SPRING 2010

ParentLink Magazine

TEENAGERS SEEKING

PURPOSE

7 WAYS TO TELL IF YOURCHILD IS REJECTING

YOUR VALUES

WHAT’S A TWEEN?AND MUCH MORE!

HappyMother’s & Father’sDay!

2 | SPRING 2010

For the 1st quarter several events have passed that we must continue to pray for; prayer for the country of Haiti & Chile that has experience earthquakes, prayer for our nation, that has experience uprising because of the passing of the health care bill and other things. When we look at these travesties, the first thing that comes to mind is; what about the children? We must continue to pray for the children of these countries because some of them have no place to live and some even do not have parents. We, in America really have something to be thankful for.

As we get ready for the second quarter there are several major events that will take place, times for you to share with the whole family. In April, we have Resurrection Weekend, a time where we remember what our Lord and Savior did for us. In May, we celebrate Mother’s Day, a time where we thank our mother’s for all that they do. In June, we salute our fathers on Father’s Day; it takes a real man to be a father.

Finally, we want to say let us keep the Kidz & Youth Center Vision in the forefront of our lives. Our children really need this place and by faith, we will accomplish the completion this year.

God Bless you.

Eric & Patsy Richards

EDITOR’S LETTER

The ParentLink Magazine is a quarterly publication, published by the UTURN Ministry of The Faith Center, Sunrise, FL. Its purpose is to engage, communicate, and inform parents with relevant, Christian-based content that will help strengthen the family unit. It also serves as a media to inform and link parents to what’s happening in the UTURN Ministry.

Editors Pastor Eric & Patsy RichardsWriters Mark Gregston of Heartlight Ministries,

Millie McNabb of Christian Values LegacyDr. Mary Manz Simon

Design/Layout Jadotte Design Studio Inc.

THE FAITH CENTER MINISTRIES5555 N.W. 95th Ave. • Sunrise, FL 33351Phone: 954.742.7832 • Fax: 954.742.7776

www.thefaithcenterint.org

THE YEAROF GREAT

EXPECTATIONS!

ParentLink Magazine

UTURN MINISTRY PARENT LINK | 3

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

4. TEENAGERS SEEKING PURPOSEYou want your kids to fulfill every bit of their unique purpose in life. When you first hold your newborn, the future and its possibilities flash through your mind. What will they be when they grow up?

8. FAMILY ACTIVITY: LOVE JARA activity that is designed to get your family noticing examples of the kind of love that shows how you treat and respond to each other.

9. SEVEN WAYS TO TELL IF YOUR CHILD IS REJECTING YOUR VALUES

Is your child telling you in their in behavior, words, and/or attitudes that they are rejecting your values? Recognizing signs of rebellion while a child is young, goes a long way toward having your children respect and keep your values into adulthood.

12. WHAT’S A TWEEN?Tweens are 8 to 12-year-olds, or children poised on the edge of adolescence. These are the years when peer pressure becomes a major force.

15. MUSIC REVIEWLiving Water Records artist Nicole “Faithful” Franklin shows us how to take it back on her 12-song debut, Taking It Back, that truly brings the heart of inspiration.

4 | SPRING 2010

TEENAGERSSEEKINGPurpose

By Mark GregstonHeartlight Ministries

You want your kids to fulfill every bit of their unique purpose in life. When you first hold your newborn, the future and its possibilities flash through your mind. Will she be a doctor? Will he be a lawyer? I want her to do well. I hope he is like his dad.

As your children grow, you are able to direct their dreams for a while. Life is good. Then something happens. All of a sudden, seemingly overnight, everything changes. The once amiable child is now a teenager and is no longer following your road map! He seems to have developed his own direction, forsaking what you had imagined for him. How did this happen?

As kids mature in the teen years, they begin searching on their own for meaning in life, a purpose for living, something that makes their life worth living. And that may not at all match what Mommy and Daddy thought it should be.

UTURN MINISTRY PARENT LINK | 5

WHY AM I HERE?

One of the most important life questions your teen will begin asking and wrestling with is, “Why am I here?” or “What’s my purpose on this Earth?” Without a purpose, life becomes motion without meaning; trivial, petty, pointless, and founded upon whatever the culture offers up as the latest “must have” material thing or “must do” activity.

