LLMJ

AN

20

12

2 6 14Feature Bishops Discipleship

M y 3-year-old son sounds like the world’s most

missional toddler as he frequently says “we’ve

got a mission” and “mission completion.”

I’d like to think this means he’s growing up in a missional

family, which writer Bo Prosser describes as “a family

system that is less about consumerism and more about

servanthood.”

The source of my son’s declarations, however, is his

favorite cartoon, “Little Einsteins.” Although the show’s

phrases are a daily part of my life now, I had never heard

of this animated series until a few years ago — just as I had

never heard the word “missional” for most of my life. Now I

see the word daily in Christian media.

But what does “missional” mean? It’s not in my dictionary,

but the Missional Manifesto (missionalmanifesto.net) explains,

“God is a sending God, a missionary God, who has called His

people, the church, to be missionary agents of His love and

glory. The concept missional epitomizes this idea.”

Free Methodists belong to a church with a mission state-

ment that includes the call “to make known to all people

everywhere God’s call to wholeness

through forgiveness and holiness in

Jesus Christ.”

That’s a good mission statement

for our families too, but it is meaning-

less unless we act on it. Join LLM in

exploring how to make your family

missional. [LLM]

Lead Writer Jeff FinleyLead Designer Erin EckbergWriter/Photographer Michael MettsCopy Editor Dawn McIlvain StahlArt Director Andrea Anibal Project Manager Julie InnesWeb Director/Rich Media Peter ShackelfordPublisher Jason Archer

Spanish TranslationEzequiel Alvarez Joel Guzman Janeth Bustamante Carmen HoseaJoe Castillo Karen KabandamaJennifer Flores Samuel LopezGuillermo Flores, Lead Rodrigo Lozano, Coordinator

LLM: Light & Life Magazine (ISSN 0024-3299) was established in 1868 by the Free Methodist Church. Pub-lished monthly by Light & Life Communications. © 2011 Free Methodist Church - USA, 770 N. High School Road, Indianapolis, IN 46214. Views expressed in articles do not necessarily represent the official position of the Free Methodist Church. All rights reserved. Except for brief quotations, no portion of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without written permission of the publisher. All Scripture quotations are from the New International Version unless otherwise indicated.

Whole No. 5235, Vol. 145, No. 1Printed in U.S.A.Member: Evangelical Press Association,Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability

Periodicals postage paid at Indianapolis, IN, and additional mailing offices.

Postmaster, send address changes to:Light & Life Magazine, 770 N. High School Rd., Indianapolis, IN 46214

1 [openers]

i What’s this? This symbol means there’s more info at llcomm.org.

LLML I G H T & L I F E M A G A Z I N E

“In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.” — John 1:4

D e v e l o p i n g E a r n e s t C h r i s t i a n s S i n c e 1 8 6 8

Website: www.llcomm.orgEmail us: www.llcomm.org/staffNews and submissions: jeff.finley@fmcusa.orgAdvertising: jason.archer@fmcusa.org

Address all correspondence to:Light & Life Magazine, 770 N. High School Rd.,Indianapolis, IN 46214 (317) 244-3660

We’ve Got a Mission

To receive Light & Life in Spanish please contact our office: (800) 342-5531 or jeff.finley@fmcusa.org.

EXTRA! EXTRA!

Read more about missional families at llcomm.org

1] Do you use QR codes?

Scan this box with your smartphone to

read more articles on this issue’s theme.

2] Gathering at the Family Altar

Bishop Emeritus Donald N. Bastian gives

tips for family devotions.

3] Child Kingdom

Roger Edwards explores the challenging

adventure of parenting.

Jeff FinleyLead Writer

i

b y J I M b U R N S

As kids move from child-

hood to adulthood, part

of the process includes a

focus on self. This focus

makes sense from a

development standpoint, as kids

begin to become aware of them-

selves as individuals and

experience new social and cul-

tural dynamics. uuu

Jeff FinleyLead Writer

Generally, kids don’t want to stick

out in a crowd, so they begin to focus

on their looks and behaviors in order

to fit in. Experts in adolescent develop-

ment often refer to this phenomenon

as “the imaginary audience,” which

happens when adolescents believe

that everyone else is watching them.

Let me assure you, this self-focus

is normal — and is not necessarily

wrong. Self-focus certainly becomes

wrong when our kids demonstrate

selfish behaviors.

