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"The Teaching Tank: Science for Homeschool Families"
is the subject line of the e-mail accompanying and
sponsoring this newsletter.
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The Teaching Home
E-MAIL NEWSLETTER
Information, Inspiration, and Encouragement
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Volume II, Number 16
Oct. 18, 2002
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You are welcome to forward this newsletter. See Archives.
Table of Contents
What To Do About Halloween
Use To Teach Truth
Response: Alternatives
Response: Evangelism
Tract Evangelism
Advantages of Tracts
How To Use Tracts
Resources
Pray for D.C. Residents & HSLDA Staff
Sunny Side Up: Humorous Anecdote
Resources
"The Christian Warrior"
LingoHouse-Language Home for Kids
Moms For Life
The Teaching Tank: Science for Homeschool Families
Greetings!
As a home schooler, you can use Halloween as an
opportunity to teach the history of this holiday and what
God says about the the unseen, but real, spiritual world
around us of Satan's evil and God's good.
Then as citizens of Heaven who have been given the
mission of being ambassadors for Christ, learn how you can
practice evangelism with a tract ministry. (See articles
in this issue.)
These will be invaluable life lessons for your family and
an occasion to fulfill your family's goal of influencing our
society for the Lord!
Sincerely,
Sue Welch
for Pat, Sue, Heather, Holly, and Brian Welch
The Teaching Home is a home-school family business
produced in our home since 1980.
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"The Christian Warrior"
Written by the author of "The Basket of Flowers" and
republished by SAT Publications, publishers of quality
Christian literature. Spiritual battles illustrated by the
life of a Roman warrior. Excerpts, reviews, and ordering
information at http://www.satpub.com
_____________________________________________________
What To Do About Halloween
Each year as stores and homes begin to decorate for
Halloween, we can either ignore the holiday or respond to it
in a way that will edify our families and others while
honoring the Lord.
Historically, Halloween was a pagan, occultic worship
day. Even today we see that the primary focus of Halloween
is the occult, the devil, evil, death, fear, and horror.
By not celebrating this holiday as the unbelieving
world does, we are acknowledging that as Christians we are
different from the world and are obeying God's Word: "Have
nothing to do with the evil deeds of darkness, but rather
expose them" (Ephesians 5:11).
Use To Teach Truth
The first truth to teach is the pagan, occult, and
satanic origin and present practices of Halloween.
Tampering with the demonic and occult is serious business.
http://www.annieshomepage.com/halloweenhistory.html
http://www.annieshomepage.com/halloween2.html
http://logosresourcepages.org/halloween.html
http://christiananswers.net/q-eden/halloween.html
Use a few of your family's daily devotional times to do
a Bible study. Look up and discuss all the Scriptures you
can find related to the occult. Use a Bible dictionary,
your Bible's chain reference, and/or a topical Bible.
Be sure to balance your study of Satan and evil with
the glorious attributes of God, His power, and Christ's
victory over Satan by His death and resurrection.
A word of warning: when we expose Satan and his works
and reveal God's Words to our family, the enemy of our
souls will target us for attack. We must put on "the whole
armor of God," for this spiritual battle is real.
"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but
against the rulers, against the powers, against the world
forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of
wickedness in the heavenly places" (Eph. 6:12).
Passages to Study
These are a few topics and passages to get you started.
Light and Darkness: Eph. 5:1-17
Witchcraft: Deut. 18:9-14; Lev. 20:27; I Sam. 28:3-25
Satan: John 8:44; I John 5:19; Luke 22:31; I Pet. 5:8
Fear: Matt. 10:28; Ps. 118:6; 27
Hell: Luke 16:19-31; Rev. 19:20; 21:8.
God's Love: John 3:16; I John 3:1; Rom. 8:31-39
God's Power: Rom. 16:20; I Cor. 15:51-58; Luke 8:26-39
God's Protection: Ps. 23; John 10:27-30; Ps. 91
God's Presence: Ps. 145:18; Matt. 28:20; James 4:7-8
Spiritual Warfare: Eph. 6:10-18; II Cor. 10:3-5
You may want to select some verses that promise God's
love and protection to memorize and be used to comfort
and reassure your children when they are afraid.
Alternatives
Many families respond to the evils of Halloween with
alternatives such as a harvest festival at their church.
Some families celebrate Reformation Day on Oct. 31.
An excellent resource for that celebration is:
A Night of Reformation. This 170-page notebook contains
a short play about Martin Luther plus instructions and
illustrations for games, carnival booths, crafts, food, music,
costumes, decorations, and art and writing projects.
http://www.doorposts.net/Reformation.htm
Do anticipate questions that your children may be asked
about the holiday and help them prepare an answer that would
honor our Lord.
Halloween Tracts
Many families use Halloween for an outreach ministry
of tract evangelism (see article below).
* You can turn your light on and welcome
trick-or-treaters with candy and a gospel tract.
* One family goes out on the sidewalks and offers candy
and tracts to those who pass by.
* Or you could wrap up plates of home-made cookies
with tracts enclosed and take them around to your neighbors.
