Five Random Questions Podcast Notes

On this podcast Jack, Jonathan and Chad answer five random questions from sealed envelopes.  There won’t be many podcast notes but here are the questions we tried to tackle and some helpful information we came up with.

1) Who is the person who has had the most influence in your life?

It’s not usually a movie star or millionaire or a sports hero.  It’s someone who took the time to notice your potential.  Someone who believed in you.

Who is the person you can influence and make a difference in their life?

2) What is your favorite book of the bible or worship song?

Jack- Ecclesiastes.  Solomon gets real in this book.  Check it out

Chad- Genesis.  He loves the stories.  Dive in and check it out.  Especially the story of Joseph

Jonathan- Revelation 2,3.  The beginning of Daniel.

If you’re just starting reading anything about Jesus is transformational.  If you have been outside of the church you’re going to love the way Jesus talks to church people.

Also the book of Psalms is great for heart transformation.

3) If I’m a truly devout Christian walking closely with the Lord I will abstain from alcohol, marijuana and other addictive substances.  What about coffee?

Scripture is filled with references to alcohol.  There are moments when alcohol is used for celebration in the bible but there are also warnings about not being drunk.  Here are a couple.

17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. 18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, Ephesians 5:17,18

Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. 1 Peter 1:13

What in your life is keeping you from being fully sober?  Sober means keeping your head about you.  Being reasonable.  It’s not limited to alcohol and drugs.  Money and pornography and sex can keep you from making reasonable decisions and God wants us to remain sober and reasonable.

4) As parents trying to teach kids accountability and consequences how do we create in our kids a desire to want to please God and do the right thing out of respect and love for Him not out of fear and guilt

“If you want your kids to go to deep places with Jesus, you have to go there yourself.”  Great quote from Chad.

Don’t discipline out of anger. Jonathan

Go for the participation trophy.  Today if your kid shows up to practice and games they get a trophy at the end of the year.  I believe that if you are a parent it’s enough to get the participation trophy.  Just keep showing up in your kids life.  Participate in their life.

Get your kid in a great youth group. By the time your kids turn 13 they stop listening to you.  If you are a part of a good youth group there will be other voices that they can listen to and it will give them a good pool of great kids to swim with.

The law of diminishing returns.  If you spend less time with your kids the time you will be spent on discipline and telling your kids to brush their teeth and clean their room.  However, if you spend a lot of time with your kids you’ll go beyond discipline and get quality time with

Chad’s big four of youth ministry

Make them go.  You make them go to school and sports.  God is more important.
2) Don’t use the church as punishment.  If you have a great youth group parents will say “If you aren’t good you can’t go to youth group.”

3) You’re the discipler.  Don’t simply depend on the church for the spiritual growth of your kid

4) Partner with the church.  Disciple your kid, but lean on the youth group.  It takes a village to raise your kid

5) Is the bible black and white when it comes to sin.  Are there things negotiable as times have changed.  Homosexuality?

Christians tend to point to obvious, noticeable sins. In the 50’s it was being pregnant outside of marriage.

There are some great words in Romans 1 that talk about sin.  There is a long list of things that the bible includes as sin.  Homosexuality is on that list but so is disobedient to parents.  Romans 2 begins with verses that tell us that we all make the list.  The list isn’t so we can judge other people but to point out our need for God.

For some more wisdom on homosexuality click the link below.  Timothy Keller is an author and speaker and clearly smarter than we are.