All adolescents eventually come to

a fork in the road regarding this self-

focus. Many move beyond obsessing

with self to a balanced sense of self

that places a high priority on others.

Some, however, never make this tran-

sition and become selfish adults. So,

while childlike focus on self is normal,

parents have to be on the lookout for

selfishness that threatens to become

ingrained in the lives of kids. The

best approach, I believe, is proactive

parenting: setting the example for

kids, proactively engaging them in

faith-building opportunities, which help

them to move from selfish to selfless.

The most effective way to help

your children grow in faith is by joining

them in the journey and making faith

an adventure. I love how C. S. Lewis

expressed it in “The Lion, the Witch

and the Wardrobe.” Young Lucy asks

the Beavers if the godlike figure,

Aslan, is safe.

“Safe?” said Mr. Beaver. “Who said

anything about safe? ’Course he isn’t

safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I

tell you.”

Too many kids grow up viewing

their faith as dry, boring and irrel-

evant to their lives. We have to help

them see that the life adventure

of faith is not necessarily the easy

road, but it’s the right one. Help your

children understand that faith is an

adventure. We can build beautiful

memories and experiences that fit

with what Jim Rayburn, the founder

of Young Life, was fond of saying: “It’s

a sin to bore a kid with the gospel.”

When my two youngest daughters

became teenagers, I took them to

Mexico to do mission work. We worked

hard building a church. The dirt, sweat

and calluses on our hands were not

what they or I were used to. I kept won-

dering whether the experience was

having any impact on their lives.

Some years later, my wife, Cathy,

and I flew to Ecuador, where one of

those daughters was living as part of

an eight-month mission experience.

During our visit, we talked with our

daughter about why she had decided

to serve in a developing country. The

first thing she mentioned was our

time together serving in Mexico.

Every family can find ways to

serve. I am always amazed how

kids come through when they are

physically and spiritually chal-

lenged to move beyond

their comfort zones and

make a difference in

the lives of others. Even

the most self-centered teen ager is

inclined to move beyond self and

perhaps be changed for life as his

3 [feature]

I am always amazed how kids come through when

they are physically and spiritually challenged to move

beyond their comfort zones and make a difference in the

lives of others.

or her heart breaks with what breaks

the heart of God.

Here are ideas on how you can

achieve the goal of growing a heart

for mission and service in your kids:

1. Demonstrate faith that works.When it comes to the Christian

faith, the call to Christ is the

call to serve. Sure, we need to know

about the truths of our faith, but we

also are called to live it. Part of living

out our faith includes serving others.

Unfortunately, one of the ways we

unintentionally teach our kids to be

selfish is when we don’t get involved

in serving others.

One of the great religious and

political figures of our world was

Mohandas Gandhi. When Gandhi

practiced law in South Africa, he

attended church. Gandhi was im-

pressed with Jesus, and he thought

the Sermon on the Mount was the

greatest piece of literature ever put

to paper, but he wasn’t impressed

with Christians. In his judgment, the

Christian faith didn’t lend itself to

much preaching or talking. Instead,

Gandhi thought, Christianity was best

propagated by living and applying it.

2. Teach that service is simple.Communicate to your kids that

one doesn’t have to give a lot

of money in order to be a selfless

person — and to have an impact in

God’s kingdom. God wants each of us

to serve Him where we are and with

what we have.

Remember Christ’s words in

Matthew 25:37–40, “Then the

righteous will answer him, ‘Lord,

when did we see you hungry and feed

you, or thirsty and give you something

to drink? When did we see you a

stranger and invite you in, or needing

clothes and clothe you? When did

we see you sick or in prison and go

to visit you?’ The King will reply, ‘Truly

I tell you, whatever you did for one

of the least of these brothers and

sisters of mine, you did for me.’”

When talking about being selfless,

Jesus mentions the basic necessities

of life: food, clothing and health. He

wasn’t talking about bigger-than-life

responsibilities, but simple things

that mean all of the difference in the

world. Again, showing your kids how

to serve in simple ways is a great

way to develop their sense of what it

means to be selfless.

[feature] 4

3. Help kids learn that real giving means “no strings attached.”

Many people give to oth-

ers with the expectation of getting

something back. This kind of giving

is self-focused. Selflessness, on the

other hand, is based on “no strings

attached.”

