Special Guest Post

I’ve got a very special guest post today from Keith Ferrin. Keith has recently written a book called, “Like Ice Cream: The Scoop with Helping the Next Generation Fall in Love with God’s Word”. With a subtitle like that there is no explanation needed!

The #1 Way to Help Your Kids Love the Bible

At least once a week, my wife will sigh, roll her eyes, and say, “Keith, knock it off! You know the kids are going to do exactly what they see you do!” (In fact, it happened last night.) She’s right.

It’s true, isn’t it? In fact, I am blown away by how much they pick up even the littlest things. The way I stand. A certain word I use to describe something. A look. A gesture. It’s a bit creepy to be honest.

So why would I think that loving the Bible would be any different?

The #1 way to get your kids to love the Bible is NOT to take them to a good church (though you should probably do that). It’s not to get them plugged into a solid children’s or youth ministry (though I highly recommend that too). It’s not to make sure they learn their weekly verses (again…not a bad idea).

Hands down, the #1 way to get your kids to love the Bible is to love it yourself.

Before you say, “Yeah, yeah…I know…” hear me out. We say we believe it is true. We say it is reliable. We say it is applicable. But do we loveit? I know I didn’t for the first 20 years I hung out with Jesus. And yet take a look at the sentence smack dab in between “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength” and “Impress them on your children.”

These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. (Deut. 6:6, emphasis added)

God knows that if we don’t love it, neither will our kids. So…how do we do it? First off, this is a “long haul” issue. If you believe the Bible – but don’t love it – that won’t change overnight. That said…here are two ideas to get you started.

Idea One: Make an honest assessment about how you FEEL about the Bible?

This is not how you think about the Bible or even what you believe about the Bible. Do you like it? Do you enjoy your time in God’s Word. Tell God how you really feel about the Bible. Then tell a friend. Sit down and have an honest conversation with your spouse or small group. Similar to any exercise plan, success starts with assessment.

Idea Two: Stop studying and start reading.

This isn’t forever. But it might be several months. Sometimes we get so into studying a book, theme, or person that we forget to enjoy the story. In fact, many of us have never gotten lost in The Story.

It’s like analyzing the scenes of a movie before we watch the movie. Absurd. You might learn some things, but it certainly won’t be much fun. Don’t we do that to the Bible all the time? There are verses we can ramble about forever, but if someone asked what that particular book was about, we’d offer a blank stare.

So pick a book – a whole book – and read it in one sitting. For most books of the Bible this is less than a 30-minute commitment. Or better yet, simply start at the beginning (Genesis, not Matthew J), set aside a time (at least 20-30 minutes) and just read. Don’t read all the study notes in your Bible. Just read the Bible. After 20-30 minutes, bookmark the page, and keep going tomorrow.

Watch what happens. It won’t take long before you will be enjoying the Bible more than ever. Once you like it more, you’ll talk about it more. You’ll apply it more. And your kids will notice. And once that happens, the chances of them falling in love with the Bible will have just gone up. Way, way up.

Keith Ferrin is a storyteller, author, blogger, and speaker whose passion is helping churches, families, and students fall in love with God’s Word. He holds to the belief that the Bible isn’t just true, but it’s also heaps of fun. You can see some clips and connect with him on his blog (www.keithferrin.com), Twitter (@KeithFerrin), or Facebook (/KeithFerrin)

2013 and What I’m Reading

January 3, 2013 — 2 Comments

I’ve got a link up there at the top of this website, and it will take you to GoodReads.com and you can follow what I’m reading, what I’ve already read, and what’s on-deck to be read. The list isn’t created so that you can see how vain and shallow I really am by seeing what I’m reading, although that is an added bonus.

The list is there to simply add what I’m reading to the list of what others are reading. That right there is how I figure out what I’m going to read next. I love seeing what others have read and often use that to determine what I’m going to read next. For example, Sam Luce has been going on and on and on about the Eric Metexas book, “Bonhoeffer” and it’s peaked my curiosity. Now, that book sits on my reading list.

**Here are some of my favorite books from 2012 (and this list is far from complete, it’s just the books I remember from 2012):**

Deep & Wide: Creating Churches Unchurched People Love to Attend

Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption

A Tale of three Kings: A Study in Brokenness

Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine, and the Murder of a President

Dreaming of More for the Next Generation: Lifetime Faith Ignited by Family Ministry

Here is what’s on tap for 2013, at this moment in time anyways.

Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy

The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America

Artificial Maturity: Helping Kids Meet the Challenge of Becoming Authentic Adults

…and because it’s prudent, all of these images and links will take you to Amazon Affiliate links. This means that if you buy books from these links, I earn a little cash.

