Josh 2nd Quarter Goal

My 2nd Quarter goal is to become a better small group leader for the 7-8th grade boys. I will try to flesh out this concept in my action steps. I, as Eric, have been very frustrated with the boys. They don't listen, they mess around all the time, ................. (exciting nonetheless). Last week I felt there was a minute breakthrough for a few minutes. It made me realize they really need men in their lives that believe in them. I know I need to change my attitude for these guys. I don't feel "called" to work with this age group but for now I am filling a role and need to step it up.

Action Steps:

1a. Pray weekly for the boys by name.

1b. Get a list from Annette with a list of the boys

2. Write down a comment or two about each boy to help me remember their names and faces.

3. Write a list with Eric/Pastor Annette or get a list from Annette with alternate activities to do when the boys are going AWAL with their minds

4. Have a conversation x1/month with Eric about how we are doing praying for the kids.

Hope this works, Josh.

March reading - chapter 4

I didn’t feel as though I gained much ‘insight’ from this chapter. Maybe; because I have heard Ken Ham on the radio enough over the years that I expected him to reach this point. I understand what he is saying: if the church will open a door to question the earth’s age then it opens the door to question anything and everything in the Bible. As he put it “If I can’t trust the Bible in the earthly things, why should I trust it in the spiritual things.”

We can’t pick and choose what we want to believe from the Bible. It is either all truth or it is no more than a story book. We must “Defend the Word, live by the Word, and stand on the Word uncompromisingly.” (pg 91)

Theresa's March reading

Well I thought they could have shortened the chapter a bit if they wouldn't have kept repeating the "millions of years old" statement. I got it the first time they said it. But it is a good point and also a harsh realization that the Church has separated itself from some real life issues. I was completely stunned to read that Charles Darwin is buried in the Westminster Abbey, and I have a hard time not thinking he was the devil's spawn in some way. But then I am reminded that we make choices about what we believe or don't believe. It is really sad that our spiritual forefathers in the church didn't take more of a stand about Darwin's theory and compromised on how old the earth is. I feel a bit discouraged, like how do we erase all the years of people believing that the earth is millions of years old thus discrediting the validity of the Bible in it's very first book. I've decided to turn my focus on the lives I come into contact with instead of worrying about millions that I have no contact with.

I thought there were some really great points made on pg. 84 about the church being irrelevant to believers because of watering down God's word. People want the truth and they want to know that God is connected to everything that exists, otherwise how is He who He says He is? The author also posted a question about whether a person can make a connection with God without a physical reality. It isn't all about emotions but attainable physical evidence, which is why apologetics is so important. One more point that was made that really sparked my interest was the comparison made between the Jews and Greeks in Paul's time, and how that is similar to what the Western world has become. We need to speak in an unbeliever's language for a brief time so that they will understand us when we start to use the believer's language to win them for Christ. Sorry if I sound preachy, I don't mean to, I just felt moved by what was said in this chapter.