What are you teaching kids

through how you donate your time

and resources? Of course, it’s fine

to have special interests in giving.

Everyone has causes that they care

more deeply about than others. The

real question is: Does your giving

demonstrate that you primarily give

when you get something back? If so,

it’s time to re-evaluate how you give.

Will our kids grow up to be selfish

or selfless adults? Like most areas

of life, parents have a direct influence

on the outcome through our own

examples. Make sure you are living

out the message you want your kids

to learn.

If you get a handle on these three

areas, you’ll

be proactively

influencing

your children

to grow into

the missional,

selfless adults

Christ calls

them to be.

[LLM]

5 [feature]

www.fmfoundation.org

i Jim Burns is the president of Azusa Pacific University’s HomeWord Center for Youth and Family. His radio ministry, “Home-Word,” has more than 1 million listeners each weekday.

Families that live “on mission” know what they’re about. Families that live “on

purpose” don’t slip into casual, unexamined living. A big-enough

purpose gives enough substance to hold them in orbit.

A family that engages in missional living safely steers between the twin

dangers of selfish consumerism and artificial holiness.

But families, including the ones who love Jesus, are overwhelmed with

stuff they should be doing while barely keeping up with what they have to do:

work, exercise, church, classes, games, practices, rehearsals, laundry, “me”

time, eating and sleeping.

Here’s a quick way to get your family living on purpose: Drive with your

windows down.

Turn off the radio or the kids’ DVD player. Roll down the windows. Drive

around your neighborhood.

You’re not alone. There are neighbors out there: neighbors with slumped

shoulders; neighbors who slowly drive by houses they used to live in, drink-

ing in memories of families they used to be a part of; neighbors new to the

neighborhood; neighbors who don’t speak English; neighbors who don’t

know the biggest story of all.

After a day or two driving around like this, take a wrong turn. Go where

you don’t usually drive. Go somewhere you don’t belong, with the windows down.

Riding with the windows down forces us into relationship, or at least acknowledgment

that there is life beyond ourselves. As you drive, talk about what you see. Lead your family

toward living on purpose. It gets us out of drive-by denial.

You’ll know what to do after you’ve driven with the windows down.

I know someone who always gives money to the street-corner

panhandlers — my money. That’s the sin of it: not that she gives away

my money, but that I think it’s my money. She’s on purpose, with the

windows down.

Our neighborhood isn’t your neighborhood. You’ll know what to do

where you are. May you have the courage to do it. [LLM]

Families that live

“on misson” know

what they’re about.

Families that live

“on purpose” don’t

slip into casual,

unexamined living.

Purpose-Driven Windows

[bishops] 6

i Bishop David Roller

Online ExtraHoward A. Snyder helps you expand your circles of interest.

W hen she was about 10 years old, my oldest daughter, Rebekah, was

on a Saturday bus run. (We converted an old school bus into a mobile

clothing and food center).

Jesus sent out His followers (Luke 10:1), and as followers of Jesus, we went out

and spent a few hours each week serving in local apartment buildings. Rebekah had

to go to the bathroom, so I sent her to a common one. She came

running back, saying she didn’t have to go after all — because of a

huge drowned rat in the toilet! That moment helped her realize the

authentic Christian life is about following Jesus regardless of the cost

(Matthew 19:29).

My wife, Janie, and I took our children with us to serve the poor

and the lost as we planted churches. The whole family participated,

even when the children wanted to stay home and watch Saturday

morning cartoons.

Skeptical people can be cool to the offer of mercy from an adult,

but they react differently when children make the offer. It’s difficult

not to be touched by the look of a child who hands out a bottle of

water or a bag of groceries.

All three of my children had to find their own way to Jesus. They

are all in their adult years now — and all strong in the Lord. The

common theme they say made a lasting mark on their souls was the

outreach they consistently did over the years. It brought spiritual real-

ity to them (Proverbs 22:6).

Reach out this week. It’s not difficult. Grab a bag of groceries and

go to people in need. Smile big. Knock on a door and ask, “Know any-

one who could use this?” Some of them will give you a hug as you and

your kids give them a bag and a 10-second prayer. You’ll be changed

forever (Luke 14:12–14). [LLM]

SCRIPTURE:

Luke 10:1

Matthew 19:29

Proverbs 22:6

Luke 14:12–14

A Family Conspiracy

7 [foundation]

b Y S T E V E S J O G R E N

The idea of a truly missional family is difficult to wrap one’s

mind around.

