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Deuteronomy 6:4-9.

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Hear, O Israel,
the Lord our God, the Lord is one.

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You shall love the Lord
your God with all your heart,

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and with all your soul,
and with all your might.

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And these words that I command
you today shall be on your heart.

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You shall teach him
diligently to your children,

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and you shall talk of them when you sit
in your house, when you walk by the way,

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when you lie down,
and when you rise. You shall bind them

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as a sign on your hand, and they shall be
as frontlets between your eyes.

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You shall write them on a doorpost
of your house, and on your gates.

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We are beginning a new sermon series

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this week to carry us
through the month of August.

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We're calling it Good News
for Every Family.

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We're taking four weeks to look at
what the Bible says about family.

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Because the truth is, we're
all part of a family in some way.

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And whether your family is big or small,

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whether it includes
marriage or children or not,

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whether it's broken or in great shape,
the Bible has a lot to say about

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how we live life as family,

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so we want to dive into that over
the next four weeks.

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This week, we're looking at one particular
aspect of family,

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and it's appropriate following Kids Care,
that we're looking at

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what the Bible has to say about parenting.

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Now, I do want to say that I recognize not
everyone here this weekend is a parent.

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Some of you have raised children.

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They've moved out of the house.

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Others are still hoping for children.

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Others
maybe don't have plans to have children.

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I promise towards the end of this message,
there will be something for everyone,

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regardless of whether you brought a child
with you this morning or not.

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But parenting is such an important part

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of the fabric of society

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and of the fabric of a church,
of a culture.

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The Bible actually
has a lot to say about it,

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and it feels appropriate
to spend a week on it.

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I'll just say this
if you're new to the whole church thing,

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maybe you've
come on the heels of kids camp.

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I just want you to know how eminently
practical the Bible is,

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because God's desire
is for us to live a life

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of meaning and purpose,
that God wants that for you.

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He wants that for
your family, wants that for your children.

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And really, what we do each week
is gather around the Bible to learn

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what God has said about
how life works best.

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If you have a Bible,
you can open it to Deuteronomy six or use

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your phone to get there.

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You don't have to have one.

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It was just read to us
and I'll reference that as we go.

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But there are three points
I want to use to think about the passage

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that was just read from Deuteronomy six.

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Very simple. Three points.

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They go like this
I want to talk about reverse engineering

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responsibility and resources, reverse

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engineering responsibility and resources.

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Let's start
first with reverse engineering.

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Of course, reverse
engineering is the concept

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of knowing where you want to get

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and working backwards through the steps
it will take to get there.

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For instance, if you set a goal
that you want to lose weight,

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you would pick a target weight
and then you would work backwards

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from what
it would take the calorie deficit

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that would be necessary,
the exercise that you'd have to do.

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Same thing financially
if you say, hey, ten years from now,

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we need to be ready to pay
for the kids college or we want to retire.

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You would begin with the amount
you need, work backwards

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and know what you would need to say
yes to or no to in your budget

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in order to make that outcome a reality.

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I don't know if there is anywhere
that we understand this better

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then with our children.

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Most people who are

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raising children have a vision of who
they want their children

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to be, of the life
that they want them to have.

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And much of our parenting,
at least in our most intentional

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and strategic moments,
is built around that vision,

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achieving that outcome.

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So if we want our children, for example,

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to learn the lessons that come from sports

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or to get a Division one scholarship

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so that we can learn
how great it is not to pay for college,

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then we reverse engineer back

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and we get them in as many sports
as we can.

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Private instruction, travel teams.

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Same if you want your children
to learn the value of music

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or to be a good student.

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Many of the conversations
we have with our kids, the rules

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we put in place,
are not about the short term.

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They're about the long term vision of life
we have for our kids.

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I don't know
if you've ever thought about this,

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but the Bible tells us
that God also has a vision for your kids.

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He has a purpose for them.

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He has a particular life in mind
for your children.

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You can read about it in Deuteronomy six
when God says this in verse four, he says,

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here, O Israel,

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the Lord our God, the Lord is one.

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You shall love the Lord
your God with all your heart,

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and with all your soul,
and with all your might.

