Teacher Training January 8th 2008

Click here for the Teacher Training Session-02.pdf

Two questions come to mind after reading the Teacher Training for this week. Are our classrooms “Child Friendly” and is our to teaching “Child Friendly”. I would have to say that the Rotation program lends itself to being more child friendly than the “Standard” teaching styles of yesteryear. Our approach in teaching the Story/lessons still hasn’t changed much though. We ask the kids to sit and listen while we tell the story. There could be other ways of telling the story that might be a bit more age appropriate and interactive. What do you think???

The other question about our rooms being child friendly is…well… I think our classrooms are getting better. I do think that the room that we use for art #8 needs to be painted. It needs a brighter color than the institutional white. Maybe something that would match the Moses Mural.

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I chose the picture above because of the “It’s Time to Change… at the end of the lesson.

I need to stop being childish when it comes too…

God Please help me to be more childlike as I…

I shared this story a couple of Sundays ago and I think it answer the second question for me…Liam (My Son) and I were watching the snow falling from our front window and he was in awe. Truly his mouth was hanging open his eyes were really wide just in wonder. He has seen snow before but he was still just in awe of it all. I hope that all of us can get back to that awe and wonder when it comes to our awesome GOD.

Please post your comments….

ToMT

A Position of Honor

hon·or /ˈɒnər/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[on-er] - Show IPA Pronunciation –noun

1.	honesty, fairness, or integrity in one’s beliefs and actions: a man of honor.

2.	a source of credit or distinction: to be an honor to one’s family.

3.	high respect, as for worth, merit, or rank: to be held in honor.

4.	such respect manifested: a memorial in honor of the dead.

5.	high public esteem; fame; glory: He has earned his position of honor.

6.	the privilege of being associated with or receiving a favor from a respected person, group, organization, etc.: to have the honor of serving on a prize jury; I have the honor of introducing this evening’s speaker.

7.	Usually, honors. evidence, as a special ceremony, decoration, scroll, or title, of high rank, dignity, or distinction: political honors; military honors.

8.	(initial capital letter) a deferential title of respect, esp. for judges and mayors (prec. by His, Her, Your, etc.).

This weeks lesson is very appropriate for where I am at in my walk. What an honor it is to be able to teach kids. Unlike adults kids will listen and for the most part believe what you say without questioning everything about it. At the same time what a responsibility this for us. We need to know our stuff!

This last week Erin and I were teaching all the kids (about 20) about Joseph, his dreams, brothers hating him, and eventually being sold into slavery. The bible tells us that through all of this God was with him. The kids responded to this in such a positive way. They were repeating the story scene for scene and retelling the truth about God being with Joseph even when things looked dim. Then they were able to personalize this truth with their own life.

What an amazing thing. To be able to impart this wonderful gift from God.

Do you have any stories in the classroom?

TOmT

Being a Servant

Teachers don’t teach because they have to, they teach because they can’t help it. If you are called, gifted, and motivated by a desire to serve, God has a group of kids waiting for you with open arms.

I hope you were able to read the “Teacher Training” on the go this week. This week is titled “Tell Me Again”. The question we all need to ask ourselves is “Why am I doing This?” This weeks lesson points out that it is always good to sit down and think about ones motives. I know personally that I like to teach. I find it so awesome when a child has one of those Light Bulb over the head moments. And hearing spiritual truths being spoken by children is very encouraging.

In our classrooms I would take a motivated servant over a great teacher that isn’t a servant any day. These kids really need to be taught by people that care about them on a deeper level than if they can recite scripture.

What do you think?

TomT

SickSickSick

sick sick sick….

this last sunday night i came down with something. it has effected my sleep, my eating habits, and my entire life. sure it is probably just a cold but at night when i am lying awake wondering why this has happened to me.

this situation i have found myself in reminds me of how invasive sin can be. we all struggle with sin of some sort and some are more obvious than others. but from my experience sin in any form can effect your entire life and many if not all of your relationships. so what do i do now.

i have a cold or something…i should go to see a doctor, find someone who can heal me of this illness that is effecting my entire being. the same is true when we think about sin. we need to find someone who will heal us. this may seem obvious to some but there are those who have not experienced the healing power of God.

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)

TomT

Zoe Conference 2007

Featured Articles

Worship Challenge

Zoe Group Nashville Tennessee 2007

This years conference was really great. Rich, Jane, Erin and myself had an amazing time. We came away convinced that we need to be more missional in our approuch to church and our christian walk. I am very excited about the coming year and what God has in store for us. Below is an aritcle I found on worshipleader.com’ site. It really speaks to the missional effort that we are going to try to make in our lives.

“You are the light of the world …let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” (Mt 5:14,16)

One thing we can never learn too much is the bigness of the gospel. Continuing in a mindset that sees the gospel primarily as the way we get into heaven, and the Bible as a handbook of how we should live today is too small a thing when compared with the truest picture of what Christ has come to do and is, even now, in the process of doing. He calls us to himself that He might love us in our own brokenness and send us out to partake in his kingdom work of redeeming creation.