Only when we put Christ at the center of our lives can

we hope to accomplish the worldly work to which He calls us.

Parents can encourage their children, expose them to the teach-

ings of Jesus and lead lives of excellent Christian witness, but they

cannot guarantee that their children will accept seats at the table of

Christ.

Nowhere is this uncertainty better reflected than in the material

housed in religious collections. Just as some journals and letters

detail uplifting and inspiring stories of third- and fourth-generation

Christians, others document the sad yet familiar tale of children

embittered by the sacrifices made by their Christian parents. Some

children never embrace the faith of their parents.

In “Populist Saints: B. T. and Ellen Roberts and the First Free Methodists,” How-

ard Snyder writes of George Roberts, one of B.T. and Ellen’s four sons, “It appears

that in his later years George became an Episcopalian; whether he ever came to

a vital Christian faith is uncertain.” In a letter to his wife, George once wrote: “I am

afraid that I shall never become a Christian.”

Different interpretations of the Scripture add to the complexities. How do two-

career parents decide under which yoke to hitch their individual ministries? Once I

heard a congregant take a pastor’s wife to task for not being more of a “helpmeet”

to her husband. The young mother of two, also a medical doctor, responded that, like

her husband, she would have to answer to Jesus for what she had made of her life.

The missional family demands an exquisite balance, one seemingly beyond my

reach. I find my solace in St. Augustine’s “ever-receding shores” or Moses’ glimpse

into the Promised Land. Having a missional family may seem impossible to reach,

but the goal is worth the struggle. [LLM]

Missional Mindset Isn’t Easy

[history] 8

B y K A T E M C G I N N

Having a

missional family

may seem

impossible to

reach, but the

goal is worth the

struggle.

“Going to a picnic.” James and Alice Taylor (missionaries to China) with their children and helpers.

b y j e f f f i n l e y

Phot

o by

Bek

y Sm

ith

Asia is a long way from the

Mcfarlanes’ southern illinois

home, but the distant conti-

nent is close to their hearts.

Scott and Karen Mcfarlane and

their three children — brennan, 11;

Drew, 8; and lily, 6 — sponsor multiple

Asian children through Christian relief

agencies, including the free Methodist

Church’s international Child Care

Ministries (iCCM). uuu

But child sponsorship is just one of

the family’s many links to Asia. Lily lived

in India until last year when she joined

the McFarlane family after a rigorous,

two-and-a-half-year adoption process.

“One of the criticisms of interna-

tional adoption is that Americans are

rich, and they’re taking the kids away

from the poor people,” Karen said. “We

say, no, we want to support as many

families staying together as we can.”

But when a family can’t care for a

child, Karen said, adoption is needed.

Much of Scott’s life has alternated

between two Free Methodist college

towns — Spring Arbor, Mich., and his

present community of Greenville, Ill. He

has also lived in urban areas, including

two years working in Hong Kong and

worshipping at its First Filipino FMC.

“I saw a lot of needs around the

world that I wasn’t exposed to as a

middle-class American growing up

in Spring Arbor,” Scott said. “I had a

reverse culture shock when I came

back. I was angry at all the wealth I

saw here.”

Scott became a vocal critic of the

business world. While he was work-

ing as a resident director at Spring

Arbor University, Scott’s anti-business

stance troubled his mentor, Chuck

White, a professor of Christian

thought and history.

“[White] pointed his finger at me

one day and told me I was ignorant

of economics and before I continued

spouting about economic issues, I

needed to educate myself,” said Scott,

who enrolled in business courses and

eventually earned an MBA.

Scott started Compass Global, a

consulting firm that links companies

in Asia, Europe and North America to

meet technology needs.

“I strongly advocate for companies

overseas that are doing missional

work through their engines of busi-

ness,” Scott said.

Karen grew up in Grand Rapids,

Mich., and majored in early childhood

education at Spring Arbor. During a

spring break in an Anabaptist commu-

nity similar to the Amish, she became

fascinated with the idea of living simply

in community.

Scott and Karen were drawn to

each other’s countercultural ideals

when they began dating, but their

views later shifted to working within

culture to improve it.

“We were so idealistic,” Karen said.

“With kids, we’re forced to be practical.”