To prepare for your ministry:
* Select appropriate tracts.
* Teach your children the courtesies of distributing tracts
and the importance of being a good testimony while doing so.
* Pray for the fruitfulness of the seed, God's Word, you
will be sowing in the lives of people receiving the tracts.
The Lord can help your family to turn Halloween into an
opportunity to teach your children Biblical truth, disciple
them in literature evangelism, and experience a fruitful
time of ministry together.
______________________________________________________
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Tract Evangelism
Evangelism is an important area of Christian teaching.
We need to go beyond preparing our children to be "salt
and light," and actually show them how we are fulfilling
these roles ourselves. Then they can minister with us.
The Lord has given us a mission to "Go into all the
world and preach the gospel to every creature." We can
start in our own neighborhood and with those we meet in our
daily lives.
Train and model for your children thoughtfulness and
concern for the eternal salvation of those around us. Then
demonstrate how we can bring them God's Good News.
As Christians, we know that we are to be witnesses for
Christ, but not knowing where or how to do so can keep us at
a standstill. Gospel tracts do not take the place of your
personal testimony of how God saved you, but they can allow
you to witness to people that you meet only briefly,
building your confidence in witnessing to others.
Advantages of Tracts
Consider these advantages. Tracts:
* Present a well-thought-out message.
* Can be read and reread at a more convient time.
* Can include Bible verses and a longer message.
* Provide a non-threatening way to witness.
* Often take the gospel where no other witness can go.
* Can be used by any person; no special ability is needed.
* Stick to the point; don't get side tracked.
* Never get offended or lose their tempers.
* May be read privately by people too proud to listen.
* Lead many to accept Christ.
* Are worth it all if just one came to Christ.
* Can witness even to people who speak other languages.
* Open the door to further witness.
Advantages of Using Tracts on Halloween
By passing out tracts on Halloween, you can:
* See people that you would otherwise not meet.
* Get the gospel to everyone in your neighborhood.
* Just drop tracts into Trick-or-Treat bags. It's easy!
* Stay at home. It's convenient!
* Turn a pagan holiday into a witnessing time.
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How To Use Tracts
Preparation
* Carefully select tracts with a messages that you want to
give out. Make sure the Gospel message is clear and
Scripture verses are given.
* Use appropriate tracts for different situations and people.
* Pray that the Lord will lead you to people that you can give
tracts to that day and that their hearts will be prepared
to hear and respond to God.
* If possible establish a friendly relationship with recipients.
* Keep tracts by your door to give to anyone who calls, and as
a reminder to you to take tracts with you when you leave.
Personalization
* With your church's permission, put its name, address,
and phone number on the back of each tract for further
information.
* Prepare a sentence to say when handing a tract to someone,
such as "I would like to share something with you that
so much to me."
* Write your own tracts that include your own personal
testimony. Your children can do this also. You may use
or include (copyright free)God's Plan of Salvation.
* Personalize a printed tract with a handwritten message
such as "I have trusted Jesus Christ as my Savior and
recommend Him to you."
Delivery
* Consciously smile and express love and care when giving
someone a tract.
* Don't force tracts on people.
* Read and discuss a tract with a friend over a cup of tea.
* Send a tract by e-mail with your personal testimony.
* Leave a tract with your tip when eating out.
* Anytime you speak to a cashier at a store or restaurant
offer them a tract, "Could I leave you something to read
when you have time?"
* Enclose a tract with every bill that you pay on time.
* Always be courteous, even if the tract is refused.
Involving Others
* Take tracts to church for others to give out.
* Teach and encourage others to pass tracts along. Maybe
you could give a class at your church.
* Challenge each one in your family (or Bible study, etc.)
to take seven tracts and hand them out in seven days.
Afterwards
* Give Scripture portions (e.g., Gospels) or low-cost New
Testaments ($2 each) to those who show sincere interest.
* Follow up tracts with prayer for recipients and for
other Christians around them to water the seed or reap
the harvest. (Someone else may be praying the same
thing for you!)
* If you meet a tract recipent again, ask, "What did you think
about the pamphlet I gave you?" and/or give him another.
* Don't become discouraged or give up. Giving out a tract,
like any method of evangelism, may be either sowing,
watering, or reaping. You may never see the end result
until you get to Heaven.
______________________________________________________
LingoHouse-Language Home for Kids
We sell language learning materials for kids. We
currently offer 23 languages and approximately 840 quality
educational books, softwares, CDs, videos, audios, and much
more. Please visit our web site http://www.lingohouse.com.
______________________________________________________
Resources for Tract Evangelism
We cannot endorse all copy in all tracts or everything
about the organizations that produce them. Please be
prayerfully discerning when making your selections.
Halloween Tracts
Most of these resources also carry other tracts.
