Our God Is Always Faithful With Buzz, our new unit focuses on God’s faithfulness. God never

goes back on his word. He always keeps his promises and comes

through for us. God also promises that he has a plan and purpose for

each of our lives—even for the very youngest family members.

Faithfulness and loyalty seem rare these days. Politicians, sports fig-

ures, and our friends and family members often “break faith” with one

another. In the Bible, we learn over and over again that God is 100

percent faithful. Here’s just a sampling of verses assuring us that we

can always count on God:

Deuteronomy 32:4—“Everything he does is just and fair. He is a

faithful God who does no wrong.”

Romans 8:28—“And we know that God causes everything to work

together for the good of those who love God and are called according

to his purpose for them.”

2 Timothy 2:13—“If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, for he

cannot deny who he is.”

Hebrews 10:23—“Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope

we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.”

Because God is faithful, we can put our trust in him. He loves us, ca-

res for us, and saves us through faith in the death and resurrection of

his Son, Jesus. We have this assurance even when we sin and are un-

faithful to God. Read on for ways to share with your children how our

faithful God has good things planned for their lives.

What’s Your Goal As a Parent? God knows what he wants for our children, but what do you want for

them? In a study of 1,200 adults with kids under age 18 at home,

people defined successful parenting as having kids who:

have good values (25%)

are happy adults (25%)

find success in life (22%)

are good people (19%)

graduate from college (17%)

live independently (15%)

are godly or have faith in God (9%) (LifeWay Research)

Ask God:

1. Thank God for the many ways

he has been faithful to you

and your family.

2. Thank God for the plans and

purposes he has for you.

3. Ask God to keep you faithful to

him throughout your life.

June 2010

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June 2010

Childrens Ministry

know, grow, go

Sans Souci

Parenting Insights

God’s faithfulness is a big concept for

little minds to grasp. Keep your con-

versations and lessons about God age-

appropriate by following these tips:

1. Be realistic about attention

spans. Don’t resort to lectures or

to activities with complex direc-

tions. Young children like to be on-

the-go and need regular visual

stimulation. After an activity, sing

a simple action song together.

2. Stimulate their senses. Use

teachable moments that appeal to

children’s senses. When kids get

“hands-on” with materials, they’ll

remember a lesson longer.

3. Get ’em thinking. Challenge older

kids to think by asking open-ended

questions and by encouraging dis-

cussions about Bible truths. Role-

play to help kids decide how to ap-

ply faith to their lives.

“For he loves us with unfailing

love; the Lord’s faithfulness

endures forever.”

Psalm 117:2

God’s love and faithfulness aren’t

limited to biblical times. The Bi-

ble’s shortest chapter tells us that

God is “forever faithful” to all his

children.

Teachable Moments

1. Go for the Goal—Flex your

children’s faith by taking on

some big projects as a family.

Then pray often for God’s help

to get them done. When you

cross the “finish line,” thank

God for his faithfulness and

blessings.

2. God Provides—As a family,

keep a prayer journal. Track

your needs and requests, as

well as how God answers them.

Look through the journal for

reminders of God’s faithfulness.

3. Train Up Your Faith—Read

the Bible together daily. As kids

harvest truths from God’s

Word, their understanding of

God’s faithfulness will grow.

4. Cling to God’s Promises—

During tough times, remind

children to trust God’s promises

and to look for his blessings in

every situation. Read about

times when God kept his prom-

ises (for example, see Genesis

9:8-17 and Genesis 15:1-6).

Family Experience: Safe and Secure Use these outdoor activities to talk about

God’s faithfulness.

Hang On!—You’ll need a sturdy rope and an

adult to help. Gather outside and ask family

members: “What kinds of promises have you

made? Why is it important to keep our prom-

ises?” With a volunteer, take hold of opposite

ends of the rope. Say: “I promise I won’t let go.

Will you promise? Let’s lean back and hold on.”

As you lean back, ask: “What if I break my

promise? What would you think of me if I let go

right now?” Give everyone a turn, but have

people promise to hold on as they lean back.

Read aloud Titus 1:2. Ask: “What promises

does God make? How do you feel knowing that God is always faithful?”

Say: “God keeps all his promises. He’ll never let go of us.” Close in

prayer, thanking God for always being faithful.

Part of God’s Plan—Gather outside or go on a nature walk. Ask fam-

ily members to name some of the wonderful things God has made.

