Purposeful Parenting

Going for Broke

We all want was is best for our kids but what does purposeful parenting look like in practice?

Follow the creator of Anton’s Antics’ as he negotiates the challenges of being a parent.

“The blog's slogan started off as a joke between my wife and I, as it can be tough making ends meet and parenting is not easy. I want to hear Jesus say ‘well done, good and faithful servant’ with what He has entrusted to me. We have to go for broke don’t we?

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5 Practical Reasons Why God Exists

Details: Created: Tuesday, 19 June 2018 16:49

mark-cruz-334535-unsplashtasteicecreamblog My mate stood up, it was time for him to speak at his 21^st birthday party. After thanking everyone for coming, he shared how following Jesus was so important to him. He then commended others to check out Jesus with a tangible benefit that is promised in Scripture, ‘Taste and see that the Lord is good’ (Psalm 34:8).

In today’s world, experience counts for a lot. Factual evidence, reasoning or argument for God’s existence have their place but what tangible difference does it make? If we can show the benefit belief in God brings, doesn’t that suggest he may exist after all?

If you’ve just tuned in, we’ve been working through a larger discussion about God’s existence and atheism. We’re trying to help our kids grow a robust faith that can stand the test of time.

The big question we want to answer is:

‘How can we be sure our kids will still believe in God when they grow up?’

'Mum, I don't believe in God anymore'

Details: Created: Wednesday, 13 June 2018 10:18

Imagine how you would feel if your child stopped believing in God.

I'm sure if you are a Christian parent or someone teaching kids at your church or school you'd be devastated to hear one of your kids tell you they don't really believe there is a God anymore.

The western world seems determined to cast off its Christian heritage and adopt a world view that doesn't have a place for God. Our kids will need good reasons for standing their ground.

Do you want to help your kids stick with God for the rest of their lives?

I've got a FREE Guide that I put together for you that will give you a short cut on what you need to know and how to start conversations with your kids to help them think critically and gain confidence for their belief in God so they don’t lose faith.

Go get the Free guide here:

5 Conversations to Protect Your Kids From Atheism

You'll notice that for the past few weeks I've been posting (a little backwards I admit!) articles about each of the three main arguments people offer for the existence of God, outside the Bible. In weeks to come, I'm going to tackle the two remaining and indispensable arguments for God, that come from the Bible. I'm going to give you a very special opportunity to use a new course I'm writing

For the past 10 years I’ve been writing and performing shows for kids that teach the Bible and tackle tricky subjects. But the main action is in the home; if I can help parents talk about tough issues so their kids develop a robust faith in Christ, I’m stoked.

Download this free guide that will give you a short cut for what you need to know, common arguments, conversation tips, key verses and useful resources for thinking critically about God’s existence

Can there be morals without God?

Details: Created: Tuesday, 05 June 2018 17:52

g-crescoli-364214-unsplashcompassweb It’s become popular to shout down Christian views on subjects like abortion, euthanasia and same sex marriage in today’s secular societies claiming they are no more than opinion. Objective morality is shunned in favour of an evolving morality, one that doesn’t require us to be accountable to anything outside our natural world.

This Purposeful Parenting post is to help us explore in a little more depth the arguments for and against God’s existence based on the moral order we see in our world. If you've just tuned in, this is conversation No.3 of a 5 part series.

PS: [spoiler] I’ve been wanting to share with you a helpful little resource I’ve put together designed to initiate conversation with your kids, but alas, due to some tech hitches, it hasn’t been possible. Hopefully in the near future I'll be able to send it through to you. In the meantime, I hope you don’t mind me doing things the other way around, that is, sending you into ‘deeper thought’ before I send you the ‘shortcut’!

Is there a great designer or just the appearance of one?

Details: Created: Tuesday, 22 May 2018 11:24

alice-achterhof-85968-unsplashdesigndirtyhandsblog Take you kids to the park, the backyard, the beach and think about some of the wonders you can see, touch or hear. Observe the complexity and ponder:

How did it all get here?

Is it enough to think it is just nature doing its own thing starting from very small beginnings and over long periods of time producing the world we see? Can nature do all that by itself.

Is that all there is?

If science can explain a great deal about how our world is formed, is it foolish to believe in God? Is He necessary?

