New for children ministry from Deland Church of the Nazarene

1. October2010
Protect Kids From False Beliefs
Many parents worry about shielding their children from dangerous Ask God:
non-Christian influences. This is especially true at Halloween, which
has become a $6 billion holiday. Because of the costumes and candy, 1. To help you teach and remind
most children adore Halloween. But parents face a dilemma: How children of God’s truths.
much should children participate in a holiday that focuses on scary
images often glamorizing death and the occult? 2. To protect your children from
evil forces and activities.
Avoiding Halloween entirely is one option. Another is providing
Christian alternatives such as harvest events. Parents can also 3. To help your children learn to
provide children with a faith-based understanding of Halloween. You resist Satan’s temptations.
can use the holiday to discover the differences between God’s truth
and false beliefs. Here are ways to start:
Parenting Insights
Explore children’s fears regarding death. Kids often ask tough Start now to safeguard children
questions that make adults uncomfortable. When topics such as
against being misled by the false
death and the devil arise, let your home be a safe place where
teachings of cults.
children can express their fears. Then turn to the Bible for answers.
1. Love and accept children
Share with children the history of
unconditionally. Show them
Halloween. The holiday first marked the eve of
that church is the place to find
All Hallows or All Saints’ Day, when Christians
God’s love and acceptance.
remember saints who’ve died. Talk about special
family members or friends who are now in heaven
2. Teach children to think
with Jesus. Also share that all who believe in Jesus
critically. They must know
are called to be saints, or holy people (see what they believe and why.
Romans 1:7).
3. Expect and encourage kids
Put on the “armor of God” as protection to question their faith.
against evil. Read aloud Ephesians 6:10-20 and discuss how God
Doubts help spur faith growth.
keeps us safe. Let children dress up in this armor; for example, wear
the belt of truth to recognize Satan’s lies and resist his temptations.
4. Teach kids to understand
the Bible. Always look at the
Trick or Truth? context of verses.
• According to a recent Gallup Poll, one in 10 Americans objects
5. Talk to children about false
to celebrating Halloween because of religious beliefs. In a poll
religions. Otherwise, they’ll
at about.com, 40% of respondents said Halloween activities are
be unprepared to evaluate and
harmless and fun.
respond to cults when they’re
out on their own.
• At edutopia.org, 52% of poll respondents said public schools
should celebrate Halloween and that children whose parents
6. Pray and trust the Holy
object should be excused from the festivities. Another 41% said
Spirit. God promises to keep
an alternative seasonal festival should include everyone.
his children safe in his truth.

2. “Jesus told him, ‘I am the
way, the truth, and the life.
No one can come to the
Father except through me.”
John 14:6
Jesus, our Savior, is the only
source of truth and the only Talk about children’s fears and beliefs by using these
way to eternal life. conversation-starting questions:
Teachable Moments
1. What kinds of things frighten you the most, and why? Why do
you think Jesus tells us to not be afraid (see John 6:20)?
1. Bible Villains—Put a biblical
spin on children’s interest in
2. What makes you feel better when you’re scared? How do you
“bad guys” by learning more
comfort other people when they’re facing fears?
about Bible-time villains
such as Pharaoh, Goliath,
3. How can you tell when other people are telling the truth?
Bathsheba, Delilah, Haman,
Pilate, and Judas. Discuss
4. Why does Jesus want us to live according to his truth found in
these people’s actions and
the Bible? How can we make sure we do that?
how we can avoid being like
them.
Family Experience: Nothing But the Truth
Use these activities to discover where we can find real truth.
The first works well with younger children, and the second
works well with older children.
• Pumpkin Matchup—Remove the
seeds and pulp from two pumpkins.
Carve them together, reserving
2. Reverse Trick or Treat— large pieces from your designs.
Surprise neighbors with an Place all the pieces on a tray in the
unexpected act of kindness. center of the room. Place the carved
Bake some goodies and pumpkins at opposite ends of the
deliver them by ringing room. Then form two teams and
doorbells and saying, have teams each stand by a
“Reverse trick or treat!” As pumpkin. Say: “Let’s complete our pumpkins. Race to match your
you walk from home to team’s pieces to your pumpkin. If a piece doesn’t fit, return it to the
home, talk about biblical pile. Afterward, say: “It isn’t always easy to find the right match for
truths such as the Golden things.” Read 1 John 2:5. Say: “Jesus wants us to do things that
Rule—and why God tells us match up with the Bible. Following Jesus makes us complete.”
to love our neighbors.
• Searching for the Truth—Fill a large tub with ice cubes and 20 or
3. Let It Shine—Make some 30 clear marbles. Have family members try to pick up the marbles
luminarias by decorating with their bare toes. Ask: “How easy or difficult was this task? How
brown paper sacks and filling were the marbles different from or similar to the ice? How is
them each with sand and a distinguishing between marbles and ice cubes with your toes like or
votive candle. Line them unlike deciding what’s true and what isn’t?” Say: “What’s false often
along your sidewalk to light looks or feels like truth. Just as our feet got cold and numb from the
a path to faith in Christ at ice while we were looking for the marbles, sometimes false things
Halloween. Read aloud can make us numb to the truth. The best way to know truth is to
Isaiah 9:2 and share ways pick up and hold on to God’s Word.” Read aloud Psalm 119:105 and
you can help others see the discuss ways that God’s Word lights our path and warms our hearts.
light of Jesus all year long. Then enjoy a warm snack.

