More Pics of the fam...

Caleb Judson

Life has changed drastically for our family over the past two days. Caleb Judson was born at 11 pm on 12.10.08, weighing in at 6 lbs 6 ozs and measuring 19 1/2". He has done great so far, and Lindsey is doing amazing as well. We are so blessed by the new addition to our family. I will be posting more over the next couple days about the great name we've given our son - a name is a great thing!

Great Family Pic

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Great new book for parents...

Apparent Privilege, by Steve Wright, has finally been released and is now available at www.inquest.org. Steve Wright has been in student ministry for quite some time now, and is on staff at Providence Baptist Church in Raleigh, NC - a great church! Some of you may know Steve as the pioneer of the John Newton Challenge.
For those of you who are parents of children of all ages, this is an invaluable read. The insight Wright shares will encourage you and inspire you to reach new levels of raising your children in the Lord. Here's a quick thesis from the work:
"This book will show parents why the Bible says they are primary. I write this book for you - parents - to encourage you, to inspire you, to equip you, and to resource you." (pg.14)
If you are looking for a great read during the Christmas season, or are checking into resources to help you parent your child, you must have this book. I was greatly encouraged by what Wright offered. Here are a couple of quotes that I loved from the book:
"Biblical parenting is more than keeping our kids from having sex, using drugs, or going to jail. it is about fostering an awe of God in our children. It is about showing our children their need for a Savior and introducing them to Jesus who alone can rescue their lives from sin and give life that lasts forever." (62)
"What if our ministries had no lights, no shows, no gimmicks, no Christian celebrities, no budget, but had prayerful and humble leaders? What if prayer was primary, Scripture was central, and sharing on'es faith was the norm? What if moms and dads were teaching the Word at home, living daily as attractive models to follow? What if these parents understood that, biblically, it's not the job of a professional pastor to disciple their children for them?" (115-116)
I hope that you'll go to www.inquest.org and order this great book. You will undoubtedly be challenged as you are reminded of your God-given role as a parent. I know that I personally benefited great from Wright's offering.

Thankful for thankful children...

For thanksgiving, the Broome family sat down for a time of sharing. Lindsey, Joshua, Anna Bell and I read through I Thess. 5:16-18 together, sang some songs, and then shared what we were thankful for. These are the lists from the kiddos (in no particular order):
Joshua was thankful for:
- toys
- the color yellow
- the guitar
- Anna Bell
- Joshua (himself - he's a big fan of his)
- Daddy & Mommy
- the whole family
- Thomas and Friends

Anna Bell was thankful for:
- Sarah Hawkins (her friend from church)
- Cortney Jones (a friend of ours)
- bear (her favorite bear that smells like drool because she constantly chews his nose)
- Mommy & Daddy
- Joshua
- Baby Brother

Kids say the craziest things! I was so glad to sit down with them and discuss our thankfulness to God for all He has done in our little family. I am so thankful to have an amazing wife and two wonderful children. God truly has been gracious to me.

Evidence of the Fall...

I don't know about you, but my lawn is absolutely covered in fallen leaves. If you look closely, you may be able to see a blade of grass or two. Yesterday, I began blowing these leaves into a huge pile, and a thought occurred to me.

I wondered if leaves fell off trees before the fall. I would assume that before the fall, there was no sin, no death, no effects of fallenness. My conclusion, then, would be that leaves did not fall before the fall.

In fact, one of the consequences of sin was that Adam would labor on the earth. So yesterday as I raked, I thought about Adam, which led me to think about the Fall of man. Happy raking!

Surprised about the election?

Hello everyone -
Most people are weighing in today on the election - the presidential election, that is. I would like to remind you about the truth of the recent events.
While many of us were surprised, shocked, in horror and agony, there is One who was not so caught off guard. Imagine the scene in Heaven...as the news coverage revealed that Obama has been declared President...God saying to the angels, "Man, I never saw that coming!" Of course, this is not how things went down.
Today, I cling to hope that I serve a God who never sleeps or turns away. I serve a God who is intimately all-knowing and who wasn't caught off guard in the slightest. My friends (sorry for the McCain reference), we need only to look to Scripture for our guidance.
Can you remember when the Hebrews became slaves in Egypt? Why did that happen? Because there came a new king in Egypt who did not know about Joseph and what he had done (read Exodus 1). He enslaved the people of God. BUT - what did God do? He was behind the scenes orchestrating the Exodus - the freeing of His people and their deliverance from slavery. This was a foreshadowing of the great deliverance that was to come in the Messiah. Now, talk about God being in control!
Can you just imagine the reaction of the Hebrews when the news came that a new king arrived who didn't remember Joseph? Man, they must have been in terror.
Now, I am certainly not comparing Obama to Pharoah. Please do not misinterpret me here. What I am saying is that God is in control of our world. Look at Hebrews 1 - "He upholds the world...".
So today, my brothers and sisters, God is at work. He is in control. I slept well last night because I know that God is sovereign and that He will receive the glory in the midst of this development.

