Chapter Eight

I Need Competence. What Do I Do Well?

» Related Scriptures

» Church-based Parent Education

» Bible Verses, Resources, and Methods Related to Prayer

Related Scriptures

(Paraphrases of some Scripture verses related to our

fifth core need of competence.)

Studying the Bible

My two favorite BOOKS that provide insights into how to study the Bible are these:

“Living By the Book” by Howard Hendricks and William Hendricks was published by Moody Publishers in 1993. Their “ten strategies to first-rate reading,” “six things to look for,” and “five keys to interpretation” are fabulous. For example, their six things to look for are things that are emphasized, things that are repeated, things that are related, things that are alike, things that are unlike, and things that are true to life. Their instruction can really help us get the most from our bible reading and studying. I encourage you to purchase and use this book.

Another excellent book is “How to Read the Bible for All its Worth” by Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart. Zondervan published this in 2003. The authors organize their instruction by sections of the Bible and it’s very thorough.

My two favorite BIBLE STUDY MINISTRIES are these:

Precept Ministries International is directed by Kay Arthur. She and her impressive ministry are dedicated to teaching people to study God’s Word for themselves and apply its truths to their daily lives. Their method is known as the inductive study method. It’s a highly effective way of seeking out answers from God’s holy Word and, therefore, understanding Scripture. In addition to excellent books, their Bible studies are hosted in many churches and training seminars you may want to attend are offered regularly. You can contact them for more information:
Precept Ministries International
www.precept.org
P.O. Box 182218
Chattanooga, TN 37422
800-763-8280

Bible Study Fellowship offers day classes for women, evening classes for men, evening classes for women, and evening classes for single young adults (ages 18-35). They may offer classes in your community. You can find out from their website. BSF classes are presented with a challenging fourfold approach including daily questions for personal Bible study, lively discussion groups where insights from personal study are shared, interesting lectures with applications for daily living, and enriching notes distributed to class members attending the lecture each week. They’re intense and effective. You can find out more by contacting them:
Bible Study Fellowship
www.bsfinternational.org
19001 Huebner Road
San Antonio, Texas 78258-4019
210-492-4676

My favorite BIBLE SOFTWARE PROGRAM is this one:

There are many software programs that may help you study Scripture effectively and efficiently. My definite favorite is the Logos Bible Software. It’s truly amazing. If you take some time to go through their website, you’ll learn about your options. I’d also encourage you to ask your pastors what books and software they depend on. Especially if they know you, they might be able to recommend something that’s ideal for you. To learn more about Logos, here’s their information:
Logos Bible Software
www.logos.com
1313 Commercial St.
Bellingham WA 98225-4307
(360) 527-1700

Allow me to make one more recommendation related to studying Scripture. I’ve found that God will often use a NEW BIBLE TRANSLATION to awaken enthusiasm for His Word. So, you may want to go to a Christian bookstore and look at all the different possibilities. Clerks will often be able to explain the differences well. Also, please consider asking your pastors and/or those from your church who lead Bible studies which translations they recommend. For example, a number of years ago, friends gave me a chronological Bible. I’ve really enjoyed using it for my daily Bible reading. You might too.

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Church-Based Parent Education

We sometimes joke that mothers are taught how to give birth and then how to feed, diaper, and bathe their babies before sending them home from the hospital. It’s really not very funny, though, is it? Parenting is a huge responsibility! Ideally, churches, schools, companies, and communities work together to provide education for parents.

If you want to look into offering parent education at your church, here are some things you can think about:

What topics might be appealing? How do we decide?

Pray and survey members, attenders, Sunday school teachers, and area school teachers.

You can decide if you want to encourage and educate parents from all ages and stages or just one or more: pregnancy, infant/toddler, preschool years, elementary years, middle school (preteen and early teen) years, high school (teenage) years, launching years (college and early career, “empty nest” years), “boomerang” years, and grandparents.

You can choose topics with the Luke 2:52 model in mind: “And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.” In a series, you can cover spiritual, intellectual, emotional, social, and physical growth.

Teaching the biblical characteristics of a Christian family can be very important.

Numerous topics, such as these, can be a blessing: communication, discipline, motivation, complimenting and correcting children, study skills, multiple intelligences, learning styles, helping children change, and authentic hope and wholeness. ?

What formats and schedules might work best?

Pray.

Speakers can be outside experts, members/attenders, pastors, area educators and counselors, etc.

Opportunities can be informal and formal, planned and spontaneous, and conveniently and “inconveniently” scheduled. For example, during the week, some classes can be offered at 6:30 a.m. for people to attend before they go to work. Also, 5:30 p.m. can work better than the more typical 7:00 p.m. because once people get home, it’s hard for them to leave again. On Sundays, for inreach and to reach visitors who attended that day, try offering seminars right after the morning service. You could offer a light snack and extended childcare. If you have enough space and people, you can offer parent education during VBS. Instead of parents dropping their children off and going home, they can stay for their own classes.

You can offer seminars for parents and their children to attend together. When everyone hears the same message there is more motivation and accountability. Necessary change will more realistically happen.

You could offer to host a community wide parenting conference and/or a banquet or dessert fellowship to honor parents.

Celebrate Kids, Inc. seminars for parents and families have been successfully held in many churches, Christian schools, and public schools. We’d love to support your efforts. Let us know if we can help you. Just email Miki Michaelsen, our Scheduling Director.

