Building a Solid Foundation<\/p>\n
By Irvina Parker<\/p>\n
There is a beautiful snapshot of the early church in Acts 2:42-47. In fact, the words in this passage create several pictures of the believers coming together for the sole purpose of fellowship and learning. They clearly had a desire to learn more about Jesus. Their hearts were sincere and happy. And what were the results? \u201cAnd the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved\u201d (Acts 2:47, NIV). These believers were intent on building a solid foundation for their own relationships with Christ (and each other), while also building the foundation of the \u201cchurch.\u201d<\/p>\n
Any building must start with a solid foundation. It will never stand the test of time if the foundation is on the wrong soil or does not meet some very stringent codes. Paul stresses this again in Ephesians 2:19-21 when he writes: \u201cConsequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God\u2019s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him, the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord\u201d (NIV).<\/p>\n
A solid foundation leads to being sound in doctrine. Just as the early church was intentional about gathering for fellowship and learning how to be obedient, we too must gather for the same purpose. The prophet Isaiah had spoken prophetic words in chapter 33 (verses 5-6) declaring that the Lord would deliver justice and righteousness. The next sentence spoke to the coming reign of King Hezekiah. \u201cHe will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure.\u201d We are told in 2 Kings 18:3 that Hezekiah \u201cdid what was right in the eyes of the Lord.\u201d Further down in chapter 18, we see that Hezekiah \u201cheld fast to the Lord and did not cease\u201d to follow God. We are told that he kept the commandments which God had given to Moses.<\/p>\n
I can\u2019t help but think that the early church was inspired by Hezekiah\u2019s commitment to God. With that same kind of inspiration, women leaders of the IPHC nearly 72 years ago, recognized that the young girls needed fellowship and doctrinal training. We continue to share that belief today. As girls come to know Jesus Christ and accept Him as Lord and Savior, Girls\u2019 Ministries can provide sound doctrinal training through its selection of curriculum and resources. The Mpact and TGM curriculum was chosen in 1999 because of its doctrinal similarities to the IPHC. It is Biblically based. Just as the early church was intentional about gathering together, our local churches must be intentional about providing the kind of training for our girls, boys, and teens that will produce true Christ-followers. We must be intent on being the sure foundation for our times!<\/p>\n
If you are not familiar with the Mpact curriculum, let me give you an idea of what you would find in the Stars curriculum. Stars is designed for girls in the third through fifth grades, when subject matter becomes more intense. Out of 27 units written for those three years, 10 are required, and they are stretched out over the course of the girls\u2019 time in Stars. These units fall under a category called \u201cThe World of Truth\u201d and reflect our basic Christian doctrines. Each unit provides four lessons to be used in the month of your choice.<\/p>\n
If we are not providing this kind of training for our girls and boys, what chance do they have of standing strong against the world in which we live today? Our purpose is clear. We want our girls to be like the house described in Matthew 7:25: \u201cThe rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock\u201d (NIV). A young girl can begin her time in Girls\u2019 Ministries as an infant and stay in it throughout the high school years, depending on what the local church offers. The training and relationships build on each other. Paul describes the philosophy we have adopted in 1 Corinthians 3:10 when he says \u201cBy the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care.\u201d It is an effort of many leaders and teachers, as they work with parents, to prepare the foundation and continue the building process over the years. Each leader offers a unique perspective, as she adds to each girl\u2019s life. We must be careful to make sure everything is sound in doctrine and wrapped up in prayer. May God bless our efforts.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"excerpt","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":4363,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","episode_type":"","audio_file":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","filesize_raw":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[20,1,27],"tags":[940,998,16,409,941],"class_list":{"0":"post-4348","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-childrens-ministries","8":"category-general","9":"category-girls-ministries-childrens-ministries","10":"tag-940","11":"tag-building-a-solid-foundation","12":"tag-discipleship","13":"tag-irvina-parker","14":"tag-sound-doctrine","15":"entry"},"title_es":"Construyendo una base s\u00f3lida","content_es":"Construyendo una base s\u00f3lida Por Irvina Parker Hay una hermosa fotograf\u00eda de la iglesia primitiva en Hechos 2: 42-47. De hecho, las palabras en este pasaje crean varias im\u00e1genes de los creyentes que se unen con el \u00fanico prop\u00f3sito de la comuni\u00f3n y el aprendizaje. Claramente ten\u00edan un deseo de aprender m\u00e1s acerca de Jes\u00fas. Sus corazones fueron sinceros y felices. \u00bfY cu\u00e1les fueron los resultados? \u201cY el Se\u00f1or agreg\u00f3 diariamente a su n\u00famero a los que estaban siendo salvos\u201d (Hechos 2:47, NVI). Estos