“The man without a purpose is like a ship without a rudder – a waif, a nothing, a no man.” –Thomas Carlyle

Pastor Rick Warren calls this pursuit for meaning the drive for purpose. In his blockbuster book “The Purpose-Driven Life,” Warren offers the answer; “You were made for a mission. You aren’t here just to wander around lost. And you aren’t here simply to live for yourself.”

I grew up in a time and home where people believed that God had a plan for each of our lives. I was taught that each person is as unique as the fingerprints stamped on their digits, and that God wanted a personal relationship with me. I learned that I was uniquely created, fearfully and wonderfully made, and that Christ died for “me.” I was told that I was precious in God’s sight.

So, why are kids so lost today? Are parents no longer passing on these same values to their children? I am con-vinced that if more kids knew their purpose, they’d have fewer struggles in the teen years. They’d feel a sense of meaning; they’d know where they are headed and con-centrate on getting there.

When I look back at my own life, my work, and my hap-piness about fulfilling God’s purpose for my life, I get excited all over again. It all started from a point in my life when I felt hopeless, lost, and not knowing where to turn. At that point I started asking questions about my own purpose in life, and I started listening to the answers God was giving me.

SHOWING YOUR TEEN HOW TO FIND THEIR LIFE PURPOSE

“Between this day and the next you will give your life to something. The decision on what that will be will shape your destiny.” –Rick Warren

A good place to begin the search for purpose is to understand that purpose is woven into every strand of the fabric of our lives. It has to do with God-given talents, the experiences in our life, and those things which give a person “goose bumps” or a tear to their eye when they think about them. Moreover, purpose has to do with using those talents to serve God and others, not one’s self.

So, has your teen ever taken stock of their talents and gifts? Are they a great talker, or a great listener? Are they skilled at building things, or are they good with people? Is their talent more cerebral or more physical? I suggest they make a list of the things and activities that interest them and those in which they excel. There are a number of places on the Web that they can take online Spiritual Gifts Tests. They can also ask themselves, “What’s the one thing that I do better than others?” This can clue them in to their God-given purpose.

The gifts God gives us need to be tested in fertile soil, so it’s important for a teen to get a wide variety of experiences. As they do so, certain talents will sprout and blossom, others will wilt and die. Through these new experiences, God will reveal more about who they are and how God has called them to serve Him and others. One experience can literally change their life.

Unlike the Field of Dreams premise “If you build it they will come,” teenagers shouldn’t get stuck on develop-ing just one purpose, even if for the moment they are convinced it is their true purpose in life. It is far better that they continue to experience new things. So, a bet-ter plan for finding life purpose is, “As they experience it, it will come to them.” And keep in mind that they may have difficulty finding their purpose in the classroom or from books. So a parent should provide plenty of “field experiences” for their teenager.

6 | SPRING 2010

TAKE A SIMPLE LIFE PURPOSE EXERCISE

For teens (or parents) who have already had many expe-riences in life, and are still confused about their purpose, here’s a good exercise. Take out a blank sheet of paper and write at the top, “What is My Life Purpose?” Then, have them begin writing answers. They should write any answer that pops into their head. It could be a word or two, or a sentence. Repeat until they write the answer that makes them cry - obviously not a sad cry, but a joyful one. Yup, if it makes a tear come to their eye, then it’s a sure bet that this is their purpose, or at least associated with their purpose. They should do it in private and with-out any accompanying music or other distractions. It may take 100 or even 200 lines of potential “purposes” to hit the one that makes a tear come to their eye, but encour-age them to keep at it until they do.

Helen Keller said it best, “Many people have a wrong idea of what constitutes true happiness. It is not attained through self-gratification, but through fidelity to a worthy purpose.”

When God begins revealing their purpose, remind your teen that it may not be reached tomorrow, next month or even in logical steps. Instead, they may need to take some initial steps to get there and there may be detours along the way. But knowing the destination will help them build strength and courage to get there - often much more than we might expect they’ll have.

