Discuss Together
- How has the pandemic impacted parenting and the next generation? What new pressures are now present?
- While all parents feel pressure, Jeff shared how there seems to be an extra amount of pressure on moms to be perfect in our culture, particularly in Christian circles. How do you see this pressure showing up? Have you experienced it?
- Read Luke 2:41-51. Have you ever lost a kid who was in your care? What happened? How does it help you think about what Mary and Joseph were feeling in this story?
- What do you think it must have felt like for Mary to be Jesus’ mother? What pressures, feelings, and challenges did she face?
- Jeff shared that being a solid parent doesn’t require perfection. Mary wasn’t perfect and neither are any of us. While God doesn’t ask us to be perfect, He does call us to be godly parents and godly people. What does it mean to be a godly parent? (Consider Deuteronomy 6:5-8.)
- While God is a perfect Father, even His children rebel and get off track. Are you struggling with a situation where a child in your life has gotten off track? Where do you need God’s grace, wisdom, and encouragement in this area?
- Jeff talked about how we are all called to help the children in our lives grow in awareness of who they are and what God has them here to do. Did you have someone in your life who poured belief and blessing into your life growing up? Share with the group.
- How do you feel called to impact the next generation? Who are the kids in your life and how can you pour belief and blessing into them? Take a moment to pray for them as a group.
Next Steps
A powerful way you can invest in the lives of the next generation is to serve in our kids and student ministries at Chase Oaks. To find out more about these teams (and all of our teams) and how you can get involved, check out www.chaseoaks.org/serve.