Sharing the goodness of God with the next generation

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If you’re here, you’re probably a parent, carer, grandparent or children’s worker who just wants to do your best for the kids in your care.

That’s Amazing! God really, really loves children and so do we. So let us support you. Each month we feature a parent, an expert or an author who has something to help you disciple your children and lead them to Jesus.

God Questions, God's Character Joanne Gilchrist God Questions, God's Character Joanne Gilchrist

What does God look like?

by Joanne Gilchrist, writer and founder of Ruach Resources

The other night, I’m helping my 5 year old to brush her teeth and she asks ‘Does God have teeth, Mum?’

“What do you think, sweetheart?” I reply, intrigued.

“I think He does.” She says, matter-of-factly. Then she spits, rinses and goes off to her bedroom.

But since no one has actually ever seen God (it says so in the Bible, John 1:18) how would you answer that question?

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Screen Time, Parenting tips Joanne Gilchrist Screen Time, Parenting tips Joanne Gilchrist

Summer of fun, faith or rest?

by Joanne Gilchrist

Is summer a time to shut the world out or go on new adventures? Or do you simply need permission to rest?

As an extrovert with two introverted children, I find the summer holidays a very strange period of time.

People hibernate in the summer - did you know? I used to think the school holidays was a good time to catch up on friendships and playdates but the opposite was true. So instead, when my kids were very young, we filled our summer with activities. Those were the days! It’s changed in the last few years, especially with the stress of my teenagers’ exams. Now, I’ve come to embrace the holidays as a time to change pace and slow down.

Whether filling summer with activity or slowing down, both are opportunities to focus on faith; both my own faith and that of my children.

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Joanne Gilchrist Joanne Gilchrist

Interview with the maker of The Serpent and the Seed mobile game

Interview with Andy Geers & Joanne Gilchrist.

Andy Geers is the founder of charity Discipleship Tech and the maker of a new mobile game “The Serpent and the Seed”. Joanne reviews this new app with highlights from playing it with her 7 year old and asks Andy how the idea for the game came about.

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Parenting tips Joanne Gilchrist Parenting tips Joanne Gilchrist

The world is a noisy place: How do we help our kids hear God’s voice the loudest?

by Lucy Rycroft, the Hope Filled Family

I’m not fussed whether my children can tell you which biblical women married into royalty. But I am fussed whether my children can discern God’s voice in this noisy world, where anyone can have a platform and anyone can try to persuade my children to believe their particular philosophy.

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Communicating God's Character Angela Jelf Communicating God's Character Angela Jelf

Jesus Saves: Teaching the Gospel to Children

Let’s not assume that children understand deep theological terms – but let’s look for creative ways to explain them.  Here are some (less than perfect) ideas:

·      Redemption – buying something back, paying a ransom

·      Gospel – Good News

·      Justice – Getting what we deserve

·      Mercy – Not getting what we deserve

·      Grace – Getting what we don’t deserve

·      Righteous – Made right with God

·      Atonement – Jesus is punished in our place

·      Justified – Just as if I never sinned

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Dinner, a Sinner, and a Saviour

by Angela Jelf, writer, poet, mum of 2

There are two stories in the New Testament which I think capture the dynamic power of forgiveness so clearly. Interestingly, both of these stories share the same three elements:  Dinner, a sinner, and a Saviour.

Story number one takes place when a Pharisee named Simon invites Jesus round for a meal. … As they are reclining at the table, things take an interesting turn.

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Parenting tips Joanne Gilchrist Parenting tips Joanne Gilchrist

Fiction for Kids and Teens: Why Bother?

by Janet Wilson, Dernier Publishing

As Christian parents, none of us ever think that our children are going to leave the church. It’s unimaginable!

But the reality is, around half of all children who are brought up in church, walk away from the faith of their parents. That hurts, doesn’t it?

Most people nod and smile politely when they ask me what I do, and I tell them I’m a publisher of Christian fiction for young people, but when I applied for a visa to visit a certain country in SE Asia a few years ago, I had a totally different reaction.

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Why Did God Make Me?

by Joanne Gilchrist, author of God for Kids app and books

I think the line from the Westminster Shorter Catechism “Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever” is inspired. It is an excellent answer to the overarching purpose of the human race. But that’s not enough. In those moments of personal crisis when we question our purpose, direction and even existence, we need a deeply personal answer from our deeply personal God. 

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Joanne Gilchrist Joanne Gilchrist

How Does the Holy Spirit Change Us?

by Jenny Sanders, Children's Author

Have you ever seen a caterpillar turn into a butterfly? Nature is amazing! A butterfly looks completely different from a caterpillar. It seems like a brand new creature; that’s because it goes through a massive change. The caterpillar hides inside a chrysalis for two to four weeks before it breaks out and emerges, totally transformed.

The butterfly becomes strong by pushing its way out of that chrysalis. If you try to help it by taking the outer covering off, it may never be able to fly because it won’t have grown strong enough. That struggle is what makes it the beautiful creature it is.

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