Zealous: Inspiration for discipling the next generation

How can churches lead child dedication and youth baptism in a way that reinforces a biblical vision for the discipleship of the next generation? Listen in on this conversation that Dan Claassen and David Michael had recently with a group of church leaders about the new resource A Church Leader's Guide to Child Dedication and Youth Baptism (truth78.org/child-dedication-and-youth-baptism). 

When church members memorize God’s Word together, they grow in unity, spiritual maturity, and perseverance in the faith. This episode focuses on the value of church-wide Scripture memory and how to implement it. Rebecca Cedillo, from Immanuel Baptist Church in Louisville, Kentucky and Brian Eaton, Operations Director at Truth78, share how to memorize Scripture as a body with Fighter Verses™ and what fruit it can produce. Candice Watters, editor of FighterVerses.com, introduces the Fighter Verses Churchwide kit as a resource to provide churches with everything they need to start a program in their church.  More details at truth78.org/bible-memory-in-church.

Churches have a valuable and critical opportunity to partner with parents in the discipleship of the next generation. In this episode, David Michael, Truth78 executive director, shares with Dan Claassen the need and opportunity for churches to equip families to disciple their children. Recognizing that the discipleship of children takes more than the 1-2 hours a week that churches can provide, David stresses how critical it is for the church to partner with parents, especially by equipping them with resources for home discipleship. In support of this partnership, David and Dan introduce a new church discount program which offers 40% off bulk purchases of discipleship resources. Find details at Truth78.org/church-discount. The books Zealous and More Than a Story that are referenced are available at Truth78.org/zealous and Truth78.org/story respectively. Other books mentioned are available at Truth78.org/products/booklets.

If our children are going to come to salvation and be faithful disciples of Christ, they need the Bible. Unfortunately, when it comes to children and youth, the problem of biblical illiteracy is creeping into even the most biblically solid churches. Additionally, intentional and ongoing Bible instruction is often absent in many Christian homes. In this podcast, Dan Claassen talks to Jill Nelson about the critical connection between biblical literacy and the eternal joy of the next generation. Jill also introduces the Growing in the Word Series, new booklets from Truth78 focused on inspiring and equipping the church and the home to teach the next generation to read and study the Bible. The series includes: From Childhood You Have Known: Guiding Children to Understand and Treasure the Bible (www.truth78.org/from-childhood-you-have-known) Meeting God in His Word: A Guide to Bible Reading and Prayer for Children (www.truth78.org/meeting-god-in-his-word) The Inductive Bible Study Handbook: Learn to Read, Observe, Interpret, and Apply the Bible (www.truth78.org/the-inductive-bible-study-handbook-print) The series is available at a discount when bought as a collection (www.truth78.org/growing-in-the-word-collection).

David Michael introduces listeners to Krista Horning who shares a powerful testimony of how God used Truth78 curriculum to help her see Him and know Him through His Word. Hear also how you can partner with Truth78 for the discipleship of the next generations at https://www.truth78.org/bold-mission. This episode completes the first season of the Zealous podcast. The second season will begin this fall after a brief summer break.

In the last of the 4-part series “Foundations for God-Centered Children’s Ministry,” David and Sally Michael focus on a vision for encouraging faith in Christ in children and youth. See the Foundations for God-Centered Children's Ministry videos at truth78.org/foundations-for-ministry.

In the third of the 4-part series “Foundations for God-Centered Children’s Ministry,” David and Sally Michael focus on the vision and application of teaching the word of God. See the Foundations for God-Centered Children's Ministry videos at truth78.org/foundations-for-ministry.

In the second of the 4-part series “Foundations for God-Centered Children’s Ministry,” David and Sally Michael focus on teaching that is God-centered and gospel-focused. See the Foundations for God-Centered Children's Ministry videos at truth78.org/foundations-for-ministry.

In this episode, Dan Claassen shares a prayer from Big, Bold, Biblical Prayers for the Next Generation. Part 2 of the 4-part Foundations of Gospel-Centered Children's Ministry series will air on March 22. Episodes will air on monthly schedule for the next season.

As the first of the 4-part series “Foundations for God-Centered Children’s Ministry,” this episode focuses on our vision for the discipleship of the next generation.   David Michael, Truth78 executive director, raises critical questions that shape vision, such as:   What do we want to be true of our children (in our homes, churches, or schools) 10, 20, or even 30 years from now?   What do we want our children (in our homes, churches, or schools) to know and understand about God and His Word? See the Foundations for God-Centered Children's Ministry videos at truth78.org/foundations-for-ministry.

This episode focuses on gratitude and encouragement for teachers and parents for the ongoing discipleship of children and youth, featuring a segment from pastor Mark Vroegrop's message, "Declaring the Whole Counsel of God to the Next Generation" from the 2016 national conference. The Truth78 customer care team is available to serve you by email at info@truth78.org or by phone at 877.400.1414 (Monday-Friday, 9:00 am - 3:00 pm CT).

