Use the Summer months to embark on a journey of spiritual growth for yourself! As the primary spiritual leader in your child\u2019s life, they look to you first in how to prioritize growing in a relationship with God. Schedule regular times for family Bible study, devotionals, and discussions about faith. Explore new ways to engage with Scripture, such as reading through a particular book of the Bible, using a family devotional guide, or participating in a Bible study group. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
2 Peter 3:18 – “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.”<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n Prayer is a cornerstone of a strong spiritual life. Take time each day to pray for your children, lifting their needs, hopes, and dreams to God. In order to pray for specific things in their lives, you must regularly ask them how you can pray for them. Yes, they may not be fully honest most of the time, but the fact that you take the time and intentionally ask shows that you care and are praying for them! Additionally, make it a family practice to pray together, creating space for shared gratitude, intercession, and seeking God’s guidance as a family. <\/p>\n\n\n\n James 5:16 – “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n In a culture that often emphasizes physical appearance, guide your children to value and develop their inner qualities. Encourage traits such as kindness, humility, perseverance, and compassion. Summer can be full of great moments but also full of comparison, insecurities, doubt, and anxiety. Be the primary encourager of your student, pointing them to God\u2019s perfect design for their lives and how he makes no mistakes! Use your words to build up and encourage your student(s) this summer! <\/p>\n\n\n\n Proverbs 31:30 – “Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.”<\/em> (Guys need this encouragement too!) <\/p>\n\n\n\n Whether it\u2019s greeting on a Sunday morning, serving at VBS together, or a community service project, find a way to serve together as a family! Your priorities as a parent will influence what your student finds important, whether directly or indirectly. Serving the church and\/or the community is a great way to model Mark 10:45 for your student: \u201cFor even the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Ephesians 2:10 – “For we are God\u2019s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n Summer offers many opportunities to connect with a community of believers. Whether through church activities, VBS, Summer camps, or small group gatherings, prioritize these opportunities to build and maintain strong spiritual connections. Students need a godly community! We see this now more than ever. Your student needs to take a break from screen time and interact with those around them face-to-face. As a parent, initiate hangouts with Life Group friends, lunches with other families, etc. Whatever it takes to be in a godly Community!\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Acts 2:42 – “They devoted themselves to the apostles\u2019 teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n Summer can be a season of profound spiritual growth and family bonding, but it starts with you! You can cultivate a spiritually strong summer by focusing on these five strategies\u2014growing spiritually together, praying as a family, encouraging inner qualities, serving together, and engaging in a godly community. These practices strengthen your family’s faith and lay a foundation for ongoing spiritual development throughout the year, as well as the life of your children. Let this summer be a time of deepening your family’s relationships with God and one another! <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Summer is a season of relaxation, adventure, and a break from the usual routines of school and work. It also presents a unique opportunity for families to deepen their spiritual lives and grow closer to God. By intentionally incorporating spiritual practices into your summer activities, you can create a summer rich in spiritual growth and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":1672,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"off","_et_pb_old_content":"\n Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start writing!<\/p>\n\n\n\n I remember the first time I stood up to teach the Bible to a group of women in my local church. I was terrified. Yes, I studied the passage diligently and spent hours preparing pages of notes, but I wasn\u2019t sure if my preparation was effective. Is my teaching structured well? Will the women be interested or learn anything new? Have I interpreted this passage correctly?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Many women who are asked to teach a Sunday School class, speak at a Bible study, or lead a small group experience similar fears. They often have little or no training specific to teaching Scripture and feel unequipped and insecure in their preparation. Even so, the abundance of resources available on the subject of teaching Scripture can be paralyzing for a new Bible teacher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That\u2019s why we need books like Empowered and Equipped: Bible Exposition for Women Who Teach the Scriptures<\/em><\/a>. Julia Higgins, assistant professor of ministry to women at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, seeks to provide women with the tools they need to faithfully and effectively teach the Word of God to other women.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cJesus commissioned disciples to teach the nations, and women of the church must take his call seriously.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Men and women alike are given the spiritual gift of teaching, yet few resources are designed specifically for women who exposit the Scriptures. In Empowered and Equipped<\/em>, Julia Higgins steers women through the steps needed to faithfully interpret, apply, and teach a passage of Scripture. By examining both the principles and practices of teaching of Bible exposition, Higgins seeks to prepare women in the local church to make and mold disciples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n B&H Academic. 224 pp. <\/p>\n\n\n\n First we must ask, Is a book that encourages and equips women to teach Scripture necessary or even appropriate? There\u2019s much discussion today about whether the Bible permits women to teach at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In an effort to submit to Scripture\u2019s teaching, many have unfortunately moved beyond what God\u2019s Word prescribes to impose unbiblical restrictions on women. To argue that women shouldn\u2019t teach Scripture in any formal setting misunderstands God\u2019s design for discipleship. Higgins argues that all followers of Christ, including women, are included in the Great Commission and its call to teach other disciples everything Christ commanded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Furthermore, as Higgins explains, \u201cSome may conflate the spiritual gift of teaching with the office of pastor\/elder and draw a false conclusion that only men are to exercise the gift of teaching. While qualified men are responsible to teach and oversee the local church, that does not negate the fact that both men and women are given the spiritual gift of teaching.