In Links, Personal Amazon Affiliate, Bonhoeffer Pastor, Eric Metexas, Next Generation, reading, Sam Luce

2013 New Year Blog Ideas

January 2, 2013 — Leave a comment

As I run into 2013, I’m doing the normal “New Year Maintenance” and wanted to bring you along for some of this journey. One of the first things I’ve done to ready myself for learning more, is to clean up and add-to my blog subscription list. I’ve followed some blogs for years, and others I’ve just recently started reading. The list below is part of what I’m reading, and I’ve used these qualifications to create the collection:

I will not subscribe to a blog only to do a favor for a friend. I’m not saying this is a perfect idea for everyone, but I’m pruning the blogs that I don’t really read. I will however offer a couch for any friends to sleep on that come to Passion, Orange, or Catalyst Conferences in 2013.

I will only subscribe to blogs that I can allow myself adequate time to read. The days of reading 2,000 word blog posts are done for me. You may notice a few exceptions on my subscription list, but for the most part I’ve rid myself of the posts that took the most time for me to digest.

Just because I don’t subscribe to a blog doesn’t mean I won’t read it. It just means I’m not getting daily updates on new content.

I love shared content. I have tons of friends that will send me content from time to time, and I usually reserve time to read what they share. Would you share with me too? You an email me at jc @ jonathancliff .com

At great risk of being a hypocrite, I’d love to invite you to read this blog in 2013. I’ll be writing some of what I’m up to, much of what I’m learning, and even give away a few books here and there.

In Links, Personal blog, Catalyst Conferences, learning, New Year Maintenance, reading

Gospel Reflections

June 6, 2012 — Leave a comment

It’s a common tool when teaching from the Bible, to say that the Bible is a mirror that allows us to see things in our lives that we wouldn’t see without it. I’ve used this example when teaching to children, adults, teenagers, and when talking to my own family. The Bible as a mirror.

It’s only when reading scripture that areas of our lives can be exposed for the unrighteousness that is within. It’s true that the Bible reflects the mess in my life, in ways that my own eyes can’t see. So the solution to this is simple, just stop reading the Bible and we don’t have to be confronted with our own personal horrors. In fact it’s such a great solution that people have been doing it for thousands of years. I know people that won’t attend funerals because it means they have to set foot into a church, and they won’t set foot inside a church because they feel guilty immediately after hearing scripture.

But there is another sort of reflection that shows up in our lives that only others can see. It’s the Gospel reflections that we have the opportunity to display every day. Every day we have the chance to demonstrate support for others, even though they haven’t deserved it in anyway. Every day there are severely unlovable people that need love from us. Every day there are chances we have to let our actions, heart, and words reflect the Gospel in real-life ways to those around us. The every day tragedy of believers everywhere is that instead of reflecting the Gospel to others, we often reflect our own need for it. It’s there with us all the time.

We think others should love us for what we’ve done for them. This is not the Gospel. Instead we should be giving the very thing others don’t deserve, love.

We act as if we are owed the support of those we’ve supported in the past. This is not the Gospel. Instead we should continue to offer second-chances to those least deserving of it.

We respond to the hurtful words of others with our own hurtful words, because this is what “standing up for yourself” is supposed to look like. This is not the Gospel. Instead we should be willing to let others have their say, knowing that eventually all that’s true will be found out; and instead spend our time standing up for those with nobody willing to do so.

I’m a man in need of the Gospel reflection more and more everyday. It’s a part of my life that I often cast my eyes away from, yet as I put myself in the situations and positions that require a Gospel-only response; I’m learning to reflect this great story. I received something that took me from a bad place to a good place through no actions of my own. The Gospel.

In Bible, Personal Bible, people, reading, teaching

The Toddler’s Bible

February 20, 2012 — 1 Comment

“Your toddler is ready to start building a delight in the Word, a hunger to learn it, a passion to read it. This is the age to begin building that delight, or hunger, or passion. Next year may too late.”
–V. Gilbert Beers

I’ve got a chance to share a great new update to a great Toddler’s Bible. V. Gilbert Beers created “The Toddler’s Bible” years ago, and we now have a brand-new edition to enjoy. As with all Bibles of this nature, it’s so important that we read them to our toddlers and children. It’s not meant to be something thrown into the library cabinet, and left to collect dust. Make it work for your family!

I was able to ask Mr. Beers a question, and I’d love to share his response to that question.

“Mr. Beers. Many of us will read a bible like this out loud to our kids. What advice would you give those reading to their children?”

Reading together with your children helps us to grow closer and we see a bonding between us as family; but also a bonding between us and the Word of God.

Psalm 78:4-7 (NLT)

⁴ We will not hide these truths from our children;
we will tell the next generation
about the glorious deeds of the LORD,
about his power and his mighty wonders.
⁵ For he issued his laws to Jacob;
he gave his instructions to Israel.
He commanded our ancestors
to teach them to their children,
⁶ so the next generation might know them—
even the children not yet born—
and they in turn will teach their own children.
⁷ So each generation should set its hope anew on God,
not forgetting his glorious miracles
and obeying his commands.

In Links, Ministry children, Gilbert Beers, LORD, reading

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Guest Post: The #1 Way to Help Your Kids Love the Bible