IT’S A LIFELONG JOURNEY

Finding purpose is a lifelong journey. God doesn’t give all the details at once, nor does He promise it will be a smooth ride. Instead, He often provides just enough in-formation to help us move another mile down the road. It helps us to trust Him as our Navigator. As you progress along the road of your life’s purpose, pay attention to the road signs He provides along the way and listen to Him speak to you.

“The purpose of life is a life of purpose.” –Robert Byrne

Nothing matters more than your teen knowing God’s purpose for their life, and nothing can compensate for not knowing it. Knowing their purpose gives meaning to their life and each step along the way. It motivates them to prepare for their purpose, to save themselves for that purpose, and to avoid anything that might get in

the way. Knowing their purpose simplifies their life and removes confusion.

On the other hand, without a clear purpose, they have no foundation on which to base decisions, allocate their time, and use their resources. Without a clear purpose, they’ll keep changing directions, jobs, relationships, churches, or other externals—hoping each change will settle the confusion or fill the emptiness in their heart.

THE COMFORT OF KNOWING GOD’S PURPOSE

Isn’t it comforting to know that God has a bigger purpose for each of us? If you believe it, then step in front of a mirror and look for areas in your own life that need to grow. Perhaps you’re not following your own heart in finding God’s purpose in your life. Aim this year to make some changes - with God’s help.

“A life devoted to things is a dead life, a stump; a God-shaped life is a flourishing tree.” -Proverbs 11:28 (The Message)

As for me, I stand on His promises, I’m assured of His presence, I love His involvement, and I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I am living in the center of His purpose for my life.

“What’s my purpose?” is probably the most important and empowering question you or your teenager will ever ask in this lifetime. So help them uncover their talents, their strengths, their values, their passion. Help them ex-perience new things and develop a plan - any plan, even if it is just a first step. Find ways for them to live life with intent. This New Year is a great time to help your teen - and maybe even you - begin a quest for purpose.

Mark Gregston is an author, speaker, radio host, and the founder and director of Heartlight, a residential program for struggling adolescents located in East Texas. Mark’s blog can be read at www.markgregston.com. His radio programs can be heard at http://www.parentingtodaysteens.org.

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Soul Expression will take place at:

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T.C.G. - MIDDLE SCHOOL

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1st & 2nd Sunday of each month

Time: 10:00 a.m.

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Wednesdays @ 7:30 p.m.

(TFC Upper Balcony)

8 | SPRING 2010

FAMILYACTIVITYLOVE

JAROne of the most familiar Bible passages about love is found 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. This month’s activity is designed to get your family noticing examples of that kind of love in how you treat and respond to each other.

TRY THIS

When your family is together, bring out an empty jar (or other container) and explain that for the next week or so, this is going to be the “love jar.”

Hand out to each member of your family a piece of paper with 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 printed out on it and then have someone read it out loud to the family. Here it is in the NIV:

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not eas-ily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not de-light in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.

Explain that this is the way God loves us as His children and it’s the way He’s told us to love each other.

Describe the following in your own words:

For the next week, we’re going to watch each other closely and look for examples of the descriptions of love in this passage. For instance, we want to “catch” each other being patient or kind or not “easily angered.”

When you see someone doing something loving from the pas-sage, take a second to jot down on a note what you saw that person do, then sign the note and put it in the jar. (Plan to keep a stack of blank notes next to the jar.)

EXAMPLES:

“Jake did something cool, but he didn’t boast about it.”

“Emily shared her chips and was kind to me.”

“Dad was patient when I wasn’t ready when he came to pick me up.”

“Mom was protecting me when she made me wear my coat (even though I didn’t want to).”

Then once a day (or at the end of the week), we’ll empty the jar and read about the different ways we caught each other being loving. For this to work, everyone needs to participate by put-ting in at least one note about someone (or each person) in the family every day.

You’ll probably need to review the verses ever day to remind yourself of what kinds of loving choices to look for.

Note: Be ready to provide some examples you have noticed from various members of your family recently. If you think they will need the incentive, consider offering some kind of appro-priate reward for contributing a minimum number of notes to the jar—or an incremental prized based on the number of notes submitted. You will need a definite end date for this activity to keep everyone motivated to participate.

