The Disciple Maker‘s Podcast Helping Spiritual Grandchildren Navigate Their Culture (feat. George Posthumus)
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Today's episode will help us understand the crucial, biblically endorsed role of grandparents in their grandchildren's spiritual formation, offering practical tips and insights to nurture their faith amidst a challenging cultural landscape.
The Vital Role of Grandparents in a Changing Culture: A Guide to Intentional Christian Grandparenting
In this episode, pastor George Postumus discusses the significant role of grandparents in the spiritual development of their grandchildren. He emphasizes the lack of focus on the third generation in churches and the importance of grandparents being actively involved in their grandchildren's lives. George highlights the biblical foundation in Deuteronomy 4:9, which calls grandparents to teach both their children and grandchildren. Sharing personal stories and practical advice, he underscores the necessity of establishing strong relationships and guiding grandchildren with love and truth. He also tackles the challenges posed by the modern, rapidly changing culture and urges grandparents to be intentional in their role. The session concludes with an encouragement to seek deeper involvement and offers resources for overcoming common grandparenting barriers.
Check out Discipleship.org for resources on disciple-making: https://discipleship.org/resources/
Key Takeaways
00:00 Introduction and Initial Instructions
00:59 Casual Conversations and Greetings
10:11 Session Begins: Speaker Introduction
12:27 The Role of Grandparents in the Church
13:00 Biblical Foundations for Grandparenting
19:44 Navigating Cultural Challenges
27:30 The Importance of Absolute Truth
32:08 Using a Compass as a Metaphor for Truth
36:46 The Crisis of Faith Among Youth
37:07 The Role of Grandparents in Faith Formation
38:19 The Importance of Truth in Christian Life
41:14 Cultural Challenges and Biblical Responses
43:53 Timeless Truths for Right Living
47:05 Building Strong Relationships with Grandchildren
53:35 Launching a Grandparenting Ministry in Churches
56:16 Practical Tips and Resources for Grandparents
01:00:37 Q&A and Concluding Thoughts
Resources on Discipleship
Reaching & Discipling Women: A Guide to Women’s Ministry in Your Church
What Is Church? And How Important Is It?
Family Discipleship Blueprint: A Year-by-Year Guide to Family Discipleship
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In this episode, George Postumus, a former pastor with 39 years of experience, shares his insights on Christian grandparenting. Drawing from his own journey and biblical teachings, he emphasizes the significant role grandparents play in their grandchildren's spiritual upbringing.
George begins by addressing the misconception that grandparents are merely spectators in their grandchildren's lives. Instead, he points to Deuteronomy 4:9, which calls for their active involvement in passing down the teachings of the Lord.
Despite losing his hearing due to a disease, George continues to serve in the Legacy Coalition, encouraging grandparents to be spiritually active in their grandchildren's lives. He highlights the cultural challenges today’s grandchildren face and stresses the importance of "speaking the truth in love," as mentioned in Ephesians 4. In a world moving towards moral decay, he believes grandparents must be a voice of biblical truth.
To help grandparents fulfill this role, George offers practical steps:
- Build strong relationships with their grandchildren.
- Emphasize the unchanging nature of biblical truth.
- Use symbols like compasses to represent the steadfast word of God.
- Encourage right thinking and actions.
He uses metaphors, comparing God’s word to a compass that always points north, to illustrate these points. George also advises grandparents to avoid disciplining like parents but instead to be full of grace and truth, much like Jesus.
George addresses the alarming trend of 60-70% of young people from Christian homes leaving their faith by the end of high school. He suggests that intentional Christian grandparenting can help counter this trend by reinforcing the biblical foundation taught by their parents.
The seminar includes practical advice like scheduling one-on-one time and using meal times for spiritual discussions. George also recommends resources like the "Levitical Blessing" from Numbers 6:24-26 to impart spiritual blessings.
In summary, the seminar underscores the vital, biblically endorsed role of grandparents in their grandchildren's spiritual formation. By being intentional, loving, and truth-filled, grandparents can offer essential guidance and support, helping to nurture their grandchildren’s faith amidst a challenging cultural landscape. George’s personal experiences and practical tips provide a rich framework for grandparents to embrace this ongoing, impactful mission in the kingdom of God.
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