Weekend Getaway...

Lindsey and I were able to get away this past weekend. We went to Amelia Island, FL. It is as nice as it sounds!
We snuck away on Friday and got back to Macon on Sunday afternoon. Lindsey's Mom flew in from Nellyville (St. Louis) to take care of the kiddos. Lindsey and I spent the majority of the time relaxing. We went for a couple of walks on the beach, watched a movie, ate out, ate in, ate fudge...well, we did eat a lot. We read I Kings together and sat out on the balcony. We talked about our marriage and planned for the future.
Overall, it was a great weekend. I must say that I love my wife! Lindsey is an amazing woman of the Lord who encourages me and challenges me deeply. I am so blessed to have her as my wife and the mother of my children. I am so thankful for her, and I only pray that I can be as great to her as she is to me. I'm glad that God saw that it was good for man not to be alone! Thanks, God, for the helper and friend!

EPIC...

My buddy Josh Via recommended reading Epic, by John Eldredge. This was my first book from Eldredge. In just over 100 pages, the author paints the story of redemption. Here's one of the many great quotes from this book:

"The dilemma of the Story is this: we don't know if we want to be rescued. We are so enamored with our small stories and our false gods, we are so bound up in our addictions and our self-centeredness and take-it-for-granted unbelief that we don't even know how to cry out for help. And the Evil One has no intention of letting his captives walk away scot-free. He seduces us, deceives us, assaults us - whatever it takes to keep us in darkness." (62-63)

Throughout the work, Eldredge compares the story of redemption to the plots of epic movies - Braveheart, Gladiator, Lord of the Rings, etc. Being a huge fan of movies, I really enjoyed this read. I would encourage you to read this book. I did feel, however, that the end seems to be lacking. It almost seems as if there was an impending deadline for the piece and it was quickly finished. All in all, it was an interesting read.

Understanding Your Teenager?

On Sunday night, we held a parenting seminar called "Understanding Your Teenager." This was a conference for parents of teens and preteens, and the speaker was Wayne Rice. It was an incredible seminar for everyone involved.

Wayne gave our parents great instruction on how to not only understand, but how to lead students in the home. We saw over 150 parents attend this evening, which just shows once again that parents are looking for ideas and encouragement in leading their families.

For me, it was a great day to hang out with Wayne Rice. Of all the books written on Junior High ministry, Wayne's is still the best. It was great to spend time with Mr. Rice during the day on Sunday. I was struck by a few things about him:

1. He was humble. You'd never know from speaking with him that he'd written tons of books, co-founded Youth Specialties, taught lots of seminars, etc.

2. He cared about us. He wasn't just another speaker that performs and then prances to the dressing room - away from people and ministry opportunities. He stayed after the seminar to answer each parent's questions.

3. He spoke highly of his pastor. He attends David Jeremiah's church in California. He spoke very highly of Jeremiah.

Overall, it was a great day in the lives of our ministry.

Broome Family Update...

Hello everyone. It seems that it is getting increasingly difficult to post on the blog. Please bear with me, I am a work in progress (usually). My family is continuing the John Newton Challenge this week (see previous blogs), and I must admit that it is a difficult calling to lead the family. On Monday, we sat down to breakfast and I read Matthew 5:33-48. As I read this passage, I wondered how Jesus was feeling as He spoke to the multitude. Surely there were 3 year olds and 2 year olds running about. I wonder if they stopped whatever they were doing to listen to His words. As you might imagine, that didn't happen in the Broome house.
Life with little ones is challenging. I long for the day in which we can have a deep, thoughtful discussion of such pericopes. I can't wait for the difficult questions and life applications that we can sort through together. Still, I do understand that we are laying a foundation for our children.
For example, this week we are teaching Joshua Romans 3:23 - "For all have sinned and fall short of God's glory." As we reviewed this verse, I couldn't help but think that someday my children would come to grips with this verse and realize their utter need for a Savior.
I have several friends who read the Bible with their children every day. To those friends - you are my heroes and I long to join you in your commitment. We definitely spend each night praying over our little ones - Joshua really likes to kneel and use his "praying hands" for these times. These are great times with the kiddos - but we know that God has an even greater calling for us - to impart His words to our children.
Here's a thought that helps drive us:
"Imagine your children reading the Bible each day because they've never known anything else. Imagine your grandchildren having time with God because your children have taught them." - Steve Wright
As I think about this, I can't help but be excited about the legacy we get to leave behind.

