Resources previously found here will be available on the NPCBC website here.
Monday, January 18, 2016
Sunday, September 14, 2014
Homefronts
The latest HomeFront Weekly is now available. Click on the link on the right.Memory verse for this week is:
Psalm 139:23-24 "Look deep into my heart, God, and find out everything I am thinking. Don’t let me follow evil ways, but lead me in the way that time has proven true."
For ideas to continue teaching faith to your children, check out the Homefront magazine, available free online. You can look at any of the magazines produced. The latest magazine, July 2015, is all about passing on God's Story and how we are a part of that story too! Just click on the link below.
Wednesday, September 10, 2014
LATEST HOMEFRONT WEEKLY
This will be posted here on Monday of each week during term time.
Click on the homefront link on the right.
Click on the homefront link on the right.
Homefront Weekly is the single page handout given to families each Sunday. It lets parents introduce next week's story to their children first because parents are the primary teachers of their own children.
Sunday, March 2, 2014
Ideas That Worked For You
I am keen for us to share ideas with each other about how you are sharing faith with your family. This might include things you did together using resources, questions you asked, discussions you had, that were a positive experience. Please include the age of the children it worked with. Just make a post below.
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
The Marriage Course
We spend hundreds of dollars on keeping our cars tuned and running well. Most of us look after our bodies with exercise, the gym and regular checkups with the doctor. But what do you spend on your marriage or primary relationship?
The Marriage Course is for anyone in a cohabiting relationship, whether it is good or not so good. There is always room for improvement.
The Marriage Course is for anyone in a cohabiting relationship, whether it is good or not so good. There is always room for improvement.
New Plymouth Central Baptist Church are running a seven week Marriage Course starting on Monday the 12th of August.
The formula:
fantastic atmosphere + romantic meal for two
+ practical talks + couple discussion times
+ NO GROUP WORK!
Whether you have been together for 20 years or 20 days, this is your opportunity to invest some time and money into your relationship with your partner.
They will love you for it!
For more information, or to register, fill in your details on the right.
Click here for a short intro video
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Love Languages
Love languages.
Have you ever given your child a gift that they aren’t grateful for, or spent time with them only to find they didn’t really want to, or given them a hug and found them pushing you away? Well, maybe they experience love in a different way to how you do. Gary Chapman wrote The Five Love Languages a few years ago. He says we all experience love in different ways and he describes the ways we experience love as love languages. They are: Words of affirmation, Acts of service, Receiving gifts, Quality time, Physical touch. To find out how you experience love, Gary provides a survey in the books, and on a website http://www.5lovelanguages.com/. Why not try it out and find out each of your family members’ love languages? As with any assessment, there are a range of possibilities and most people will not have one that stands out far above the others, but rather a combination of two or three. It is also good to understand all of the love languages because your spouse and children may be completely different from you
Words of affirmation. This language uses words to affirm other people. Think about positive and negative words from your childhood. What impact did they have, both at the time and over the long term? Have you seen a similar impact in your own kids from words spoken by you or your spouse? How could you make up for negative or angry words? We often assume our children understand our love, even if we don’t always express it. But children are very literal and may need to hear an explicit expression of love from us. Over the next week, every time you feel love, express it as directly as possible to your children. At the end of the week, ask them if they better understand your love for them.
Acts of service. Actions speak louder than words. Some people experience love through acts of service. If one of your family members has this as their main love language, they like it when you take out the rubbish, do the dishes or put out the washing, put stuff away. They probably prefer to have a tidy house and don’t like clutter. It is also good for your children to recognise, or at least appreciate, others who love in this way. Ask yourself these questions. Do your children ever see you serving someone else beyond the family? Take inventory of everything you do for your child. Is it too much? Would your child be better off if you taught him or her some of these things? How do your kids respond when you ask them to perform some act of service? What needs work in this area? Do you as parents “do too much” for your kids? What are some of the things that get in the way of an attitude of service? How can we teach or encourage our children to serve others within the family? What are examples of appropriate acts of service for our children?
