We are convinced that you will not be able to raise your children to be the blessings they are called to be until both the husband and wife understand their roles and take action on it. Carrie and I are no where close to having this perfect nor do we think that we have arrived at some maturity level that makes us experts in this arena. However, based on Titus Chapter 2, we have a responsiblity to mentor other men and women in the areas that we, in our 15 years of marriage, have learned along the way that has truly made an impact like nothing this world could compare to.
If you are new to what the Bible has to say about Husband/Wife Roles, then I invite you to begin with Ephesians Chapter 5:22-33
22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. 25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. 28 In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, 30 because we are members of his body. 31 “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” 32 This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. 33 However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband. (ESV)
Husbands, it's vitally important for your relationship with your wife and your children that you get this right. It doesn't matter how you feel or what the world says, you will be responsible to Almighty God one day for how you have done in these areas. Wives, it's just as important for you and your children that you also get your role right on. Remember both of you, that on Judgement day, there will be no second chances.
Husbands, you need to get a grip on what it truly means to "love your wife, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her".Wives, you need to come to terms with words like submit and respect. When both parties learn to put these "codes of conduct" to work in their homes, it will revolutionize your marriage, your household, and people will take notice. You may seem strange to your friends, but you will seem obedient to God.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Homeschool Supporting Scripture
Here are just some Scriptures that support homeschooling. This is not intended to be an all inclusive listing but just a taste of what the Lord has to say about our responsiblity (and the father's primarily) to training up our own children in accordance to His teachings.
Psalm 127:3-5 "Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate."
Deuteronomy 6:6-7 "And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise."
Proverbs 1:8 "Hear, my son, your father's instruction, and forsake not your mother's teaching,"
Psalm 78:4 "We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might,and the wonders that he has done."
Ephesians 6:4 "Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord."
Joel 1:3 "Tell your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children to another generation"
Isaiah 54:13 "All your children shall be taught by the Lord, and great shall be the peace of your children."
Proverbs 22:6 "Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it."
Hebrews 12:9 "Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live?"
Proverbs 3:1 "My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments, "
All Scripture used on our website is derived from the English Standard Version (ESV).
Psalm 127:3-5 "Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate."
Deuteronomy 6:6-7 "And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise."
Proverbs 1:8 "Hear, my son, your father's instruction, and forsake not your mother's teaching,"
Psalm 78:4 "We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might,and the wonders that he has done."
Ephesians 6:4 "Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord."
Joel 1:3 "Tell your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children to another generation"
Isaiah 54:13 "All your children shall be taught by the Lord, and great shall be the peace of your children."
Proverbs 22:6 "Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it."
Hebrews 12:9 "Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live?"
Proverbs 3:1 "My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments, "
All Scripture used on our website is derived from the English Standard Version (ESV).
Goals for our Arrows
What's the point of having arrows?Below is our purpose statement and goals for what we are hoping to accomplish within the short time we have to train these blessings in our lives. We believe that if we don't have a Biblical goal to aim towards, then we will fail as parents. Each of us will have to give an account to the Lord for how we did with this awesome responsibility.
AIMING OUR ARROWS"
WISDOM (Intellect)
AIMING OUR ARROWS"
Sons are a heritage from the LORD,children a reward from him.Like arrows in the hands of a warriorare sons born in one's youth.Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them."--Psalm 127:3-5
Our Arrows: Luke, Noah, Levi, Ruth, Jude and Eden
Our Arrows: Luke, Noah, Levi, Ruth, Jude and Eden
Our Target: JESUS
Our Training Ground: The Home
We homeschool because we are persuaded by God's Holy Spirit and His Word that we, as parents, are given the responsibility and privilege to teach and train our own children. To that end, we labor, with God's help, to provide the opportunities and resources required to raise our sons and daughters in a manner wholly pleasing to the Lord, that they may fulfill the calling God has on their lives.Our highest priority is that each of our children will have a meaningful personal relationship with Jesus Christ, our Lord. We desire for them to grow as Jesus did (in wisdom, in stature and in favor with God and men) and to worship Him with their lives as they whole-heartedly follow the example He set during His earthly ministry.