So Long...

Hi everyone -
I'm so sorry that I haven't blogged in a while. Let me give you the latest update on the Broome bunch. On Saturday afternoon, Lindsey sprained her ankle while painting the baby's nursery. She is on crutches and the ankle looks bad. I think what we've learned is that taking care of 2 little ones is much harder when you can't walk. Who knew?
The family is doing well here in Macon. Joshua and Anna Bell are growing up and have a good relationship. I can tell that Lindsey is doing an amazing job with the children. It has been such a blessing to have her stay at home. Granted, we would love to have an extra salary. Still, the exchange isn't worth the price to us. Life is good.
I am currently reading The Best Question Ever, by Andy Stanley. It has been great so far and is full of Godly wisdom about making decisions. Stanley argues that life would be much less regretable if we would only take the time to ask ourselves this great question (I don't want to give it away - check out the book). In truth, I feel that most of my terrible life decisions could have been avoided only if I would've listened to the Holy Spirit's prompting. The truth is that God knew that you and I would occasionally desire (ok, usually desire) to walk in darkness. We are sinful, you know, and our sinful desires are always at work against the guiding of the Spirit. I would ask you, my brother or sister, before committing that gross act of sin (or messing up as some might call it - although the Bible doesn't say that the wages of "messing up" is death - check Romans on this one), do you not willfully choose to do so? I know that there are sins of commission as these, and there are also sins of omission (not doing what you know you should have done).
Still, with sins of commission, you and I would do well to listen to the Holy Spirit. Each and every stinky sin-filled decision I've made since my salvation has been done knowing that God had a better choice for me. Sometimes the answer isn't to ask yourself the best question; it is to obey the Holy Spirit. God went through the effort to be with us and in us in this incredible part of the trinity - it seems that we should rely on His provision.
Having said that, this is still a good book and will be valuable for decisions in the future.
I hope that my next entry won't be so long awaited.

By the way, we are trying to decide on a name for Baby Broome. We want something biblical - not like Jethro or Judas - something with a more pleasant sound and background. Any suggestions?

John Newton Challenge Kick-off...

Many of you may not yet know about the John Newton Challenge issued by Steve Wright of Providence Baptist in Raleigh. Basically, this is a challenge for all parents to return to their Biblical roles as leaders and imparters of truth to their children. It is a call back to Deuteronomy 6.
We kicked off the year last night with a parent meeting in which we issued the J.N.Challenge. The response was amazing. We had 51 families sign up to lead their families using this 52 week Bible reading plan. In less than 24 hours of offering the Challenge, I have already heard great stories from several families. One family went home last night after our parent meeting and started reading Psalm 1 right away. Others began this morning and discussed Psalm 1 on the way to school.
There is an excitement in the Middle School ministry about this challenge. If you'd like to know more about it, or are a youth pastor who is kicking off the challenge soon, please call 478.477.7251 (Ingleside Baptist Church, Macon GA) and I'd love to help you out.

