October 2, 2010

Week 1: Impacting Family

Guest Speakers

Bill & Dawn Bowan

Having a Marriage of Influence

What does it mean to influence?Matthew 5:13-16 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt

loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”

Having a Marriage of Influence

Impacting Your Family

Our Family…

Our Family…

What legacy do you want to leave for your family?

Impacting Family

Today’s Family Christ’s Expectations Real Life Examples & Application

What does the Modern Family look like?

Today’s Family

Today’s Family:What has the family unit become?

Today’s Family:Does having children make parents more active

church goers?

What are the long term effects of church attendance?

• 8 out of 10 adults remembers consistently attending Sunday school or some other religious training before the age of 12.

• Of people who attended Sunday school every week as a child, 50% went to church the previous week and 32% reported having an active faith.

• Of people who never attended as a child, 26% went to church the previous week and 17% reported having an active faith.

Christ’s Expectations

• Faith Starts at Home• Daily Life Should Reveal Faith• Faith’s Influence Endures

Christ’s Expectations: Faith Starts At Home

I Timothy 3: 4-5 “He must manage his own family well and see that

his children obey him with proper respect. If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?”

I Timothy 3: 11 “In the same way, their wives are to be women

worthy of respect, not malicious talkers, but temperate and trustworthy in everything.”

Christ’s Expectations: Daily Life Should Reveal Faith

Deuteronomy 6:6-7 “These commandments that I give you today are to

be upon your hearts. Impress them 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.”

Christ’s Expectations: Faith’s Influence Endures

Proverbs 22:6 “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is

old he will not turn from it.”

I Corinthians 9:23-24 “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run,

but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; be we do it to get a crown that will last forever.”

Real Life ApplicationHow do we act upon the challenge

to influence our families?

Start Simple Be REAL Set a standard Make service a part of your family

Real Life ApplicationStart Simple

Colossians 3:2 “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly

things.”

Psalm 19:14 “May the words of my mouth and the

meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.”

Real Life ApplicationBe REAL

CNN Article More teens are becoming fake Christians…"If teenagers lack an articulate faith, it

may be because the faith we show them is too spineless to merit much in the way of conversation."

Real Life ApplicationSet a Standard

Colossians 4:5-6 “Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders;

make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation always be full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”

Real Life ApplicationSet a Standard

Ways we hide our light…• Being quiet when we should speak• Allowing sin to dim our light• Not explaining our light to others

Real Life ApplicationSet a Standard

Let your light shine…• Plan in advance to discuss Christ in conversation• Ask the Holy Spirit for words and the boldness to

accept opportunities• Stay calm in stressful situations• Ask your spouse for help and support

Real Life ApplicationMake Service a Part of Your Family

Opportunities to Serve…• Leading and Participation in Small Groups• Helping Families in Need• Investing in extended family• Building connections outside of your family

Real Life Application

Matthew 5:13-16 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”

Small Group Discussion • Who is one person in your family that you would like

to influence?• What family members have most influenced your life?

How have you felt their influence?• Share an experience when you were able to positively

influence a family member – what were the results?• What habits and/or traditions have you and your

spouse created that demonstrate Christ in your daily life?

Living Marriage Blog

• Recaps of each event• Couples devotional• MP3 audio of messages• Access to other marriage resources

livingmarriage.wordpress.com

Having a Marriage of Influence

Looking Ahead …

October 9, 2010

Week 2: Impacting Your Spouse

Guest Speakers

Shane & Andrea Fell