Christ’s commands are not merely lessons to be taught, they are the substance of the great gospel mission, which He has bestowed on us because He has found favor with you and with me. Living intentionally is living “missionally”-pursuing those deeds of service that Christ has called us to throughout his Word using our distinct gifts, experiences, location, brokenness, personality and resources that we have been designed to use. This is an act of worship. Being transformed into His likeness comes as we carry out His mission through our service to others.

The Challenge
The gospel should change our attitude toward our location, forcing us to ask “How am I here for my neighbor and neighborhood?” And worshiping through service is best when it is uniquely tied to who you are and where you are. So we encourage you to find something that involves others. Take the challenge as a family or as a group of friends or college roommates. The following ideas will help get you started:

Start with your community
Look for opportunities where you already have connections.

Involve your family or a friend
Discuss with your family or friends the kinds of issues you would like to help or the kinds of activities you would enjoy doing. Do you feel drawn more to aiding senior citizens or low-income families? Or do you desire to see the environment improve or have a heart for abandoned animals?

Join in something already happening
If getting started seems daunting, or if you’re unsure of how to help a particular need, look for works that are already established. Often established organizations have worked through the major pitfalls and errors that can plague service efforts, and it benefits everyone if you avoid creating new wounds through ignorance and unfamiliarity.
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Get to know the people you’re serving
Learn their first names, what interests them, ask them about their story. If you can, involve them in the act of service as well and open up who you are to them. Provide as much dignity and humanity to the situation as you are able.

Serve on vacation
Instill a broader understanding of the kingdom; try something radically different for your family vacation or with your friends during summer break. Try spending a few days doing a service project in a different part of your state, country or even the world.

Do something regularly
Make serving others a regular and natural part of your worldview and lifestyle.

NASHVILLE WED…NIGHT

Hello all from nashville

I only have 11% on my battery so here it goes…i am (we) are having an awesome time…we have got many different ideas and are being filled to overflowing and pray that we will be coming home like this…i am feeling awesome and am looking forward to the guys in the picture leading worship in about an hour…. it is looking quite a lot like sojourn…Love you all T

How Jesus Shapes our Mission

The article below really captures the thoughts and dreams of many of us at the Palo Cedro Church of Christ and is one of the reasons behind the start of SOJOURN. Read to get an idea of where we are coming from.

TomT

We are shaped by the mission of Christ. Frost and Hirsh have an incredibly helpful typology in their book, The Shaping of Things to Come.

The Aussie Kiwi combo perhaps speak with a bit more objectivity about American culture as they observe that the mainline churches are dying and a shift must take place. They say that many American churches started with church as the driving force that shapes our mission. Then mission shapes Christ into the image of the church.

Frost and Hirsh call for a reversal of this model to one that starts with Jesus’ mission. Christ’s mission shapes our mission, and in turn this mission shapes the church.

So the progression is Christ-Mission-Church rather than Church-Mission-Christ.

This is no small shift. This is huge.

It turns our “Christian” worldview upside down. It changes the questions we ask. It changes our actions in the community. It completely forever changes the way we live out the call to be the hands and feet of Jesus in the world.

Instead of asking, “Will someone be offended and leave our church?” we preach and counsel the body of Christ in ways that Jesus preached, offending only with the gospel.

Instead of asking, “What ministry programs can we start in our church to help it grow?” we are asking, “How can we join in Christ’s desire to see captives set free in this city?”

Instead of asking, “How can we get more members of our church?” we are asking, “How can we equip more people to be missionaries who are the presence of Jesus in their circles of influence?”

Rather than assuming a mission that is about a church organization and building a little kingdom on earth, the mission of Christ and his kingdom is our mission and kingdom we live and serve in.

Sierra Bible Camp 2007

Camp is always a fun time. It is more fun for me to watch others (young men and women) having fun. This years camp was a great success. 20 people gave their lives to Christ this year. The times of worship were great especially the times after campfire with Nick Cumming. Nick played the guitar and Erin (my wife) and I sang. One of the new songs that we sang was “A Love Song” by Stellar Kart. Gary Redden turned us on to the song and Nick figured out the chords and it was the camps “Anthem” for the week. Below are the lyrics. Very cool. And over on the right sidebar is a Video of stellar Kart playing it.

“A Love Song”

You are Lord, Lord of my life. Every day I lift you up high. I praise to you Lord. My God and my
King. You reign in me for eternity.

This is a love song to you. A song of praise to you lord. I kneel
before your glorious throne. To show that I am yours alone.

You are Lord, Lord of my life. Every day I
lift you up high. I praise to you Lord. My God and my King. You reign in me for eternity.

This is a
love song to you. A song of praise to you lord. I kneel before your glorious throne. To show that I am
yours alone.

Hallelujah, I love you. Hallelujah, I love you. Hallelujah, I love you. Hallelujah, I
love you.

This is a love song to you. A song of praise to you lord. I kneel before your glorious
throne. This is a love song to you. A song of praise to you lord. I kneel before your glorious throne.
To show that I am yours alone.

TOMT