Receiving Gifts. For some people, love is conveyed through receiving gifts. The gift doesn’t need to cost much, in fact it could be something made or even flowers from the garden. This one I find the hardest, and yet it is the language of one of my children. It takes a real conscious effort to bring home a gift for her. Think of a gift you received, either as an adult or a child, that really meant a lot to you. Why? What does this tell you about yourself? Think back carefully to a gift you’ve given with mixed motives (be honest). Has there ever been a hint of payback, bribery, or even materialism or personal vanity? Examine the toys you have bought for your children recently, or recreational and entertainment items you gave to your teens. What were the upsides and downsides of each? Within the next month, give a gift to your children that is not tied to a special occasion. Note their responses—and what those responses tell you about their attitudes toward gifts.
Quality time is about giving the other person your undivided attention. How much quality time—that is, time spent with your child beyond meeting their essential needs—have you given each of your children during the past week? What kind of quality time does each of your children desire? Ask each of them what they enjoy most with you and why it is meaningful. The “tyranny of the urgent” is a serious problem in our (and sometimes our kids’) schedules. Look back over the past month. What got in the way of spending time with your children? How might you take daily or weekly chores or responsibilities on the part of your child and turn them into shared learning experiences? How could you make the most of “car time” or bedtime? Much of our best parenting takes place in quality-time encounters with our kids. Share some special memories, with your children, of intimacy, learning, and sheer enjoyment from these times.
Physical Touch is appropriate touch. Were your parents physically affectionate? What effect does this have on you today? Do you provide enough touch to your children in appropriate circumstances? Why or why not? How could you improve? Where are the boundaries where physical touch might be harmful or excessive for each child? Discuss ways to get involved in “low-key,” age-appropriate forms of physical touch, in addition to the normal hugs and kisses your children need. Identify opportunities to put these other forms of touching into practice. Over the next week increase your physical touch with your children, but make it age-appropriate as well as what fits each child’s unique personality. Determine the effects of this and their response. How can you tell if one of your kids has physical touch as their love language? How do you respond, especially if it isn’t your primary language? Share your own childhood experiences with regard to physical touch, positive or negative. What can you learn from these experiences?
(from The Five Love Languages for Children study guide, www.5lovelanguages.com/resources/free-study-guides/
Have you ever given your child a gift that they aren’t grateful for, or spent time with them only to find they didn’t really want to, or given them a hug and found them pushing you away? Well, maybe they experience love in a different way to how you do. Gary Chapman wrote The Five Love Languages a few years ago. He says we all experience love in different ways and he describes the ways we experience love as love languages. They are: Words of affirmation, Acts of service, Receiving gifts, Quality time, Physical touch. To find out how you experience love, Gary provides a survey in the books, and on a website http://www.5lovelanguages.com/. Why not try it out and find out each of your family members’ love languages? As with any assessment, there are a range of possibilities and most people will not have one that stands out far above the others, but rather a combination of two or three. It is also good to understand all of the love languages because your spouse and children may be completely different from you
Words of affirmation. This language uses words to affirm other people. Think about positive and negative words from your childhood. What impact did they have, both at the time and over the long term? Have you seen a similar impact in your own kids from words spoken by you or your spouse? How could you make up for negative or angry words? We often assume our children understand our love, even if we don’t always express it. But children are very literal and may need to hear an explicit expression of love from us. Over the next week, every time you feel love, express it as directly as possible to your children. At the end of the week, ask them if they better understand your love for them.
Acts of service. Actions speak louder than words. Some people experience love through acts of service. If one of your family members has this as their main love language, they like it when you take out the rubbish, do the dishes or put out the washing, put stuff away. They probably prefer to have a tidy house and don’t like clutter. It is also good for your children to recognise, or at least appreciate, others who love in this way. Ask yourself these questions. Do your children ever see you serving someone else beyond the family? Take inventory of everything you do for your child. Is it too much? Would your child be better off if you taught him or her some of these things? How do your kids respond when you ask them to perform some act of service? What needs work in this area? Do you as parents “do too much” for your kids? What are some of the things that get in the way of an attitude of service? How can we teach or encourage our children to serve others within the family? What are examples of appropriate acts of service for our children?