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God's vision for our children

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is that they would know him,

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that they would love him.

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That's what he wants to be

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in relationship with our children.

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Let me reinforce this.

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You know, over here
is this awesome outdoor playground

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that we built a couple of years ago,
and we have more coming to this space.

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You're going to love it.

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And by the way, whether this is your
church or not, that's your playground.

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Okay? Come any time. Enjoy.

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When I bring my daughter Ella
to play on it, she's six.

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One of the things I've noticed
is that she will run around

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and play with the same kid for an hour,
have a great time.

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Then when we go to get in the car,
I'll say, who was that

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you were playing with?

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And she'll say, I don't know.

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I said, you, you didn't learn their name?

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Nope, nope.

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And so then we have a talk
because I have to teach her that.

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Ella, we ask names because that kid is
not just they don't just exist.

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Round out your tag game or to make sure
you're not bored on the playground.

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We want that kid to know
that they matter to us.

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We want them to know
that we care about them.

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And the way we do
that is by learning their name.

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By sharing our name.

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When I tell you that God
wants a relationship with your children,

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it's a learn
your name kind of relationship.

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Do you see in these verses

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that God has shared with them who he is,

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what he's doing?

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What do you want

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if you're not familiar with the Bible?

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In fact, the Bible is in many ways
God on the playground

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sharing his name.

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God doesn't want us to guess who he is.

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He doesn't want us to wonder how he feels
to wonder what he's up to.

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He is a communicative God.

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He's not just looking for people
to round out his game of tag.

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He's sharing his name.

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He wants to know
the names of your children, your name.

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God wants relationship with your kids.

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My guess is you want that for your kids.

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That's a lot of people's

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starting point, by the way,
for coming to church in the first place.

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They get out of the habit
or maybe were never in the habit.

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They have a few kids
and they start to say,

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my kids should really be in church.

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My kids should really know who God is.

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Well, I want you to know that not only is
that true, that's what God wants,

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but that means reverse engineering.

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It means that just like we map out

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a future for our kids academically

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or athletically or musically,

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we also must work backwards spiritually

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if God wants our kids to know him.

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If God wants our kids to know
he loves them, if God wants to share

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his name, his mission, his purpose,

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then how do we
get there with our children?

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That actually leads me

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to my second point,
which is not just reverse

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engineering a relationship
with God for our kids,

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but also asking the question,
who's responsibility is that?

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It's not just a question of how.

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How do we get our kids
to have a relationship with God?

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It's a question of who

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whose job is that?

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Look, in our culture, we outsource a lot
as it relates to parenting.

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I mean, we have to I mean, about the time
my kids hit third grade when they asked

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for math help and their homework,
I send them to their mother

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or anymore to ChatGPT

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because I don't know how to do it right.

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And as they pursue hobbies
that I don't have interest

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in or skills,
and it can be tough to help them.

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They're inclined to ask me, but I don't
want them to realize how dumb I really am.

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So I look for someone to do it for me,

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and that works for some things,
but it doesn't work for everything.

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This passage
clearly teaches that not only does

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God want to have relationship
with your children,

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he wants you parents

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to take the lead in getting them there.

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Look.

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Listen to what it says here
as he tells them who he is.

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He says this and these words that I
command you today shall be on your heart.

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You shall

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teach them diligently to your children

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shall talk of them
when you sit in your house,

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when you walk, by the way,
when you lie down, and when you rise,

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you shall bind them
as a sign on your hand,

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and they shall be as front
lights on your eyes.

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You shall write them on the doorposts
of your house and on your gates.

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God isn't telling the pastor

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or the priest,

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or the YouTuber,

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or the author, or the podcaster

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that their job is to lead

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their children to the God who loves them.

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He says, it's our job.

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Now. Why is that?

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Let me give you two analogies
that I'll drive at home.

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I want to talk about tying
a tie and cooking chicken in a crockpot

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first tying a tie.

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I was a sophomore or junior in college
before I realized

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I did not know how to tie a tie,
and that was a problem

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no one had ever taught me,
and I guess I never needed one.