Faith Like a Child

Lindsey and I are truly blessed with our children. Let me give you a glimpse into the Broome house. Each day, there are challenges just as every family faces. In general the day begins with Joshua eating his dry cereal and dumping most of them on the floor or couch (things disappear in our plush leather couches - that have been in my family for about 15 years). There's also the typical brother/sister showdown. The showdown usually begins with Anna Bell antagonizing her brother and ends with his physical response (pushing) followed by her desperate cry in effort to get him into trouble. Throughout the day there are multiple opportunities to see the evidence of the Fall of Humanity in the lives of our dear little ones.
In the grace of God there are other times. As mention previously, Joshua loves to say his Bible verses and recites them several times each day. He's now memorized Ephesians 6:1 and John 14:6. Each night as I tuck him in bed, he asks to say his verses. After saying them, he always ask to learn a new verse. We are teaching him one per week.
There are times with Anna Bell that she gets to play the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives. For instance, while sitting down to a delicious meal prepared by Lindsey, things can be hectic. Making sure each child has milk, juice, water, ice, food, utensils, plates, trays, etc...can be interesting. We once finally sat down to eat and we'd bypassed a prayer over our meal. There we were, stuffing our faces with fine cuisine in similar fashion to the cookie monster chomping down his favorite snack. Then, when taking a breath from the gorging exercise, out of the corner of my eye sat little Anna Bell. She patiently sat there with her hands folded together, seemingly waiting for the most important part of the pre-meal custom that we'd forgotten about. As a family we stopped and prayed together and then Anna Bell finished the prayer with a hearty "Amen!" (I think that's what she said anyway - could've been "Oh my!").
So as we wait for the next child to come in December, we can only wonder what God will teach us through this new little life.
I have gotten interesting and diverse responses from folks when they hear the news of our next baby. I believe that children are a blessing from the Lord; and Lindsey and I are so blessed to be learners of these little ones. Hopefully we can teach them some things as well.

Spiritual Disciplines and Raising Children...

Recently, my good friend Jason told me that he and his wife, Shanna, teach their 4 year old daughter Bible memory verses. I thought"wow, that's incredible!" After the conversation, I considered someday teaching my children Bible verses. It seemed to me at the time that my son, Joshua (2), wasn't quite old enough to begin this task. That was until this week.
Lindsey taught Joshua Ephesians 6:1, "Children, obey your parents in the Lord; for this is right." Here's the crazy part - Joshua memorized this verse in two days. Even crazier - he loves to say this verse! For instance, as I tucked him in last night, he said, "let's say our Bible verse."
Thank you Lindsey for having faith that God's Word wouldn't return void, not even for a two year old. I still have much to learn about parenting and raising my children in the Lord. The bar has been raised a little more in the Broome house now that my son can memorize the Word. Isn't it great that God's word is multigenerational?
Could I encourage you to do as my wife did? Challenge your child to memorize a Bible verse. Learn it with them and make it fun. I knew of a great man of God in Boone, NC who led his family in reciting their weekly memory verse each night before dinner. Admittedly, that man knew more Scripture than anyone I'd ever met (as well as his family).
Incidentally, I had the opportunity to preach at Ingleside this past Sunday morning. It was a great opportunity, and I sensed the strength from the Lord. If you're bored or a glutten for punishment, you can listen to it in iTunes. Go to http://www.ingleside.org/ for more info.
Keeping you posted (it's been a while),
Fred

Family Time...

We are new at this whole notion of leading family worship times. Our times so far have been great, and we've been blessed by our children as they are learning the Word of God. You'd be surprised what Joshua can learn. Of course, we think he's probably a genius (as all parents think of their own children).
Let me explain where we've been in the process. We have tried with each family time to bring a visual aid to teach a core truth. For instance, we have tried to explain that God created the light by turning on the light switch. As you might imagine, one can eventually run out of great visuals for teaching. After speaking with our preschool director, I decided to begin writing a book about the subject. My thoughts were to come up with as many visual aids to teach Scripture and then give them to others as a resource.
Fortunately, someone has already beat me to it. After speaking with Dr. Rob Rienow, he referred me to FamTime.com for family times. I must tell you that this is a great resource for families who are attempting to teach their children. If you've never checked it out, it's worth your time. I hope you can use my findings to bless your home.

Unlikely Heroes...

No one ever said that leading family devotions would be easy. Whether you have little ones like us or older children, leading a family Bible study time is difficult. Picture this: As you are trying to explain the truths of the Bible, your 1 year old is wrestling on the ground with your 2 year old. As you teach, you hear loud laughter, but you keep pushing and try your best. On a positive note, our children love to sing. Joshua's latest fav is "Your Grace is Enough." He loves singing that song as loud as he can. It's so awesome.
On another note, I have realized that I have several friends that are leading their families in discipleship. Josh and Tasha Via lead their children every night! Jason and Shanna Hand lead their daughter at least 3 nights per week! We stand amazed at you guys, and we're trying to develop consistency in our family. You guys are encouraging friends to our growing family!