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Bible Verses, Resources, and Methods Related to Prayer

I encourage you to search the SCRIPTURE for verses that will motivate you to pray. Here are some of my favorites:

“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14

“Then Daniel returned to his house and explained the matter to his friends Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. He urged them to plead for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that he and his friends might not be executed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. During the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven and said: ‘Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. He changes times and seasons; he sets up kings and deposes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him. I thank and praise you, O God of my fathers: You have given me wisdom and power, you have made known to me what we asked of you, you have made known to us the dream of the king.’” Daniel 2:17-23

“You hear, O LORD, the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry.” Psalm 10:17

“Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.” Psalm 62:8

“In the day of my trouble I will call to you, for you will answer me.” Psalm 86:7

“O LORD, hear my prayer, listen to my cry for mercy; in your faithfulness and righteousness come to my relief.” Psalm 143:1

“The LORD detests the sacrifice of the wicked, but the prayer of the upright pleases him.” Proverbs 15:8

“Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near.” Isaiah 55:6

“But as for me, I watch in hope for the LORD, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.” Micah 7:7

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians

4:6-7

 

“Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” Hebrews 4:16

“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” James 5:16

(These verses are from the New International Version.)

You might enjoy these WEBSITES related to prayer:

www.praymag.com – The site for Pray! magazine is an excellent resource for books, prayer cards (which are fabulous), and other resources.

www.praykids.com – This site is for Pray Kids, the magazine published by NavPress which is inserted into each issue of Pray! magazine.

www.prayerleader.com – From their website: This is a website devoted solely and completely to growing prayer in the local church. The Church Prayer Leaders Network, formerly the National Association of Local Church Prayer Leaders, is for anyone who desires to see his or her church become a house of prayer for all nations. Though designed specifically for the person in a local church (pastor or layperson) who has been given the task of leading prayer, the site and network is much broader than that. If you are in any type of ministry in your church, and have a heart for encouraging others to grow in prayer, this is for you. Really it is for pastors, small group leaders, intercessors, elders, youth and children’s workers, worship leaders – anyone who leads and wants prayer to be central to what they do. Our desire is to encourage, challenge, and equip you to be a champion of prayer in your church.

www.nationaldayofprayer.org – From their website: The National Day of Prayer Task Force exists to encourage and promote events related to the National Day of Prayer, the first Thursday in May. Every effort is made to provide resources for individuals wishing to participate in or plan events on behalf of our ministry.

 

Some of my favorite BOOKS related to prayer are these:

Campbell, Wesley and Stacey (2002). Praying the Bible: The book of prayers.  

     Ventura, CA: Gospel Light.
Hybels, Bill (1988). Too busy not to pray: Slowing down to be with God.

     Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
Kopp, David and Heather (2004). Powerful prayers for your children. Colorado

     Springs, CO: Waterbrook Press.
Kopp, David and Heather (2004). Powerful prayers for your family. Colorado

     Springs, CO: Waterbrook Press.
Kopp, David and Heather (2004). Powerful prayers for your life. Colorado

     Springs, CO: Waterbrook Press.
Kopp, David and Heather (2004). Powerful prayers for your marriage.

     Colorado Springs, CO: Waterbrook Press

Kopp, Heather (2004). Powerful prayers for your baby. Colorado Springs, CO:

     Waterbrook Press.
Moore, Beth (2000). Praying God’s word: Breaking free from spiritual  

     strongholds. Nashville, TN: Broadman and Holman.    
Omartian, Stormie (2001). The power of a praying husband. Eugene, OR:

     Harvest House Publishers.
Omartian, Stormie (1997). The power of a praying wife. Eugene, OR: Harvest
     House Publishers.
Omartian, Stormie (1995). The power of a praying woman. Eugene, OR:

     Harvest House Publishers.
Omartian, Stormie (2003). The power of praying through life’s problems.

     Oxnard, CA:Integrity Publishers.
Omartian, Stormie (2004). The power that changes everything: The hidden

    power of praising God. Eugene, OR: Harvest House Publishers.
Omartian, Stormie with Jack Hayford (2003). The power of praying together.  

    Eugene, OR: Harvest House Publishers.
Sheets, Dutch (1996). Intercessory prayer: How God can use your prayers to

    move heaven and earth. Ventura, CA: Gospel Light.
Terabassi, Becky (2000). Let prayer change your life. Nashville, TN: Thomas

    Nelson.

I strongly recommend this MAGAZINE:

Celebrate Kids, Inc. subscribes to about 15 monthly or bi-monthly magazines. One of our favorites is Pray!, which is published by NavPress. Its purpose is to guide believers into a deeper relationship with Christ through prayer, help believers pray more powerfully and effectively, equip and multiply prayer leaders, and encourage unity in the body of Christ and advance the worldwide prayer movement. God has used it to enhance our prayer lives. You can learn more about it by contacting them:
Pray! Magazine
www.praymag.com
PO Box 35004
Colorado Springs, CO 80935
1-800-691-7729

Here’s my favorite PRAYER METHOD:

I’m normally not into formulas and acronyms, but to help me with my prayer priorities, I follow excellent instruction I gained from Becky Tirabassi. I praise God for Who He is and I thank Him for what He does. In between, I admit my sin and request His help. Her PART acronym helps me:
P     Praise God for who He is
A     Admit my sin
R     Request God’s help (for me and others)
T     Thank God for what He does

She instructs us to receive God’s answers through LMNOP:
L     Listen for His voice
M    Messages from His people (e.g.,sermons, from friends, songs we hear)
N    New Testament truth
O    Old Testament truth
P    Proverbs and Psalms

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Koch, K.A. (2005). Finding authentic hope and wholeness: 5 questions that will change your life. Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers. (Relevant to chapter 8: Competence: What Do I Do Well?)

Kathy Koch, Ph.D., President, Celebrate Kids, Inc.
P.O. Box 136234 • Fort Worth, TX 76136
(817) 238-2020 • www.CelebrateKids.com • www.AuthenticHope.com