Receiving Gifts. For some people, love is conveyed through receiving gifts. The gift doesn’t need to cost much, in fact it could be something made or even flowers from the garden. This one I find the hardest, and yet it is the language of one of my children. It takes a real conscious effort to bring home a gift for her. Think of a gift you received, either as an adult or a child, that really meant a lot to you. Why? What does this tell you about yourself? Think back carefully to a gift you’ve given with mixed motives (be honest). Has there ever been a hint of payback, bribery, or even materialism or personal vanity? Examine the toys you have bought for your children recently, or recreational and entertainment items you gave to your teens. What were the upsides and downsides of each? Within the next month, give a gift to your children that is not tied to a special occasion. Note their responses—and what those responses tell you about their attitudes toward gifts.
Quality time is about giving the other person your undivided attention. How much quality time—that is, time spent with your child beyond meeting their essential needs—have you given each of your children during the past week? What kind of quality time does each of your children desire? Ask each of them what they enjoy most with you and why it is meaningful. The “tyranny of the urgent” is a serious problem in our (and sometimes our kids’) schedules. Look back over the past month. What got in the way of spending time with your children? How might you take daily or weekly chores or responsibilities on the part of your child and turn them into shared learning experiences? How could you make the most of “car time” or bedtime? Much of our best parenting takes place in quality-time encounters with our kids. Share some special memories, with your children, of intimacy, learning, and sheer enjoyment from these times.
Physical Touch is appropriate touch. Were your parents physically affectionate? What effect does this have on you today? Do you provide enough touch to your children in appropriate circumstances? Why or why not? How could you improve? Where are the boundaries where physical touch might be harmful or excessive for each child? Discuss ways to get involved in “low-key,” age-appropriate forms of physical touch, in addition to the normal hugs and kisses your children need. Identify opportunities to put these other forms of touching into practice. Over the next week increase your physical touch with your children, but make it age-appropriate as well as what fits each child’s unique personality. Determine the effects of this and their response. How can you tell if one of your kids has physical touch as their love language? How do you respond, especially if it isn’t your primary language? Share your own childhood experiences with regard to physical touch, positive or negative. What can you learn from these experiences?
(from The Five Love Languages for Children study guide, www.5lovelanguages.com/resources/free-study-guides/
Monday, February 4, 2013
Parent Retreat - planning the year
Take time out at the beginning of this year to set some priorities and goals for your family. I can often get to the end of a year and wonder where all the time has gone. I ask myself did I really make the most of the opportunities? Planning doesn't mean you can't still be spontaneous, but it does remind us to include the important things in life first.
Here are some questions you might like to ask each other:
Here are some questions you might like to ask each other:
- What is one thing that we have done well this year, in terms of building faith in our family?
- What is working well with our family?
- When are the best times for us as a family and what are we doing at these times?
- What one thing could we do this year that would increase the faith-talk in our family?
- When would we include this time into our schedules? (breakfast, dinner, before bed...)
- If we aren't praying a blessing over our children now, why aren't we and how could we change this?
Here are some ideas that might help you to set priorities and decide what works for you as a family. Don't decide to do them all. Choose things that you know are manageable and fit with your family. Choose one thing that might be a challenge.
- When you watch a family movie together, start it early enough that you can have some discussion time after. As you watch the movie, pick up any themes or virtues that you could discuss with your children afterwards. Make it fun.
- Decide on a charity that your family would like to give to. Collect items that they need and take them to the charity, as a family. Ask to be shown around or talk to someone at the charity who can explain to you all what happens there.
- Start having a weekly Bible study/faith talk time with your children. You could use the faith box from Parents Inc, or some other resource. Make it fun. Include games and activities that your children will enjoy. Starting this is always awkward and difficult, but stick to it! Your older children might rebel the first couple of times, but they will begin to join in when they see how much fun you are having.
- Read a few verses of the Bible together at the beginning of a meal each day. Ask what God may be saying through these verses.