Lasting Divergence...

It is a great pleasure to be included on Steve Wright's blog called Lasting Divergence. Steve is becoming somewhat of a champion for family centered youth ministry. You can check out his blog for the full interview. Thanks, Steve, for all your support. I hope we have a chance to meet soon. If you are in the ministry and haven't read ReThink yet, you must read this great work. You can find more info on Wright's blog. There is also a great challenge called the John Newton Challenge on the blog.

Thoughts on Blogging...

As the summer months roll in, I find it increasingly difficult to post new messages on the blog. Please bear with me. Most student pastors realize that these months can be rather exhausting. During the past three weeks, we've had summer camp and VBS. Still, I'll try my best to continue to share news with you.
Recently, I've began kneeling with Joshua for bedtime prayers. He loves to kneel and pray with me. Usually, I'll begin the prayer and then I'll ask Joshua what he would like to pray for. Don't worry, McDonald's, know that my son prays vigorously for you. Of course, he prays for other family members and friends. Can I just tell you that when my son prays for others, I am greatly encouraged to do the same. I guess what I'm trying to do is teach him about the Lord "when I lie down..." (Deut. 6:8).
When it comes to parenting, I am no superman. I haven't gotten it all figured out yet. I do have friends who've encouraged me along the way. Let me tell you about some of them. One of my very best friends, Jason Hand, leads a family devotional time at least 3 times a week. Jason, I admire you and hope to get there myself soon. Jason has a four year old daughter who is amazing. Dr. Rob Rienow has encouraged me greatly in his book, God's Grand Vision for the Home. I've also been greatly encouraged by Steve Wright in ReThink. I hope that I can encourage others as I have been encouraged.

reTHiNK: Is Student Ministry Working?

I have recently finished ReThink, by Steve Wright of Providence Baptist in Raleigh, NC. Of all the books I've read about student ministry thus far, ReThink is one of the best. Wright challenges the current model of student ministry, and argues that student ministry is largely not accomplishing its goal. He begins the book by providing empirical data to support such a claim.

Steve calls youth pastors to return to the Biblical model found in Deuteronomy 6:4-9. This text beseeches parents to shepherd their children and to bring them up in the Lord. Youth Ministry, then, is not to take the place of Mom and Dad in the spiritual formation of the student. Rather, we are to be a support system and encouragers to those families.

I agree with Steve Wright's assessment. In my own life, I have been reminded again and again that raising my children in the Lord is my God-given responsibility. I understand that along the way, my children will have pastors who will also point them to Christ. Still, I am challenged to lead my family in the pursuit of God.

As a student pastor, I have a burden to come alongside the families of Ingleside Baptist. I pray that God will give me the passion and the tools to support them as they live out Deuteronomy 6. Our high school pastor shares the same burden for our families.

What would happen if all the student ministers began to see their calling as one of equipping families? What would happen if we put as much time into parents as we did in series planning, or weekend retreats, or (Lord, help us) lock-ins? What would the world be like for our students? I agree with Wright; "it is time to value student development over traditional, event-driven student ministry."

FUGE 2008...

Our student ministry enjoyed an incredible summer camp last week in Mississippi. The Middle Schoolers and High Schoolers from Ingleside participated in Centrifuge and Missionfuge camps at Mississippi College.

As with every camp, there were some hilarious moments. I performed in Dance Dance Revolution on stage at the morning show - and won. Admittingly, I had no idea what I was doing. Our high school pastor rapped about the sheep and the goats...pretty awesome!

God worked in amazing ways at Fuge. We had students accept Christ, and others declare a desire to be baptized.

Outside of these decisions, perhaps the highlight of the week was Wednesday night. Our students were challenged to share with the group those things that are standing between them and God. Our middle schoolers began sharing with one another deep struggles and sins that are effecting their spiritual lives. After a time of sharing, they began to pray for one another. What an amazing night! For the first time since we've been here (about 8 months), our students weren't divided by age, grade, gender, or school. They weren't divided by popularity or status. They finally realized that they are the body of Christ collectively. They became a youth Ministry. What I witnessed in our church group time was the work of God on the lives of those who are willing to obey the Scripture and to confess sin, pray together, and encourage one another.

