Parenting Points

Serving as a family is an activity that can both show the power of the gospel through your family and remind you of the sacrifice of Jesus as the Servant who suffered. Taking time to serve is so simple, yet we often miss opportunities around us to serve because we don’t take time to understand what great things God could do in and through our families when we serve.

Serving others reflects the Gospel. Serving others stands at the heart of the message of the gospel. As people who follow Jesus, we should be people who are willing to serve others and love them as we follow a Savior who came to serve us by going to the cross for our sin. Our service reflects the heart of Jesus who came “not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45 ESV).

Serving others reorients our priorities. Through service, your family is also invited to put their needs to the side to serve and care for others. For people who so easily get consumed by our own needs and wants, it is good for us to be reminded of how Jesus and His kingdom defines greatness: “the greatest among you shall be your servant” (Matthew 23:11 ESV). Serving realigns your family to kingdom priorities.

Serving others allows us to discover and use our gifts. By using our gifts and talents to serve others, we determine what gifts, talents, and passions God has given us and the Holy Spirit has empowered us with. As we use our gifts, we are “good stewards of God’s varied grace” as we “serve by the strength that God supplies” (1 Peter 4:10-11 ESV). God gives us strength and shows us that we can be His hands and feet to serve others in the world.

Serving others displays the glory of God. When we see God’s work in our own gifts being given to serve others, we can only point the credit to the One who truly deserves it. We serve “in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 4:11 ESV).

As you begin the new year as a family, take time to be intentional to plan time to serve others as a family. You will be amazed at how your service displays the gospel, changes your perspective, leads you to discover your gifts, and brings glory to God.

-Dr. Ben Birdsong 

Missions Minister at Christ Church Birmingham

Writer and Speaker

www.benbirdsong.com

Parenting Points

Every year, it seems like the anticipation for Christmas gets earlier and earlier. The Halloween candy is quickly replaced by the unending stock of Christmas décor. Our culture longs for Christmas with all its pomp and circumstance, yet we often miss the greater longing which Christmas is meant to invite us to experience.

In the middle of Luke’s retelling of the Christmas story, we meet two minor characters who show the heart of longing which Christmas should plant deep within our souls. Simeon and Anna (Luke 2:22-38) have both spent years at the temple praying and hoping for the Messiah to come. Simeon has been promised that his weary eyes will behold the Son of God before he passes into eternity. Anna came daily to the temple to fast and pray that God would send His Rescuer. 

The faithfulness of clinging to a promise yet to be realized kept Simeon and Anna going day by day. As time ticked by, it would have been easy for them to think God had forgotten about them, that their prayers were hitting the ceiling of the temple, and that their fasting was in vain. Simeon and Anna were sustained by the truth that God is faithful, and His character is unchanging. They had been longing for “the redemption of Jerusalem” (Luke 2:38 ESV), and finally, Mary and Joseph walk into the temple with the promised Jesus. The answer to their prayers unfolds before their weary eyes. When we come to Christmas, we are left with a longing as well. Jesus has purchased our redemption at the cross and paved the way for us to have new life in Him, yet we long for the day that Jesus will return to bring restoration to all things.

The Christmas season has been termed a season of advent or “waiting.” We gather to celebrate Jesus coming the first time while also looking for the moment when He will come again to “make all things new” (Revelation 21:5 ESV). Restoration is just over the horizon and our anticipation of celebrating Jesus’ first coming should not overshadow our longing to experience His second. This year’s Christmas, like countless years before, will be disappointing. The anticipation and excitement in our hearts cannot be fulfilled by celebration. It results in an advent longing which should drive us to prayer, fasting, waiting, and longing. Come Lord Jesus, your people are waiting and ready.

-Dr. Ben Birdsong 

Missions Minister at Christ Church Birmingham

Writer and Speaker

www.benbirdsong.com

Parenting Points

As we gather around the turkey, dressing, green beans, mashed potatoes with brown gravy, and the warm rolls, our immediate temptation is to rush into eating. Thanksgiving stands as one of the greatest meals of the calendar year, yet it is easy for us to rapidly move into activity and miss the spiritual significance of the day – the blessing of family, the remembrance of a faithful God, and the worshipful response of thanks and praise to Him.

In Psalms 100, King David writes a psalm for giving thanks, which is worth reading before you dive into the desserts. In Psalm 100:4-5, David writes: “Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.” From these verses we see three truths for a Thanksgiving season:

1. The Blessing of Family. David writes of “all generations.” Throughout the Old Testament, we read stories of generations of people who have sought to follow God. We see the highs and lows, successes and failures, and good times and bad times. These stories remind us of the stories from older generations as they share their own stories around our Thanksgiving table. As stories are shared around the dinner table, let us remember we are a part of a story bigger than us and our family.