3. This page is designed to help educate parents and isn’t meant to endorse any movie, music, or product.
Our prayer is that you’ll make informed decisions about what your children watch, listen to, and wear.
What’s Playing at the Movies
Culture & Trends
Movie: Flipped (now in theaters)
What’s happening right
Genre: Comedy, drama, romance
now that may affect your
Rating: PG (for some language and thematic material)
children and family:
Cast: Madeline Carroll, Callan McAuliffe, Anthony
Edwards, Rebecca De Mornay
• Some schools are
Synopsis: This coming-of-age movie, based on a
banning Silly Bandz, the
young-adult novel about first love, takes Juli and Bryce
rubber bracelets and
from second grade to junior high. These neighbors and
rings popular with
classmates discover who they are—as individuals and as a pair.
children across the
Discussion Questions: At what age can someone truly fall in love? How
country, because they’re
can you tell whether your feelings are just a crush or something more?
a distraction and kids
Read aloud 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. What can our first relationships teach
are flinging them at one
us about true love? For you, what are the most challenging parts of love,
another.
as God intends for it to be?
What Music Is Releasing
Artist: Taylor Swift
Album: Speak Now
Artist Info: Country-pop sensation Swift, 20,
started writing songs in school to deal with the pain
of not fitting in. When other kids gave her grief, she
wrote songs about them.
Summary: For her third album, Swift wrote all the • To give their children an
songs herself. She says the first single, “Mine,” is advantage in school,
about her tendency to run from love. “Innocent” is about forgiving more parents are now
rapper Kanye West for interrupting her awards-show speech last year. It “redshirting” their
includes the line, “Today is never too late to be brand new.” kindergartners, holding
Discussion Questions: What does it feel like to hold a grudge? How them back a year—
willing are you to forgive people who hurt you? Read aloud 2 Corinthians especially if their
5:17. In what ways are you a new creation? How can you let other birthdays are near
people know that God has made them brand new, too? registration cutoff dates.
(livescience.com)
______________
What Games Are Out
Title Content
Rating & Quick Stats
Platform
• 69% of preteens say
Young Ivy goes on a journey to find her talks with their parents
Ivy the Kiwi? mom. Players maneuver Ivy via vines E; DS, Wii
are very helpful for
through storybook-like illustrations.
dealing with pressures
This release, one of the first to use the new and challenges.
PlayStation Move, contains nine fast-paced (parenting.com)
Start the Party! mini-games. Contains comic mischief and E; PS3
mild cartoon violence. • Of the 30 million kids
who enroll in sports
Players found cities, fight wars, and build each year, 70% quit by
Civilization V wonders of the world in this history-based E10+; PC age 13. The number-one
strategy game. Contains mild violence.
reason for giving up? “It
GAME RATINGS KEY: EC=Early Childhood, E=Everyone (ages 6+), E10+ (ages 10+), stopped being fun.”
T=Teen (ages 13+) (Nat’l Sports Coaches Assn.)

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