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I don't know if I got through high school
without having to go to funerals

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or weddings, or if maybe the dress code
just didn't apply to me, I don't know,

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but I remember I was getting ready
for a dance with my girlfriend, who's

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now my wife, and I had to have her
dad teach me because I didn't know.

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I didn't know how to tie a tie.

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You know, the truth is,
over the course of my life,

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I had a lot of adults who poured into me
a great teachers,

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great coaches, mentors.

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I had people who were shift
managers at places that I've worked.

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There were a lot of people
who would help me grow up.

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A lot of people who had helped me develop,
but none of them had ever thought

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to teach me how to tie a tie,
because it wasn't their responsibility.

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They were specialists.

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My football
coach talked to me about football.

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My math teacher talked to me about math.

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My shift
manager talked to me about work ethic.

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The truth is, I needed

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my parents to teach me how to tie a tie.

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Now, this is not a comment on my parents
parenting.

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They might say they did try to teach me
and I'm just dumb.

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I already said that.

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My point is, parents,

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for most of us, we've built
lives for our children where there are

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a number of people who can teach them
how to block and tackle,

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or how to read sheet music,

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or how to get good grades in algebra,
maybe even how to work hard.

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But none of those people
wake up in the morning

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saying, your kids need to know
that God loves them.

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Who will do that?

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If not for us?

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Who will do that if not for you?

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But the

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second analogy I want you to think about
is cooking chicken in a crock pot.

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It's always dangerous when I use
cooking metaphors because I don't cook.

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But here's how I understand a crock pot
and my wife is over in this area,

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so I'm going to try
not to make eye contact in case I'm wrong.

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My understanding is when you put chicken

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in a crock pot, you just kind of set it on
and you let it cook.

239
00:13:54,350 --> 00:13:58,070
You put in some water
or some marinade or whatever,

240
00:13:58,070 --> 00:14:01,740
and it soaks in that
and it cooks slowly over time.

241
00:14:02,641 --> 00:14:06,061
And the thing about cooking
chicken in a crock pot is it gets tender,

242
00:14:06,061 --> 00:14:10,850
it gets soft, and it really absorbs
the flavor that you put in with it.

243
00:14:11,400 --> 00:14:14,670
Of course, the downside to
that is if you don't like the flavor,

244
00:14:15,421 --> 00:14:17,806
there's not much
you can do about it afterwards.

245
00:14:17,806 --> 00:14:19,859
It's soaked too long.

246
00:14:20,809 --> 00:14:22,228
I want you to understand something.

247
00:14:22,228 --> 00:14:25,548
Some of us have built lives for our kids,
whether they're

248
00:14:25,548 --> 00:14:28,734
in Christian schools
or they're in churches.

249
00:14:29,001 --> 00:14:32,087
And you think, well, there's lots of
people who will teach them about God.

250
00:14:32,087 --> 00:14:36,442
There's a lot of people who will add
spiritual seasoning to their lives.

251
00:14:37,042 --> 00:14:40,279
But what this passage describes
is a simple truth

252
00:14:40,279 --> 00:14:43,282
that everyone who works with kids knows

253
00:14:43,916 --> 00:14:46,552
the environment of home.

254
00:14:46,552 --> 00:14:49,555
The crock pot a kid marinates in

255
00:14:50,789 --> 00:14:53,792
who you show them God to be,

256
00:14:53,943 --> 00:14:56,328
who you show them, or what you show them.

257
00:14:56,328 --> 00:15:00,382
Values to be, priorities to be will

258
00:15:00,382 --> 00:15:03,769
ultimately be the flavor
they leave your home with.

259
00:15:05,671 --> 00:15:08,657
Other people might try to add seasoning,

260
00:15:08,941 --> 00:15:11,927
but I can tell you,
after 20 years of ministry

261
00:15:12,361 --> 00:15:17,666
where 7 or 8 years of coaching
youth football or in any environment I'm

262
00:15:17,666 --> 00:15:20,669
in where
I'm working with children or teenagers,

263
00:15:20,819 --> 00:15:25,007
a few minutes a week, a couple hours

264
00:15:25,007 --> 00:15:28,577
a week will not overcome

265
00:15:29,311 --> 00:15:33,048
the marinating they do in your home.