Also, make it clear nobody is to put a note in about them-selves—and everyone should add at least one note about each member of the family at some point. As the parent(s), you might need to goose the jar by writing extra notes.

Finally, plan to empty the jar daily or at the end of the week and talk about the different acts of love you caught each other doing. Also be ready to talk about how this made you all more aware of choosing to be loving yourself in ways you don’t nor-mally think about. Ask if anyone was surprised that someone thought what they were doing was a love choice.

As always, if you tackle this activity, let us know how it goes!

UTURN MINISTRY PARENT LINK | 9

BY MILLIE MCNABB

WAYSTO TELL IF

YOUR CHILD

SEVEN

YOURREJECTINGIS

VALUES

A bsolutely shocking! Reading a recent study, I learned that 61% of young adults who were churched as teenagers are now spiritually disengaged.

How did this happen? Were the parents of these teenagers aware that “values rejection” was on the agenda?

Parents recognize open opposition when a child talks back and sticks out his tongue. Scripture identifies the tell-tale marks of this rebellion:

“Their speech and their actions are against the LORD the ex-pression of their faces bears witness against them.”

Is your child telling you in their behavior, words, and/or at-titudes that they are rejecting your values?

Parenting is a 24/7 vigil, a leadership position like no other. Most leaders do not get their followers at birth and take re-sponsibility for every morsel they are fed, physically, emotion-ally, intellectually and spiritually! Parents do. It is a monumen-tal undertaking. Recognizing signs of rebellion and correcting attitudes while a child is young, goes a long way toward hav-ing your children respect and keep your values into adult-hood.

10 | SPRING 2010

Rebellion can be obvious or subtle. Jesus poses the question about a father who asked his two sons to go work in the vineyard . The first son said, “I will, sir”; and he did not go. The second son answered “I will not”; but he reconsidered and went. Jesus asked, “Which of the two did the will of his father?” The listeners replied, “The latter.”

1. This “actions speak louder than words” test is one way a child reveals himself. So, right here, you can

ask yourself, “Am I only listening to my child’s words, or do I follow through and inspect his actions?” Observing behavior is key.

A friend’s son was to put away his laundry. The boy was very quick with the task and reported that he was done. His mother went with him to inspect and found the clothes on the floor by the dresser, not really put away.

Jesus talks about knowing people by their fruits. One of the “fruits” is our character. Character development is absolutely influenced by the way we parent.

How do we understand the “fruit” Jesus spoke of? No need to guess. We’re told.

“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kind-ness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-con-trol” Again, observation is essential.

2. Is your child demonstrating these qualities both in and out of the home? My daughter was

babysitting, and asked the young boy to help pick up the toys. He replied in a lilting voice, “No, thank you. I don’t want to.” The politeness lesson was in play; the obedience lesson still needed some work.

3. What kind of stories do you hear about your child from his peers and other adults who work with

him? These can tell you if your values are sticking. The fruit of the developing character can be seen very early, and requires almost constant pruning.

As we think about the story Jesus told of the father and two sons, we may see a parallel to our own children. Sometimes our children openly oppose us, and we may agonize, pray, and take steps to win a child over. The situation that is more likely to blindside us, is the quiet, compliant child who rejects our values after they leave our household. Are there any signs of this silent rebel-lion?

PRETEEN CULTURE STATS:

- 73% of kids between the ages of 8 to 12 years old have internet as fa-vorite media medium. (Barna, 23)

- Kids between the ages of 8 to 12 years old intake about 48 hours a week of mass media. (Barna, 23)

PRETEEN SPIRITUAL STATS:

- Barna and sociologists have dis-covered that the moral and spiri-tual foundations are generally de-termined by age 9. (Barna, 47)

- Barna discovered that the proba-bility of someone embracing Jesus as his/her Savior was:

32% between the ages of 5 and 12

4% between the ages of 13 to 18

6% between the ages of 19 or older

In other words, if people do not em-brace Jesus Christ as their Savior before their teen years, the chances of doing so at all is slim. (Barna, 34)

(All material taken from George Barna’s book “Transforming Children into Spiritual Champions”)

UTURN MINISTRY PARENT LINK | 11

Yes, there are. And again, it is a matter of observation. The signs of silent rebellion are most often found in body language.

