The Family Table
Feeding the Faith of LEFC Families
TFT: The Columbo Tactic
March 5, 2023
Dear LEFC Parents,
Here is quick list of things to keep in mind for family discipleship this week:
Snack and Yack
Today was the first Sunday for this new ministry designed for young people (approximately grades 3-7) to discuss the sermon with Pastor Matt or one of the other elders after church. We’re going to have “Snack and Yack” every Sunday in March during the “coffee fellowship” time in Pastor Matt’s office. To help kids listen closely, Holly has created a handout for them to fill out during the message. Make sure your kids get one of those each week! Also, parents are always welcome to join in, as well. This is a family ministry.
The Gospel Project at Home
Today’s Bible Study is “God Chose David to be King” (Volume 3, Unit 11, Session 1). Ask your kids what they learned about that in children’s church this morning and/or do the family devotional you can find at this link.
Worldview Training for Youth
Youth group meets again tonight at 7pm! Send (or bring) your teen for a game, lesson, and hang-out time with Keith Hurley, his team, and some other teens.
And for Dessert…
Keith’s youth class is the overflow of what he’s been doing with his own family for the last few years. He’s been studying apologetics (making a case for Christianity with people who are skeptical) and sharing what he’s learning with Heather, Kevin, and Katie. Now, he’s eager to share with it others.
Right now, Keith’s class is studying an eight week series called “TACTICS: A Guide to Effectively Discussing Your Christian Convictions” from the folks at Stand to Reason (an apologetics ministry led by Greg Koukl).
The first three lessons centered on what Koukl calls “The Columbo Tactic” which is named for the deceptively bumbly television police detective who always caught murderers by asking them really good questions. (Heather and I just watched the 1968 pilot episode the other night!) Keith has been pointing out to the teens how effective questions can be in relating to skeptics–especially how that tactic models a Christ-like posture of both grace and truth.
You might want to learn more at Stand to Reason about the Columbo Tactic. They have articles, podcasts, and videos that are worth your time. Keith is now planning to also offer a pop-up class for adults starting on March 19th on Sundays at 8:30am on a similar apologetics topic (“Cold Case Christianity”).
And who knows? You might learn so much you’ll want to share it with your family or the teens at church!
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!