Family Discipleship Communications

We have instituted a new means of emailing all of our parents. (Our church uses churchpost.com ). Part of the intention of these emails is to give families something to talk about. (Because everyone can use a little help in how to talk about faith issues with their kids.) Here is some of the content that went out in our emails.

Week 1:
Activities to do with your family:
Read Genesis 12:1-8

• Discuss what it means to be blessed: to bring happiness! How has God blessed your family? Count the ways.
• Look at a map of Bible times that shows Abram’s travels. (His name was Abram before it was later changed to Abraham.) Find all the locations mentioned - Haran, Shechem, and Bethel. A suggested map: #20 at StudyLIght.org's BIble Maps Archive. See if you can figure out how far Abram travelled.

Week 2:
Just as Abram and Sarai set out on a long journey after being called by God... We can see ourselves on a journey...”called” by God on a faith journey. And sometimes on our journey we come across questions and doubting. And that’s ok, because that’s what happened to Abraham and Sarah.

More activities to do with your family to learn at home about our Bible story:

• Go out and try to count the stars!
  • What promises do you look forward to?
• Read Genesis 15: 1-6. Ask these questions:
  • Doesn’t it seem as though Abram is a little impatient with God – wondering when will God fulfill his promise? When have you been impatient while waiting?
  • Do you suppose Abram adopted a servant as his heir to try to fix the “problem” for God?
  • Can you think of any instances where you are getting in God’s way?
  • How is God your shield?

Week 3:
Name changes are the “name of the game” in our story.  God gives Abram the new name of Abraham; Sarai gets a new name too - Sarah.  Names in Bible times signified a person’s character. Names also expressed hope for the future. Abraham’s new name meant “father of many.” Ha! Imagine getting a name like “father of many” at the age of 99 and you are childless!  What faith Abraham had! Can we trust God that much?

More activities to do with your family to learn at home about our Bible story:
Read Genesis 17:1–8,  and 17:15–17.  Talk about it...

• Have fun with this one: What new name would you like – something that signifies your future character – something that you can aspire to? (How about room-picker-upper or one-who-prays-daily or ...?) Call everyone by their new name for a day. See how it feels. Does it make you feel different about yourself?
• List all of your family members – aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents...did you name God? Pay close attention to verse 7...we are part of God’s family!
• Look at verse 17 – Abraham is laughing at God! Talk about things that make you laugh.
  (Note that God isn’t mad at Abraham’s laughter. How does God use Abraham’s laughter and make it part of his promise?)

If you have found these workshops useful it would make my day if you let me know about it. (Email me.) Thanks!