- Pray with your children each day when they climb into bed. Have a short discussion about how the day went and anything that is on their mind.
- Pick up a family devotional book that you could read together. Make sure you keep devotionals light hearted and enjoyable so your children remain interested.
- Let your children see you praying together as a couple.
These are only a few of many ways we can bring faith talks into our family. What will you do this year?
May God bless you as you do.
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Holiday Activities
Here is a great website that has heaps of information about holiday activities, outings and how to keep the children entertained through-out the holidays.
Kiwi Families
Thriving Families has some ideas for building in a faith idea each day during the holidays.
Kiwi Families
Thriving Families has some ideas for building in a faith idea each day during the holidays.
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Family Service To The Community
Add your comments about family service projects you have done recently, or something you might try in the next couple of months!
Just click on comment and follow the instructions.
Just click on comment and follow the instructions.
Monday, October 8, 2012
Family Service Project
TakeItHome
October Idea: Family Service Project.
This month, as the weather warms up, the
challenge to us is to find a service project to do with your family. Make sure you involve the whole family in your project!
Some examples:
- helping an elderly or single parent neighbour clean up their section ready for summer.
- if someone you know works in a rest-home, ask if you can help serve morning or afternoon tea and chat with some of the people there.
- put a bin in your living room where your family can add grocery items to give (as a family) to the local foodbank.
- go through your clothes and toys and put together a box of good quality gear to take to the salvation army store.
- clean up the rubbish at a local park.
- make a meal together and deliver it to a single parent, elderly neighbour or family who have just had a baby.
Website with other ideas: 30 Excellent Ways To Make A Difference
If you have the resources to do the following, why not try this. Have a family discussion about the charities and aid organisations in your local area who need help. Pick the top 6. Then, for the next month, choose one charity and collect goods that they would need, placing them into a bin in a prominent place in your house (so it doesn't get forgotten). At the end of the month, phone the charity to ask if you could deliver the goods and have a talk about what they do with the whole family. Repeat with a different charity. You may need to call the charity at the beginning of the month to ask what they need. This is a good way for your children to discover whether they have a passion to volunteer for the particular charity in the future. Examples include: Foodbank, women's refuge, SPCA, hospice, foundation of the blind...
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
What is Faith@Home?
I thought it might be a good time to
ensure we are all on the same page and we all understand the intention of
Faith@Home. Firstly, it is nothing new and it is not a program. Christians have
passed their faith onto the younger generation for generations and this is
really the bottom line of Faith@Home - passing our faith on to the next
generation. But how do we do that? The greatest influence on our children is
how they see us (their parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts and parents’
friends) living out our faith every day, after we leave church. They will catch
faith from us, not learn it from what we say or books we read or children’s
church or youth group (although these can be influential). How we act, talk,
what we watch and listen to, how we communicate with our spouse when we are
outside the influence of church has the greatest influence on our children’s
faith. What is one thing you could change this week that would bring you closer
to Christ? That’s what will influence your children for Christ.
TakeItHome
September idea: Blessing your children.
Watch the video of Mark Holmen talking
about blessing your children found here:
The priestly blessing is
found in Numbers 6:24-26. Start blessing your
children today.
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Filtering Software - Blocking The Rubbish
Andre asked a great question:
Watchdog provide a similar service where they can operate as your provider as well, or they can work with your existing internet provider with their filtering system.
Both of these cost around $5 per month.
Advantages of a service provider filtering system:
What software etc. is available to block undesirable web sites while surfing on the net? I know schools use certain programs to protect students. Do you have any recomendations?About 6 years ago we decided to go with Maxnet (recently acquired by Vocus) because they had a filtering system called Net Guardian. It works well to block undesirable content.
Watchdog provide a similar service where they can operate as your provider as well, or they can work with your existing internet provider with their filtering system.
Both of these cost around $5 per month.
Advantages of a service provider filtering system:
- you don't need to load software on your computer and ensure it is maintained
- the cost is spread out over the year
- they take care of updates (usually daily)
Software solutions include Net Nanny, McAfee Family Protection and a number of others. Net Nanny seems to get the best reviews, but I have had no experience with using the software.