What does it mean for dads to lead family discipleship and to make it a priority in their homes? In this episode, Dan Claassen discusses how fathers make disciples in their homes with with David Michael, executive director of Truth78 and Steve Watters, director of communications and resource development.  Find more encouragement and resources for family discipleship at www.truth78.org/family-devotions.

Our grasp of God’s glorious transcendence (God’s otherness) precedes and grounds our embrace of His gracious immanence (His nearness). Bruce Ware, Professor of Christian Theology at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, shared how this is critical for how we disciple the next generation in a presentation to the Truth78 Ministry Alliance. This episode of the podcast features the closing portion of his presentation where he shared the benefits of the growing knowledge of God’s transcendent excellencies. The podcast also references the curriculum, The ABCs of God, a study for children on the greatness and worth of God.  If you are a church leader involved in the discipleship of the next generation and are interested in more information about the Alliance please contact Dan Claassen at dclaassen@truth78.org.

What needs are you facing as the year comes to a close and you look ahead to the new year? Have your needs shown you how dependent you are on God? In this episode David Michael and Dan Claassen talk about our utter dependence on God and how that should motivate us to pray big, bold, biblical prayers. 

Why memorize Scripture? David Michael, Sally Michael, and Jill Nelson join Dan Claassen in sharing the significance and benefits of bible memorization. Special emphasis is given to the Fighter Verses program (fighterverses.com), a compilation of 260 passages that help believers fight the fight of faith. The Fighter Verses program now features a free guide to Scripture memory and a new study built around Set 2 that begins in 2022.  

In this special episode, David Michael and Dan Claassen discuss the most unusual gift David has received, benevolence shown during Giving Tuesday, and the best gift we can give to the next generation. It also includes a conversation with Bernard, a podcast listener and teacher from Nairobi, Kenya, on teaching children from solid biblical material. For more on Giving Tuesday, go to Truth78.org/partner.

The newly released More Than a Story: New Testament by Sally Michael continues the story begun in the Old Testament volume, showing how Christ has come to fulfill all of God's promises for His people. Hear how this resource uniquely provides parents, grandparents, teachers, and church leaders with an effective and accessible tool for the discipleship of the next generation.  Available at Truth78.org/story.

There are several times a year when we are given a unique opportunity to either begin a new tradition around the discipleship of the next generation, or to strengthen what we are already doing. Advent season one of those opportunities for the body of Christ. In this episode, David Michael, Sally Michael and Jill Nelson discuss a bit of personal family history and the opportunity we all have to intentionally engage in the discipleship of the next generation this Advent season. See the Good News of Great Joy Advent resources at www.truth78.org/advent

The proclamation of God’s glorious deeds in a God-glorifying way inspires children to worship God to His glory and their joy in Him. In this last episode in the series on the seven commitments of discipleship, David, Sally, and Jill describe how when we rightly emphasize God’s glory when declaring His glorious deeds, the natural response of the heart is worship. 

This generation of parents, pastors, and teachers cannot escape the responsibility they have for nurturing the faith of the next generation, and there is no way to escape the reality that the children of the next generation will only be saved by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ. That's why this episode focuses on how God’s unstoppable purposes for our children and our inescapable responsibility to raise them in the faith come together in prayer.

We can teach our children and students a lot of biblical information—and so we should, but more is needed for children to personally know, embrace, and apply biblical truth. In this episode on the 5th commitment, David Michael, Sally Michael, and Jill Nelson share how to disciple the mind, heart, and will.

The gospel is simple yet amazingly profound, freely offered yet extremely costly, and should be communicated as such. David Michael, Sally Michael, and Jill Nelson share how parents and teachers can present the gospel of Jesus Christ as glorious in this 4th commitment at the heart of the seven commitments for the discipleship of the next generations. 

In this episode, David Michael, Sally Michael, and Jill Nelson explain the significance of teaching the next generation the whole counsel of God—a core knowledge of the breadth and depth of Scripture that is essential for coming to salvation in Christ and living a life of faith.

The church and the home are the two institutions established by God for the discipleship of the next generation. In this episode you will hear not only a call for both of these institutions to pick up the mantle of responsibility they share for the discipleship of the next generation, but also how to go about fostering a robust partnership between the church and home. 

Having a vision is crucial for the discipleship of children and youth. David Michael, Sally Michael, and Jill Nelson share about the origin and significance of ministry driven by vision over program in this episode focused on the first of the seven commitments for the discipleship of the next generation.

This first episode focuses on the importance of zeal for next generation discipleship. Dan Claassen, the host of the Zealous podcast, introduces the podcast and then sets up a conversation with David Michael, Sally Michael, and Jill Nelson which kicks off a series of episodes on zeal and commitments for the discipleship of the next generation.  Get a copy of Zealous as well as A Guide to Growing Zeal at truth78.org/zealous.

Dan Claassen introduces the Zealous podcast as a bi-weekly program designed to inspire and equip the church and the home for the comprehensive discipleship of the next generation.