Catalyst - Reggie Joiner

Reggie Joiner A shift in how we view the family 1. Most of us have been influenced by the church but ALL of us have been influenced by the family. 2. We all have a picture of what the family looks like. • It's a disolusion for us to have a preconceived idea of what the family should be. • What family actually is sometimes is unexpected to us. 3. If we hold to tightly to our ideal picture of family we set up families to be disillusioned. 4. God doesn't really give us a picture of the ideal family in scripture 5. Your calling as a leader isn't to get families to conform to a common picture. SHIFT IN THINKING Lead them to a relationship with God 6. There are two different approaches: • give them a better picture or • give them a better story - every family can realize the story of restoration in their life. A bigger story! 6. Parents don't need a better picture they need a better story. They need hope. 7. LEARN TO COOPERATE WITH GOD SO YOUR KIDS CAN HAVE A FRONT ROW SEAT OF THE GOODNESS OF GOD! 8. God doesn't use perfect people he uses broken people! Dueuteronomy 6 • Moses is concerned that Israel will forget who god is • How do we transfer faith from one generation to the next. When you have a bigger story approach you: 1 - imagine the end 2 - fight for the heart 3 - make it personal 4 - create a rhythm 5 - widen the circle In a given year the average church has about 40 hours to influence a child. The average family has 3000. Who should we be influencing? The child or the family? Who is the next entity to influence the family? It should be the church. Lead our families to see the story of redemption and restoration in teir lives. Let go of pictures and embrace stories!