Supporting and relevant Scriptures:Deuteronomy 6:4-9, Psalm 127:3-5, Proverbs 22:6, Luke 2:52, Ephesians 5:22-23, Ephesians 6:4
Hitting The Mark "And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men." Luke 2:52
WISDOM (Intellect)
*Be prepared academically to attend college or pursue a full-time career
*Have the knowledge & experience to effectively manage personal finances.
*Be equipped to recognize truth and evaluate false claims.
*Have the initiative and skills to be a self-taught learner.
*Design and apply organizational structures/systems/habits to maintain an orderly and efficient lifestyle.
STATURE (Physical)
*Have good health habits in the following categories: nutrition, exercise, hygiene, and dental care.
*Have a thorough understanding and practice of good nutrition including food choices and meal preparation.
*Girls-homemaking skills (cooking, baking, cleaning, sewing, childcare, household management)*Boys-home maintenance/repair, auto maintenance/repair, introductory construction, preparation (intellectually & financially) fordebt-free livingFAVOR WITH GOD (Spiritual)
*Have a meaningful and vibrant personal relationship with Jesus Christ, which includes the daily habits of prayer and Bible studyand shows evidence of fellowship with the Lord.
*Be an active member and leader in a local church body.
*Demonstrate Godly discernment in personal choices and church decisions.
*Pursue a lifestyle and personal character that manifests the Fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control).
*Identify, develop and use appropriately the talents and gifts (both spiritual and practical) that God has given them.*Continually watch to see where God is working and join Him.
*Posses a thorough knowledge of God-ordained roles and responsibilities within marriage.
FAVOR WITH MEN (Social)
*Effectively prioritize and use their time, resources, and attitudes to honor God first, family second, and then others.
*Effectively prioritize and use their time, resources, and attitudes to honor God first, family second, and then others.
*Be able to effectively communicate through both the verbal and written word.
*Display manners and social graces appropriate for the given situation.*Initiate, develop and maintain healthy, meaningful, and appropriate relationships.
*Have a relevant knowledge (both historical and current) of our nation's political, social, cultural, and governmentalorganizations/systems.*Have a general awareness of and sensitivity toward international people groups.
Our Story
We haven't always been this strange...
Darren and Carrie met in the fall of 1992 on a street corner (yes, there's a story there, and no, it's not a sordid one). They were married the following July and have been enjoying the fruits of a healthy, God-centered marriage ever since! God has changed and molded them in numerous ways over the years and they are looking forward to what He has in store for them for the future.About us personally....Darren is a now retired US Navy Sailor and an ordained pastor in the American Baptist Association. He is looking forward to beginning an engraving business from home upon retirement. His interests include his family, working outdoors, archery, fishing, and tennis (as time allows). Carrie is a contented stay-at-home mom with a background in Mathematics Education. She enjoys her family, cooking, reading, healthy eating/living, and learning homemaking skills (again, as time allows!). About homeschooling....We haven't always been sold on the whole "homeschooling" concept! As a young married couple, we knew a few families that homeschooled their children and vowed we would never punish our children in such a way. However, God had a MUCH better plan! As our oldest son approached school age, Carrie approached Darren with the idea of giving homeschooling a try. He agreed.....very reluctantly (hoping she would soon come to her senses). Well, our "trial" year turned into another year, and another, and then.....a lifestyle. There was a point where we went from making a yearly commitment to homeschooling to making a lifetime commitment (as God allows). Our attitudes of judgementalness and skepticism toward homeschooling have now been transformed into convictions based on the Word of God. We hope to encourage other families that regardless of their educational background, God has equipped and empowered them to teach and train their own children at home.About church....We both grew up in very traditional Southern Baptist settings, coming to a personal relationship with the Lord at young ages. Our married years began in the same manner, being very involved in church ministry and service. Over time, as our family grew and we began to search the Scriptures more diligently, we became aware that the traditional age-segregated church setting is not necessarily fully in line with God's intention for the church. One specific area in which our views have drastically changed is the traditional church "youth group". There is MUCH we could say about this (and just email Darren if you'd like to know more specifics... as he was "in the trenches" as a youth pastor for 4 years), but the bottom line is that God has bestowed upon parents (not youth "ministers" or "workers") the responsibility for the spiritual training and upbringing of their own children. Statistics have shown that isolated peer-driven spiritual groups do not move our young people to lasting spiritual maturity. And along those same lines, we believe that God's