The last few days have been full of listening, learning, and laughing at the D6 Conference. Now, it’s time to pack up our bags and go home. We may be leaving the conference (for this year), but we should not leave the lessons we’ve learned behind. I wish I could share with each and every one of you all that I have experienced and taken in during the conference, but that is not humanly possible. Instead, I’m excited to share with you some of my favorite quotes and takeaways from the inspiring leaders who have spoken into our lives this week.
Christina Embree
@EmbreeChristina
“How are we impacting homes on Monday mornings?”
“Since the description of family is rapidly changing, the ministry must be able to reach all.”
“Family ministry should bring inspiration and joy to the whole church.”
“When you start praying for someone, you begin to care for them.”
“Discipleship at home is not about doing more, it’s about inviting Christ into what you are already doing.”
“Christ can take the most ordinary mundane thing and make it spiritual.”
Ron Hunter
@ronhunter
“Our role as ministry leaders is to help families connect in a powerful way.”
“If our kids dressed in the armor of God in the same way we do, are they ready for life?”
“How do we win our kids’ hearts if all we are doing is tearing them down?”
“Teach your kids how to ask questions in a conversational manner.”
“Ask your kids in the morning how can I pray for you? Ask your kids in the evening how did that go?”
“When you don’t listen to your kids, you are saying that nothing they are saying is interesting to you.”
“When we have listened to our kids, we need to find a place in Scripture where we can coach them.”
Dr. Gary Chapman
@DrGaryChapman
“We have to start earlier if we are going to make an impact on the next generation.”
“We spend 2-10 years getting ready for our vocations but only 3-4 sessions with our pastor getting ready for marriage.”
“The question is not ‘do you love your children’, it’s ‘do they feel loved’?”
“Learn how to look at people when they are talking to you, not your phone.”
“What if my children grow up to be like me?” (the most sobering question)
Dr. La Verne Tolbert
@drltolbert
“Sometimes we are so busy working for God that we forget to spend time with God.”
“You don’t have to teach every Sunday! Choose leaders who have Jesus’ character.”
“Jesus spent time and had relationships with his disciples.”
Do we have relationships with the kids in our ministries?
“A church without children is a dying church.”
“Use the fear that people are experiencing and draw them to the Savior.”
“We don’t have to be speaking on a stage to influence others.”
“Why do we sometimes only teach auditory?”
Involve more of the senses to be more effective.
“Jesus took the time to talk to Nicodemus, answer his questions and care about him, even after hours.”
Are we willing to do the same for the kids, families, and leaders in our ministries?
Richard Ross
@richardaross
“50% of teenagers stay in the church after graduation. Why?”
Factor 1 – Spiritually alive parents
Factor 2 – Experience the congregation as a family
Factor 3 – Bible-drenched, age-group ministry
“Spiritually alive parents are not pew-sitters! They are all in!”
Kids need to see their parents serving and involved in the church. It makes a difference!
“Spiritually lethargic parents raise spiritually lethargic kids.”
“Children are wet cement.”
“The ultimate goal is families who love God, love people, and disciple others.”
“Why would the adults that teach on Sunday morning get better unless they are being spiritually led to do that?”
We need to pour into our leaders and parents, not just the kids.
“The point is not making disciples, the point is making disciples the rest of their lives.”
“God’s people are supposed to be world-changing people.”
Dr. Timothy P. Jones
@DrTimothyPJones
“Never take the bypass. Don’t go around the parents, try to reach them.”
“Your goal is faithfulness. The results belong to God.”
“God isn’t counting your percentages, he is counting your faithfulness.”
“Challenge of moralism: to recognize a purpose for faith greater than doing better or feeling better.”
“Challenge of secularism: to proclaim a faith that is built on more than personal opinions or values.”
“Challenge of unawareness: to consider questions in a safe context before confronting them in a hostile context.”
“It is important that you understand your vocation and your location.”
“A moralistic faith cannot be defended. Students are unlikely to commit to a faith that they are unable to defend.”
“Instead of moralism, we need to give them a metanarrative.”
“Metanarrative:
– Creation: God made the world good,
– Fall: sin makes the world groan,
– Redemption: Jesus broke the power of sin,
– New Creation: God is making the world new.”
“Everything you teach should have Jesus at its center.”
“Don’t use the Bible as a diving board to what you want to teach.”
“Teach students how to respect others’ beliefs without embracing them.”
Joshua Straub
@joshuastraub
“I made a conscious decision that the pattern of divorce in my family would stop with me.”
It is a choice. We don’t have to continue to follow the unhealthy patterns in our families, passing them on from generation to generation.
“There is no greater joy than to see your kid walking with God.”
“Are you praying deep prayers, more than 30-second popcorn prayers for your kids?”
“Prayer changes families, generations, and kids because prayer changes us.”
Michael Bayne
@michael_bayne
“Why do pastors spend so much time day-dreaming about the future church and not focusing on their present church?”
“We dream that the other church will be better or different.”
“The church I am leading now needs me to take the stirring to lead families and do it.”
“When we look at our current church, we see the roadblocks. When we think about the other church, we only see the positives.”
“Our focus on a future church should never hijack our passion for our current church. ”
“Create something beautiful right in the place that God has you currently.”
“You will get zero credit for coveting other churches.”
“People matter more than my position. Leading people demands time and focus. There is no shortcut to leadership.”
“How do I lead my ministry towards family ministry? Set realistic goals. Take time. Write them down, evaluate them and share them.”
“We love our plans more than we love our people.”
“Failure leads to innovation.”
“Change will always bring complaints.”
Dan Lavaglia
@DanLovaglia
“Even Mary and Joseph were so busy they lost the Savior of the world.”
Parents and families are busy and this is nothing new.
“Somebody has to say, let’s do things differently.”
“Is there a way for kids to see church and home as synonymous? The Church is the spiritual extended family.”
“Deuteronomy 6 is for everyone (not just parents).”
“If we aren’t disciples first, we can’t reproduce disciples.”
“Create space for the mess in your ministry.”
Model a “come as you are” mentality.
“Your kids need presence (communicate I’m here), humility (I don’t know), and empathy (we are in this together).”
“The body of Christ should be a surrogate family.”
“The parents that are doing the best still think they aren’t doing enough.”
“When are you ever going to learn patience if you never slow down?”
“Jesus says, ‘I’m with you, you don’t have to do this on your own.'” (Matthew 28:20)
“Kids are way more receptive to God’s Spirit than adults.”
Kristie Christie
@kristievos
“College students are 40% lower in empathy than 20-30 years ago.”
“Empathy is something that can be grown and activated in each of us.”
“We need to teach kids:
1. Life is hard
2. You will come through this
3. People matter most
4. Your choices have consequences
5. You are loved and so is everyone.”
“We need to learn to engage in emotions in healthy ways, not withdraw from the situation.”
“Is it ok for kids to be sad with us?”
“When we get more in our pockets, ask God what he wants us to do with it not what we can go get for ourselves.”
“My love is limited, but God’s love is eternal.”
(This post originally appeared at: https://www.kidmincorinne.com/blog/quotes-and-takeaways-from-d62017)
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