While some say that children’s pastors should shy away from "difficult" passages, there are convincing reasons for welcoming the whole story. First, it allows for the possibility of building a solid spiritual foundation. When leaders teach our children the entirety of scripture, it equips them with a foundational understanding of the nature of God. His love. His compassion. His wrath. His mercy. His grace. All of it allows them to see the Bible as a unified message, not a collection of disconnected stories.
If the whole counsel of God is presented within our children’s ministerial programs, children will learn how the Bible helps them to navigate complex issues like suffering, forgiveness, and temptation. Exploring these topics prayerfully and thoughtfully gives kids a chance to navigate life’s challenges with a biblical worldview.
I was reading through the first chapter of James: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds…”
What?!
Pure joy?!
I was right in the middle of a trial, and I wouldn’t have immediately thought to consider it pure joy.
But as I thought about it, I realized something. James is not saying, “Look at the trial and feel happy.” No! He knows the visceral emotion partnered with trials is sorrow, not joy. But he says, “Consider it pure joy.” He’s referencing the intensity, not the exclusivity, of the joy. He is not saying, “Have only joy.” He’s saying, “Have the fullness of joy too.” Intensity, not exclusivity. This is important.
This devotion is based on the book Fighting Shadows by Jefferson Bethke and Jon Tyson
Beyond the verifiable emotional and physical benefits of friendship and community, you need to know that were created for community. You were designed for friendship.