and seamless.

The longer I travel this path of faith in Christ, the more I realize I am a pathetic man who needs His strength.  There are continual temptations to cease setting my mind on things above, and set it on things of this earth.  I read a passage from A Minister's Obstacles by Turnbull that gave me encouragement.  "...They never made Bunyan a doctor of divinity nor anything else of that honorable sort.  But three degrees had already been granted to him that neither Cambridge nor Oxford could either give or withhold: 'to wit, union with Christ; the anointing of the Spirit, and much experience of temptation" (pg. 73-74).  God has seen fit to give me the first two degrees by his grace, and I am determined to obtain the third by his grace as well.  God help me!

Praise the LORD that He is unchangeable and not limited by location or time restraints!  I am experiencing grueling separation from my wife and kids, but when I look to the LORD I find in Him all I need.  It is not easy but no trial was ever intended to be!  It is through separation that our priorities are re-focused, and our weaknesses and false supports are revealed by God to us.  The house we desire to rent is on "Supply Court" which was another reminder of God's promise to me and all believers in Philippians 4:19: "And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus."  What more shall I say?  If Christ is for me, who can be against me?

Peace With God

I was driving down the street today and observed a church sign which read:  "Jesus came to earth to make peace with us."  Interesting, I thought, because I couldn't disagree more.  Jesus did not come to earth to make peace with men:  He came to earth so men could have peace with God.  There's a big difference.  God did nothing to separate or ostracize mankind from Him, nor did He declare war on man at any time.  It is man who rebelled and sinned against God!  It is man who declared in the Garden of Eden that he would not submit to the rule, authority, or commands of God.  It is man who wars against God, not God with man.  If that was the case, the battle would have been over long ago!  And contrary to the opinion of some, God would have won!

Because of Christ's sacrifice on the cross, through faith we are forgiven and His righteousness is imputed to our account.  Romans 5:1-2 reads:  "Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ² through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God."  Again, we see scripture confirm that man has peace with God through Jesus, not Jesus making peace with man.  Man is at enmity with God, and it is we who must yield.  Jesus led the way in humility.  Although Jesus is God in human form, He made Himself of no reputation. took upon Himself the form of a servant, and made Himself obedient to death, even the death of the cross.

Do you have peace with God?  Jesus brings peace for everyone who repents and trusts in Him.  He promises in John 14:27:  "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."  Instead of demanding that God reveal Himself to us, why don't we ask Him to open our eyes?  Why don't we cling to His promises in faith?  God has spoken, God has revealed Himself, and God sent His only Son to save us from our sins.  If that's not good enough for us, then we aren't worthy of Him!