Say: “God’s creation shows how dependable he is. God makes the sun

rise every morning and set every evening. He makes the seasons

change like clockwork, and he makes gravity work every time you

drop a ball.” Take turns reading aloud Matthew 6:25-34. Ask: “What

do birds and flowers teach us about God’s faithfulness? How does it

feel to hear that God knows what we need? How can we trust God

more?” Say: “God’s faithfulness is evident in everything he made and

in everything he does. Let’s thank God for all the ways he meets our

needs.” Close with a “popcorn prayer” as family members shout out

short praises to God.

Get children thinking about God’s faithfulness by asking these con-

versation-starting questions:

1. What are some times when God has been faithful and come through for

you? How did this affect your faith in God?

2. Why is it sometimes hard to keep our promises? How do you know that

God never forgets or breaks a promise?

3. How does it feel to know that God has a good plan for your life? What

do you think that plan might involve, and why?

4. How can we show God we’re thankful for his faithfulness? What does it

mean to be faithful to God in return?

What’s Playing at the Movies Movie: The Karate Kid (June 18)

Genre: Family drama, action

Rating: PG (for bullying, martial-arts action violence, and

some mild language)

Cast: Jaden Smith, Jackie Chan, Taraji P. Henson

Synopsis: In this remake of the 1984 film, 12-year-old

Dre has to leave Detroit for China because of his single

mother’s job. Dre is smitten by a female classmate, but

cultural differences stand in the way. He also becomes the

target of the school bully. A maintenance man teaches Dre

kung fu, which helps him mature and makes life in his new

surroundings more bearable.

Discussion Questions: Think of a time you’ve been an outsider: What

made you feel like you didn’t belong? What helped you adjust to the new

situation? Read aloud Romans 12:2. What are some ways you maintain dis-

tance from the world while living in it?

What Music Is Releasing Artist: Hanson

Album: Shout It Out

Artist Info: Before the Jonas Brothers, there was Han-

son, a three-brother pop band from Oklahoma best-

known for the 1997 hit “MMMBop.” Now in their 20s,

Isaac, Taylor, and Zac record under their own label.

They’re also involved with fighting poverty and AIDS in

Africa.

Summary: Shout It Out, Hanson’s fifth studio album,

is full of energetic, R&B-flavored pop rock and tributes

to classic artists. Several songs, including “Thinking

’Bout Somethin,’” address relationships gone awry. “Me Myself and I” is

about self-reliance: “There’s still someone that I can tell my troubles to.

Me, myself and I will never be alone.”

Discussion Questions: What things can you do well on your own? Do you

mind asking for help? Why or why not? What are the pros and cons of being

independent? Read aloud 1 Corinthians 12:12. What does it mean to you to

be part of a larger “body” of Christ?

What Games Are Out

RATINGS: EC=Early Childhood, E=Everyone (ages 6+), E10+ (ages 10+), T=Teen (ages 13+)

Title Content Rating & Platform

Scrabble Slam! This card-based game challenges players to

spell words as quickly as they can. E; Nintendo DSi (downloadable)

Harvest Moon: Hero of Leaf Valley

In this slower-paced game, players run a family farm and try to keep it from being

taken over by a corporation. E; PSP

How to Train Your Dragon

Players customize dragons and prepare them for battle. In mini-games, players earn

points to feed and care for their dragons.

E10+; Wii, PS3, Xbox 360, Nintendo DS

Culture/Trends

What’s happening right now

that may affect your

children and family:

Smart phones have be-

come handy baby- sitting

tools for on-the-go parents.

For $1.99, the iStoryTime

iPhone app will “read” a

story to young listeners.

The number of children

with a food allergy has in-

creased by 18%. One in

every 25 kids is susceptible

to allergic reactions from

such ingredients as nuts,

eggs, milk, and wheat. (U.S. Centers for Disease

Control and Prevention)

Quick Stats 85% of parents believe

they have the primary re-

sponsibility for their chil-

dren’s moral and spiritual

development. (Transforming Children Into Spiri-tual Champions by George Barna)

The number of day camps

in the U.S. has grown by

nearly 90% in the past 20

years. More than half of

camps now include com-

munity-service programs. (acacamps.org)

This page is designed to help educate parents and isn’t meant to endorse any movie, music, or product. Our prayer is that you’ll make informed decisions about what your children watch, listen to, and wear.

Family Ministries

3100 Old Buncombe Road

Greenville, SC 29609

(864) 233-4558

www.ssbaptist.com

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June 2010

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