by | November 6, 2009 · 5:45 pm

It’s very easy to write to your Representative

I’m grateful to Chris Brady for the following link.

https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml

All you need to do to contact your representative is enter your
state/zip and then follow the dialogue box at the US Government webpage.  Here’s the letter I penned to my Representative, Mike Rogers on the eve of the Health Care Reform vote:

Nov. 6

To the Honorable Mike Rogers,

Based on the emails I have received and the videos I’ve watched it sounds like you’re on the side of limited government and oppose our current president’s “health care reform.”

I am opposed to the current health care reform on two grounds.  First, I believe it is a backdoor to enable abortion to be covered as medical care, supported by taxpayers dollars.  I, for one (among many, many citizens), am thoroughly opposed to requiring my taxes be used to murder the most innocent and vulnerable in our culture.

Secondly, and more generally, I believe the health care reform bill is a significant step away from limited government.  Due to the power that God has granted government (to protect citizens from threats within–police, and to protect citizens from threats without–military) through bearing the sword, the force of government must remain limited or it will inevitably be abused.  As Lord Acton so ably put it, “power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.”

I am grateful and hope that you will continue to be a positive force for good for the American People of Michigan whom you so able represent.

Sincerely,

Rev. Timothy A. Brown

Lastly, here’s the main link to the House of Representatives: http://www.house.gov/

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by | November 4, 2009 · 12:28 am

Kids ask great questions

Tonight during family worship we began a new study.  In addition to using the Child’s Scripture Catechism: with Answers in the Language of the Bible (a link to some are at Ann Voskamp or available to purchase here), and singing, we began to read the gospel of Luke.

Luke 1:1-4  Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us,  2 just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word.  3 Therefore, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,  4 so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.

I told my daughters that the words of scripture are important.  Dr. Luke personally interviewed eyewitnesses so that we could be certain of the historical accounts of Jesus.  That’s when my daughter Emma (age 6) spoke upEmma

“but how did Dr. Luke’s get his words to us if he wrote them a long time ago?”

Wow, what an excellent question!  We spent an extra 15 minutes to talk about how the bible came to us:

Dr. Luke to Theophilus–>

shared, copied and preserved for years–>

printing press–>modern bibles

If you don’t spend regular time teaching your children in the home, I’d encourage you to start.  It’s not too hard.  All you have to do is be one day ahead…

Grace and peace <><

Tim

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by | November 3, 2009 · 11:34 pm

A helpful review of Perspectives…

If you’d like to read a concise review to further whet your appetite for Perspectives on Family Ministry, visit this blog by John C. Majors.

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by | November 2, 2009 · 5:15 pm

Family Ministry in the Modern Church

This past weekend I attended the Semper Reformanda Conference with my wife Sarah and our youth pastor, Brady.

It was a very enlightening weekend considering the recent models of family ministry within the contemporary church.  Dr. Timothy Paul Jones, associate Professor at SBTS, keynoted with his  expertise on models of family ministry.  He was the guest of the two other keynoters, Rev. Voddie Bauchham and Rev. Paul Renfro (Pastors of Grace Family Baptist Church).

Dr. Jones contributed by reviewing the history of our culture sociologically (how we got to age-segregated school, culture and church) as well as the models of current family ministry (Family Based, Family Equipping, and Family Integrated).perspectives-on-family-ministry

As practitioners of the Family Integrated Model, Rev. Baucham and Rev. Renfro gave us a steady diet of the merits of the Family Integrated Model (as well as dispelling the myths).

So what is the current state of family ministry in the church?  It’s gone beyond one program among many in a church to a whole new way of looking at church.

If you are interested in learning more about Family Ministries in the modern church, here are a few helpful links.

Family Equipping Models

Family Integrated Church Model

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by | July 18, 2009 · 12:01 am

Take a break

You know in our speedy culture, rest is under-rated.  This past week, I’ve spent three days up north with my wife, Sarah.

Besides the fact that we like to be with each other, it has provided a much needed break from work and family life.  How refreshing.

When’s the last time you took a break?  It’s like drinking cool water on a hot day.  Something deep inside tells you that you needed the break.  And once you take a drink you can’t imagine how you were doing life without it.

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