Child Evangelism Fellowship. Halloween tract, plus other
children's tracts, some with tear-off postage-paid
response cards to join the Mailbox Club, a Bible study by
mail. One tract in Spanish.
http://shop.gospelcom.net/cgi-bin/CEF.storefront/3db07c2e00e04cba271aac1410010642/Catalog/1017
Good News Publishers. 15 Halloween tracts, usually
ships in 2-3 business days. Christmas and Easter tracts
with Thomas Kinkade art on cover.
http://www.gnpcb.org/catalog/tracts.halloween/
Halloween Outreach. Order until Oct. 26.
http://www.halloweenoutreach.com/order.html
American Tract Society. Halloween kits.
http://www.atstracts.org/halloween/index.html
Moments with the Book. 200+ Gospel tracts. Send by
e-mail and e-cards.
http://www.mwtb.org/pages/display.php?id=120000&PHPSESSID=0f5dca59c9cac0ee1fcd01b52008765d
Halloween Cards.
http://www.mwtb.org/pages/display.php?id=130020
Chick Publications.
http://www.chick.com/seasonal/halloween/tractsuggestions.asp
Print or Make Your Own Halloween Tracts
Life Saver Tract for Halloween. Free to download and print.
Hand out with Life Saver candy. Also in Spanish.
http://www.geocities.com/lisargood/holidays/Halloween.htm
Make-Your-Own Halloween Tracts. How to make your own
tracts. Suggested copy is free to use.
http://www.rpdigest.com/00801.htm
Gospel Tracts
God's Simple Plan of Salvation. In 21 languages.
You can also send tracts by e-mail.
http://www.wholesomewords.org/gospel.html
Gospel Tracts. Free to use with permission notice. Text
could be used for printing your own tracts.
http://www.script7.org/gospel_tracts.htm
The Trinity Foundation. Some in German.
http://www.trinityfoundation.org/ammo/tracts.asp
Navigators. Classic tract "The Bridge to Life."
http://www.gospelcom.net/navs/navinfo/resources/bridge/bridge.htm
Steps to Peace with God by Billy Graham. Also
in Spanish.
http://www.grason.org/online/dept.asp?dept%5Fid=4&page=3&ssid=90KJEJLGHNRE9K0NE56P1JJ1M508BJT1
J3:16 Free Tracts. Download tracts as PDF files, print,
and copy them. English, Spanish, Portugese.
http://www.impacto.org/j3-16/index-e.sht
Absolutely Free, Inc. The Gospel of John.
http://www.livingwater.org/InfoMin.html
Christian Book.com. A variety of 160+ tracts.
http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/easy_find/88387683?Ntk=typeset.typeset&Ntt=tracts&action=Search&N=0&Ne=0&nav_search=1&Go.x=12&Go.y=11
Gospel of John.
http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product/88387683?item_no=521788X&event=ESRC&item_code=WW#_top
Here's Life. Bilingual tracts in 50 languages based on
"The Four Spiritual Laws."
http://www.hereslife.com/
Pilgrim Fundamental Baptist Press. The Gospel of John
and various tracts.
http://www.pfbaptistpress.org/
"The Four Spiritual Laws." Many languages and formats.
"Good News," children's version. How to prepare your
own personal testimony.
http://www.greatcom.org/laws/languages.html
Gospel Tracts Links.
http://bornagain.port5.com/gospel_tracts.htm
World Christian Tract Directory.
http://www.tracts.com/CTD.html
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Moms For Life
Toxic products are in your home -- get rid of them! We
can show you how! Teach others to do the same and earn an
at-home-income, completely from home. Homeschoolers say,
"Ideal!" Free information! No risk!
http://www.momsforlife.com/?NM46208
_____________________________________________________
Pray for D.C.-Area Residents
On behalf of the residents of the Washington, D.C.,
metropolitan area and our co-laborers, I am requesting
prayer for protection from the sniper who has now killed
nine people in the D.C. area.
Our office is 50 miles from the Capitol, and most of our
staff live in the potential danger zone.
We are asking that your family prays daily until this
person is caught. Your prayers will avail much.
Thank you on behalf of our staff in anticipation of your
prayers and supplication.
Sincerely,
Mike Smith, President
Home School Legal Defense Association
http://www.hslda.org
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The Teaching Tank: Science for Homeschool Families
Help feed your child's thirst for knowledge, encourage
his natural curiosity, and make hands-on science a reality.
150 great science lessons. A very visual and more exciting
way to learn science. http://www.tchg.com
______________________________________________________
Sunny Side Up: Eggs Too?!
When I began trying to improve our family's nutrition the
most obvious change was from white to whole wheat breads,
pastas, etc.
One day, as our 7-year-old watched me open a container
of eggs (that just happened to be brown), he looked at me
with some dismay and said, "Aw, Mom, not whole wheat eggs!"
by Cindy G., Landenberg, Penn.
You are also invited to submit your humorous anecdote.
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God Loves You.
Because we were separated from God by sin, Jesus Christ
died in our place, then rose to life again. If we trust Jesus
Christ as our Savior and Lord, He will give us eternal life.
"For by grace you have been saved through faith;
and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a
result of works, that no one should boast" (Eph. 2:8, 9).
http://www.TeachingHome.com/about/salvation.cfm
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