Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Are You Smarter Than Your 1st-4th Grader??


This week in Camp Grace, our campers competed in a Genesis review game of “Who Wants to be a Bible Scholar?”  At the end of class, they brought home a bookmark for their continued reading and study, which can also be found online, but there was no S’more Card for this week.  Instead, test your knowledge with these questions and see if you and your camper can answer them all (answers are at the end so you can check).  Did you miss a few more than you thought?  Improve your score and connect with your camper by studying the S’more Card together each week.  Look for the S’more Card at the end of class next week or online.  Let’s all “get some more of God”!

Question 1
We started the year studying about the Trinity.  The Trinity means that God is three persons in one.  He is God the Father, God the Son and _____________________.

A.    God the Creator.
B.     God the Holy Spirit.
C.     God the Big Guy in the Sky.
D.    God the Merciful.


Question 2
God created Adam and Eve to live in the Garden of Eden. He told them they could eat from any tree, except for the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Satan tempted Eve into eating fruit from this tree, and sinning for the first time. What was Satan disguised as?

A. Skunk
B. Seal
C. Salamander
D. Serpent


Question 3
Adam and Eve had two sons, one of whom killed the other out of jealousy and anger. What were their son's names, and who killed whom?

A. Abel and Caleb; Abel killed Caleb
B. Casey and Alex; Alex killed Casey
C. Abel and Cain; Cain killed Abel
D. Joseph and Judah; Joseph killed Judah


Question 4
The world was filled with evil, and God decided to destroy every living thing. He spared Noah and his family because Noah was righteous. God showed Noah and his family grace by saving them. What is grace?

A. Being given something you deserve
B. Getting whatever you want
C. Being given something you don't deserve
D. Being mean to someone else


Question 5
After Noah and his family came off of the ark, what was the first thing Noah did?

A. Built an altar and worshipped himself
B. Built a house for his family
C. Built an altar and worshipped God
D. Built a barn to put the animals in


Question 6
God created us to worship Him. To worship in truth means:

A. To worship in a town called Truth
B. To worship from the heart
C. To take a lie detector test before worshipping
D. To find the old Christian group, Truth, and ask if you can join


Question 7
God appeared to Abram and changed his name to Abraham, which means "Father of many nations," because God promised Abraham many descendants. How old was Abraham when God appeared to him?

A. 77 years old
B. 99 years old
C. 111 years old
D. 44 years old


Question 8
When Abraham and his nephew Lot had to separate ways, they had to decide how to divide the land. How did they make that decision?

A. Abraham was selfless and let Lot choose first, even though he would probably not get what he wanted
B. Abraham chose first because he was older
C. They raced on horses
D. They played paper-rock-scissors


Question 9
When God asked Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, Abraham:

A. Laughed and told God, "You must be kidding."
B. Packed up everything, left town, and tried to hide from God
C. Obeyed God's command because he loved and trusted God
D. Asked if he could sacrifice Lot instead


Question 10
Abraham sent his servant to his homeland to find a wife for Isaac. This servant displayed great Godly character in finding Isaac's wife. What was the name of this servant, and what was the name of the wife he found for Isaac?

A. Elliott and Rebekah
B. Eliezer and Rachel
C. Eric and Ruth
D. Eliezer and Rebekah


Question 11
Isaac and Rebekah had twin sons named Jacob and Esau. They were very different from one another, and Jacob was jealous of Esau. What did Jacob trick Esau into giving him?

A. Food
B. Birthright
C. Money
D. House


Question 12
Jacob left his family to live with his Uncle Laban. There he married Laban's daughters, Leah and Rachel, and had 12 children. God told him to return to his homeland, so Jacob obeyed. When he returned and saw Esau, he was humble and bowed to Esau. How did Esau respond?

A. He ran to Jacob and kissed him
B. He ran to Jacob and killed him
C. He turned his back to Jacob
D. He told Jacob to leave and never return


Question 13
After Satan tempted Eve and she sinned for the first time, what happened when God called to Adam and Eve?

 A. They ran up to Him and gave him a hug
 B. They hid from Him
 C. They played tag with Him
 D. They gave Him a piece of fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil
                

Question 14
Cain killed his brother Abel out of jealousy. What happened before Cain killed Abel?

A. God warned Cain not to let sin take control
B. Cain told God he was going to kill Abel
C. Cain was angry and threw a tantrum
D. Abel gave Cain a present


Question 15
When the world had become filled with evil, and God decided to destroy every living thing, He sent a flood to do this. Before he brought the flood, how long did he give the people to confess their sins and repent?

A. 100 years
B. 260 years
C. 120 years
D. 85 years


Question 16
After the flood, the first thing Noah did was worship God. God then made a covenant (promise) to never again destroy all living things with a flood. What did he leave us as the sign of His promise?

A. Clouds
B. Rainbows
C. Waterfalls
D. Earthquakes


Question 17
God told Abram to leave his family and everything behind to go to Canaan. A famine struck Canaan, and Abram was forced to go to Egypt. What did Abram do in Egypt that showed He did not trust in God?

A. Abram lied to the Egyptians and told them he was born in Egypt
B. Abram told his wife Sarai to steal food for them
C. Abram stole food because he was afraid
D. Abram lied to the Egyptians and told the pharaoh his wife Sarai was his sister


Question 18
When Lot was captured, Abram fought the army who had Lot and won. He freed Lot and got back everything that had been taken. Which king blessed Abram after his victory?

