{"id":301882,"date":"2009-08-21T11:00:00","date_gmt":"2009-08-21T15:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast\/%series%\/hiding-gods-word-in-a-childs-heart\/"},"modified":"2009-08-21T11:00:00","modified_gmt":"2009-08-21T15:00:00","slug":"hiding-gods-word-in-a-childs-heart","status":"publish","type":"podcast","link":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast\/familylife-today\/hiding-gods-word-in-a-childs-heart\/","title":{"rendered":"Hiding God&#8217;s Word in a Child&#8217;s Heart"},"content":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>How well do you know the Scriptures?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":91,"featured_media":294104,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","inline_featured_image":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","episode_type":"","audio_file":"https:\/\/web.familylifetoday.com\/fl2009-08-21.mp3","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"00:","filesize":"12.39M","filesize_raw":"12993241","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":""},"categories":[2806],"tags":[4798,2209],"podcast_series":[],"cwp_profile":[3088],"series":[2101],"class_list":["post-301882","podcast","type-podcast","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-spiritual-development","tag-kids","tag-parenting","cwp_profile-larry-fowler","series-familylife-today"],"acf":[],"episode_featured_image":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1001\/2024\/09\/FLT-Podcast-Cover-2-508x508-3.jpg?w=508","episode_player_image":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1001\/2023\/02\/image-scaled.jpg","download_link":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast-download\/301882\/hiding-gods-word-in-a-childs-heart","player_link":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast-player\/301882\/hiding-gods-word-in-a-childs-heart","audio_player":null,"episode_data":{"playerMode":"light","subscribeUrls":{"apple_podcasts":{"key":"apple_podcasts","url":"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/familylife-today\/id212174303?mt=2&app=podcast","label":"Apple Podcasts","class":"apple_podcasts","icon":"apple-podcasts.png"},"google_podcasts":{"key":"google_podcasts","url":"","label":"Google Podcasts","class":"google_podcasts","icon":"google-podcasts.png"},"spotify":{"key":"spotify","url":"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/0j5UaKdQOHQCuo1bt0ebEm","label":"Spotify","class":"spotify","icon":"spotify.png"},"youtube":{"key":"youtube","url":"","label":"YouTube","class":"youtube","icon":"youtube.png"}},"rssFeedUrl":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/feed\/podcast\/familylife-today","embedCode":"<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"xomF4IQEsa\"><a href=\"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast\/familylife-today\/hiding-gods-word-in-a-childs-heart\/\">Hiding God&#8217;s Word in a Child&#8217;s Heart<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast\/familylife-today\/hiding-gods-word-in-a-childs-heart\/embed\/#?secret=xomF4IQEsa\" width=\"500\" height=\"350\" title=\"&#8220;Hiding God&#8217;s Word in a Child&#8217;s Heart&#8221; &#8212; FamilyLife\u00ae - A Cru Ministry\" data-secret=\"xomF4IQEsa\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\"><\/iframe><script>\n\/*! This file is auto-generated *\/\n!function(d,l){\"use strict\";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&\"undefined\"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!\/[^a-zA-Z0-9]\/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),c=new RegExp(\"^https?:$\",\"i\"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display=\"none\";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute(\"style\"),\"height\"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):\"link\"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute(\"src\")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener(\"message\",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll(\"iframe.wp-embedded-content\"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute(\"data-secret\"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+=\"#?secret=\"+t,e.setAttribute(\"data-secret\",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:\"ready\",secret:t},\"*\")},!1)))}(window,document);\n\/\/# sourceURL=https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-includes\/js\/wp-embed.min.js\n<\/script>\n"},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1001\/2024\/09\/FLT-Podcast-Cover-2-508x508-3.jpg",508,508,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"kfairris@familylife.com","author_link":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/author\/kfairrisfamilylife-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"How well do you know the Scriptures?","meta_box":{"show_notes":"","transcript_url":"https:\/\/transcript.familylifetoday.com\/fl2009-08-21.pdf","transcript_content":"<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>We are familiar with Bible passages like Psalm 119 that says a word have I hid in my heart\u00a0 that I might not sin against Thee.\u00a0 Or Psalm 1 that talks about the blessed man who meditates on God\u2019s word day and night.\u00a0 We are familiar with those verses but are we actually applying them? \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tHere\u2019s Larry Fowler. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Larry Fowler:<\/strong>\u00a0 We really have focused I think a little bit too much on learning about the word\u00a0 of God without learning the word of God.\u00a0 I can get up and teach or preach and my words are not inspired but God\u2019s word is.\u00a0 Doesn\u2019t it just make more sense that we would spend a little bit more time actually learning His words?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 This is <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em> for Friday, August 21<sup>st<\/sup>.\u00a0 Our host is the president of FamilyLife, Dennis Rainey, and I am Bob Lepine.\u00a0 We are going to talk today about what family\u2019s can do to make Bible meditation and Bible memory a more significant part of what you do together as a family.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tAnd welcome to <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em>!\u00a0 Thanks for joining us.\u00a0 Next time you and Barbara are over at the house I\u2019ll be happy to show you the five Timothy trophies that we have hanging around the house.\u00a0 You are familiar with the Timothy trophy aren\u2019t you?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong>\u00a0 I can\u2019t recall that, no.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 You will have to ask our guest.\u00a0 Not only do we have some Timothy trophies and he\u2019ll tell you about those but we also have some \u201cclubber of the year\u201d awards that we can show you.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong>\u00a0 Well if that\u2019s not enough of a hint to our listeners about the organization we are talking about let me read a passage of Scripture and see if this finishes off giving it away.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u201cDo your best to present yourself to God as one approved.\u00a0 A worker who has no need to be ashamed rightly handling the word of truth.\u201d\u00a0 2 Timothy 2:15\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>Approved Workers Are Not Ashamed. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong>\u00a0 AWANA\u2014We have with us the Executive Director of Global Training Larry Fowler.\u00a0 Larry welcome to <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em>.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Larry Fowler:<\/strong>\u00a0 Thank you very much.\u00a0 It is great to be here.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong>\u00a0 Larry is the proud papa of two children and three grandchildren who we want to say quickly are all involved in AWANA.\u00a0 I\u2019m sure it\u2019s part of the job description of being in your family now.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Larry Fowler:<\/strong>\u00a0 Yes it is.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong>\u00a0 No doubt about it.\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019ve not stayed up with AWANA because our kids are older now and we\u2019ve really been out of it for a number of years but AWANA is really global.\u00a0\u00a0 It has more than 250,000 volunteers and works with how many children ages 2-18?\u00a0\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Larry Fowler:<\/strong>\u00a0 Well, it\u2019s well over a million every week.\u00a0 It\u2019s in 18,000 churches and the churches don\u2019t all report to us exactly how many kids are involved but it is well over a million every single week.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong>\u00a0 It is all about Scripture memory?\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Larry Fowler:<\/strong>\u00a0 Well, it is a lot about Scripture memory but it\u2019s really all about sharing the gospel with kids and then seeing them discipled.\u00a0 Scripture memory is absolutely one of the methods that we use to make that happen.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong>\u00a0 So back to the Timothy trophies at Bob\u2019s house that are gathering dust.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Larry Fowler:<\/strong>\u00a0 The Timothy trophies are the motive to achieve the end.\u00a0 They are not an end in themselves but they are a motive because kids and parents are motivated by extrinsic awards sometimes when we need a little help with the intrinsic.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob<\/strong>:\u00a0 Some of our listeners may be going I never heard of AWANA and I hear you talking about clubs and game times and Scripture memory.\u00a0 It\u2019s kind of hard to describe.\u00a0 I\u2019ve described it to people as maybe a biblical cub scouts and brownies.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong>\u00a0 There is a reason for saying that.\u00a0 When our kids were involved they had vests \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 With patches and badges and all that.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong>\u00a0 That they earned.\u00a0\u00a0 There were awards and it tapped into kid\u2019s motives as you were talking about to get them into the Bible and learning about Jesus Christ.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 How do you explain it to folks who ask what is AWANA like?\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Larry Fowler:<\/strong>\u00a0 Well, that is a way to explain it to some because of the fact that we do have awards and uniforms.