4. Does your child avoid eye contact or avert their eyes when you talk to him? This is an indicator

of disagreement. Ask yourself what your child is hiding, that he can’t look you in the eye. Is it guilt? Is it fear? Is something bothering him that he can’t entrust to you?

My two-year old granddaughter likes to climb, and has been told to stay off my desk and out of the post-it notes. When I see her headed that direction and intervene, she works hard at avoiding my eyes, even as I say, “Look at me.” Parents have to train their children to see “eye-to-eye” on their values.

5. Rolling the eyes is an indicator of a seriously bad attitude. This carries with it not only disagreement

with what you are telling your child, but also an attitude that the child thinks you are a fool. This contempt leads the child to despise your values. Sadly, this is a behavior most likely learned by observing the parents. Perhaps the mother disagrees with the father and does not say anything, but the children observe that she rolls her eyes.

6. A negative interpretation of life will cause a child to reject your values. The words of your child is

often where this tendency shows up. Grumbling, finding fault, answering “Yes, but,” misinterpreting neutral com-ments to be negative, or being defensive are all indica-tors that your child is rejecting your values. A parent may let a child get away with these attitudes because they are not hurting anyone else. The challenge here is to recog-nize and correct the rebellion.

The stated goals at our household were to have our children be able to run the household by the time they were 12, and to be able to go out on their own by age 18. One daughter left for college when she was 18, but came back and asked me why we didn’t kick her sisters out when they were 18. We had said, “be able to” and she had interpreted, “You’re out of here.” I didn’t recog-nize her misinterpretation until years later.

7. Limited interaction is possibly the most difficult sign of rebellion to recognize. This calls for observ-

ing verbal and body language responses or lack thereof--when you talk with the child. Is the child interacting by nodding, adding comments, or asking questions when you’re together? That’s healthy. If your child says noth-ing, you may think they’re agreeing, when in fact they are giving you no feedback. They may give you a blank stare, or make it more interesting, by looking thoughtful, but they likely have their own thoughts, which are not in agreement with yours.

Parents, these signs of rebellion are representative of the way children reveal themselves. As you seek to instill your values in the lives of your children, “values rejec-tion” is on the agenda, and you are now more prepared to recognize it.

2008 Millie McNabb

Millie McNabb, B.A., B.Mus., founder of Christian Values Legacy, offers strategies and support for parents who are intentionally raising children to become Christian adults. She speaks for Christian and homeschool groups. Download her free report at www.ChristianValuesLegacy.com.

Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com CHRISTIAN WRITERS

12 | SPRING 2010

You’ve seen a tween. He’s the one who spends hours researchingon-line for a family vacation but is too cool to be seen with his

family at Yellowstone. She’s the 10-year-old who dresses like she just celebrated her sixteenth birthday. He is a fearless and untouchable teen-wannabe but is afraid to enter the basement after dark. She intentionally tosses dirty clothes to miss the hamper but goes out of her way to help an elderly neighbor up icy stairs.

Tweens are 8 to 12-year-olds, or children poised on the edge of adolescence.

As a mom, I struggled during this transition, but I had a lot of company: Many parents of the between-age kids feel alone and unprepared to deal with the critical issues that emerge so early.

These are the years when peer pressure becomes a major force. Potential problems with drugs, alcohol, sex and eating disorders begin to appear. And the greatest fear for parents looms in the shadows: If I cant handle a 10-year-old, how will I cope when shes 15? The tween years offer incredible potential for growing on mission Christians. However, to successfully connect with tweens, we must understand their 21st century world.

WHO ARE THESE TWEENS?Today’s tweens are the confident, high-tech, optimistic, street-smart and marketing savvy members of the Echo Boom, the largest group of chil-dren in American history. They are 8- to 12-year-olds on a fast track to growing up.

They are influenced by new media, virtual friends and the power that comes with technology. Today’s tweens represent the first generation to practice adolescent independence on the Internet: Tweens do not need parents or teachers to help them gather information. This instant access to the world through the Web has bolstered a respect for knowledge. For the second year in a row, 83 percent of 8- to 12-year-olds say: Its cool to be smart.

