Lifeway – Page 5 – Witkowski Blog

August 4, 2015August 4, 2015 Peter Witkowski Discipleship

Connect Camp: A Quick Look Back at What Happened

When FBCE launched Connect Camp on the July 2nd, we were diving into uncharted waters. We weren’t sure who would come, what would happen, and how people would feel about it. Today, I’m excited to report that Connect Camp 2015 was a smashing success! We had a great bunch of kids, relationships were built, and families felt loved. To God be the glory!

Connect Camp averaged 45 kids per day. We were able to minister to over 60 kids throughout the month of July. And while these numbers fall short of FBCE’s VBS stats, they greatly exceeded the total number of campers who attended Winshape and Centrikid weekend camps. (FBCE took 4 kids to the Winshape Camp for Communities in Dublin and 14 kids to Centrikid weekend camp at Norman Park). In short, Connect Camp allowed FBCE to connect with an unprecedented amount of kids this summer. And many kids who could not afford or find time to attend a traditional summer camp, we able to experience camp at FBCE!

Connect Camp Class Size Connect camp also served as a great venue for building relationships. Because the class sizes were smaller than their VBS counterparts, the teachers and track time leaders were able to devote more time to individual kids, learning their hobbies, families, and concerns. We also had tons of opportunities to relate the gospel to kids’ lives through basketball, art, and the small group time.

Connect Camp Church Affliliation Lastly, Connect Camp ministered to families. For years, parents have asked FBCE to do some kind of summer program. Connect Camp was just such a program. It received a warm welcome from kids and parents alike. And the word spread. When camp ended, we had ministered to over 65 different kids. And 30 were non-church members.Most everyone who interacted with Connect Camp loved it, asking FBCE to do it again next year!

The positive feedback is a great testimony of God’s goodness and of the sacrificial work that all the parents, college students, and high school students put into camp. I am very thankful for all who helped! I also wish to thank Lifeway. Their Zip curriculum made camp possible. It provided me with the direction and our teachers and track leaders with the amazing activities. The FBCE Connect Team and Zip curriculum proved to be the perfect combination this summer!

Connect Camp was launched to help the members of FBCE connect with our community in order to connect families to Jesus. By God’s grace we succeeded. Connections were developed. But we are not done. We need to keep building on what was start by participating in the Back 2 School Connection and the Veggie Tales Movie Morning. We need to keep developing an outreach mindset of ministry and teaching!

Oh and one more thing! Connect Camp will be back in 2016! More information will be coming in the days ahead!

What was your or your kids best summer camp memory this year?

July 21, 2015July 22, 2015 Peter Witkowski Parenting

Three Great Apps For Kids

Kids love phones. Just ask my 14-month-old. Every day, he happily squeals “Yeah!” as he chases down his mom’s Iphone. He finds pure joy in watching himself on the miniature screen.

We shouldn’t be too surprised that our kids love technology. Most of us grew up with playing video games (Pong, Game Boy, Nintendo, etc). And many of us can remember the day our dad brought home the family’s first computer. We are a technological people.

As our kids follow in our footsteps, we need to provide them with some guidance. The first step is to put locks and filters on our phones, tablets, and devices. If we don’t, we are guaranteed to pick up a few unwanted charges. Even the venerable Dr. Thom Rainer (President of Lifeway) is susceptible. Beware of the little fingers!

But we don’t have to stop with protection. We can also proactively introduce our kids to great content. Below our 3 of my favorite apps for kids:

The Bible App For Kids

Designed by the creators of “The You Version Bible” app, “The Bible App For Kids” is a perfect blend of colorful fun and truth. This digital kids’ Bible comes complete with interactive stories that cover everything from creation to the new heaven and the new earth. You can have the app narrate the stories. Or you can mute the narrator and read the story to your kids. And your younger kids are sure to love the flapping birds and dramatic Bible character animations. And the best part of all is the price. The app and all the stories are free. Click here to download it!

Click here to download the “You Version Bible App”

Gospel Project App

This is app makes Sunday school mobile. Featuring the music videos and the animated Bible stories from the Gospel Project Sunday school curriculum, the app offers your kids hours of entertainment/instruction. In addition the app also comes with coloring pages and several other interactive games that help enforce the biblical lessons. If your church uses the Gospel Project, make plans to download this app. The app is free, but the lessons are not. You will have to purchase each quarter for .99 ($2.99 for your ipad). Click here to get the app!

If your church uses Bible Studies For Life, have no fear. Lifeway offers a kids’ app for that curriculum as well. Click here to download it

Magisto

My son likes movies. This app is perfect for him/us and for all parents who need movies quickly. The app automatically pieces together your videos and pictures into short films complete with transitions and music. The free version limits your videos’ length to about a minute and forces you to pair your clips with the app’s music. The paid version gives you longer videos and the ability to import your own music but is a touch pricey (A subscription is either $4.99 per month or $19.99 a year) But the free version is a hit with my little one! Its easy to use and adds some flare to your videos. Click here to get it!

What apps do you and your kids love?

June 27, 2015June 29, 2015 Peter Witkowski Vacation Bible School

What Our VBS Says About Homosexual Marriage

Friday (June 26) was a huge day for us! The Supreme Court made self-actualization the highest law of the land, and FBCE wrapped up Vacation Bible School. I know, typically those two things would be non-sequiturs. But this week our VBS curriculum had a lot to say about homosexual marriage. (No, our theme was not sexual ethics. We used Lifeway’s Journey off the Map) All week, students at FBCE studied the Life of Daniel and his friends. And we saw how Daniel lived faithfully for God in a pagan, unbiblical society. Instead of being crushed by the Persian and Babylonian cultures, Daniel exceled in godliness and became a political guru.

And while I am not excited about the Supreme Court’s decision to legalize homosexual marriage, I am also not afraid of the court’s actions. Christians can live for God in a hostile world. We can thrive in the midst of pagan humanism and persecution. God is faithful and cares for his people all over the world. He supported and sustained Daniel. He supported Paul and Peter in Rome. He has and will always care for his people! We don’t need to panic. We need to trust God today.

And there is a good chance things will get worse. We may soon face laws restricting our faith just like Daniel did. It’s quite possible WordPress, Twitter, and others will begin banning anti-gay speech. Here’s why:

The recent ruling has given the homosexual community most everything they want. And they truly think that the ability to freely marry will make them happy. But lighting up the White House with rainbow colors won’t fulfill them. No amount of sexual expression can bring us lasting joy. Only Christ satisfies our souls. As the days plod along, society will once again feel angst. And I fear homosexuals will blame “bigoted” Christians for their troubled consciences. If everyone accepted homosexuals, they wouldn’t feel bad. Or so they think. Thus, homosexuals will begin looking for ways to eliminate all negative comments about their sexuality. Even today, newspapers have begun banning anti-gay letters from the editorial pages. Soon they will want to monitor our homes and churches.

Again, we don’t need to panic. But we need to understand where America stands. And then, we should strive to be like modern day Daniel’s by doing the following. First, we help our kids understand the Biblical view of marriage, by modeling it and talking about it. Second, we can remember that being a Christian equals enmity with the world. We fight against the sins of pornography, greed and selfishness that infect our hearts. And lastly, we demonstrate the love of Christ by caring for all our neighbors (regardless of their sexual expression). Are you ready to live in a post-Christian world?

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. – Romans 12:2