creyentes ten\u00edan la intenci\u00f3n de construir una base s\u00f3lida para sus propias relaciones con Cristo (y entre ellos), al mismo tiempo que construyen la base de la \"iglesia\". Cualquier construcci\u00f3n debe comenzar con una base s\u00f3lida. Nunca resistir\u00e1 la prueba del tiempo si la base est\u00e1 en el suelo incorrecto o no cumple con algunos c\u00f3digos muy estrictos. Pablo enfatiza esto nuevamente en Efesios 2: 19-21 cuando escribe: \"En consecuencia, ya no son extranjeros ni extranjeros, sino conciudadanos del pueblo de Dios y tambi\u00e9n miembros de su familia, construidos sobre la base de los ap\u00f3stoles y profetas, con Cristo Jes\u00fas mismo como la piedra angular principal. En \u00e9l, todo el edificio est\u00e1 unido y se eleva para convertirse en un templo santo en el Se\u00f1or \u201d(NVI). Un fundamento s\u00f3lido conduce a ser s\u00f3lido en la doctrina. As\u00ed como la iglesia primitiva fue intencional acerca de reunirse para el compa\u00f1erismo y aprender c\u00f3mo ser obedientes, nosotros tambi\u00e9n debemos reunirnos con el mismo prop\u00f3sito. El profeta Isa\u00edas hab\u00eda pronunciado palabras prof\u00e9ticas en el cap\u00edtulo 33 (vers\u00edculos 5-6) declarando que el Se\u00f1or entregar\u00eda justicia y rectitud. La siguiente oraci\u00f3n habl\u00f3 sobre el reinado venidero del rey Ezequ\u00edas. \u201c\u00c9l ser\u00e1 el fundamento seguro para tus tiempos, un rico dep\u00f3sito de salvaci\u00f3n, sabidur\u00eda y conocimiento; el temor de Jehov\u00e1 es la clave de este tesoro \". En 2 Reyes 18: 3 se nos dice que Ezequ\u00edas\" hizo lo correcto ante los ojos de Dios \". M\u00e1s abajo, en el cap\u00edtulo 18, vemos que Ezequ\u00edas\" se mantuvo firme \". Al Se\u00f1or y no ces\u00f3 \u201dde seguir a Dios. Se nos dice que \u00e9l guard\u00f3 los mandamientos que Dios le hab\u00eda dado a Mois\u00e9s. No puedo evitar pensar que la iglesia primitiva se inspir\u00f3 en el compromiso de Ezequ\u00edas con Dios. Con ese mismo tipo de inspiraci\u00f3n, las mujeres l\u00edderes de la IPHC hace casi 72 a\u00f1os, reconocieron que las j\u00f3venes necesitaban compa\u00f1erismo y entrenamiento doctrinal. Seguimos compartiendo esa creencia hoy. A medida que las ni\u00f1as llegan a conocer a Jesucristo y lo aceptan como Se\u00f1or y Salvador, el Ministerio de las Ni\u00f1as puede proporcionar una s\u00f3lida formaci\u00f3n doctrinal a trav\u00e9s de su selecci\u00f3n de curr\u00edculo y recursos. El plan de estudios de Mpact y TGM se eligi\u00f3 en 1999 debido a sus similitudes doctrinales con el IPHC. Est\u00e1 basado en la Biblia. Al igual que la iglesia primitiva fue intencional para reunirse, nuestras iglesias locales deben ser intencionales para proporcionar el tipo de entrenamiento para nuestras ni\u00f1as, ni\u00f1os y adolescentes que producir\u00e1n verdaderos seguidores de Cristo. \u00a1Debemos tener la intenci\u00f3n de ser la base segura para nuestros tiempos! Si no est\u00e1 familiarizado con el plan de estudios de Mpact, perm\u00edtame darle una idea de lo que encontrar\u00e1 en el plan de estudios de Stars. Stars est\u00e1 dise\u00f1ado para ni\u00f1as de tercero a quinto grado, cuando el tema se vuelve m\u00e1s intenso. De las 27 unidades escritas para esos tres a\u00f1os, se requieren 10, y se extienden a lo largo del tiempo de las ni\u00f1as en Stars. Estas unidades entran en una categor\u00eda llamada \"El mundo de la verdad\" y reflejan nuestras doctrinas cristianas b\u00e1sicas. Cada unidad proporciona cuatro lecciones que se utilizar\u00e1n en el mes de su elecci\u00f3n. Si no proporcionamos este tipo de capacitaci\u00f3n para nuestras ni\u00f1as y ni\u00f1os, \u00bfqu\u00e9 posibilidades tienen de mantenerse firmes contra el mundo en el que vivimos hoy? Nuestro prop\u00f3sito es claro. Queremos que nuestras ni\u00f1as sean como la casa descrita en Mateo 7:25: \u201cLa lluvia cay\u00f3, los arroyos se elevaron, y los vientos soplaron y golpearon esa casa; sin embargo, no cay\u00f3, porque ten\u00eda su base en la roca \u201d(NVI). Una ni\u00f1a puede comenzar su tiempo en el Ministerio de Ni\u00f1as como infante y permanecer en ella durante los a\u00f1os de escuela secundaria, dependiendo de lo que ofrezca la iglesia local. La formaci\u00f3n y las relaciones se construyen unas sobre otras. Pablo describe la filosof\u00eda que hemos adoptado en 1 Corintios 3:10 cuando dice: \u201cPor la gracia que Dios me ha dado, puse los cimientos como un constructor sabio, y alguien m\u00e1s se basa en ello. Pero cada uno debe construir con cuidado \u201d. Es un esfuerzo de muchos l\u00edderes y maestros, mientras trabajan con los padres, preparar la base y continuar el proceso de construcci\u00f3n a lo largo de los a\u00f1os. Cada l\u00edder ofrece una perspectiva \u00fanica, ya que se suma a la vida de cada ni\u00f1a. Debemos tener cuidado de asegurarnos de que todo est\u00e9 bien en la doctrina y envuelto en la oraci\u00f3n. Que Dios bendiga nuestros esfuerzos.","author_name":"","jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/01\/Building-a-Solid-Foundation.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4T9u2-188","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4348","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/19"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4348"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4348\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4363"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4348"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4348"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4348"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}