Posts by Nathan Oates (Page 4)

In many of our families (and friendships) an unhealthy, unbiblical pattern has taken root. We don’t do “sorry” well. In fact, we rarely do it at all. Mostly we just fumble our way through. It usually plays out something like this:She gets hurt or offended and expresses pain or anger.He says “Sorry!” – blurts it out, really, like claiming the front seat in his parent’s car when he was a kid. If she feels the offense was significant, she pushes…

I loved hearing Ron Oates speak on Sunday about fatherhood. It brought back so many memories of my own father and the huge impact he had on my life. While my father was not perfect, he was a loving and giving man who valued his family and showed us an authentic growing relationship with God. Ron emphasized the Deuteronomy 6 passage and the line, “Impress them on your children”. The definition of the word impress is the act of making…

 If “real life” is assaulting the simple assertion that God is good and in control, creating feelings of doubt, fear, insecurity, anger, etc… you’re in good company. Lots of people in the Bible have felt that way too. David prayed: My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? (psalm 22) Habakkuk cried out: How long, O LORD, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, “Violence!” But you do not save? Why…

 If “real life” is assaulting the simple assertion that God is good and in control, creating feelings of doubt, fear, insecurity, anger, etc… you’re in good company. Lots of people in the Bible have felt that way too. David prayed: My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? (psalm 22) Habakkuk cried out: How long, O LORD, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, “Violence!” But you do not save? Why…

Other than identity – who you are – the most important factor in effectively passing on the faith to the next generation is message: What you say – specifically, what you say about having a relationship with God. Almost every week I’m in a conversation with a coach or a parent or a friend who is trying to figure out how to talk to someone about having a relationship with God. Here are 10 ideas, specifically focused on talking to kids:…

Other than identity – who you are – the most important factor in effectively passing on the faith to the next generation is message: What you say – specifically, what you say about having a relationship with God. Almost every week I’m in a conversation with a coach or a parent or a friend who is trying to figure out how to talk to someone about having a relationship with God. Here are 10 ideas, specifically focused on talking to kids:…

This week the children at Emmaus will be learning about how God wants us to be kind.  The kids will be hearing the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10: 25-37). They will be discussing the verse: “Love your neighbor as yourself” Luke 10: 27.  And they will be exploring the idea of “Neighbor.” Who is their neighbor? Who does God want them to be kind to?    Please help your child throughout the week to try to remember to…

Our community received 24 new people into membership in April:  24 people who simply said, “I will share life and discover Jesus in this community.  I will live a life marked by transformation, community, and compassion.”   While we don’t make a big public display of this experience, I value this expression of commitment so deeply.  In joining a local church community, a person is making one of the most significant statements: I am with you.    Life is easier…

There’s another shift that needs to take place if we’re going to pass-on the faith to the next generation: We must truly believe that love is stronger than fear. I think this is always true. But it is especially true in terms of Biblical character development. In the Christian story, love is the starting point, not fear of punishment. Some of us would probably say that our faith development was very much motivated by a fear of punishment – as…

  We need to believe and embrace that intuition beats intellection. When it comes to religious formation: meaning our character, our ethics, our beliefs, the things that ultimately form the way we live,  Intuitive Development matters far more than intellectual development.   Source: New feed