The Family Table
Feeding the Faith of LEFC Families
TFT: Good Gaming
February 25, 2024
Dear LEFC Parents,
Here are some items to set the table for disciple-making in your family in the days ahead:
More Good Stuff on A.I.
The folks at Concurrently – the News Coach Podcast have just put out a new interview with the expert in artificial intelligence that we recommended in last week’s Family Table. This new podcast is entitled, “DALL-E, Creativity, and Slow Learning” and features Dr. Michael Finch answering listener questions. “What does this new technology mean for the development of our kids and teens? How does artificial intelligence impact creativity, and vice versa?”
Wild Game Dinner
Our LEFC Wild Game Dinner with outdoorsman Joel Zaborowski will be on March 16th. Some of our families use it every year as a chance to do something fun and inspirational together–especially fathers and sons who love the great outdoors. Consider how you might get involved–even to serve alongside each other.
Week 5 of “Chasing Love” – Bible Study for Teens
We’re half way through our class for youth, Chasing Love: Sex, Love, and Relationships in a Confused Culture (Sunday evenings at 7:00 in the upstairs Youth Room). Chasing Love is led by Keith and Heather Hurley and Joan Page. Other parents are always welcome and invited to participate, too. Tonight’s lesson is about God’s design.
Egg Hunt on March 30th
The Family Ministries Team is organizing an Easter egg hunt on March 30th at 10:00am on our LEFC campus. In addition to the hunt, we’ll be organizing indoor crafts and activities to enjoy. Children ages 0-12 are invited to participate. Registration will begin at 9:30am. Pre-registration will be available for children who are attenders of LEFC. Donations of plastic eggs, candy, and prizes are needed, as well as volunteers. See Jordyn Skacel, Holly Crumrine, or Vicky Albert with questions, to pre-register, or to get involved!
Summer Camp at Miracle Mountain Ranch
If you want a good discount, now’s a good time to register for camp. Talk to Marilynn Kristofits about the cost, deadlines, and details.
Calendar Item – Family Bible Week
We’re planning for this year’s FBW to be July 22-25 with a grand finale on the 28th. Mark it on your calendar and plan your family vacation around it! See Vicky Albert to get involved.
The Gospel Project at Home
Today’s Bible Study is “We Are to Tell Others about Jesus” (Volume 10: Unit 30: Session 5). Ask your kids what they learned in Kids Bible Class this morning and/or do the family devotional you can find at this link.
Snack and Yack
When the auditorium empties after worship, girls and boys (grades 3ish-7ish) who listened to the sermon (remember to fill out a handout!) are invited to Pastor Matt’s office for a tasty treat and a brief discussion with one of the LEFC elders and their wives (and sometimes guest preachers?!) about the message.
And for dessert…
Our recommendation for family discipleship this week is a brief book written for teens about gaming (what we used to call “playing video games”).
A Student’s Guide to Gaming is a very short book (100 small pages) with very short chapters (9 plus 2 appendices) which a teen could probably read in one sitting if they tried.
How much time should a teen spend playing games? How can they make wise choices about how they invest their time? Reagan Rose, the founder of a ministry focused on productivity to the glory of God, writes:
“This book examines video games from a biblical perspective and shows how the very things we find enjoyable about games actually point to our ultimate, God-given purpose while simultaneously threatening to thwart it. If you’ve ever struggled to stop gaming once you’ve started or if you wonder about the effects the content of your games is having on you, I think you’ll be surprised at some of the answers.
This book is not anti-video games. But Christians must consider video games in light of the mission God has given us here on earth. I don’t believe video games are bad. In fact, it’s precisely the opposite. My concern is that video games may actually be too good.”
You can read the entire second chapter at the publisher’s website.
A Student’s Guide to Gaming is part of “Track Culture” a series of books for teens on things that matter to them.
Parents (and older teens) who want to think more deeply about gaming from a Christian worldview perspective may want to read Of Games and God by Dr. Kevin Schut of Trinity Western University. It was reviewed on the EFCA Blog a few years ago by Pastor Joey Woestman, a friend of Pastor Matt’s and one of the speakers at this year’s Challenge Conference.
Both books are available in Pastor Matt’s library, and he would love to loan them out.
Matt Mitchell, Pastor
Holly Crumrine, Family Table Editor
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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!