In the year 2001, its OK to be a geek. This high level of competence with technology has partially fueled the designation of tweens as the new

sweet spot in marketing. After all, kids now influence more than 70 percent of family food choices. Nearly two- thirds of parents say their children have influenced their vehicle purchasing decisions. As a result, car manu-facturers are capitalizing on kidfluence and now target marketing messages to those aged 6 to14.

Money speaks in other ways too: Direct spending by tweens totals an incredible $14 billion annually.

HAS BASIC DEVELOPMENT CHANGED TOO?Despite cultural changes, tweens still face develop-mental issues. Yet even these are being shaped by the 21st century.

Better nutrition is one of the major reasons puberty begins earlier than ever. As a result, 8 and 9-year-olds may experience the mood swings previously associated with teens.

Emotionally, tweens cope with new fears. As young chil-dren they had fantasy-based fears: They were afraid of thunderstorms or the dark. But the reality-based fears of tweens are shaped by their experiences. A 9-year-old who watched the morning headline news about a local rapist might worry all day about going home to an empty house.

During these years, peers assume more importance. This influence is common in areas of style, including haircuts and wardrobe choices. Self-concept is partially determined by the group to which the tween belongs.

Cognitively, tweens begin to practice new ways of thinking. Although parents may complain about their self-centered tunnel vision, 8 to 12-year-olds begin to develop almost-adult levels of thinking. They can visualize changing places with someone else and project possible behaviors.

For example, an 11-year-old will understand how his dad might react when basketballs are left in the driveway. Unfortunately, that does not mean a tween will put away the balls, for tweens grab every opportunity to flaunt their independence.

These newly independent thinkers seek answers in all areas of life. As one father of a 10-year-old told me, She is beginning to make faith decisions on her own. This is an important point of a parents daily prayers. Moral and ethical decisions may be peer-influenced. For example, an 11-year-old may spontaneously challenge a classmate to pocket a pack of gum from the store shelf without paying for it.

Historically, tweens have always reality-tested virtues like honesty and obedience. However, because tweens have

BY DR. MARY MANZ SIMON

WHAT’S A

TWEEN?WHY THE CHURCH SHOULD

INVEST IN THE GROWING POPU-LATION OF 8 - 12 YEAR OLDS

UTURN MINISTRY PARENT LINK | 13

grown up in the middle of a national moral meltdown, their un-derstanding of right and wrong may not be clear-cut. Yet these situations only hint at the challenges and opportunities we face with ministry among today’s tweens.

WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR MINISTRY?Today’s tweens are ready to be on mission. Fueled by optimism for the future, this generation of tweens believes it can impact the world. However, channeling this positive perspective into outreach efforts will require sensitivity to styles of communication.

The accelerated pace of cyber-speak has shortened the atten-tion span of tweens and heightened their awareness of visu-als. They are accustomed to multiple information sources, with messages bombarding them from all sides.

In addition, today’s kids multi-task. Combining these charac-teristics means a tween can visually scan in seconds the church website for a list of prayer concerns, the youth calendar and Christian concerts. However, because tweens have an insatia-ble desire for the newest and most current of everything, the site will need frequent updating to catch a tweens interest.

Both Christian and non-Christian tweens live in cyberspace: More than 21.9 million tweens are predicted to be online by 2002. These numbers highlight the tremendous potential for reaching kids through electronic media.

But whatever appears on a site must reflect kid-speak. Today’s tweens value authenticity: Realness is a core value of the current generation.

The most effective way to ensure that a church’s site matches the language tweens understand is to involve tweens in the site design and upkeep.

A congregation can launch an entire outreach effort by beginning with tweens.

For example, we know from developmental research that tweens begin to wonder about life, death, faith in Jesus Christ and spiritual issues during these pre-adolescent years. Tweens ask so many questions about theology, some parents feel their tween is a charter member of Club Doubt. Tween parents are especially challenged because, for the first time, their children are asking the same questions they asked. A daily question/

answer on the church website may be targeted to tweens but will have cross-age appeal.