intention was/is for families to worship, serve, and grow toward Christ together, as a family unit, not segregated into peer groups. As such, many of the "programs" within the traditional church setting serve to segregate and fracture families rather than building them into cohesive, strong family units that stand for the Lord.About family roles....Again, we are not where we began, praise the Lord! Both Darren and Carrie have had MUCH to learn about God's plan for the husband and wife. Although it is not popular, Scripture is abundant with directives for living as a godly woman and living as a godly man (not to mention the instructions for parents!). We have grown closer to the Lord and to one another as we have studied and embraced our God-ordained positions within our family. We still have far to go, but are grateful for the Lord's conviction and leading as we seek to become the partners God intended.God has plans for both how to train up our children and how to conduct church and home life. In each of these areas, we can all learn so much from Scripture alone. We must not allow the traditions of man to intefer with what scripture says and if it does, somethings got to go. I don't know about you brother, "but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord".
Darren and Carrie met in the fall of 1992 on a street corner (yes, there's a story there, and no, it's not a sordid one). They were married the following July and have been enjoying the fruits of a healthy, God-centered marriage ever since! God has changed and molded them in numerous ways over the years and they are looking forward to what He has in store for them for the future.About us personally....Darren is a now retired US Navy Sailor and an ordained pastor in the American Baptist Association. He is looking forward to beginning an engraving business from home upon retirement. His interests include his family, working outdoors, archery, fishing, and tennis (as time allows). Carrie is a contented stay-at-home mom with a background in Mathematics Education. She enjoys her family, cooking, reading, healthy eating/living, and learning homemaking skills (again, as time allows!). About homeschooling....We haven't always been sold on the whole "homeschooling" concept! As a young married couple, we knew a few families that homeschooled their children and vowed we would never punish our children in such a way. However, God had a MUCH better plan! As our oldest son approached school age, Carrie approached Darren with the idea of giving homeschooling a try. He agreed.....very reluctantly (hoping she would soon come to her senses). Well, our "trial" year turned into another year, and another, and then.....a lifestyle. There was a point where we went from making a yearly commitment to homeschooling to making a lifetime commitment (as God allows). Our attitudes of judgementalness and skepticism toward homeschooling have now been transformed into convictions based on the Word of God. We hope to encourage other families that regardless of their educational background, God has equipped and empowered them to teach and train their own children at home.About church....We both grew up in very traditional Southern Baptist settings, coming to a personal relationship with the Lord at young ages. Our married years began in the same manner, being very involved in church ministry and service. Over time, as our family grew and we began to search the Scriptures more diligently, we became aware that the traditional age-segregated church setting is not necessarily fully in line with God's intention for the church. One specific area in which our views have drastically changed is the traditional church "youth group". There is MUCH we could say about this (and just email Darren if you'd like to know more specifics... as he was "in the trenches" as a youth pastor for 4 years), but the bottom line is that God has bestowed upon parents (not youth "ministers" or "workers") the responsibility for the spiritual training and upbringing of their own children. Statistics have shown that isolated peer-driven spiritual groups do not move our young people to lasting spiritual maturity. And along those same lines, we believe that God's intention was/is for families to worship, serve, and grow toward Christ together, as a family unit, not segregated into peer groups. As such, many of the "programs" within the traditional church setting serve to segregate and fracture families rather than building them into cohesive, strong family units that stand for the Lord.About family roles....Again, we are not where we began, praise the Lord! Both Darren and Carrie have had MUCH to learn about God's plan for the husband and wife. Although it is not popular, Scripture is abundant with directives for living as a godly woman and living as a godly man (not to mention the instructions for parents!). We have grown closer to the Lord and to one another as we have studied and embraced our God-ordained positions within our family. We still have far to go, but are grateful for the Lord's conviction and leading as we seek to become the partners God intended.God has plans for both how to train up our children and how to conduct church and home life. In each of these areas, we can all learn so much from Scripture alone. We must not allow the traditions of man to intefer with what scripture says and if it does, somethings got to go. I don't know about you brother, "but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord".