These cost about $100 and will need to be renewed each year to keep up to date.
Advantages of software solutions:
- You have control of who can view what
- You can set up a white list (allowed) or a black list (not allowed) account
- Usually they also come with computer use time control software
- Lists of visited sites can be sent to an email address for review.
Don't forget the IPOD, IPAD, IPHONE, SmartPhone and Tablet you may have. Software is available for these too. An article in the New York Times is a must read if you have these devices at home.
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Cybersafety
There is much to be said about keeping our children safe. It used to be that when they were home and the doors closed, they were safe from those outside our influence. This is no longer the case. Cell phones and mobile devices connected via wireless internet connections in the home can be useful, but they can also provide opportunity for our children to be reached at any time of the day or night. Here are some tips for helping your children to stay safe, or at least reduce the potential risk.
Talk these over with your children, as appropriate.
Talk these over with your children, as appropriate.
- NEVER share passwords. Even best friends can let us down.
- NEVER pass on a personal message you receive about another person.
- Remember that as soon as you put something on the internet, you lose control of it.
- Think carefully about any comment you make through on-line, email or text and run it through the Philippians 4:8 test: "Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true,whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
- Online friends may not be who they say they are.
- Ensure your Facebook and other sites' privacy settings are set correctly - friends only, and only accept those who are your friends.
- Would your mother and father be happy if they read your profile?
Here are two online resources you could use with your children to discuss this further.
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Bryce Jourdain
I attended Bryce Jourdain's memorial service on Saturday. Bryce was the TOPEC (Taranaki Outdoor Pursuit and Education Centre) instructor who died on the 8th August at Paritutu when he jumped into the sea to attempt to save the two students who fell during a rock climbing activity. His body and the body of one of the students have never been found. Bryce had a wife and two primary age children. It was an emotional 2 hours, and any who didn't shed a tear at some stage would have to be pretty hard. Bryce had a faith in God and those who spoke described him as a man who loved his family, God's creation and God.
I was reminded again of how important every moment is with our families. You never know what tomorrow will bring. You don't know what will happen next week. If something were to happen, would you have regrets?
Live your life in such a way that in the end there will be no regrets.
What would that look like for you and your family?
I was reminded again of how important every moment is with our families. You never know what tomorrow will bring. You don't know what will happen next week. If something were to happen, would you have regrets?
Live your life in such a way that in the end there will be no regrets.
What would that look like for you and your family?
Thursday, August 9, 2012
Family Night
TakeItHome August
idea: Family Night.
Choose a night in August when you can have a family night. If your
family is small, you might like to invite another family to join you. Use one
of the ideas found here: http://www.strongfamilies.com/Faith@HomeIdeasfromDrTrent.pdfMonday, August 6, 2012
New Links
I have added two new links on the side bar (over there ---->).
Imparting Faith is a website by Joel Singleton who is passionate about seeing church and family working together to pass faith onto our children. You might like to explore it! I suggest you read the section under Family Tools - Getting Started and watch one or two of the videos.
Faith @ Home Network has many resources that you might like to explore.
Imparting Faith is a website by Joel Singleton who is passionate about seeing church and family working together to pass faith onto our children. You might like to explore it! I suggest you read the section under Family Tools - Getting Started and watch one or two of the videos.
Faith @ Home Network has many resources that you might like to explore.
Shema - Hear and Obey
I recently started reading a book called "Walking in the dust of Rabbi Jesus" by Lois Tverberg. (if you want a copy, I have an extra). In this book Lois talks about some of the Jewish traditions and the culture Jesus would have been brought up in. Lois's purpose is to give us a better idea of the meaning of some of Jesus's teachings, in the context they were given.
The second chapter of the book is about the Shema, a set of three scriptures Jews spoke out loud both morning and night. The first of these scriptures happens to be the one many faith at home advocates quote - Deuteronomy 6:4-9. (The other two are Deuteronomy 13:11-21 and Numbers 15:37-41). The first line in the Shema is "Hear (Shema), O Israel, the LORD is our God, the LORD is one".