266
00:15:35,267 --> 00:15:38,487
Your children are meant to know God.

267
00:15:38,520 --> 00:15:41,991
They are meant
to enjoy relationship with them

268
00:15:42,174 --> 00:15:45,978
and no one will be as effective

269
00:15:46,729 --> 00:15:50,132
at teaching them that of pushing them

270
00:15:50,132 --> 00:15:53,786
to that of leading them in that direction.

271
00:15:54,236 --> 00:15:57,239
As you.

272
00:15:57,239 --> 00:16:00,242
Or no one

273
00:16:01,260 --> 00:16:03,078
short of

274
00:16:03,078 --> 00:16:06,081
a miraculous activity or event

275
00:16:06,565 --> 00:16:09,501
will be able to overcome

276
00:16:09,501 --> 00:16:13,322
the lack of that as they've crock
prodded in it.

277
00:16:13,706 --> 00:16:16,191
Now, I just want to say that

278
00:16:16,191 --> 00:16:19,194
as I prepared to say that to you
this week, I.

279
00:16:19,294 --> 00:16:24,116
I was worried that some of you might feel
a little shamed by that,

280
00:16:24,683 --> 00:16:27,753
because if you're sitting here
with a 13 year old and you're thinking,

281
00:16:27,870 --> 00:16:33,208
well, I haven't taught them to tie a tie,
I haven't crock

282
00:16:33,208 --> 00:16:37,112
potted them in an environment
where they would learn about God.

283
00:16:37,346 --> 00:16:39,682
We're not talking about God in our home.

284
00:16:39,682 --> 00:16:42,685
We're not forming our kids spiritually.

285
00:16:42,768 --> 00:16:44,720
So what does that mean? Have I blown it?

286
00:16:45,838 --> 00:16:46,372
I want you to

287
00:16:46,372 --> 00:16:49,892
know that few things in life
get anyone's attention,

288
00:16:50,192 --> 00:16:53,178
like a sudden change.

289
00:16:53,779 --> 00:16:56,782
I have friends who are in great shape.

290
00:16:57,266 --> 00:16:59,118
They've never not been in great shape.

291
00:16:59,118 --> 00:17:02,821
I never ask them for diet or fitness tips

292
00:17:04,073 --> 00:17:07,076
because they are discipline freaks.

293
00:17:07,593 --> 00:17:09,978
We're not similar.

294
00:17:09,978 --> 00:17:12,898
There's nothing
they can say that will help me.

295
00:17:12,898 --> 00:17:15,951
But when a friend around me goes

296
00:17:15,951 --> 00:17:19,938
from not caring about that
to caring about that, I start to ask.

297
00:17:20,939 --> 00:17:22,941
I start to wonder

298
00:17:22,941 --> 00:17:25,944
what happened, what changed?

299
00:17:26,095 --> 00:17:28,430
What are you doing that's different?

300
00:17:28,430 --> 00:17:33,535
If you feel as though reading Deuteronomy
six is convicting, let me invite you

301
00:17:33,535 --> 00:17:36,572
to consider that God is calling you today

302
00:17:36,572 --> 00:17:41,310
to a sudden change of priorities,
and that perhaps

303
00:17:41,577 --> 00:17:45,447
that sudden change
will capture the heart of your child.

304
00:17:46,548 --> 00:17:47,599
But I also want to tell

305
00:17:47,599 --> 00:17:51,470
you this it is God's vision for your kids
to know him.

306
00:17:51,470 --> 00:17:54,473
It is your responsibility
according to him.

307
00:17:54,773 --> 00:17:55,891
But you're not alone.

308
00:17:55,891 --> 00:17:57,559
That's actually my third point.

309
00:17:57,559 --> 00:18:00,562
There are resources for you.

310
00:18:01,230 --> 00:18:04,233
In fact, I want to hold out five resources

311
00:18:04,533 --> 00:18:07,519
that we offer here at the church to you

312
00:18:08,070 --> 00:18:11,957
because our desire is to come alongside
you as parents

313
00:18:12,624 --> 00:18:16,678
and empower you to do the work
that God has called you to do.

