Toy Box Christianity...

...What walks downstairs alone or in pairs

& makes a slinkity sound?

A spring, a spring, a marvelous thing,

Everyone knows it's slinky.

It's slinky, it's slinky, for fun it's a wonderful toy

It's slinky, it's slinky, it's fun for a girl and a boy.

This probably brings back some fond memories...I know it does for me! Tonight we talked about the Slinky®, more specifically we discussed the Slinky® Dog. What can a toy like this teach us about our walk with Christ?

The following TalkPoints will help you continue the conversation with your student. A lot of the following information is stuff your student has heard tonight, but this will give you a little background and hopefully foster an environment of discussion on you being the example for your child and your child being the example for others...because here's the truth...our example is either leading others closer to Hell or closer to Christ...

• Discuss some of the history of the Slinky...Invented by accident, first toy to have it's jingle released as a pop music single in 1963, 1st toy to be used in zero gravity, first toy to have it's own postage stamp
• On the Slinky® Dog, the front leads and the tail follows.
• The main focus of the message tonight is about the example of the students in our student ministry both inside and outside the walls of Wallace.
• 1 Timothy 4:12 - Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.
• What do you understand this to say?
• Break it down: LET NO ONE DESPISE (LOOK DOWN ON) YOU FOR YOUR YOUTH. Spiritual maturity is not set to chronological age...apathy and immaturity can be found in the young and old alike. How can this be encouraging to your student?
• How does your life encourage others NOT to look down on you?
• Like the Slinky® Dog, your life should be the example...if you don't want others saying, "aw, they're just young", then you live your live being lead by Christ.
• YOU SET THE BELIEVERS AN EXAMPLE: As you are lead by Christ, you lead the way.
• How can you go wrong if you're being lead by Christ?...How can others mock you if you are following Christ. Then Paul goes on to mention different areas of life in which you can lead by example.
• Speech and conduct/life: The observable aspects of life...this is what people visibly see.
• Love, Faith, Purity: The essence of life...These make up who you are in Christ.
• How is your student leading by example?
• How are you fostering your student's being lead by Christ...and how are you encouraging them to lead others?
• Our outward walk with Christ cannot be separated from our inner devotion to Christ
• How are you (parent) setting the example for your student?
• How are you leading...where are you leading...who are you leading...who's leading you?

Spend some time as a family praying for one another and their relationship with Jesus. Ask God to help you be the example for your family and for others.

JM