While Scott travels on business,

Karen is the lone manager of a house-

hold of three children — not an easy

task for someone with two decades

of chronic fatigue syndrome. When

times have been tough, the couple

said, God has strengthened them

through the support of friends, family

and professional counseling.

“Anybody who’s trying to live a mis-

sional life in our culture will struggle.

It’s a messy way to live,” Karen said.

“But we wouldn’t trade our messy,

missional life for anything, because

we are where we feel God wants us

to be, and He has made our lives rich

and full of blessings along with the

challenges.” [LLM]

[action] 10Ph

oto

by B

eky

Smith

Anybody who’s

trying to live a

missional life in our

culture will

struggle. It’s a

messy way to live.

But we wouldn’t

trade our messy,

missional life for

anything.

11 [news]

Free Methodist bishops gath-

ered simultaneously with

hundreds of people across

the United States during the Virtual

Town Hall.

“What wonderful capabilities we

have with the World Wide Web and

with [Light & Life Communications],

and we just want to encourage you to

take full advantage of all of these tools

and technologies, so that we can be

better connected as we look to the

future,” Bishop David Kendall told the

online participants Oct. 9.

The broadcast was accessed at

more than 260 sites — including

church gatherings with multiple partici-

pants. A live chat window allowed online

participants to join the discussion.

Bishop David

Roller shared the

desire to have each

believer fully engaged

in ministry. “The idea

is really invigorating

— this idea that there

is not a particular

cast or cut of a fol-

lower of Jesus who is

uniquely qualified to

minister, but that

every disciple is a

disciple maker,”

Roller said.

Bishop Matt

Thomas focused

on growth. “A natu-

ral outcropping

of Spirit-filled life

— of Jesus in the

middle of things —

is that we grow,”

Thomas said.

“There’s a contagion that sets in with

people that are growing spiritually.”

The bishops took questions from

the online audience about a wide

variety of topics, including Kenji Nitta’s

inquiry about how the Free Method-

ist world conference operates. Nitta,

of New Heights Christian Fellowship

in Boise, Idaho, thought the bishops’

response was helpful and appreciated

“learning that the world conference

is more about collaboration between

key leaders and that general confer-

ences are a bit more autonomous.”

Hendrik Smidderks, senior pastor

of Northwest FMC in Wichita, Kan.,

was happy with the bishops’ response

to his question about the role of a

pastor.

“I believe the bishops were re-

affirming the spiritual role of pastoral

leadership,” Smidderks said. “Great

leadership and organization in the

church must flow out of spiritual jour-

ney and development.” [LLM]

If you want additional town hall meetings, tell Light & Life Communi-cations in the comments area at bit.ly/fmtownhall.

Free Methodists Meet in Town HallB y J E F F F I N L E y

Recorded segments are available for viewing on fmcusa.org at bit.ly/ fmtownhall.

[news] 12

A 180 CHURCHPort Saint Lucie, Fla.

In less than a year, A 180 Church went from a home gathering of 15 people to

a congregation of 55 and an additional 20 attending the Tuesday night youth

program. The church reports seven salvations and four baptisms. Its members in-

clude people from five nations. More information is available at a180church.com.

OAKDALE CHRISTIAN ACADEMYJackson, Ky.

33 A.D. — an Oakdale student music group — is raising money for

new touring equipment through the sale of its recorded music. The

project can be previewed and purchased at 33admusic.com as a

CD or a digital download. The seven-student band is available for

church ministry in Kentucky and surrounding states. Find 33 A.D. on

Facebook at facebook.com/33admusic.

CHRIST COMMUNITY CHURCHColumbus, Ga.

Heath and the Checker Shoe Band — a puppet ministry led by Heath Williamson,

an Alabama-Georgia Conference ministerial candidate and a Christ Community

member — is nearing completion of a CD featuring rocking versions of children’s

standards. The ministry broadcasts on three TV stations and two Internet stations.

Watch performances at heathandthecheckershoeband.com.

CUCAMONGA CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.

Donald D. Bowers, Cucamonga Christian Fellowship’s connections

pastor, is the FM Foundation’s new regional representative in Southern

California. He previously served his alma mater, Azusa Pacific University,

as director of development and director of church relations and alumni.

Don has been married to his wife, Rosa Lee, for more than 50 years.

The Rest of the Story

Want to find in-depth stories of remarkable Free Methodists? Visit fmcusa.org and llcomm.org.

We want to hear from you!