Monday, March 2, 2009
Family Integrated Church
When I read scripture, primarily the New Testament, I am overwhelmed by the amount of times that children are included in ministry. So many times and in so many churches, we treat children as though they are a bother rather than a blessing. Pastoral staffs are quick to set up nurseries and childrens church programs for comfort rather than having little ones fuss and fidget around learning from their parents example on how to worship God. In fact, in some mega-churches in America today a newborn baby can grow up in church and never step foot in the Adult only worship service. From Bed-babies, nursery, Children's Church and Youth Church our kids are constently segregated from their parents. So a family of 5, with children in different classes could go to church on the Lord's day and not have a clue as to what was learned by each child. How sad it is that this has become the norm and not the exception. But there is hope... The Family Integrated Church, regardless as to the denomination seeks to shift the current paradigm that is out there regarding children worshiping along side parents. While there is no perfect church to be found this side of glory, there are those that more closely represent God's word as found within both the Old and New Testaments. I intend to update you on what choices you have regarding this issue with including links, articles and discussion questions. Until later, have a blessed day.
Christian Homeschool Mandate
As a parent of 6 arrows/children, I am convienced through God's word, that in order to the be Biblical Father and Biblical Mother, we must be directly involved in the education of our children. While there are many Christians out there who send there children off to public or private schools, it is my belief that those of us who seek to follow God's word and heed the responsibility of training up our children from the time they rise up to the time they go to sleep have no choice but to homeschool. Now for many you may think that this is a very narrow view on education however, may I remind you that Christ is King of narrow views concerning which path leads to destruction and which one leads to His Glory. You may think that you cannot possibly homeschool due to both parents working outside the home or for some other reason or another. While this excuse may be valid, it should cause you to rethink where your priorities lie when it comes to training up your children. Allow me to ask you a question. Who knows your child better than you? God's plan for you training your children is light years beyond what the world's plan could ever be. You can homeschool. You should homeschool. You are mandated to homeschool. I intend to put links on this site that will assist you in fulfilling God's call on your life as a parent in this regard.
New Blog Created
We are the Seiberts (Darren, Carrie, Luke, Noah, Levi, Ruth, Jude and Eden). We are so glad you have stopped by. We are a family dedicated to raising our children in order that one day, like arrows, they will be released into this world as mature followers of Christ. We also dedicated to assisting others families who long to be all that God has called them to be. We encourage you to take some time to look around our site and if you have any questions or comments please don't hesitate to email us.
Why Arrows 4 Him???
As you will see our goal is to raise our children that, like arrows, are pointed directly at the target of Jesus Christ. Scripture plainly points to this analogy in Psalm 127 in a way that everyone can understand.
Psalm 127:3-5"Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate." "Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate."
Do you see your children as a heritage or a burden? Do you see them for the reward that they are or rather as a punishment. American society has deviated from the God-ordained view of children and our goal with this website is to help you in your quest in raising warriors for Christ in the generations that come after you.
Scripture has so much to say about how we are to be as a family that pleases Him. Areas that we as a family are passionate about include: Husband/Wife Roles, Homeschooling, and Family Integrated Church Ministry. Our hope and prayer is that you might find help and encouragement as you seek to honor Him with the "arrows" He has blessed you with.
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