2. The Remembrance of a Faithful God. David calls his readers to praise because God is “good” and “his steadfast love endures forever.” The Old Testament stories speak of a God who is with and for His people. Throughout this year, we have seen His same faithful hand at work in our lives and our families. As our stories are shared, do we recount of how God has been faithful to us and to our family?

3. The Worshipful Response of Thanks and Praise. We have many reasons to give thanks and praise, as David writes. God is faithful to us. God has provided for us. God has rescued us in Jesus. God has brought our families safely together to respond to Him in praise. 

This Thanksgiving, will your day be simply marked by a turkey coma, or will your family join with David and the saints through the ages to praise and thank the God who is worthy?

-Dr. Ben Birdsong 

Missions Minister at Christ Church Birmingham

Writer and Speaker

www.benbirdsong.com

Parenting Points

As Americans, we are blessed to live in a world where Bible study resources abound, but not every resource from the shelf at the local Christian bookstore is going to be the best resource for your family. When it comes to devotionals and resources for family Bible study, here are three important questions you can ask:

1. Does this resource come from the Bible or simply use Bible verses? Sometimes devotionals and Bible studies are written only having enough verses in them to make them Christian. These resources are filled with quotes, stories, and applications, but they fail to connect readers back to the Word. A Bible study or devotional should be designed to engage the text of the Bible and force readers to interact with the Bible.

2. Does this resource showcase the gospel? The gospel is the story of Jesus’ rescue of His people by His perfect life lived in their place, His death on the cross to cover their sins, and His resurrection from the dead proving He is God. In the gospel, Jesus is the Hero. As followers of Jesus, we seek to surrender to Him and allow His Holy Spirit to birth change in our hearts and lives.  A resource showcasing the gospel puts the focus on Jesus and our utter reliance on Him to bring life change. Christianity is not about performing and doing better to earn God’s approval but surrendering to experience the wonder of grace at work in us.

3. Does this resource engage with real life? Faith should lead to action. Effective devotions and Bible studies seek to challenge how we live in the real world with practical examples and action steps. Studying the Bible is not merely to know more theology in your head but to practice theology with your life. So, what are some recommended resources for families?

Kids: Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones; Thoughts to Make Your Heart Sing by Sally Lloyd-Jones; The Big Picture Story Bible by David Helm

Students/Adults: Live in Grace, Walk in Love by Bob Goff; New Morning Mercies by Paul David Tripp; James; Everyday Prayers by Scotty Smith

When I served in student ministry, I realized the great need for devotionals and Bible study resources meeting these criteria. God led me to develop two devotional books James: Everyday Faith and Words from the Cross, which are both available on Amazon.

-Dr. Ben Birdsong 

Missions Minister at Christ Church Birmingham

Writer and Speaker

www.benbirdsong.com

Parenting Points

We live in a world surrounded by death – dead dreams, dying relationships, and brokenness. Many times, we may feel like the prophet Ezekiel standing in a valley of dead bones. Surrounded by a slain army, the Lord asked Ezekiel a seemingly impossible question: “Son of man, can these bones live?” (Ezekiel 37:3) God goes on to bring life and breath into these bones raising up an army before the prophet’s eyes. The answer to whether life can exist in a place of death is found in the power of a God who brings dead things to life.

As people who follow a resurrected Jesus, we know resurrection from death is the heart of the story. We have hope because Jesus defeated death and can bring life. Through His Holy Spirit, He can breathe breath on us, our struggles, and those around us. Jesus is a God who breathes the breath of life, yet often, we prefer the stench of death to the breath of life. Our conversations often reek of death – tearing down others, putting the spotlight on other’s failures, and focusing on the death around us. The culture you choose to build in your home will be the approach your kids live in everyday life. Is your home a culture with a fragrance of death or of life? 

3 Ways to Build a Home with the Smell of Life:

1. Approach Dead Bones with Prayer Knowing the Holy Spirit Is the Source of Life. In response to God’s question, Ezekiel points back to God as the source of life and the source of the answer by saying “O Lord God, you know” (Ezekiel 37:3). By seeking God in prayer, we are turning to the only source of true life.

2. Shine the Spotlight on Life. Throughout Ezekiel 37, the prophet does not constantly draw attention to the death and darkness surrounding him. He speaks of the life coming together. Where do we shine the spotlight in our homes?

3. Speak Life in Places of Death. Ezekiel constantly speaks the words of life God gave him to the bones of death. Ezekiel was in tune with the words from God in order to speak faithfully for God. Are we in tune to the Word of God to remind us how to speak of life into the death surrounding us?

-Dr. Ben Birdsong 

Missions Minister at Christ Church Birmingham

Writer and Speaker

www.benbirdsong.com

Parenting Points

“The sky is falling!” The warning of imminent danger from all around sounded by Chicken Little is a phrase that could easily be spoken over the last year and a half. Pandemics, racial tension, rioting, uncertainty, and political divisions are all skies collapsing in different areas around us. 