314
00:18:16,678 --> 00:18:20,933
So here are five ways that we can help,
and I want you to focus

315
00:18:20,933 --> 00:18:25,337
less on the individual thing
and more on the wave of this.

316
00:18:25,337 --> 00:18:29,041
There are a lot of ways we want to help.

317
00:18:29,041 --> 00:18:32,027
Help is available. Here's the first.

318
00:18:32,177 --> 00:18:37,466
You must first experience
God's love for yourself.

319
00:18:38,784 --> 00:18:42,054
You know,
this passage is God speaking to Israel

320
00:18:42,054 --> 00:18:45,207
after they've experienced
some pretty incredible things,

321
00:18:45,858 --> 00:18:49,828
and he's telling a generation
that he's rescued from Egypt.

322
00:18:50,512 --> 00:18:54,566
He's telling them,
your kids didn't live these stories.

323
00:18:55,250 --> 00:18:57,452
So you have to pass them down.

324
00:18:57,452 --> 00:19:00,439
Don't lose the miracles of what I've done.

325
00:19:01,039 --> 00:19:03,292
You see,
God is telling us the same principle.

326
00:19:03,292 --> 00:19:07,045
They tell us on an airplane,
before you put the oxygen

327
00:19:07,045 --> 00:19:10,949
mask on your child,
you must first put it on yourself.

328
00:19:12,017 --> 00:19:15,020
God wants to know your name.

329
00:19:16,471 --> 00:19:19,458
He wants you to know he loves you.

330
00:19:19,608 --> 00:19:21,510
In fact, he wants that so badly.

331
00:19:21,510 --> 00:19:24,513
He sent his own son, Jesus,

332
00:19:24,830 --> 00:19:29,001
to live righteously in your place, to die

333
00:19:29,034 --> 00:19:32,971
sacrificially on the cross for your sin
and for mine

334
00:19:33,689 --> 00:19:36,475
to do away with God's judgment,
God's anger

335
00:19:36,475 --> 00:19:40,379
that was righteously on us to die,
and three days later

336
00:19:40,379 --> 00:19:45,200
to rise from the dead
in order that you and I might be forgiven

337
00:19:45,717 --> 00:19:49,972
you and I might begin
a relationship with God.

338
00:19:50,606 --> 00:19:52,791
Don't start with your kids.

339
00:19:52,791 --> 00:19:54,810
Start with yourself.

340
00:19:54,810 --> 00:19:57,779
God doesn't want to run around
on the playground for an hour

341
00:19:58,730 --> 00:19:59,882
with you.

342
00:19:59,882 --> 00:20:02,851
He wants relationship experience that.

343
00:20:02,851 --> 00:20:04,102
That's what we preach about.

344
00:20:04,102 --> 00:20:08,607
Sing about, read about every week
here at Christ Community Chapel.

345
00:20:08,607 --> 00:20:09,992
Come.

346
00:20:09,992 --> 00:20:12,027
Not not for your kids, not first.

347
00:20:12,027 --> 00:20:15,030
Come for yourself.

348
00:20:15,480 --> 00:20:18,083
The second way we can help
is not just in helping

349
00:20:18,083 --> 00:20:21,303
you experience, but in educating you.

350
00:20:22,104 --> 00:20:25,140
Much of our teaching,
our our Bible studies,

351
00:20:25,140 --> 00:20:29,278
our podcast, every thing we do here
at the church is to help you

352
00:20:29,278 --> 00:20:34,016
not only meet Jesus,
but to grow in your understanding of him.

353
00:20:34,049 --> 00:20:38,971
I know some people are out there going,
I'd love to teach my kids about God,

354
00:20:38,971 --> 00:20:41,957
but Zach,
that's like you teaching your kids math.

355
00:20:42,024 --> 00:20:45,027
I don't know enough, but you can.

356
00:20:45,294 --> 00:20:48,196
But you can. Listen. We know life is busy.

357
00:20:48,196 --> 00:20:50,132
That's why we have a Thursday
night service.

358
00:20:50,132 --> 00:20:51,950
We know we don't want you to stop going

359
00:20:51,950 --> 00:20:55,220
to the lake on the weekend
or take your kids out of sports.

