Staff Writer – Page 15 – The GoodSeed Blog

How do I know if my child believes?

Question: I read my daughter The Lamb. How do I know if she believes and is saved?

Answer: If you’ve read through The Lamb with your daughter and she can answer the questions in the book, this indicates that she has good a good grasp of the gospel message.

To check further, you can ask her to retell the story to you. In this way, you can see how well she remembers the story and whether she can explain the concepts. Asking her to retell also allows you to check if she believes the facts. Ask her the following questions:

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Question Time with Oaks Christian School No.3: Visual Aids

In our third video question from The Oaks Christian School, Richard asks John Cross about visual aids: Did he enjoy teaching with models and props and where did he get his set?

John explained that when he first taught, he didn’t have visual aids. But in Scripture, God used visual aids to teach people truth. So with the help of his son, John built many models that have proven effective in increasing a student’s understanding. When others started to ask for the visual aids, GoodSeed began to produce them in order to equip those who wanted to use them in their teaching.

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Confused over The Stranger, the VideoBook and Worldview Rethink

Question:
I am familiar with The Stranger on the Road to Emmaus. Can you please explain how the VideoBook, the online self-paced course, and Worldview Rethink are different? Is the online course the same as the VideoBook? Is Worldview Rethink the same thing but designed to be lead by a local leader as opposed to John Cross teaching via video? Or am I all confused?

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A second chance at sharing the gospel

Sunset Peter* wanted to share the gospel with a 65-year-old friend named Thomas.* They watched The Stranger on the Road to Emmaus VideoBook together but Thomas did not understand the gospel message. He clung to the idea that to be right with God, he simply had to live a good life and follow God’s rules. A year later, Thomas became terminally ill with cancer. Peter visited him at the hospital and, over the course of two weeks, read aloud from The Lamb.

After the first week, Thomas still insisted that one simply had to live a good life to be acceptable to God. But as he learned of God’s ten rules, he began to see he was a helpless sinner. Then, Thomas came to understand how God could punish sin without punishing the sinner through the provision of a substitute lamb. He realized that unless God provided a way for him, he could not live with God in Heaven.

When Peter finished the book, he asked, “Thomas, who is your lamb?”

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Let your speech be seasoned with salt

Salt shaker The Scripture tells us that at all times we must be “prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect…” (1 Peter 3:15) And also, when we speak to others, the Bible exhorts us to “let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt…” (Colossians 4:6)

Gentleness and respect. Seasoned with salt. How do we apply these principles in everyday life, especially in situations that test our patience? Here’s a story from Carol* that illustrates this.

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Question Time with Oaks Christian School No.2: Favourite Location in Israel

In our second video question from The Oaks Christian School, Jaylee asks John Cross two questions: Which is his favourite location in Israel and when did he decide to go into full-time ministry. Standing on a lookout above the Sea of Galilee, John points out the town of Capernaum on the northern edge of the lake. To answer both of Jaylee’s questions, he discusses an incident that happened at Capernaum—the story of the royal official from John 4:46-54.

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You’ll be doing well if you get three!

After attending a TERM Seminar, Jacob* was eager to try leading a course just as he had been shown. He booked a room at his church and publicized that a course was about to start. He told a church leader he would be going through the book The Stranger on the Road to Emmaus. The church leader quipped, “You’ll be doing well if you get three! The study is a bit long and Friday night is not a good night.” Undaunted, Jacob trusted the Lord to bring people. He is now mid-way through the course and he sent us an update:

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The ladies’ tea and book club

Cuppa Tea

Jody* is a hairstylist who has many co-workers and clients whom she has come to know as friends. Recently, she took a step of faith and discovered a simple and effective way to help her friends clearly understand and believe in the good news of Jesus Christ.

Jody explains how she makes meaningful connections with her clients:

“As a stylist, I work hard to make the women who sit in my chair look and feel beautiful. As a Christian, I want to be a good listener, so that each one knows I truly care for them.”

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Nudged across our paths

Airport Terminal A colleague once observed, “It seems God takes great delight in nudging the unsaved across the paths of believers who are ready—those who are equipped to clearly communicate the Bible’s message.”

I thought about this recently while travelling to Winnipeg from Calgary. I was standing in line waiting to board my plane when an elderly woman stepped in behind me. I wouldn’t have noticed her except she suddenly leaned past me and motioned in the direction of two men ahead of us. Pictures of human skulls decorated their jackets, ear rings, hats, boots, and even their hand luggage. Granny’s rheumy eyes asked the question first before she whispered hoarsely, “What’s with the skulls?”

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“The Lamb” for the very young and very old

The Lamb on Easter — Example of a church (not Diane’s) using *The Lamb* on Easter

On our new website, there is a contact form that anyone can use to contact us. We were pleased to receive this note from Diane:*

The Lamb is a great tool that God has given. I have seen Him use it in the salvation of my five-year-old granddaughter’s life and in the life of a 75-year-old Japanese lady.

I am currently using it each Sunday for children’s church. We have kids from second to fifth grade. I take The Lamb DVD and play a chapter at a time, and then ask the questions found in the book. On Easter Sunday, I plan to show the DVD in its entirety… with popcorn! We want the children (especially those who might have missed a Sunday or two) to see the complete story. We have several unchurched children attending these sessions. May God use the The Lamb to bring about salvation for all the children.

Pray along with us, that the Holy Spirit will help the children understand the gospel message and that each precious child will be able to declare, “Jesus is my lamb! He died for me.”

(*Name changed as per GoodSeed policy.)