Speaker: Tedd Tripp

March 30-31, 2012 at Blue Ridge Bible Church

Dr. Tedd Tripp draws on over 30 years of experience as a pastor, counselor, school administrator, and father in giving his valuable help to parents. Shepherding a Child’s Heart is about how to speak to the heart of your child. The things your child does and says flow from the heart. Luke 6:45 puts it this way, “…out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.” (NIV) Designed for parents with children of any age, this seminar provides perspectives and procedures for shepherding your child’s heart into the paths of life. Purchase his book here: Shepherding a Child’s Heart. Continue reading for complete details.

Plan to make this small investment in your family!

The cost is $20/$25 for single/couple before March 4

$30/$35 after March 4

Childcare will be made available. You must register for childcare by March 15.

Child care costs $10 for one child, $20 for two, $25 for three or more.

See below for additional details and conference schedule.

Space is limited, so register soon! Please note this conference is for adults only but we have prepared a terrific childcare program (0-12).

For those in need of childcare, we are offering a terrific program for children (ages birth to 12 years). Registrations for childcare must be done by March 15. Cost is $10 for one child, $20 for two and $25 for three or more. Your kids will enjoy our “Under the Sea” theme for the weekend, featuring a showing of the family film “Dolphin Tale” as well as sea-themed snacks, games, and fun activities. Friday night is movie night. Kids can come in their pajamas and enjoy “Dolphin Tale,” an inspiring true story of a dolphin named Winter who receives a second chance at life. Saturday morning the fun continues with plenty of games, activities, and Bible lessons that will captivate your little seafarer!

Register and pay online here.

Pastor Tedd Tripp’s Biographical Information

Tedd Tripp is the senior pastor of Grace Fellowship Church, Hazleton, Pennsylvania. He was married to Margy in 1968. They have three adult children and nine grandchildren. Tedd is a graduate of Geneva College, B.A. in History, Philadelphia Theological Seminary, M. Div., and Westminster Theological Seminary, D. Min. with an emphasis in Pastoral Counseling. Tedd is the author of the popular child-rearing book, Shepherding a Child’s Heart.

Tedd has been an elder in Grace Fellowship Church since 1976 and pastor of the church since 1983. Before seminary Tedd worked as a contractor and in industry.

Tedd and Margy founded Immanuel Christian School in 1979 where Tedd has served as a teacher and administrator. Tedd and Margy still serve on the board of ICS. From 1985-1997 Tedd served as a counselor in the Lehigh Valley office of the Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation. Since 1994, Tedd has maintained an extensive ministry as a conference speaker and presenter of Shepherding a Child’s Heart Seminars. His books and video and audio materials are used throughout the world.

Schedule and Session Summaries

Friday Evening

6:30- 7:00 Registration

7:00- 8:00 Getting to the Heart of Behavior

The major theme of Shepherding a Child’s Heart is that the heart directs behavior. In this session Dr. Tripp presents an overview of several passages that teach that the heart is the wellspring of life. Since behavior is heart driven (Luke 6:45), it cannot be understood or addressed biblically in isolation from the heart. What a child says and does is a reflection of the abundance of his heart. This session explores some of the common ways that we try to address behavior without shepherding the heart, helping parents gain skill at working back from behavior to the heart unmasking heart issues for their children.

8:15- 9:15 Helping our Kids See the Glory of God

Shaping influences of childhood are the events and circumstances in a child’s developmental years that prove to be catalysts for the person he becomes. Shaping influences, however, are only half the story. Children are worshippers so they interact with the shaping influences of life out of the Godward orientation of their hearts. Since they are worshippers children either worship God or idols. They filter the experiences of life through a religious grid. Since their Godward orientation will determine the ways they respond to the shaping influences of life, one of the primary tasks of the parent is to help their children see the glories of God. They are made to be dazzled and awed by God. The parent’s calling is to help them see the glories and excellencies of the one for who they have been made. Psalm 145 describes parenting as “one generation commending the works of God to another.”

Saturday morning

8:30- 9:00 Breakfast: coffee, tea and light breakfast

9:00- 10:00 Early Childhood: Helping our Children Live Joyfully Under Authority

These early days are wonderful for helping children understand that they are designed to live under authority. Kind and gracious authority is a blessing for children since they lack wisdom, maturity and life experience. Our task is helping them see that God, who is good and kind, has designed them to function as people under authority. God has promised wonderful blessing for children who learn to honor and obey Mom and Dad.

10:15- 11:15 Childhood: Helping Children Understand How to Identify Attitudes of Heart

There are many issues that arise in shepherding our children that cannot be reduced to living under authority. The Bible teaches that the heart has strayed long before the behavior strays. We must help our children understand the heart attitudes that are behind common behavior problems. Focus on the heart keeps before us the need for the transformation that grace brings. This session will present a paradigm for getting from behavior to heart attitudes and helping children understand ways that their straying hearts show how profoundly they need the forgiveness, grace and empowerment of the gospel.