A. King of Sodom
B. Melchizedek
C. King of Salem
D. Kedorlaomer


Question 19
God blessed Abraham and Sarah in their old age with a son. They named him Isaac.  What does Isaac's name mean?

A. Sad
B. Funny
C. Laughter
D. Waiting


Question 20
When Abraham sent Eliezer to go to his homeland to look for a wife for Isaac, Eliezer obeyed all of Abraham's commands. Where did he meet Isaac's wife, Rebekah?

A. At a stream
B. In a courtyard
C. On a hill
D. At a well


Answers- 1)B    2)D   3)C   4)C    5)C   6) B   7)B   8)A   9)C   10)D   11) B    12) A  13)B   14)A   15)C   16) B   17) D   18) B   19)C   20) D

Friday, November 11, 2011

Future Women Conference: One Dad's Reflection


This past weekend, my wife and I attended the Future Women Conference along with almost 500 other parents, grandparents, and ministry leaders. Like most parents, we are not just looking to raise “good kids” who do not get into trouble, or even ones that know lots of answers to Bible questions. Instead we want to parent them in a Gospel-centered way that equips them to evaluate their own hearts, their relationships, and their culture in light of who God is and who we are in relationship to Him.

As a father, I also realize that I am accountable for how I shepherd my family. I did not grow up in a family or culture that thought this way, and it is a life-changing experience for me to be a part of a community that takes equipping the next generation, seriously. That all sounds lofty and altruistic as I write it, and in practice it is work...which requires a lot of thought and creativity in the moment. Sometimes I feel like I do that well, and other times I fail miserably.

There were several great take-aways from the conference, but one of the most significant “ah ha” moments for me came when Ed Sweeny said we need to take time to say “yes” to our children. I have felt that before, but could not have put words to it. There are days that I feel like all I say is “no,” followed by discipline, followed by more sayings of “no,” with a few “you know you are not allowed to do that” comments sprinkled in. I knew something did not feel right about that as it was happening, but if you asked, I could not tell you what it was. All I knew was it felt like I was beginning to exasperate them (Colossians 3:21), but did not know how to fix it.

Saying “no” is easy...especially for Dad. We carry a lot of weight, we are tired, we are also (thanks to the fall) predisposed to be passive, feel free to fill in your favorite excuse here. I realize as I am typing this that the days I am most short-tempered and most likely to be agitated are the days that I am least engaged with my children. It takes time and effort to say “yes.” It means I am going to have to close the laptop, not finish that email just yet, turn off the TV, and engage. I will have to ask questions, listen to the answers, and ask follow-up questions. Sometimes it is as simple as getting off of the couch and laying in the floor for 30 minutes while they use me as their trampoline.

“Yes” requires thought and creativity. It requires time and effort. It requires my best when I am feeling my worst. It requires me to evaluate the request and redirect it in a better direction.

Is “yes” always the right answer? No. But “no” is easy and I use it way too much.

- Rob Allen, Children's Ministry Staff

For more information about Men's Roundtable, click the image below.
 

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Future Women Conference: One Mom's Reflection


Several hours after our daughter was born six years ago, my husband looks at me and says, “This one is different.” We’d had a whole year and a half of parenting a calm, compliant, easy-going little boy, and realized early on that this “sweet little girl” was going to be a whole new ball game.

So, when Grace announced they were hosting a Future Women Parenting conference, you can bet we were the first ones to sign up. Teach me how to raise a kind, loving, thoughtful girl? A teenage girl that will dress modestly, won’t gossip, or be mean to her “friends”? A teenager we will actually like? Yes, please, I would like the recipe for that.

I wanted to know exactly what to say when my 5-year old comes home from school and says, “Mom, I don’t like playing with Suzie because I don’t think she’s as pretty as Sally.” I needed answers.

And, honestly, I didn’t get all my questions answered with a simple, one size fits all answer. But, here’s what I did get:

  • We need to first understand and embrace femininity as it was created by God. Only then can we parent our girls with purpose and direction.
  • Our girls have been hard-wired by God to be relational. “Femininity is uniquely suited to find and meet need in the context of relationship.” It’s why, when they are playing with matchbox cars, my son will race them and fight with them, and my daughter names them and makes them into families. God created that, and it is good. I need to remember this when she is 12 and wants to text with her friends all day long.
  • Modesty is about displaying your femininity in appropriate ways. I’m not exactly sure what to do with this, but it’s the best definition of modesty I’ve ever heard. And I’m guessing that’s going to be a big issue for us in a few short years.
  • Her core sin is autonomy. It’s why she asks me (often), “Mom, why does DAD have to be in charge of our family?” And how important it is for me to answer her clearly and fully, and often. And know that she’s not just asking that out of curiosity. There is a sinful, rebellious heart inside her that wants to be in control of EVERYTHING.
So, maybe I didn’t get all the answers I was looking for. But, if I did, would I really need God as much? Would I look to Him, as the creator and author of my daughter’s story for help? Would I ask Him for wisdom in raising my daughter?

Maybe, I got more answers than I realized. Maybe, you did too.


- Braeton Beres, Children's Ministry Staff 


For more information about Ezer, click the image below. 
 

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Register Now for Future Women!

 

Don't miss out on your opportunity to attend our Future Women Conference and become equipped with a theology, language, and practical application of what it looks like to raise the next generation of women!

Registration closes Wednesday, November 2nd, at 5:00pm!

Click here to register.


We have over 300 people signed up for far! Thank you to everyone who has signed up!