Family Devotional 3: Out of the Driveway, Into the Game Series

This devotional sereis is designed to help young people think biblically and prepare them for the attacks and temptations of the world. The series is written by our new Parenting column editor, Michael Burns who spent 10 years as a teacher and high school basketball coach before entering the full-time ministry a few years ago.

You may be wondering what the title “Out of the Driveway, Into the Game” actually means. Before going into the ministry, I spent nearly ten years as a high school teacher and boy’s varsity basketball coach. It was common at the time for team tryouts to see young men who were excellent shooters when they were by themselves in their driveway shooting hoops, but who fell apart quickly when the attacks of a real defense came upon them in practice or a game. They never learned to shoot with the pressure of a defender in their face. In the same way, many of our children do seemingly well when they are young, but once they become teens they start to fall apart spiritually because we have failed to train them for the real attacks that will come upon them in the world.

This third devotional in the first unit of Out of the Driveway, Into the Game, focuses on God as the primary mover in the universe. This is an important concept that helps young people to learn profound truths that point to the existence of God.

The devotional is presented in colorful PDF format. This week’s devotional can be accessed by going to: http://www.foxvalleychurch.net/devo.html

For further resources available (including the complete study guide for the Out of the Driveway devotional series) or the complete devotional book for the first unit, please go to the Fox Valley Church site: http://www.foxvalleychurch.net/Resources.html

The Out of the Driveway, Into the Game series is comprised of ten units, with each unit consisting of 7-8 weekly devotionals (there are 76 weekly devotionals in all). Each lesson is written so that it can be adjusted for any age-level child. A summary of the ten units follows below.

Series Summary

Unit 1: From Goo-to-Zoo-to-You? – This unit looks at God’s creation and how we can be sure that the universe was actually created by a loving and creative God rather than arising by chance.

Unit 2: God’s Way or Man’s Way – This Unit considers the fundamental roots of the humanistic worldview and how that manifests itself in almost every area of our culture, especially schools. It will teach children at their own age level, how to recognize and avoid humanistic and ungodly ways of thinking.

Unit 3: Standing in Mid-Air – This unit examines the increasingly popular view that there is no absolute truth in the world. Can we be sure that Jesus and the Bible are the only true paths to God?

Unit 4: Looking Through the Right Glasses – This unit takes a look at what worldviews are and what goes into developing and maintaining a proper biblical worldview. It will examine how to recognize differing worldviews in every area of life and how to help children construct a healthy and biblical worldview.

Unit 5: God’s Love – Does God really care what we do or is He only concerned with the world’s vision of what love and mercy are? This unit will look closely at the Ten Commandments and what they mean for us in daily life.

Unit 6: Why Don’t We Listen – This unit considers the question of why humans don’t obey God. Why has mankind always been attracted to other gods and other ways of doing things rather than simply following the will of the Creator God?

Unit 7: The Rare Jewel of God – This unit delves into the need for biblical knowledge at every age and ability. It not only examines the need for such a thing, but offers ways to go about gaining biblical knowledge and understanding.

Unit 8: Loving Thin Air – Most children know that they should have a relationship with God but they don’t really have a clue of how to have a relationship with a being that is spirit. This unit will equip parents to begin to teach their children how to develop a relationship with God.

Unit 9: Mind Control – This unit takes into consideration the fact that the ability to control our thought life and emotions, regardless of age, is one of the fundamental keys to developing a true biblical worldview and living out our relationship with God.

Unit 10: Coming With the Clouds – Does what we believe about God’s future age and how this present age will end have an impact on our worldview and the way we live each day? This unit will examine how it does and how we can develop a proper biblical worldview concerning the “end times” and our life in the here-and-now.