11:25 – 12:30 p.m. Teenagers: Helping Young People Embrace the Gospel as their own Living Faith

This is the time to pass the baton of faith from one generation to the next. There are foundational issues in Proverbs 1: the fear of the Lord, remembering your parent’s words and disassociation from the wicked. The parent accomplishes the tasks of this developmental stage through rich biblical communication. We will discover that the finest art of communication is to understand the other person, in this case our teen.

Since it launched in December, we have now used Community Builder (CB) to invite and register women for the January retreat, which also conveniently included paying for registrations by credit card online. It was used to sign up people for the March for Life. Our LIFE group leaders are using it to communicate with their groups and to manage their rosters. Our deacons are scheduling worship service security teams. The Belize summer missions team is tracking their preparations to go this summer. Many thanks to those of you who are building the community and finding new uses for it. This is a “continuing education” project so watch for future demonstrations, or you can always contact me with questions or instructional needs.

One especially handy tool for everyone is the online giving. We offered that in the past through our previous software, but this one is even easier to set up and manage. It’s convenient, consistent, secure and deliberate, allowing you to give “cheerfully” rather than sitting in the worship service and realizing you forgot your checkbook…ooops again. So if you have not considered giving this way before, take a moment and check it out. Login, click on “give” and follow the prompts. Or you can go to your profile and click on “give” or “financial.” If you have any questions, just contact me any time.

Another use for CB is matching up people with special interests…or matching those who have a freezer to give away with those who are looking for one…or matching those who need some work done around their house with skilled people in our church family. We have started a group called “Bulletin Board for Needs” which you can request to join and then communicate with others in that group. We have also created “Workforce Ministries Lunch Group.” This is the ministry which holds monthly lunches for business people who want to integrate their faith with their workplace. You can request to join that group and William Kirkwood will send you updates and invitations. If you have a special interest and want to know if there are others in our church family with the same interest, contact me and we can set up a group for you. To see the current groups available, go to Groups > discover a new group > search, and the entire group list pops up.

Check out Blue Ridge Community Builder today!

A number of couples in our church have gone to these fantastic events and have benefited greatly.

Register at this link (http://www.familylife.com/groups/brbc) and receive a discount on the normal registration cost.

Upcoming dates in our area include:

• The Hotel Roanoke and Conference Center, Roanoke, VA February 17-19, 2012
• Hershey Lodge and Convention Center, Hershey, PA February 24-26, 2012
• Hyatt Regency, Reston, VA – March 23-25, 2012
• Gaylord National Resort, Oxon Hill, MD – April 13-15, 2012

Women’s One-day RETREAT RESCHEDULED — The Retreat that was cancelled on Saturday due to bad weather has been rescheduled to this coming Saturday, January 28.

Register online here.

Calling all Blue Ridge women! In an effort to build fellowship, encourage our walk with the Lord and just have some good old fashioned fun, the Women’s Ministry Committee invites you to our a One-Day Retreat on January 21 right here in our Blue Ridge auditorium. The topic is “Living Out The Gospel” and it promises to be uplifting, encouraging and challenging!

Two of our pastors’ wives, Karen Gill and Christy Shipe will encourage us to put Christ first as we live our daily lives. Along with these wonderful women, we will hear from a panel of women on how they practically work out Christ’s call, willingly and obediently in daily life. And the day is completed with additional testimonies and great worship music led by Abby and Anna Parker. Of course, fellowship and laughter are always included in our times together!

So if you have been attending here for years, “We want YOU!” If you are new to Blue Ridge, “We want YOU!” If you are under 25, “We want YOU!” If you are over 75 or any age in-between, “We want YOU!” This is a time to get to know other Blue Ridge women and grow in a deeper love for our Savior.

The program goes from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., followed by a fellowship and dessert time until 5:00. Registration is $20 per person which includes a great lunch from Panera Bread. You can register online through Blue Ridge Community Builder, and in the foyer on Sunday, January 8 and 15. For additional information, contact Heidi Berry (540-338-9711).

Today your Savior is born in the city of David. He is Christ the Lord.

Luke 2:11

Christmas Eve, 6 pm

Come remember the reason for the season this Christmas Eve at “Let There Be Light,” a special service at Blue Ridge Bible Church on December 24 from 6 to 6:45 p.m. Enjoy singing many familiar carols along with the Blue Ridge Children’s Choir as we light the candles of advent and retell the Christmas story.

Christmas Day, 11 am

Childcare through age five will be provided during this service. There will be no 8:30 am service and no Sunday school at 9:45 am.