Conversations with our kids No.2 to protect them from atheism: Intelligent Design

In this post we're going to take a look at 'design', one of the common arguments used both for and against God's existence.

It is interesting to note that both atheists and Christians use the same information to conclude that a God does not or does exist, respectively. This should give us pause for thought; maybe it’s possible to be a good scientist and believe in God and maybe its possible to be a good scientist and not believe in God? Are we at a stalemate?

Let’s put it another way: Does the sophisticated and orderly world we know fit best with a purposeful and orderly creator? Or can the natural word sufficiently explain its existence without the need for a great designer?

Who Made God? The Uncaused Causer

Details: Created: Thursday, 10 May 2018 10:53

Umoved-Mover-600x397 Can you remember those moments as a child when you lay in bed and wondered ‘how did I get here? What am I? Where did this all start?’

Being a child can be a wonderful place. Your mind spinning with questions and a desire to explore the world around you and discover its meaning. As we get older we often loose the edge to enquire and go deeper. Then along comes some persuasive, popular ideas carted around like a circus to every town telling us God isn’t necessary or even probable.

For many down the ages, the knowledge that a creator had ordered the world encouraged them to investigate and understand how it all fits together. But this is easily forgotten and ridiculed in today’s media.

Our kids may be satisfied for a while with our answer, ‘God made the world’, but it won’t be long before they hear the atheist view that God is not necessary, nor even likely to exist for the world to exist.

Our kids will need to know more than just ‘God made the world…look at the Bible’. They’ll need good reasons for believing and standing by the Bible’s message.

What will you say? Where will you point them?

Why do we get so upset when someone cheats?

Details: Created: Wednesday, 11 April 2018 17:48

ball tampering1 When your kid plays a weekend sport and you see someone breaking the rules the first thing you think is ‘it’s not fair’, right?

Few of us would say, ‘look, everyone is entitled to their view. If they wish to play that way, then we need to respect their choice and interpretation of the game’.

Not likely. We charge up to the referee and point out the infraction, expecting a just response.

Why is this innate to our psyche?

Why does truth matter so much in sport?

Ok, it’s just a game and we agree to abide by certain rules to play the game. Aren’t we just voluntarily submitting to such rules for a period that applies to the game being played? Yes. So, don’t get too high and mighty and start questioning my morality…it’s not like it’s about some big ‘right or wrong’!

Or is it? If there such a thing as truth then doesn't it matter?

What’s truth? Is the title of a brand-new video course for kids that can be used both in the home or the church ministry.

It's the only video course that tackles the tricky subject of truth in a way that kids understand and equips them to give good reasons for why they believe Jesus is 'that' truth.

You can preview the course, just click on the graphic below:

It’s just not cricket

‘What’s truth?’ is a subject that came to the fore in Australia during a recent international cricket match between Australia and South Africa. Our leading sport heroes, including our captain, Steve Smith who was recently hailed as being as good as the great Don Bradman, were caught in a rule breaking scandal. They were caught cheating by fiddling with the cricket ball to try and create an advantage while bowling to the other team.

How do we know something to be true?

Details: Created: Wednesday, 04 April 2018 19:40

Our kids will be faced with ridicule for their belief that Jesus is God’s Son.

The rhetoric runs like this…those who believe Jesus has come from God to save the world do not have good reasons for their belief. Instead it is ‘simple belief’, unfounded by solid evidence and in the end amounts to no more than personal intuition.

How do we help the kids in our churches or our own family understand and be able to explain the reasons why they should believe Jesus is the truth?

Natasha Crain helpfully reminds us that we should not require MORE evidence for Jesus than what we normally require to make ordinary judgements in every day life. Otherwise we are being unreasonable, demanding a level of proof that is inconsistent with how we behave. (‘Keeping Your Kid’s On God’s Side, 2016)

Will your kids have sufficient evidence to know why Jesus is the truth so they can give good grounds for what they believe?

Or, are your kids just going to stick their heads in the sand and be fairly criticized for having ‘simple belief’?

Surely, we need to be attempting the following three things:

Encourage them to require and seek evidence for Jesus being the truth.
Help them see where they can get such evidence for Jesus being the truth.
Package such evidence so that its something they can explain in their own words to their peers.