Tell us what your church is doing to impact lives in the United States and around the world. Submit your story at fmcusa.org/ yourstory.

i

13 [world]

Free Methodist World Missions suggests these

tools to aid children as they pray for the needs

around the world.

Countries

l Outline of a country — Make an outline of the country

on the floor using masking tape or string. Have children

stand inside the shape as they pray.

l Flags — Have children draw and color a flag from a spe-

cific country, and then pray for that nation.

l Globes or maps — Have children locate a specific coun-

try and put their hands on it as they pray.

l Inflatable globe — Have children toss the globe to one

another. Ask them to pray for the countries their hands

cover as they catch the globe.

l Jigsaw world map — Use a world jigsaw puzzle or

create your own from a map. Have each child choose

a piece, add it to the puzzle and pray for the country or

area it represents.

l Newspapers — Pray for world needs found in the headlines.

l Food — After sampling a meal or foods from one specific

country, pray for the needs of that area.

Missionaries

l Read newsletters to know how to pray specifically for

missionaries supported by your church or conference.

(Current newsletters can be found on mis-

sionary pages at fmwm.org.)

l Help each child make a photo prayer album

with one page for each day of the week. Use

missionary prayer cards or pictures on each

page, praying for them and the people of that

nation that day.

l Place missionary prayer cards in a bag. Have

the children draw one and pray for that mis-

sionary. [LLM]

Helping Children Pray

More resources and the Missions Alive! cur-riculum are available at bit.ly/ kidsresources.

In 1958, Time magazine reported on the fate of 100,000 paper clips.

According to a survey, only 20,000 paper clips were used as designed.

The others were used, but not as paper clips. Some were twisted or

broken; some were used as toothpicks or to clean fingernails or ears.

It seems a waste that 80 percent of paper clips are never used for their

intended purpose. It also seems to me that people are a lot like paper clips.

Far too many people do not fulfill the purpose for which they were created.

Just as its creator

designed the paper clip for

a specific purpose, God has

purposely created each of

us to fulfill His own design. In

Ephesians 2:10, we find the

heart of the issue: “For we

are God’s handiwork, created

in Christ Jesus to do good

works, which God prepared in

advance for us to do.”

Uniquely equipped by our Creator, we are designed for works of mission

and service.

We fulfill the purpose of our Creator when we live according to Jesus’

words, “Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for

my sake will find it” (Matthew 10:39). We pass along a legacy of faith to our

children when we teach them the principle that in losing one’s life for the

sake of Christ and His kingdom, they will find the best life that God desires

for them.

Families who live by design begin with parents who intentionally set the

pace. By introducing your children to opportunities for service (and in serv-

ing together), you will help them become all God intends. [LLM]

GROUP DISCUSSION:[1] How can living your life

by God’s design make a

difference in how you view

yourself?

[2] In what ways can

children see you setting an

example of living by God’s

design?

[3] What change(s) must

you make to live consis-

tently as God designed you

to live?

Living by Design

[discipleship] 14

B y J I M L I E B E L T

Far too many people do not

fulfill the purpose for which they were created.

Did you know there are three more discipleship articles on our website? They’re perfect for use in your small group or as a weekly supplement to individual study.

LLML I G H T & L I F E M A G A Z I N E

COMPASSIONATE KIDSIn “Growing Compassionate Kids,”

Jan Johnson offers practical tips for

parents: bit.ly/compassionatekids.

770 N. High School RoadIndianapolis, IN 46214

periodicals poStage paId at INdIaNapolIS, IN, aNd at addItIoNal maIlINg offIceS

publIcatIoNS agReemeNt No. 40716549

StatIoN a p.o. box 54 WINdSoR, oN N9a 6J5 caNada

e-maIl: cpcRetuRNS@WdSmaIl.com

1

2 4

3HOMEWORD CENTERAzusa Pacific University’s HomeWord

Center for Youth and Family shares

articles, devotions, parenting tips and

radio broadcasts: homeword.com.

1

2

Start the new year by learning about ways to develop a missional family.

MISSIONAL MOM In “The Missional Mom,” Helen Lee

encourages mothers to extend their

influence: bit.ly/missionalmom.

MYSTERY OF THE CHILD Christian historian Martin E. Marty

discusses “The Mystery of the Child” on

PBS: to.pbs.org/mysterychild.

3

4

[resources]