360
00:20:55,220 --> 00:20:56,605
You can both end it.

361
00:20:56,605 --> 00:20:58,857
You don't need to either. Or it.

362
00:20:58,857 --> 00:21:00,108
We know you're busy.

363
00:21:00,108 --> 00:21:03,262
Too busy to come here
multiple times in a week, which is why

364
00:21:03,262 --> 00:21:07,082
we have podcasts and videos
and things designed to help

365
00:21:07,082 --> 00:21:11,720
you take laundry time
and turn it into spiritual growth.

366
00:21:11,937 --> 00:21:14,573
Time. We want you to meet Jesus.

367
00:21:14,573 --> 00:21:18,977
We want you to grow in Jesus experience
and educate.

368
00:21:19,011 --> 00:21:20,729
Here's a third one example.

369
00:21:21,680 --> 00:21:22,347
There are

370
00:21:22,347 --> 00:21:26,568
moms and dads in this crowd
who have raised children

371
00:21:27,085 --> 00:21:31,890
and taught them
who God is, and to love him well.

372
00:21:32,207 --> 00:21:33,992
Learn from them.

373
00:21:33,992 --> 00:21:37,346
One of the best things that happens
at a church is you're around

374
00:21:37,346 --> 00:21:41,450
people that are a generation
ahead, two generations ahead.

375
00:21:42,150 --> 00:21:44,519
Ask them questions. Learn from them.

376
00:21:44,519 --> 00:21:47,456
I can tell you that in our family,
we've learned so much.

377
00:21:47,456 --> 00:21:48,256
Here's an example.

378
00:21:48,256 --> 00:21:53,028
We do our Bible study after dinner
every night, right before dessert.

379
00:21:53,779 --> 00:21:55,797
And you say you do dessert every night.

380
00:21:55,797 --> 00:21:58,800
Listen, all questions
about our dietary, plan.

381
00:21:58,800 --> 00:21:59,901
Go to my wife, Amy.

382
00:21:59,901 --> 00:22:02,904
I'll give you her email after the service.

383
00:22:03,238 --> 00:22:04,790
But the reason we do that

384
00:22:04,790 --> 00:22:08,727
is because while the kids are eating,
they're in a mood to listen.

385
00:22:09,161 --> 00:22:12,748
And we go through with our five children's
stories of what God has done.

386
00:22:12,748 --> 00:22:14,583
And then we ask a question,

387
00:22:14,583 --> 00:22:17,569
and you have to get a question
right before you get dessert.

388
00:22:18,053 --> 00:22:20,005
You've never seen greater motivation.

389
00:22:21,173 --> 00:22:24,176
And that's just Amy.

390
00:22:25,344 --> 00:22:26,244
Does it work?

391
00:22:26,244 --> 00:22:27,713
Well every night?

392
00:22:27,713 --> 00:22:31,083
No, but an older brother in
Christ told me this.

393
00:22:31,083 --> 00:22:33,752
Zach, trust the aggregate.

394
00:22:33,752 --> 00:22:36,588
Not the moment.

395
00:22:36,588 --> 00:22:38,006
Examples.

396
00:22:38,006 --> 00:22:39,291
Examples.

397
00:22:39,291 --> 00:22:40,642
Here's the fourth one.

398
00:22:40,642 --> 00:22:43,412
Excitement.

399
00:22:43,412 --> 00:22:47,149
One of the greatest ways to form children
and their love for God

400
00:22:47,149 --> 00:22:50,719
is to bring them
into spiritual environments that are fun.

401
00:22:51,303 --> 00:22:54,289
Did your kids have fun at kids camp?

402
00:22:55,674 --> 00:22:56,808
I can't hear if you're clapping.

403
00:22:56,808 --> 00:22:59,211
I hope you are.

404
00:22:59,211 --> 00:23:00,812
And the reason why we want them

405
00:23:00,812 --> 00:23:04,433
to have fun is because you can't convince
kids God loves them.

406
00:23:04,433 --> 00:23:09,137
If he's boring, you can't convince kids
that God loves them.

407
00:23:09,137 --> 00:23:14,726
If he doesn't understand their childlike
wonder, their childlike enthusiasm.

