Clare De Graaf's Blog, page 4
May 4, 2020
Asking Your Children or Grandchildren Dangerous Questions
I’ve spent almost 40 years mentoring men, many of them young men – high school and college age. Then a number of years ago, my wife Susan challenged me to mentor our grandchildren. So I have. We started Papa school.
Over the years, I found one of the problems with teaching young people, roughly age 15 and over, is that I would start by trying to teach them information that I wanted them to know about God and the Bible. That made sense to me.
But, I quickly realized that a far more effective way of teaching was to ask them for dangerous questions. By that asking them what questions they have about God and the Christian life, and start there.
Why can that be dangerous? Because they may ask you questions you may not be prepared to answer, off the cuff. Questions like;
Over the years, I found one of the problems with teaching young people, roughly age 15 and over, is that I would start by trying to teach them information that I wanted them to know about God and the Bible. That made sense to me.
But, I quickly realized that a far more effective way of teaching was to ask them for dangerous questions. By that asking them what questions they have about God and the Christian life, and start there.
Why can that be dangerous? Because they may ask you questions you may not be prepared to answer, off the cuff. Questions like;
April 27, 2020
Christian Ambassador or Tourist?
“We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.” 2 Corinthians 5:20a Jesus was a storyteller. Stories paint a word picture for us that help us better remember an idea, event, person or teaching. The ideas in this blog have helped generations of men I’ve taught, better understand their role in […]
April 20, 2020
Three Best Practices for Mentoring
Mentoring becomes your true legacy. It is the greatest inheritance you can give to others. It is why you get up every day. – John Wooden
Most mentors are well-intentioned, but not intentional about growing their mentoring skills. Whether you are currently engaged in mentoring or intend to do so in the future, you can be a great mentor with impact that lasts decades. Three best practices can elevate your mentoring to a whole new level -- sharing stories, mentoring the whole person, and integrating mentees into your network.
Most mentors are well-intentioned, but not intentional about growing their mentoring skills. Whether you are currently engaged in mentoring or intend to do so in the future, you can be a great mentor with impact that lasts decades. Three best practices can elevate your mentoring to a whole new level -- sharing stories, mentoring the whole person, and integrating mentees into your network.
April 13, 2020
Anxiety – Is It A Sin?
With the Coronavirus killing tens of thousands of people, a number of Christians have asked me if being anxious is a sin. Is it a sin to be anxious or worried? The question comes up because of Jesus’ statements in Matthew 6:25 and 34; “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what […]
April 9, 2020
Serving Good Friday Communion to Your Family in Isolation
With our families in isolation this Good Friday and Easter, and if your church is not live streaming a communion celebration, you may want to consider serving your family communion. The following is a blog I wrote five years ago, which may help you make this Good Friday all that Jesus intended.
April 6, 2020
All the Trees Are Coming Down!
With the world in turmoil, how in the world do we find peace? Where is God in all of this? Tim Keller, in a video conference on March 24, told this story (probably fiction). “A group of lumber jacks began working in a new stand of pines. One of them noticed a bird beginning to […]
March 30, 2020
Fear and Faith in Times of Economic Crisis
“You believe God will meet all your needs, but you’re not sure he’ll provide all your wants and that’s what really frightens you, doesn’t it?”
I asked this question at a special evangelistic gathering of men in January 2009, right in the middle of the great financial meltdown. None of these men were worried about being homeless or hungry. But, to a man they admitted to periods of fear and sleepless nights, even the Christians present. It was humbling for me to admit to them that I too had been afraid. That set me on a journey to figure out why.
Today, 2020, the whole world is re-living that fear, plus the fear of death.
Why is it that even Christians worry?
I asked this question at a special evangelistic gathering of men in January 2009, right in the middle of the great financial meltdown. None of these men were worried about being homeless or hungry. But, to a man they admitted to periods of fear and sleepless nights, even the Christians present. It was humbling for me to admit to them that I too had been afraid. That set me on a journey to figure out why.
Today, 2020, the whole world is re-living that fear, plus the fear of death.
Why is it that even Christians worry?
March 23, 2020
What Happens After Death?
Three times in the last few weeks I’ve been asked by good Christians to help them explain to their teenage and college age children what happens after Christians and non-Christians die. I think most of us grew up hearing a Sunday School explanation and many Christians still believe that, but there’s so much more.
To each person, I sent these edited excerpts from the book, One Minute After You Die, by Dr. Erwin Lutzer, the pastor of Moody Church in Chicago. He does a wonderful job of clarifying what the Bible teaches on this important subject.
To each person, I sent these edited excerpts from the book, One Minute After You Die, by Dr. Erwin Lutzer, the pastor of Moody Church in Chicago. He does a wonderful job of clarifying what the Bible teaches on this important subject.
March 16, 2020
Getting Spiritually Drunk
A few years ago I was in Paris with four college seniors finishing up ten days of travel, teaching them history and how to think about current social and ethical issues, in light of a biblical worldview. “My guys” were some of the most gifted, leadership young men I’ve ever spent time with and the products of fine Christian families.
One of our discussions was on what it meant to “be filled with the Holy Spirit”. I told them that one of the reasons that concept might feel foreign and theological to them, could be because they’ve never been spiritually drunk.
One of our discussions was on what it meant to “be filled with the Holy Spirit”. I told them that one of the reasons that concept might feel foreign and theological to them, could be because they’ve never been spiritually drunk.
March 9, 2020
Beware of Pastors Always Trying to Find a “New Angle”
A few months back, I was listening to a podcast of a pastor I very much respect. He was teaching on The Prodigal Son, Luke 15:11-32. When he got to the part when the younger brother was living in a “far country” and earned a living feeding pigs, all of a sudden that became the story. Here was the “new angle.”