Unfortunately in the church today, not many moments like these occur. We'd rather paint on a happy face and build walls of defense around our hurts and pain. If we'd only obey passages like James 5:16, the modern church would be different. Thank you students for obeying the Word and for being willing to let God mold you and knit you together. Thank you, God, for demonstrating great patience with Your people.

Belated Blogging...

Since the last blog, the Broome family has been holding it down (well, that's not entirely true. You see, Lindsey hasn't been able to keep much down due to the pregnancy...but I digress). Last week, we had our first corporate family worship time with good friends of ours in Macon. The Jones' have a daughter Anna Bell's age, and we had dinner and then had a time of worship that covered the fourth day of creation. The children behaved, well, like children.

My Dad and I took Joshua fishing last Saturday for the first time. We went to a local pond to baptize my son into the world of catch and release. As we ventured down the hill and to the pond, we could see the bluegill clustering together. It was as if they knew my son was coming, and they were awaiting a nice worm buffet catered by a new Snoopy rod and reel. Long story short, my son, my fishing son, caught 5 bluegill in just a shade under 5 minutes. It was amazing! He reeled them in on his own, and made his dad and Paw Paw proud.

I've also been reading a great book by Steve Wright called ReThink. This book implores youth pastors to re-think the typical strategies of youth ministry. It has been an encouraging book thus far, and I'll give you a better review when I finish it this week.

Don't Be Another Family Statistic...

One of the great professors at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Dr. Alvin Reid, penned Raising the Bar: Ministry to Youth in the New Millennium. In this work, Dr. Reid cites many alarming statistics. May these excerpts both encourage and convict us all:

"Do youth observe their parents having daily devotions? Do parents pray with their youth? A survey by LifeWay Christian Resources found 92 percent of Southern Baptist homes have no devotional times during the year. Praying with their youth needs to be elevated as one of the highest priorities in the home. Strong parent ministry is a necessary component if we are going to win this generation to Christ."

Dr. Reid provides great advice to Christian parents who are trying to get back to a Biblical model of parenting:

1. Remember this basic principle of time management: if you do not control your time, someone else will.

2. A second factor of time management, make time to do what is important - like faithful attendance in worship. Like family times of devotion. Like times to get away as a family. Like regular family nights and meals together.

3. Men, give your wife and kids the very best of your discretionary time...You may work and eight-to-five job and never go anywhere, but if you don't want to be home, your kids will know it.

4. Everyday, do something in your children's world.

5. Discover what your kids love to do, and regularly do it with them. That shows your kids that they matter to you. Take your daughter roller skating. Shoot hoops with your son. It's okay if you're pitiful at it; if your child loves doing it, spend time doing it with your child.

These are only a couple examples of the incredible insights from Dr. Reid as he applies Scripture to the family. I personally know Dr. Reid and have met his family. He is quite possibly one of the busiest people I know (teaching, writing a book a year, preaching constantly), but he also places a priority on his family. Dr. Reid, you are a great example to all who believe!

Check him out at www.alvinreid.com

Family Discipleship...

Last night, Lindsey and I attempted to have another family worship time. We began by singing "I Could Sing of Your Love Forever." I'd love to tell you that our 2 year old and 1 year old sat there, hands raised, and worshipped the Lord fervently. Here's the real picture: Joshua is making sure that everyone has the proper beaded pillow and running around the family room. Anna Bell is sitting with Lindsey, laughing at her brother's entertainment. Nonetheless, we pressed on with our family time.
We taught about the 3rd day of creation. We taught that God made the ground and vegetation, and used the visual illustration of bananas to explain what God had made. Truthfully, Joshua was more interested in eating the bananas. Overall, it was a great time of discipleship for our children.
If I could encourage you in one thing, I would implore you to develop a discipleship time for your family. I know what you are thinking, "But you are in the ministry!" So are you. God has given you a ministry; it's called your family. You are responsible. God has equipped you to train your children. Listen, it's not easy. It's not perfect. Sometimes it can be frustrating. But we must let the Word be our guide, and the Word instructs us to teach our children (of all ages) the great news of the gospel of peace. You can do it!

The Next Doogie Howser?

Ah...the life of a father of two. In the past week, Joshua has learned to put on his own Pull-up diaper after (well..you know). While some may not consider this to be a great feat of wisdom or strength, I must share with you what I've learned about my 2 1/2 year old son from this event.