408
00:23:14,726 --> 00:23:19,381
Listen, we turf fields and put in walking
tracks and playgrounds and

409
00:23:19,464 --> 00:23:25,670
and environments in the building because
we understand a God who loves kids.

410
00:23:25,787 --> 00:23:30,809
Once them to enjoy the time
they spend around his people.

411
00:23:31,042 --> 00:23:33,111
And then here's the fifth one.

412
00:23:33,111 --> 00:23:36,481
We want to empower
you to join God's mission.

413
00:23:38,100 --> 00:23:40,368
This in God's doing amazing things
at this church.

414
00:23:40,368 --> 00:23:44,606
He's reaching people,
putting families back together.

415
00:23:44,673 --> 00:23:49,711
We want to invite you and your children
not just to receive, but, to give.

416
00:23:50,395 --> 00:23:54,783
I was actually out of town for most of
this week dealing with a family emergency,

417
00:23:55,016 --> 00:23:58,854
but when I came back Thursday afternoon,
my family was exhausted.

418
00:23:59,454 --> 00:24:03,558
That's because my wife and my 17 year old
and my 15 year old

419
00:24:03,558 --> 00:24:06,978
and my 13 year old were serving at kids
camp.

420
00:24:07,729 --> 00:24:10,348
Not because we make them,

421
00:24:10,348 --> 00:24:15,120
but because they're learning
how exciting it is to join with God

422
00:24:15,287 --> 00:24:18,707
in what he's doing to convince children
he loves them

423
00:24:19,441 --> 00:24:23,612
to join with God in his mission
to restore families.

424
00:24:24,296 --> 00:24:29,401
Listen, here's what I'm telling you
God has a vision for your children.

425
00:24:29,401 --> 00:24:33,772
God has a vision for your family.

426
00:24:34,189 --> 00:24:36,858
He wants you to lead.

427
00:24:36,858 --> 00:24:41,062
He wants you to bring your children
into his story.

428
00:24:41,780 --> 00:24:44,483
And we know that's scary to you,

429
00:24:44,483 --> 00:24:48,086
hard for you, challenging and daunting.

430
00:24:48,653 --> 00:24:49,621
And we want to help

431
00:24:50,572 --> 00:24:51,573
and all the things that

432
00:24:51,573 --> 00:24:54,559
we do
and all the things that we have going on.

433
00:24:54,593 --> 00:24:58,830
Our desire is to point you to Jesus,
to help you grow in him,

434
00:24:59,247 --> 00:25:02,000
and to help your family discover
their incredible

435
00:25:02,000 --> 00:25:05,003
and unique role in what he's doing.

436
00:25:05,070 --> 00:25:07,372
I hope you'll come check it out.

437
00:25:07,372 --> 00:25:08,373
Let me pray for us.

438
00:25:08,373 --> 00:25:12,594
Father God, thank you so much
for the incredible task of parenting.

439
00:25:13,378 --> 00:25:16,381
The truth is,
none of us are really up to the task.

440
00:25:17,365 --> 00:25:21,653
Every day presents new challenges,
many of them bigger than us.

441
00:25:21,653 --> 00:25:24,839
Thank you then for the church,

442
00:25:26,007 --> 00:25:30,228
for men and women who come alongside
us, who serve in ministries,

443
00:25:30,228 --> 00:25:34,549
who pour in to families,
whether it's in the parking lot or kids

444
00:25:34,549 --> 00:25:39,955
camp, or ushering or passing out
bottles of water, all part of the design

445
00:25:39,955 --> 00:25:44,009
to say, maybe it isn't my kids,
maybe they're not my grandkids.

446
00:25:44,009 --> 00:25:46,861
But God cares about children.

447
00:25:47,913 --> 00:25:49,197
And so, so do we.

448
00:25:49,197 --> 00:25:52,434
God cares about families and so do we.

449
00:25:52,951 --> 00:25:56,788
God, thank you for giving this church
the privilege of partnering with you

450
00:25:57,022 --> 00:26:02,877
and your mission to help parents
lead their children to faith in you.

451
00:26:03,261 --> 00:26:05,564
In Jesus name we pray. Amen.