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n All followers of Christ, including women, are included in the Great Commission and its call to teach other disciples everything Christ commanded.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Spiritual gifts, including the gift of teaching, are given for the common good (1 Cor. 12:7<\/a>) and for building up the church (1 Cor. 14:12<\/a>). It follows that women are not only permitted to teach in appropriate settings but are needed for the growth and maturity of the body of Christ. This pattern is exemplified in the women in Scripture who are called to teach and commended for their teaching ministries, many of which Higgins references.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In light of the biblical call for women to teach, Higgins writes,<\/p>\n\n\n\n The end of the matter is this: women should be given a context where they can teach the Word in the local church. Why? Because Christ\u2019s church will grow and others will be discipled in the faith.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Her book, therefore, provides \u201ca pathway for women to exercise teaching gifts in the local church,\u201d and specifically focuses on training women to teach women.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Higgins provides an accessible yet substantial foundation for teaching Scripture. She incorporates principles and strategies from some of the most highly respected Bible teachers of our day, giving readers a well-rounded introduction to teaching Scripture without information overload.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Higgins has a high view of God\u2019s Word and a Christ-centered approach that highlights the overarching storyline of the Bible. Readers will gain essential tools for expository teaching, learning to base the central teaching focus, supporting points, and application on the main point and structure of the text itself. Higgins even encourages this kind of verse-by-verse teaching for topical messages, so that the teacher is always communicating the text\u2019s intended purpose rather than taking passages out of context as proof texts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Empowered and Equipped<\/em> walks teachers through the process of creating a Bible exposition, from understanding the nature of Scripture all the way to writing an expositional outline. Higgins covers a wide range of content from theoretical to practical, including information on biblical genres, basic doctrinal issues, and hermeneutics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n She spends a large portion of the book giving instruction on studying the Bible inductively, including specific strategies for observation, interpretation, generalization, and application and for how that study translates into instruction. The scope of the book makes it suitable for beginners\u2014although they may want to work through it more slowly\u2014as well as for those who have been studying and teaching Scripture for some time but are looking for a process to follow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While Empowered and Equipped<\/em> covers an impressive amount of ground in a surprisingly manageable page count, readers may leave with unanswered questions. For example, the book includes almost no discussion of incorporating meaningful illustrations or transitions. On other topics, such as the discussion of genre or the overview of theological doctrines, Higgins gives only brief introductions. Anything more, however, would make the book overwhelmingly dense, and readers can continue to explore these topics in more depth as they see fit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The church needs gifted women who not only speak on a short list of \u201cfemale-friendly\u201d topics stereotypical of women\u2019s conferences or retreats but who teach the whole counsel of God for the good of the body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The church needs gifted women who not only speak on a short list of \u2018female-friendly\u2019 topics but who teach the whole counsel of God for the good of the body.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Higgins appeals, \u201cThis call for women to be teachers of the Word arises from a place of care and concern for over half of the body, so that the church might grow in love for God and his Word, passing it along to others, so that they too might go and make disciples of all nations to the end that Christ\u2019s commands are observed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n As this book makes its way into the hands of more and more women who treasure the Bible and long to see it elevated and proclaimed, I pray the church will be edified and God\u2019s glory made known. I pray the teachers it equips will grow in their love for Christ even as the women they teach develop new excitement for God\u2019s Word. I pray that instead of feeling insecure and unprepared, women will be empowered and equipped to teach the Scriptures.<\/p>\n","_et_gb_content_width":"","_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"[]"},"categories":[10],"tags":[36],"class_list":["post-1670","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-parenting","tag-parenting-students","et-has-post-format-content","et_post_format-et-post-format-standard"],"yoast_head":"\nPray For and With Your Student(s)<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Point Out and Encourage Character and Personality Traits Over Physical Traits<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Find Ways to Serve Together <\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Prioritize Being in Godly Community<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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<\/figure>\n\n\n\nEmpowered and Equipped: Biblical Exposition for Women Who Teach the Scriptures <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Should Women Teach the Bible?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Helpful Foundation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Empowered and Equipped to Teach God\u2019s Word<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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