Now you might be struggling or wondering how you’re going to do no.2 or 3, right?

I’m here to help!

Right now, I’ve put online a video course from Anton’s Antics called ‘What’s Truth?’ The video course is designed to help you and your kids dive into the question of truth and follows the story of Jesus on trial before Pontius Pilate.

Take your Easter to another level!

Details: Created: Wednesday, 28 March 2018 18:39

Truth is relative…truth is what you make it…?

But then some big computer company gets a bite taken out of its credibility when it sends out updates to make our phones obsolete. Truth still relative for you now? Then a major international sporting team is caught out on camera tampering with the ball in South Africa. So, what? Isn’t truth what you make it?

I wasn’t sure if I’d make it, but just in time for Easter Anton has got good news for you!

What is it?

What’s Truth? Video course for kids

Who should get it?

Both kid’s ministry leaders and parents

Why should both parents and kids ministry leaders get ‘What’s Truth?’

Our goal must be more than that our kids believe in the truth; we want them to be able to give good reasons why they believe Jesus is the truth for all. Anton’s here to make equipping your kids with those good reasons for what they believe, super easy.

When should you get it?

Now!

What’s Truth is perfectly suited to Easter celebrations and will take your child’s understanding of Easter to a new level as we explore the subject of ‘Truth’.

Anton’s Antics has been performing Easter shows for many years, one of them, a favourite, is called ‘What’s Truth?’ The show follows the story of Jesus’ trial before Pilate where he is asked ‘What’s Truth?’ I’ve taken one key part of the What’s Truth Live show and turned it into a video course for kids.

Will it work after Easter?

Absolutely!

Truth is a subject we need to tackle year round!

Plus we’ve got an early bird incentive!

What will it do for you?

Fill your kid’s with confidence as to why Jesus is THE truth.
Give your kids good reasons why Jesus is the truth and tips on how to answer those who don’t believe.
Take your kids beyond just recalling the Easter story and develop their understanding of how Jesus came to reveal the truth about God and our world.
Give you a comprehensive teaching resource for your home or ministry. What’s Truth? Will make teaching why Jesus is ‘the’ truth super fun and engaging through a fun feature video.
Groove your kids minds in why Jesus is THE truth, beyond the feature video, through a new, powerful music video by rapper, Skito.

How to groove your kid’s minds with THE Truth this Easter

Details: Created: Sunday, 25 March 2018 14:43

Build your child’s confidence in Jesus as THE truth with Skito’s thought provoking and powerful new single.

I’ve taken one key part of the What’s Truth Live show and turned it into a video course for kids. Part of the video course will include a music video by rapper, Skito (one of the three characters in Anton’s Antics). You can get the music video FREE for a limited time right here, before I take it down.

However, your kids will still want to get the song, ‘What’s Truth?’ for their iPods and phones. So be sure to watch the music video and click through to purchase the song from iTunes today!

The What’s Truth Video Course for kids will soon be released and available for purchase and I’ll be in touch as soon as we’re open!

Remember, our goal must be more than that our kids believe in the truth; we want them to be able to give good reasons why they believe Jesus is the truth for all.

Anton's Antics is here to help equip you with music, videos, training and resources. All you've got to do is click the link!

PS: be sure to go grab the What’s Truth music video for your kids today before it’s taken down!

How can my kids be confident that all other religions are false?

Details: Created: Wednesday, 21 March 2018 19:48

Aren’t all religions the same? How can you say there’s only one name?

“I’m a Christian but I don’t buy into the idea that everyone else is wrong”

I’m sure Oprah is not the only one who feels this way.

Perhaps we are content that Jesus indeed offers us salvation; that he is unique in many ways, but we are not able to wholeheartedly assert with confidence that Jesus is THE way. Much less our kids.

The old Indian proverb

Six blind men are told that there is an elephant in the village.

They go to investigate, each touching different parts of the same elephant. As they touch only one part of the elephant, each can only describe a small area, not the whole.

The proverb is used by some to illustrate that each religion is part of the ultimate truth, but not the whole truth by itself. Consequently, if true, then no one religion can lay claim to having the only truth or path to God.

How can my kids be confident that all other religions are false and that Jesus is the ONLY way?