Involving tweens with computers is only one way to capitalize on their desire to serve. Today’s tweens know that serving others feels good: Thats their motivation. Eight- to 12-year-olds are among the most under-utilized resources in congregations today.

Tween-style relationship evangelism might take the form of making tray favors for Meals on Wheels or stringing bead bracelets and hair ornaments to distribute on short-term mis-sion trips. What’s important is that tweens have the opportu-nity to serve joyfully.

When a congregation capitalizes on its tremendous potential to create honest, emotional bonds with others, sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ becomes the tween interpretation of lifestyle evangelism. For many tweens, their mission field be-gins in the living room.

Although spirituality has emerged as an acceptable water cooler topic, many 8- to 12-year-olds are growing up without a Christian history. Equipping these young on mission Christians takes on a sense of personal urgency as they become increas-ingly aware of the importance of the gospel message.

Today, we are seeing a distinct attitudinal shift, and its start-ing with tweens. Many tweens embrace traditional beliefs and value the family unit. This means, for example, that a 9-year-old may genuinely want to squeeze some family time between soccer and gymnastics. Churches can find many ways to help family members connect with each other and provide resourc-es for strengthening interpersonal ties. Converting trends into outreach opportunities implies that church leaders will respect the unique 21st century filters through which tweens and their families view ministry.

Time-starved parents will respond to ministry which fits their family but does not interrupt their lives. Tweens will connect with service that utilizes their very real skills and abilities. Con-gregations that serve as gateways to Christ in the 21st century will use knowledge about families to form a backdrop for multi-ple contact points. Today, tweens and their families are already imposing new yardsticks for measuring ministry.

We are poised on the brink of a crisis of opportunity: We face a generation of high-tech tweens who need to know our high-touch God. In what ways will you and I respond?

Dr. Mary Manz Simon is a popular conference speaker and best-selling author. She also hosts a daily, nationally syndicated program, Front Porch Parenting, which airs on 250 Christian radio stations. She was quoted in McCalls magazine as one of Americas top parenting pros.

2 | SPRING 2010

ON THE AIRThe Faith Kids Children’s Church Presents:

Big City Studio is our new, high-impact, energy-driven children’s ministry curriculum where your kids are highly INVOLVED throughout entire service. The curriculum goes beyond character/values and focuses on the work and person of Jesus Christ as revealed in the scripture from both the Old and New Testaments. The purpose is to build in children a lasting, personal faith in Jesus by teaching them about who God is and what He did for them through Christ.

UTURN MINISTRY PARENT LINK | 15

MUSIC REVIEW

NICOLE “FAITHFUL” FRANK-LIN TAKING IT BACK

Living Water Records artist Nicole “Faithful” Franklin shows us how to take it back on her 12-song debut, Taking It Back, that truly brings the heart of inspiration.

The album starts with the declarative title cut, a hard-hitting, hip-hop inspired cut that will “rev-up” any believers faith to “take back what’s yours”, as Franklin puts it.

After getting your mind right, Franklin hits again with “Purpose and Destiny”, a song that is truly awesome in message. When things seem low, this song reminds the listener of their identity in God and His plan for their lives.

Fans of artists such as Andre 3000 and Janelle Monae will enjoy the organ and snares of “Who U Roll’ n Wit”. Look for this to become a hit that is sure to resonate on radio. Trust me, you will “Cee-Lo” what I mean.

Other stand outs include the confidence-building “Beautiful”, the worship-filled “The Greatest”, and the feel-good “Restore”, that snatches restoration out the enemy’s hand.

This unique album has the ability to bring its message close to the heart of each listener. Nicole “Faithful” Franklin, thank you for the energy and spirit you allowed to grace this project!

Production: Various Album release date: Sept. 28, 2009 Living Water Records

— Review by Terence Bradford

THE FAITH KIDZ

MOVIE/GAME NIGHT

FOR WHOM? Any elementary-aged child; siblings are welcome; younger siblings must be accompanied by a parent

WHEN? Every 3rd Friday of the month

WHERE? UFTL campus

HOW MUCH? $5 per child, $20 maximum per immediate family; Includes dinner!