1. Joshua perseveres in difficulties. As I watched him repeatedly put two legs in one hole and then start all over again, I realized that my son never gives up. He didn't even get frustrated. He simply tried and tried again until he realized his goal.
2. Joshua is independent. He didn't ask for help. He didn't cry or complain. He continued the trial and error process on his own.

3. Joshua is my hero. My son is amazing. He can do anything (except drive, prepare his own dinner, operate the DVD correctly...uh...you get the point).

Parenthood is such an amazing experience! I pray that I will have the perseverance that my son has. I pray that I can persevere in my faith in Christ. I pray that I'll persevere in the midst of trials. I pray that I'll persevere in my marriage and family life.

I know that there is a little bit of me in Joshua, and I hope there's a little bit of Joshua in me.

"Be strong and courageous!" - Joshua 1

Leader Appreciation

On Saturday night, we held our leader appreciation banquet. We had a wonderful time together!
I would just like to say again, "Thank you." Thank you again for all you do. You have given sacrificially and lovingly to these Middle School students, and you have been an incredible blessing to Lindsey and I.
Because of your love and service, you allow me to minister, dream, and listen to the voice of God more easily. You allow me to spend more time with my family, my primary ministry. Because you care, the students know they are loved.
You are more than volunteers, you are leaders of youth. You are making a great impact on these students! Let's continue to run this race together!
Thanks for everything you do and are.

Chuck on Moses...

I've recently been reading Charles Swindoll's book, Moses: A Man of Selfless Dedication. Speaking of the high calling of God on Moses, Swindoll pens these words:
"Why did he (Moses) resist? I am convinced in my heart that Moses wasn't hearing God correctly. Moses, I believe, thought God intended him to be the deliverer of Israel, and that blew all his circuit breakers.
But God didn't tell him that! God told him that he would be an instrument in the deliverance, but God Himself would be the deliverer. Huge difference. In God's calling, He has a plan; but He never expects you to carry out that plan. He's going to pull it off. He simply wants you to be the instrument of action."
While some thoughts Swindoll expresses in this work are subjective, I believe this is a great truth. Go back and look over the first 4 chapters of Exodus and watch as the great Moses resists the calling of God. To be sure, God could have chosen a more noble man than Moses (a murderer in Egypt). God could have chosen a great orator to lead his people. He could have chosen the latest and flashiest young preacher boy to pull off the Exodus.
But God chose to use Moses, a man of imperfections.
So, how about you and me? Fortunately, we can relate to Moses all too well. We resist the call of God to take leadership in our culture, community, and family because we think we have to pull all the "God-sized weight" ourselves. My friends, this is not so. God is calling us to lead, and He will provide all the power for us to do so.
So, what should our response be? Let's take the next step of faith to lead.

Family worship - attempt #2

On this past Saturday night, the Broome family once again experienced a family worship time. We again sang "Shout to the Lord," Joshua's favorite. This time, Joshua sang with us in between strumming on my guitar and making sure that everyone had a beaded pillow to sit on (such a caring little child, isn't he?). We read Genesis, and explained that God had "separated the waters which were below the expanse from the waters which were above the expanse; and it was so. God called the expanse heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, a second day."

Ever tried to explain this to a 2 year old? It was interesting. We explained that God had made the sky on the second day, and Joshua and I pretended to be airplanes flying through the house. He loves airplanes, and so we used his passion to point to the Word.

Following up on the first worship time, Joshua now can tell you that God made light and dark on the first day. Isn't it amazing? I probably did not know that truth myself until I was 16 or 17 (I came to Christ as a teenager). My son already is memorizing the Scripture! What will God do with him? I pray that God will allow me to live to see His mighty plans for our family. When we are obedient to the Lord, we find that He is capable of doing more than we could ever conceive.

On another note, my wife is amazing. She prompted the family worship time on Saturday. She also sings beautifully and helps lead in the discipleship time. What a blessing from the Lord!

Help for Parents on Podcast?

Thanks to Al Gore (self proclaimed inventor of the net:), great resources are available to today's parents. I would like to encourage you to go to www.visionaryparenting.com and to sign up for the VP Podcast. If you go to this homepage, you'll see the link to the Podcast on the menu on the left side of the site. As you receive this podcast, you'll be blessed by the insight and knowledge of Rob Rienow. You'll find answers and practical aids to assist you in parenting. I'd love to hear your thoughts on what you might learn!