The anxiety and chaos of these and many other problems are going to leave the world in need of deep processing, counsel, and therapy. As parents, are we passing these anxieties and stressors on to our children? Or do we view the world by faith knowing that the end of the story has already been written?

In The Pandemic Population, Dr. Tim Elmore describes the current state of children and students’ post-pandemic world: “On the outside, they’re clowning around on Snapchat and TikTok, laughing at memes and making others laugh at filtered photos on social media. Inside, however, their mental health has gone south. It appears their life is a comedy, but in reality, it feels like a tragedy. They are mourning just how overwhelmed they feel – how behind they assume they are and how much they’ll have to make up in order to catch up.” Our children have struggled more than they know how to admit and more than we even understand. When it comes to difficult circumstances and moments, how can we respond from a position of faith instead of the anxiety of Chicken Little?

By remembering three key truths:

1. God Reigns as Sovereign. Isaiah 6:1a ESV says, “In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up.” Despite the chaos of a changing ruler, God sat and reigned as sovereign on the throne. He is not caught off guard by chaos in our world.

2. The Story Has Already Been Written. Revelation 22:20b reminds us, “Surely, I am coming soon.” Jesus will return. He is the Author of the story. We can have hope that He holds our lives and stories also in His hands.

3. Our Hope Is in a Different Kingdom. Revelation 21:5b says, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Our hope is that Jesus will come again and make all wrongs right and make everything the way that it was meant to be. Our ultimate hope cannot be found in this world.

-Dr. Ben Birdsong 

Missions Minister at Christ Church Birmingham

Writer and Speaker

www.benbirdsong.com

Parenting Points

We live in a world where no one seems to be present in the current moment. We are mentally present in the past while we regret yesterday’s mistakes. We are mentally present in the future when we worry about what the world beyond may hold. Through social media, we are present in the highlight reels of others while missing our own lives unfolding before our eyes. Oftentimes, we are anywhere but here.

Our presence with our kids and spouse is central to the growth of our relationships. Time is the one resource that we cannot replenish, and this summer, we have the opportunity to maximize the moments we are given as we remember these three biblical truths.

1. Tomorrow’s Worries Are in God’s Hands. Matthew 6:34 ESV says, “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” We should not worry about tomorrow because the concerns of tomorrow rest in the hands of One whose grip is much greater than ours. He will hold us, lead us, and guide us into whatever challenge tomorrow may bring.

2. Tomorrow’s Accomplishments Are According to God’s Plans. Proverbs 27:1 ESV reminds us, “Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.” The plans of tomorrow rest in the control of One who has much greater wisdom than we can possess. We should work and invest realizing the Holy Spirit is the One working in and through us.

3. Today Is a Gift We Don’t Want to Miss. Psalm 25:4-5 ESV says, “Make me know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long.” We can be present today because the God who rescued us by His grace is the same God who is leading us into truth and teaching us today.

Will you choose to be present this summer? Will you be present for your kids? Will you be present for your spouse? Will you be present today for God to teach you and lead you deeper into His truth for your family today?

-Dr. Ben Birdsong
Missions Minister at Christ Church Birmingham
Writer and Speaker
www.benbirdsong.com

Parenting Points 

Graduation is a moment where the triumph of completion and the challenge of transition collide. As a parent, you have spent many days wondering if this time would ever come for your senior. All the lectures about grades have paid off. All the teenage drama of high school begins to fade into distant memory. You and your child have made it! But with graduation comes a time of great transition for your family. Once the confetti has been thrown and the celebrations have ended, you realize that your senior will be transitioning to a new stage of life. Your role as your child’s parent will look different, yet your role is still crucial in the life of your graduate. How should you approach this new stage of parenting?

1. Release Your Recent Graduate to God and His Plan. Releasing is easier said than done. In releasing your recent graduate, you are allowing him or her to pursue the dreams that God has for them and to explore who the Holy Spirit is making them to be. They may not have the same visions and goals that you would have if you were designing their life, but you must trust that God is in control. God’s plan for your child is better than you could imagine.

2. Reach Out to Encourage and Support Your Graduate. Your recent graduate needs your support and encouragement more than ever. They are navigating a new place, new roles, and forming new relationships. Your relationship with them as a parent will be a source of stability. Understand encouragement and support may look different than you may desire so allow your recent graduate to set the pace.

3. Remember the God Who Is with You and Your Graduate. As you and your recent graduate go through this transition, you will never go alone. God is the one who goes before you both. As Moses encouraged Joshua when he faced a time of transition in Deuteronomy 31:6 ESV, “Be strong and courageous…for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will never leave you nor forsake you.” No matter the new path that you walk as a family, you will never walk alone. 

-Dr. Ben Birdsong 

Missions Minister at Christ Church Birmingham

Writer and Speaker

www.benbirdsong.com