The Family Table
Feeding the Faith of LEFC Families
TFT: Cannabis and Your Teen
April 16, 2023
Dear LEFC Parents,
Here are some things to keep in mind as you lead your family into the next week:
Save the Date for Family Bible Week!
Family Bible Week will start on July 10th this summer! Make sure to mark your calendar, arrange your work schedule, and schedule your vacation around it. ? See Holly Crumrine to find out about this year’s theme and get involved in the advanced planning.
Snack and Yack Every Sunday
We are pleased with the involvement of the young people in Snack and Yack after worship on Sundays. We have between 2 and 5 boys and girls (grades 3-7) participating every week in a brief discussion of the sermon in Pastor Matt’s office with one of the church elders. This ministry will continue throughout Pastor Matt’s sabbatical. If you would like to help host the discussion by providing the snack, see Holly Crumrine to get involved. Parents, don’t forget to have your student fill out a handout during the sermon to prep for the conversation.
The Gospel Project at Home
Today’s Bible Study is “God Gave Solomon Wisdom” (Volume 3, Unit 12, Session 1). Ask your kids what they learned in children’s church this morning and/or do the family devotional you can find at this link.
And for Dessert…
Our family discipleship resource of the week is a book about what the Bible says about marijuana.
April 20th comes this week (ask your teen if you don’t know what the significance of 4/20 is), and it is becoming more and more important for Christians to think biblically about marijuana. The best resource that Pastor Matt has run across is Cannabis and the Christian by Todd Miles. Miles is a professor at Western Seminary in Portland, Oregon and an insightful and engaging writer (Pastor Matt also highly recommends his book on Christology that references Marvel and DC superheroes!).
The book is described online:
“What does the Bible say about marijuana? If it doesn’t directly address marijuana, how can Christians know what to make of the legalization of recreational cannabis and the advocacy of medical marijuana?
In the past, Christians could easily answer the question of whether or not it was permissible to use cannabis by deferring to state prohibitions. We could simply say, “it’s against the law.” Today, that answer is no longer possible. Christians are now forced to do what they should have been doing all along: Think like disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ and bring to bear the wisdom of the sufficient Word of God.
Since cannabis is not explicitly mentioned in the Bible, we must understand what it is and how it affects the user. We also must understand what the Bible says about discipleship, healing, suffering, and what it is to be human. Only then can we answer the critical questions regarding the recreational use and the medical use of cannabis.
In Cannabis and the Christian, Todd Miles gives readers:
– Biblical wisdom applied to the question of recreational cannabis
– Biblical wisdom related to the medical use of cannabis
– A grid to think through other ethical questions that aren’t directly addressed in the Bible
– Confidence to respond to challenging issues standing on the sufficient Word of God”
Pastor Matt listed Cannabis and the Christian as one of his top books in 2021. He said that Todd Miles “tackled a highly-relevant topic (pun intended) with a concise, winsome, even-handed, well-informed, nuanced, readable, thoughtful book. Miles avoids easy answers and hasty conclusions but also pulls no punches either. I wish more Christian books were like this.”
More:
Sean McDowell interviews Todd Miles
Ryan Lister interviews Todd Miles
Watch a video of the author answering questions about the book.
Read a sample chapter.
Access a discussion guide to use with your teen.
You are welcome to borrow Pastor Matt’s copy. We need to help our young people think through these issues biblically. We hope your family eats it up.
Matt Mitchell, Pastor
Holly Crumrine, 2023 Family Ministries Coordinator
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EXPLAINER: THE GOSPEL PROJECT AT HOME
For the last several years, our Children’s Church ministry has utilized The Gospel Project as our Bible study curriculum. The Gospel Project is really excellent–it takes our Little Learners and Bible Explorers chronologically through the whole Bible over the course of three years while always focusing on Jesus as the center of the big story. If your student was in Little Learners or Bible Explorers this morning, they received a coloring page and take-home sheet that corresponds to this lesson. You have also been given a full-color Big Picture Card that you can use to reinforce the lesson with your child, as well.
To reinforce what your kids are learning each week in Children’s Church, you can now access The Gospel Project At Home online. Each week in this email, there will be a link to follow to get this free resource which includes:
1. A guide to using the Gospel Project at Home.
2. Scripture to read and discuss with a recap video of the Bible Story (Preschool and/or Elementary).
3. Scripture memory verses and a song to sing together.
4. Prayer prompts and family activities that correspond to the lesson.
Please consider setting aside at least 10-15 minutes once a week for a family devotional time using this resource as a guide. We are hoping The Gospel Project At Home will help keep all of our LEFC kids “on the same page,” and feed their faith in Jesus.
This might be especially helpful if for some reason your child has to miss a week of Children’s Church. You can show them the Bible story video to keep them up to speed on what the other children are learning.
**Note: The first time you access the link, you will need to register a free account with Lifeway’s Ministry Grid. This will also provide you ongoing access through the “training” tab to many other discipleship resources including the Gospel Project at Home for previous weeks. Many hours of excellent things to absorb for free!