Family Worship Time...scene 1 - take 1

Last night Lindsey and I had our first family worship time. Of course, we've read Bible stories to our children and prayed with them each day at meals and bedtime. This effort was altogether different.
Last night marked the first time we'd sat down intentionally with the kids for the purpose of family discipleship. We played and sang Shout To The Lord and then I read the beginning of Genesis 1. As you might imagine, family devo time with a 2 year old and 1 year old was interesting. Joshua didn't care to sing (even though it's his favorite song of all time and he'd just sang it earlier), and Anna Bell was busy finding things in the carpet to eat. Still, this was quite possibly the best worship time I've ever experienced. Worshipping the Lord with my family in our family room, I felt the sense that we were doing exactly what we were supposed to do as parents.
It may not have gone perfectly, but we taught the Word to our children. We shared that God had made the night and day on the 1st day. To explain that God made the light, we turned on the lights in the family room.
I implore you to join us on this journey of family worship time. You and I as parents have the responsibility to disciple our children. I'll be sharing more about our adventures, and I'd love to hear some of yours.
If you are one of our Middle School parents, please give this a shot. Maybe today, ask your son or daughter to read through 1 Peter and pick a couple of verses to discuss over dinner the next day. Your children want you to lead them, and they are looking to you for guidance.

Luther on Christian Parenting...

I have recently been reading Family-Based Youth Ministry, by Mark DeVries. In chapter 4, "Sitting on a Gold Mine," DeVries quotes Martin Luther. The words Luther penned resonate today just as they did 500 years ago:
"Most certainly father and mother are apostles, bishops, and priests to their children, for it is they who make them acquainted with the gospel. In short, there is no greater or nobler authority on earth than that of parents over their children, for this authority is both spiritual and temporal."
What a statement about the importance of Christian parents! I'm struck by the question, "Am I doing all that I can to expose my children to the glory of the gospel of the King?"
May we never be fooled into thinking that the spiritual formation of our children is primarily the responsibility of student pastors or teachers (though they are important). The Biblical mandate is for Lindsey and I to raise our children in the fear of the Most Holy God. What a great privilege!

God's Grand Vision for the Home

- Dr. Rob Rienow

My mother-in-law recently purchased this insightful book for me. She'd attended Rienow's conference, Visionary Parenting, in St. Louis and was greatly impacted.

I must say after reading the book I was challenged, convicted, broken, and encouraged. The call of Rienow is for families to return to the high calling found in Deuteronomy 6:4-9.

I am greatly encouraged to develop a family worship time with my wife and children. I realize that it is ultimately my God-given responsibility to train my children up in the Lord, and to lovingly lead my wife in this walk together. I strongly challenge you to pick up a copy of this book ($5 from visionaryparenting.com) and allow the Holy Spirit to lead your heart, mind, and soul. If we will commit to discipling our families, the world (especially the churched world) would be radically Biblical.

Ephebiphobia = a fear of adolescents

I am the Middle School Pastor at Ingleside Baptist Church in Macon, GA (www.ingleside.org). This is an amazing local church with dynamic leadership.
Recently, I began a quest. I was searching for a quality book written about Junior High Ministry. Now I've read certain "great books" about the subject previously, but found them lacking in substantive information.
My most recent read, Junior High Ministry, by Wayne Rice, was the best thus far. If you are looking for a resource to help you understand the physical, psychological, emotional, and social changes of a middle schooler, this is a great book to start. He's also written a companion book, Enjoy Your Middle Schooler, for parents.
For those in the ministry, we have a Biblical responsibility to learn about our flock. We must rely on the knowledge and wisdom of others who've traveled the road before us. We must continue to be learners as we lead. Mental laziness is not acceptable.

Latest Leadings and Readings...

Hello everyone (assuming anyone is reading this other than my wife - hey babe),
I have been thinking about whether or not to blog for quite some time now. While blogging can be a productive use of time, I've often wondered if there was validity in putting words to the thoughts rattling around in my gray matter. Recently, however, God has been leading me into new directions in life and ministry, and I thought you might be interested in going on the journey with me.
As for my family, my wife does an incredible job keeping up the blog for all viewing enjoyment. You can check it out at www.fourbroomes.blogspot.com. As I read her blog, it truly humbles me to see my great family and Godly wife. Why did God bless me in this way? It is undeserved.

I'll be interested to know your thoughts and responses to my entries. Maybe we can use this as an iron sharpening experience.