Caffeinated Thoughts |
- Ringgenberg focuses on economy, regulatory burdens in his effort to unseat Iowa Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal
- Amy Sinclair will be a strong voice for Iowa Senate District 14
- Just how important is Family Discipleship?
| Posted: 15 Mar 2012 03:30 PM PDT
Ringgenberg presented more than 1,400 petition signatures to Iowa Secretary of State Matt Shultz and Iowa Senate Republicans Wednesday at the State Capitol. He will face Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal in the November election. Only 100 petition signatures are required to place a legislative candidate on the ballot. "Iowa's economy is not thriving," Ringgenberg said. "You see it every day. Iowa homeowners and businesses are being crushed under the weight of taxes and burdensome regulations. Big government is driving our families and employers away. Small businesses, mom and pop stores pay property taxes that are on par with taxes paid by businesses in Manhattan. That is just wrong." "We are at ground zero for Iowa in 2012 because of this state senate race," Pottawattamie County GOP Chair Jeff Jorgensen said. "Al definitely connects with voters on the issues. Judging from his reception at the county convention last Saturday, you'd think he was a rock star." The petitions Ringgenberg delivered to the Statehouse also call upon the Senate to debate and vote on the Iowa Marriage Amendment bill. Ringgenberg is also a strong proponent of reigning in judicial activism. "If Senator Gronstal blocks voters from having a say in their constitution, then he prefers the whims of judges to the ballot box," said Ringgenberg, who served as an appellate judge in the Air Force. "This issue is not about a group of people. This is a fight to preserve our constitution and liberty, and the sovereignty of the people. The Iowa Supreme Court invented a new constitutional entitlement without any input from the voters or their representatives." Link to this post!        |
| Amy Sinclair will be a strong voice for Iowa Senate District 14 Posted: 15 Mar 2012 02:15 PM PDT
Lt. Gov. Reynolds will be joined by fellow guest speakers assistant Republican Senate Leader Brad Zaun and State Representative Joel Fry, R-Osceola, at the April 28 fundraiser picnic for Sinclair. The event is slated for 5:30-8 p.m. just northwest of Osceola. The location of the event is 1228 220th Ave., Osceola. Tickets are $25 for individuals and $50 for families. To reserve your tickets today, go to Senate Republican candidate Amy Sinclair's Facebook page here. "I will be a strong voice when it comes to our economy," Sinclair said. "Iowa needs a business climate that supports entrepreneurs and small businesses. When we have that in place we can then focus on career development initiatives – not just job creation policies." The newly created District 14 includes Wayne, Decatur, Clarke, Lucas, Marion and part of Jasper counties. Sinclair has served two terms on the Wayne County Board of Supervisors. She and her husband Boyd, who is a fifth-grade teacher at Wayne Community Schools, have three sons, and farm near Allerton. Link to this post!      |
| Just how important is Family Discipleship? Posted: 15 Mar 2012 07:22 AM PDT  How important is family discipleship? There is a debate that seems to be brewing in Christian homes and church. A debate centered around the ideas of children’s and youth ministry. Do these age-segregated programs make sense? Are they Biblical? How much effort should be placed on getting parents to intentionally disciple their children? These really are questions that should be considered and pondered b/c we seem to be coming upon cross-roads which will define the future of the church – not just in Children's & Family Ministry, but in many other areas as well. So, let's take a look at God's word to see what it has to say…assuming we agree that the Bible has something to say about this topic?? Most of you reading this know the passages that reference how important family ministry is – Deut. 6 & Psalm 78 in particular – but let me take a big picture approach to this. In the Great Commission (Matt. 28:19-20) we are called to "Go and make Disciples," a clear command from Jesus before he ascends into Heaven. Yet that call did not just start after Jesus lived, died and rose again; that commandment existed since the beginning of Creation. Check out the comparison between the Great Commission and the First Commandment (Gen 1:28), where we are called to fill the earth with worshippers*: There is a definitive link between the call of the Church to make disciples and the call of the Family to bear and raise their children to be Godly disciples. This is also echoed in what Peter preaches at the end of Acts 2: "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off – for all whom the Lord our God will call" (Acts 2:38-39 – italics mine). Did you catch it? The promise (referring to the Covenant Promise of God throughout the entire Bible) is given to you, your kids, and the world! The problem is that we often forget our kids as part of this equation and just focus on the 1) getting right with God and 2) going to make a difference in the world. Yet God seems to be telling us get right with God, get right with your spouse, get right with your kids, & get right with your church and that's when together you can go make a difference in the world. So, just how important is family discipelship? Well according to this line of reasoning, it seems like it should be the main focus of what the church is doing! Instead, we focus on so many other things with in the church that seem to be secondary: small groups, community groups, Sunday services, youth ministry, children's ministry, worship ministry and so on. And while all of these are connected – and important in and of themselves – we are missing the boat on what I believe is the key issue for the church today: a prophetic call for parents, especially fathers, to turn their hearts back to their children. It's that important! _____________________________________ * This line of thought and information has been taken from Dr. Rob Rienow with Visionary Family Ministries. For further information, you can check out his book Visionary Parenting. Link to this post!      |
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