A few weeks back our church hosted the second annual “Man Conference” in partnership with Mars Hill, Blaze Christian Fellowship, and Trinity at the Marketplace. The talks are up, and if you are a guy you should check them out.

via Desert Springs Church:

On Saturday, August 6, 350 men gathered at DSC from four churches for encouragement and help from God’s Word in the man’s fight for godliness. Fighting for Godliness, of course, was the theme for this year’s The Man Conference, hosted by Blaze Christian Fellowship, Desert Springs Church, Mars Hill Church, and Trinity at the Marketplace. Our speakers, Michael Kelshaw and Carlos Montoya, preached sermons worth listening to if you are a man and missed the conference.

Here’s the audio from this year’s theme, Fighting for Godliness:

• “Fighting for the Gospel,” Michael Kelshaw
• “Fighting to be a Godly Husband and Dad,” Carlos Montoya
• “Question and Answer 1,” A.J. Hamilton, Michael Kelshaw, Carlos Montoya
• “Fighting for the Mission,” Carlos Montoya
• “Question and Answer 2,” A.J. Hamilton, Michael Kelshaw, Ryan Kelly, Carlos Montoya

Audio for last year’s The Man Conferences with Dave Bruskas from Marsh Hill Church is available here.

Los:

In August Desert Springs, Mars Hill ABQ and Trinity in the Marketplace partnered to bring men together to discuss Biblical Manhood. Dave Bruskas, Campus Pastor of Mars Hill ABQ, taught and there were also 2 Question and Answer panels including Dave, Ryan Kelly, Teaching Pastor at DSC, Michael Kelshaw, Teaching Pastor at Trinity, Tim Bradly, Biblical Counseling Pastor at DSC  and Daniel Schuman who is a Biblical Counselor at Renew Ministries.

Over 300 men attended and the talks and the fruit that has come from this event is still being felt and talked about today.

The audio is now available below (and at DSC Website) to listen to and download, all for free.

Session 1: The Man and His Lord
Session 2: The Man and His Woman
Q and A Panel 1
Session 3: The Man and His Church
Q and A Panel 2

Saturday 8am -4pm at Desert Springs Church.

In partnership with Mars Hill ABQ and Trinity at the Marketplace, this conference is aimed at challenging men to fight for the Biblical model of manhood.

In a day where 60% of church attenders are women, and where the men are caught up with sitting at home playing video games, sacrificing their family for success, obsessed with sports and addicted to pornography, the call is an urgent one.

We have made this conference free for all men who want to attend, because we believe the message is of utmost importance that we do not want any barrier for those who wish to come.

via: losgriego.com

Here is an outline of Randy Alcorn’s article on ways that parents can help their kids learn to think biblically about money.

1. Give your children something greater than money—your time.

2. Use life’s teachable moments to train your children.

3. Take a field trip to a junkyard.

4. Teach your children to link money with labor.

5. Teach your children how to save.

6. Get your children started on the lifetime adventure of giving.

7. Provide your children with financial planning tools.

8. Teach your children how to say “No.”

9. Show your children how family finances work.

10. Never underestimate the power of your example.

Read the whole thing for an explanation of each point.

My kids are growing up. This is filled with all sorts of emotions. Life presents new challenges and circumstances. This is true for any parent. But things are a little different for Christian parents. We actually believe that our kids are not Christians just because we are. Heaven is not an unalienable right like voting at 18. Our children have to actually come to terms with the God of the gospel themselves.

This presents an interesting set of circumstances for parents. We have a responsibility, a mandate even, to raise our kids in the ‘discipline and instruction of the Lord.’ (Eph. 6.4) We understand that in this same book the same Apostle says that prior to conversion we all are dead in sin, and apart from a supernatural work of God’s grace and mercy we would not follow Christ (Eph. 2.1-8).

So what do you do?

The Dangerous Trap
I think there is potentially a trap to step into here if we are not careful and thinking. If you believe that your children cannot be converted apart from God’s sovereign work of grace in their lives, you may become complacent in praying for them and actively ‘gospelizing’ them. We may begin to think that since they are unbelievers then what you do with the Scriptures and what you do on your knees is not helpful. This type of thinking is as dangerous as it is unbiblical.

The command to train your children is not contingent upon their receptivity. Parents (specifically Dads) do not have to ask to be the leader, they already are. And so therefore they are accountable.

