Schools

FIVE ISSUES SERIES:
3. Schools
Some would say our public schools are a MESS. Some think private schools are the answer. Some think we need charter schools and that will fix the problem. But guess what? Just like what we talked about with crime and consumer religion....
It is not a systemic problem.
It is a heart problem.

Kids come to school who are bruised and broken. Parents who are bruised and broken raise bruised and broken kids. Teachers can be bruised and broken. Administration is made up of people. PEOPLE ARE BROKEN. We all are.

I could easily write all the stats and tell you what is wrong with our public schools, our private schools and even debate you on charter schools but that would not change anything. What WILL change things no matter where you send your children, is HEART change.

How can that happen? By FOLLOWERS of CHRIST telling and showing God's love to those within the schools here in the Greater Montgomery area.

 There are two specific things we as followers of Christ can do:
1. TELL the Good News to those teachers, children and administration who do not know Christ. Only through telling the Good News can one give the opportunity to make a decision to follow Christ. Are you willing to TELL others about Him, about your experience with Christ? About how HE can help guide administrators and teachers and parents to make good decisions so that the kids will follow?
2. Are you willing to pray for our schools this next year? What can you pray for? Here is a great list created by the Navigators. It is a good guide to follow. Copy and paste it onto a sheet and print it out to remind you to pray for our schools. Wonder what would happen if all of us took seriously the mandate to pray for others every day?

Philippians 2:3-4 "Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others".

Ten Prayers for Public(really ALL schools)Schools
Love. "Father, may the students and staff of this school experience Your love through the Christians they know in profound and authentic ways" (John 13:35).
Truth. "Lord, release truth in this school. Help students to rightly discern truth and not believe false teachings" (Proverbs 23:23).
School board. "I pray blessings on each school board member (try to pray for them by name). Father, may your will be done at board meetings" (Romans 13:1).
Principal/Teachers. "May they recognize the God-given responsibility he/she has for the best interests of the children who attend the school. May (name of principal) walk in wisdom, integrity, grace, and truth" (Proverbs 2:1-11).
Failing students. "Lord, I ask you to encourage those children who are struggling with their studies. Strengthen their minds. Help their teachers and parents know how to help them learn. Protect them from feelings of worthlessness and shame" (1 Thessalonians 5:14).
Violence. "Lord, stay the hand of violence against the children and staff of this school. Dismantle any plan to bring harm to them. Expose any weapon brought into the school premises and render it harmless" (Psalm 34:7; 54:1).
Christian programs. "Father, I pray for abundant blessings on programs that bring Christ into this public school. Help the groups who sponsor such programs function according to your Word and in harmony with each other. Bless the leaders and bring forth new and growing believers" (1 Corinthians 12:12,13).
Christian students/teachers. "Grant the Christian students who attend this school wisdom and boldness in living out their faith. Help them share effectively the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ with their classmates" (1 Timothy 4:12).
A chosen generation. "Father, may your kingdom come. From the students at this school, raise up a generation of people who worship you in spirit and in truth" (John 4:23,24; 1 Peter 2:9).
An open door. "Lord, may there be an open door in this school for the gospel to be shared with students and staff. Allow full advantage to be taken of every opportunity to name the name of Jesus" (Matthew 7:7; 1 Corinthians 16:9).

From the NavPress prayer card, Power-Packed Prayers for Public Schools, excerpted from Pray!, issue #20, © 2002 Ida Rose Heckard. Visit NavPress.com to review all their topical prayer cards.

Crime in Montgomery

In his book, The Cost of Discipleship, Dietrich Bonhoeffer says: “The followers of Jesus have been called to peace. When he called them they found their peace, for he is their peace…. they are told that they must not only have peace but make it. And to that end they renounce all violence and tumult.”...

We all recognize that the Greater Montgomery area(as well as our state and nation)has a CRIME problem. The law is good and it keeps perimeters for order and safety. When someone breaks the law, they have a consequence. Unfortunately, those deterrents don't always work. And it seems some days that it is getting out of control. So, how do we respond to the crime problem in Greater Montgomery? Do we move out of here? Do we buy more locks and alarms and bolt our doors? Do we stay in a mindset of fear and anxiety all the time? Just how are we, as followers of Christ, supposed to respond.


Here are a few things to think about and ponder.
1. Crime is a HEART problem. The reasons people commit crimes vary but it all comes down to the HEART. So, how does the heart change? Here is a great quote from a blog I read that you might want to ponder. If we see people as bruised reeds, then maybe we can address the issue before crime happens.
"It was said of Jesus: “A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out “(Matt. 12:20). The next person in our community who may act out in violence is right now, today, somewhere, a bruised reed. A smoldering wick. Will we notice that person? Will we help that person back away from the edge of the cliff? Law enforcement officers cannot and should not supervise everybody’s lives. Our laws define civil behavior, but they cannot tame human personalities". Bible Gateway
2. Investment in peoples lives are where we define those who are "bruised reeds". We can't simply be nice to someone one day and then be through with them. Missions and ministry to our community involves being invested in our communities and getting to know, really getting to know, people.
1 John 3:17 "But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him?"

IF we SEE that there are HEART problems in this world, we need to ask ourselves the question, are we giving answers to that "need" and showing those who are "bruised" how to find peace?

This week, pray for your neighborhood, your city and yourself. Ask the Lord to show you WHO is "bruised" out there around you and to give YOU wisdom on how to minister and mend those bruised hearts.

 

Praying for Greater Montgomery

As a reminder, in 2008, the Montgomery Baptist Association identified 5 key areas of need in the Greater Montgomery area. We have been praying around these needs over the last 7 years. There has been much change since 2008 and, not surprisingly, God is on the move!
So, if you are new, this is what prompts most of our prayer requests each week.

These needs are:
Crime. Poverty. Race. Schools. Consumer Christianity. These are issues that we as followers of Christ need to be concerned with as we live here. 

Today's Prayer Points:
1. Look at the five key needs of the Greater Montgomery area and begin to pray about what you should focus on in your own outreach through your church or individually. Which area is the Lord drawing you to? How can you contribute to ministering in one or more of these areas?
2. Ask the Lord to open up doors for you to minister and share the Truth and Love of Christ with those you meet as you minister?

The parable in Matthew 13:1-9 is a great story that Jesus told to help us remember that all we do will reap something......what will your seeds of relationship reap this week?

"That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. 2 Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. 3 Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. 9 Whoever has ears, let them hear.”