Homepage photo by Jeff Weese.

Additional note: We’ve put up more details about the Shepherding a Child’s Heart conference that we are hosting at the end of March. Check it out!

816 children logging 2,172 clubber-years and 143,000+ Bible verse recitations
315 families
600+ parents
1,300+ visitors
288 directors and leaders logging 700 leader-years including:
53 Leaders-In-Training (older teens groomed to become leaders)
86 Patrick Henry College students
63 young adults
Hundreds of Romanian children and adults through our sister Awana Club run by missionaries, Adrian & Lavinia Dreana
1,500+ third-world children through our annual participation in Operation Christmas Child

Thousands of children and adults have been impacted by God’s work in and through Awana at Blue Ridge since it began 15 years ago. It plays a vitally effective part in our church’s outreach, discipleship, family ministry, volunteer training and leadership development efforts, aligning directly with Blue Ridge’s Mission, Values, and Vision.

What is Awana?

Spawned in Chicago 60 years ago, Awana is a fully integrated evangelism and discipleship program that appeals to both churched and non-churched kids, leading them to trust Christ for salvation and grow them in enduring faith and service to God.* Fun games, engaging materials and methods, and involved parents and leaders all come together for an exciting experience that helps shape kids for God’s eternal purposes.

Awana blends biblical instruction, evangelism, scripture memorization and tons of fun for kids ages 2 to 18 along with their families and entire communities while helping instruct parents, train volunteers and making a life-defining, long-lasting spiritual impact.

Today more than 1.5 million children and youth, 250,000 volunteers and 170+ field staff take part in Awana in over 22,000 churches from 100 different denominations in the U.S. and internationally each week.*

Its Philosophy

God intends parents to be the primary spiritual nurturers of their children. He designed the home to be the center of discipleship where kids are molded into spiritually-mature Christ followers and where parents and children grow together in faith, building stronger families and churches along the way.* Awana helps parents fulfill this calling.

The ages of 4 to 14 are the golden hour of evangelism. Research, anecdotal evidence and even common sense all clearly identify the childhood years as the window of opportunity for the greatest life-saving impact for eternity. For a large majority of people, if they do not respond to the gospel as a child, they likely will not do so later in life. All the ages of youth form the silver day. The teenage years as well provide a prime opportunity to evangelize. - Rock-Solid Kids, Larry Fowler

When parents and churches work together to teach God’s Word across kids’ formative years, they produce young adults marked by steadfast biblical faith and character.*

Its Impact

Today’s church is in crisis. The trends are troubling:

• Over half of all church-going teens abandon their faith after high school.
• As few as one in 10 possesses a biblical view of God and the world.
• Bible knowledge among college students has plummeted to all-time lows.
• The majority of children from Christian homes leave the church by age 19.*

Unfortunately, these are more than mere statistics. They represent millions of young people around the country. The crisis they face—and that churches and parents must confront—is all too real.*

By contrast, most kids trained in Awana continue to faithfully follow Jesus as adults.* Independent research demonstrates that young adults with 6 or more years of previous Awana experience are dramatically different from their peers:

• Church attendance – 92.7 percent of Awana alumni continue to regularly attend church as adults, and only 1.8 percent said they had dropped out of church since high school. By comparison, 36 percent of Americans surveyed by Baylor who attended church at age 12 said they are now unchurched as adults.*
• Belief in God – 93.7 percent of Awana alumni said they wholeheartedly believe in God as opposed to 65.8 percent of Baylor respondents.*
• Jesus and salvation – 98.6 percent of Awana alumni believe Jesus is God’s Son compared to 70 percent of Americans and 85 percent of Protestants. 93 percent of Awana alumni believe Christ is the only way to salvation. 69.6 percent of Americans believe many roads lead to salvation or do not believe in salvation.*
• Belief about the Bible – 94 percent of Awana alumni believe the Bible is God’s Word compared to 58 percent of Americans and 73 percent of Protestants. Awana alumni are also 3.6 times more likely than other churchgoers and Americans to read in virtually every case the Bible several times a week.*
• Church service – At 74 percent, Awana alumni were five times more likely than Americans polled by Baylor to serve their church 11 hours or more each month.*
• Personal evangelism – 70 percent of Awana alumni said they share their faith with friends at least once a month compared to 35.7 percent of the national average, 48.7 percent of Protestants and 59 percent of the most devoted churchgoers.*

Awana alumni were found to be more devoted to God, His Word and their local church than even the nation’s most committed churchgoers.* Why? The evidence indicates that consistent, long-term participation in Awana—accompanied by spiritual training from parents—reaps long-lasting results.*

By Earl Hall

* Content reprinted from material available on the Awana website at www.awana.org