“But wait…,” some might say, “how is God going to hold me accountable for something that I have no ability to accomplish myself?”

This is important to think through.

The Motivating Truth
You are right, you cannot save your children. But, God never called you to save them, he has called you to care for them. You are to shepherd their hearts with the word of God (Eph. 6.4; cf also Deut. 4.9; 6.7; 11.19). And you are to carry your cares of their salvation to the throne of grace for mercy and help (Heb. 4.16; 1 Pet. 5.7). It is this that you will be accountable for.

Please think through the horrible logic of being lazy in light of your children being unconverted and disinterested in biblical things. Your excuse then is that you are lazy because God is sovereign and they are sinners? The first thing I would ask any of my Reformed leaning friends is, “What are you doing about it Dad?”

So what do you do about it?

I can some it up in a sentence: Pray like you can’t save your children and parent like you can.

Be relentless on your knees for your children. Carry them to the throne of grace daily as you petition the sovereign and good God of the gospel for mercy. And also, be faithful to bring the Scriptures to bear in regular study, instruction and application in their lives. Have regular times of family devotions. But also, be sure to integrate the glory of God in all manner of life and thinking. Bring the matchless beauty of Christ to bear on everything that you can.

This is hard work. It is however, the work of faith, the work of dependence and the work of love. It is gospel work. It is Christian parenting. You are believing that God is merciful, that his word is powerful, and that he is infinitely valuable. We cannot afford to cling to lame and ill-conceived excuses when we are talking about such weighty things as the glory of God, our accountability before him, and the souls of our children.

So get to work, in the prayer closet and at the kitchen table; plead Christ to them and them to Christ!

Session 1: Helping Kids Understand Authority – Tedd Tripp

• Audio
• Video

Session 2: Helping Kids Understand the Heart – Tedd Tripp

• Audio
• Video

Session 3: Overview of Corrective Discipline – Tedd Tripp

• Audio
• Video

Session 4: Giving Kids a Vision for God’s Glory – Tedd Tripp

• Audio
• Video

Session 5: The Call to Formative Instruction – Tedd Tripp

• Audio
• Video

HT: Resurgence

STORY BIBLES:

1. Sally Lloyd-Jones. The Jesus Storybook Bible: Every Story Whispers His Name. Illustrated by Jago. Grand Rapids: ZonderKidz, 2007. 352 pp. $16.99.

2. David Helm. The Big Picture Story Bible. Illustrated by Gail Schoonmaker. Wheaton: Crossway, 2004. 456 pp. $22.99.

3. ESV Illustrated Family Bible: 270 Selections from the Holy Bible. Illustrated by Abigniew Freus. Wheaton: Crossway, 2008. 424 pp. $24.99.

OTHER STORY BOOKS

1. Starr Meade. Keeping Holiday. Illustrated by Justin Gerard. Wheaton: Crossway, 2008. 192 pp. $14.99.

2. Randy Alcorn. Tell Me About Heaven. Illustrated by Ron DiCianni. Wheaton: Crossway, 2007. 64 pp. $19.99.

3. R. C. Sproul. The Prince’s Poison Cup. Illustrated by Justin Gerard. Orlando: Reformation Trust, 2008. 35 pp. $18.00.

4. R. C. Sproul. The Lightlings. Illustrated by Justin Gerard. Orlando: Reformation Trust, 2006. 40 pp. $18.00.

5. R. C. Sproul. The Priest with Dirty Clothes: A Timeless Story of God’s Love and Forgiveness. Illustrated by Liz Bonham.

6. John Bunyan. Dangerous Journey: The Story of Pilgrim’s Progress. Edited by Oliver Hunkin. Illustrated by Alan Parry.

7. Paul L. Maier. Martin Luther: A Man Who Changed the World. Illustrated by Greg Copeland. Saint Louis: Concordia

8. Kel Richards. Gumtree Gully. Illustrated by Graham Wade. Kingsford NSW, Australia: Matthias Media, 2005. 63 pp.

Systematic Theology Books

1. Bruce A. Ware. Big Truths for Young Hearts: Teaching and Learning the Greatness of God. Wheaton: Crossway, forthcoming. 224 pp. $15.99.

2. John MacArthur. A Faith to Grow On: Important Things You Should Know Now That You Believe. Nashville: Tommy Nelson, 2000. 192 pp. $15.99. Currently out of print.