The word Shema has different meanings, and is usually translated as 'hear' in the English Bible translations. However, the meaning is deeper than just hearing, it really means 'hear and obey'. Often, the verb in ancient languages, like Hebrew, meant not only the action (hear), but also the result (what I hear I will obey). "To hear" meant "I hear what you are saying and I will obey". (Wouldn't it be great if our children "heard" us more often!).
So as I read the words of Jesus and come to places in scripture, like the parable of the sower in Matthew 13, where, after Jesus has given the parable, he says "Whoever has ears, let them hear", I can add "and obey". Will I obey? Will I become fertile soil where, when God sows the seed into my mind I will let it travel to my heart and change what I do?
Want to know more about the Shema? Try here.
The second chapter of the book is about the Shema, a set of three scriptures Jews spoke out loud both morning and night. The first of these scriptures happens to be the one many faith at home advocates quote - Deuteronomy 6:4-9. (The other two are Deuteronomy 13:11-21 and Numbers 15:37-41). The first line in the Shema is "Hear (Shema), O Israel, the LORD is our God, the LORD is one".
The word Shema has different meanings, and is usually translated as 'hear' in the English Bible translations. However, the meaning is deeper than just hearing, it really means 'hear and obey'. Often, the verb in ancient languages, like Hebrew, meant not only the action (hear), but also the result (what I hear I will obey). "To hear" meant "I hear what you are saying and I will obey". (Wouldn't it be great if our children "heard" us more often!).
So as I read the words of Jesus and come to places in scripture, like the parable of the sower in Matthew 13, where, after Jesus has given the parable, he says "Whoever has ears, let them hear", I can add "and obey". Will I obey? Will I become fertile soil where, when God sows the seed into my mind I will let it travel to my heart and change what I do?
Want to know more about the Shema? Try here.
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Five Family Values - (from: Parenting Beyond Your Capacity, Reggie Joiner and Carey Nieuwhof, 2010)
Taken from Deuteronomy 6:4-12 Moses speaking to the Israelites just after he has given them the ten commandments:
Imagine the End - 100 years from now, the important thing will be your relationship with Christ.
Fight for the Heart - fight for your children, not with your children.
Make it Personal - keep your faith real before your children.
Create a Rhythm - build up patterns and traditions that set the tone of your family, when you get up, when you eat meals, when you drive, when you go to bed.
Widen the Circle - develop friendships between your children and trusted adults before your children need them so they are there when they need them.
Taken from Deuteronomy 6:4-12 Moses speaking to the Israelites just after he has given them the ten commandments:
'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.When the Lord your God brings you into the land he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you—a land with large, flourishing cities you did not build, houses filled with all kinds of good things you did not provide, wells you did not dig, and vineyards and olive groves you did not plant—then when you eat and are satisfied, be careful that you do not forget the Lord, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.'
Imagine the End - 100 years from now, the important thing will be your relationship with Christ.
Fight for the Heart - fight for your children, not with your children.
Make it Personal - keep your faith real before your children.
Create a Rhythm - build up patterns and traditions that set the tone of your family, when you get up, when you eat meals, when you drive, when you go to bed.
Widen the Circle - develop friendships between your children and trusted adults before your children need them so they are there when they need them.
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Welcome
Welcome to the New Plymouth Central Baptist Church Faith at Home Blog. Here you will find what's happening at NPCBC with Faith at Home, including upcoming events and lots of resources you can use with your children to build faith in your home.
This blog is for you to interact with too, so if there is something you find useful that we don't have, post a link, write comments about things that have worked and haven't worked for you.
Remember, we are all on this journey together, none of us have all the answers and many of us only have a few. Let's journey together down this road and build into our children faith that can last a lifetime, and beyond!
This blog is for you to interact with too, so if there is something you find useful that we don't have, post a link, write comments about things that have worked and haven't worked for you.
Remember, we are all on this journey together, none of us have all the answers and many of us only have a few. Let's journey together down this road and build into our children faith that can last a lifetime, and beyond!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)