Lee Strobel's popular "The Case For...." series in available for Tweens as well.  This looks like it could be a great resource for parents who are hoping to give their kids some basic principles of doctrine and apologetics (how to share your faith).  I'm especially interested in "Off my Case."  It provides 12 real-life scenarios for kids on how they can defend their belief in Christ when confronted by others.


You can buy the set of 4 or each one individually.  These could also work well for homeschoolers, kids in public schools, Tween discipleship courses, Sunday schools classes, etc.


Have any of you heard about these, used them or read them?  What are your thoughts???

Parents and Church Leaders, this is a GREAT SITE to check out if you are interested in getting for information about how to disciple children in the home.  Mark Holmen was the Senior Pastor at Ventura Missionary Church until he left to pursue full-time missionary work in the Faith @ Home movement.

Again, with details coming shortly, Mark will be coming May 1st and 2nd to present a Faith @ Home workshop.  Saturday the seminar will be for Church leaders (Pastors, Directors, Lay Leaders).  On Sunday evening, from 5-7 PM, Mark and a representative from Focus on the Family will be presenting a workshop for parents of ALL ages who desire to continue, start or ramp up their discipleship of their kids at home.  Children's Ministry and Childcare WILL be provided - they will even get to eat!!!!

That's the title of our next Family Journey in Faith Take-It Home Event on February 28th during the 10:45 service in the gym at Colonial Woods Missionary Church.  This event will bring 4th & 5th Graders and their parents together to see what it means to be praying daily to God.  We have a couple of speakers lined up to come and inspire both the parents and kids as well as a resource to give to each child who attends.  There is also a possibility that Pastor Phil will come and kick off the morning for us as well.....???


During these Take-It Home events, the kids will separated from their regular Children's Church programming in order to participate.  Children's Ministry still happens for all other ages/grades.  FJIF is a ministry designed to encourage, inspire and equip parents to carry about our Biblical responsibility to disciple our children to be like Christ.  It helps us as parents carry out the Deuteronomy 6 mandate to "Impress [the Commands of God] on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.  Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates."


If you have a 4th or 5th grader, you won't want to miss this special time to connect in worship with your kids.

It's too soon to give all the details, but coming very soon Colonial Woods will be hosting a Faith @ Home Church Seminar the weekend of May 1st & 2nd with the Missionary Church's own Mark Holmen.  This event is being sponsored by the Michigan District of the Missionary Church.

During my devotional time today - which is all too few and far between - I was reading about how Jesus was FULLY human.  It directed me to read Isaiah 52:13 - 53:12 - likely one of the most famous Messianic passages from the Old Testament.  There are some interesting thoughts around this question:  What was life like for Jesus as he was growing up?

"He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.  Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not."

There are times when I may not have been popular, and certainly experienced suffering in my lifetime; but I don't think I can ever say I've been "despised!"  But our Savior was!

"Those who sit at the gate mock me, and I am the song of the drunkards."

I have certainly been mocked before - both in my childhood and adult life - but I can't say I've ever been a "song of the drunkard!?"   But our Savior was!

I then got to thinking, what life would have been like for Jesus growing up?  Did these things take place as a kid, teenager, adult????  Here's an analogy...

Remember the original Superman Movie???  You know, the one with Christopher Reeves????  [Yes, I'm THAT old!]  As Clark Kent, Superman was just an ordinary kid who was made fun of and put down.  He didn't play any sports or show himself to have any special talent.  But underneath that, he was The Man of Steel!  He could do just about anything - including FLY!!!!!!

I wonder if Jesus was picked on and made fun of as a teen???  Did he keep his Lordship under raps??? Underneath the exterior of the Son of Man, was the King of Kings!  One who would save the world!!!

I guess what I'm getting at is that no matter what you've been through, God has been through worse!  No matter what you've done, God has been there!  Remember that as you go through your day!

In Him, Dean

ere are some letters to God from Elementary Kids.  Read and enjoy!

OK, so I updated the designs a little bit based on feedback received - and THANKS for that by the way.  Let me know what you think of these.  Thanks everyone!

I'm going to be ordering a few table top displays to use for recruiting and promotional tables, and want to know what you think of these designs.  They need to be simple, but visionary.

Now, admittedly I am NOT a graphic artist, and I can only use Publisher to create these, so they certainly won't meet the standards of you MAC users - so be kind - but offer some input.  I am going to be ordering these designs through Momentum Media who is running a special as part of promoting this newer business to the folks who attend the Orange Conference.

OK, check them out:

We have been in process of finishing our basement (with it's own entrance) over the last few months and have gotten quite a bit done.  I wanted to share some pics with ya'll.  This will be where my wife's parents live in the future - likely in a few months.  Hope you enjoy this look into our home!