\u00a0 But that is not the primary thing.\u00a0 We would say that it is a tool that local churches can use to share the gospel with kids and disciple them in their faith.\u00a0 It is certainly far more than simply an awards system.\u00a0 It\u2019s more than a game time although those things again are not ends in themselves but are tools that we use to attract children and keep them involved.\u00a0\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWe want kids to absolutely have the time of their life when they come to an AWANA club.\u00a0 We want the atmosphere to just be electric.\u00a0 We want them to enjoy their experience so much and then in the process of them having fun we\u2019re going to teach them the word of God.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 Some AWANA clubs start with kids as early as two or three years old, don\u2019t they?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Larry Fowler: <\/strong>\u00a0Yes.\u00a0\u00a0 We just added a program within the last couple of years called puggles and that is for two year olds.\u00a0 And, yes, two year olds can even learn God\u2019s word and begin to understand some initial concepts.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 So if a child is five, six, or seven years old and they show up for their very first AWANA what is going to happen at that event that night? \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Larry Fowler:<\/strong>\u00a0 They will be welcomed and registered.\u00a0 Then the first part of the night will be a game time.\u00a0 The game time is our primary tool to attract the kids and really make it fun.\u00a0 Our games are characterized by a very fast pace and also by real positive discipline.\u00a0 We want the games to not be chaos although kids sometimes like chaos.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t(laughter)\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tThey enjoy that.\u00a0 But they also enjoy orderly fun as well and we want it to be orderly because when there is discipline in that session then it translates over into the other parts of the meeting as well.\u00a0 So there is excitement in a disciplined, organized structural way.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0 It\u2019s a little bit like vacation Bible school except that it occurs over a number of weeks not just for a week.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Larry Fowler:<\/strong>\u00a0 That is correct.\u00a0 There is one meeting a week.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 So you have game time and then what is next?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Larry Fowler:<\/strong>\u00a0 We call it hand book time or small group time.\u00a0 Each one of the children receives materials free at first.\u00a0 There is a small booklet that we call an entrance booklet at each age and then they work in the requirements in that book to become a part of AWANA.\u00a0 Once they do that then the regular handbook can be purchased where there is continued learning and continued challenges for them.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 The handbook is what points them to verses to memorize or things where they fill in the blank.\u00a0 They are learning definitions.\u00a0 It\u2019s really basic biblical discipleship for kids.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Larry Fowler:<\/strong>\u00a0 Yes, and completing those handbooks is what got your kids the Timothy trophies.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 That\u2019s right.\u00a0 I forget what it was but the night that the kids would get their Timothy trophy the leaders would say, \u201cNow to get this award John Lepine had to learn something like 600 Bible verses over a six year period of time.\u201d\u00a0 It was astounding.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Larry Fowler:<\/strong>\u00a0 Yes, from third grade on up it is pretty to close to 100 verses a year.\u00a0 Not all of those are learned for the first time.\u00a0 We think that it is very important that the children review the verses because we are very interested in retention not in just the number of how many verses they learn. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 Here\u2019s what is interesting about that.\u00a0 When kids are at that age they can memorize quickly and it\u2019s stuck for a long time, isn\u2019t it?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Larry Fowler:<\/strong>\u00a0 Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0 I noticed that you lived on a cattle ranch growing up and didn\u2019t have a chance to participate in something like this but because your mom and dad believed in the importance of Scripture memory you did commit it to memory.\u00a0 Do you remember the first verse that you committed to memory?\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Larry Fowler:<\/strong>\u00a0 I can\u2019t say I remember the first verse.\u00a0 My mom would use calendars from Christian radio stations that we had on the wall.\u00a0 Quite often and you might remember these, too, there would have this beautiful scenery picture and then there would be a Bible verse on each month.\u00a0 She would have us kids learn the Bible verse that was on those calendars and I remember so clearly the picture of the ocean hitting the rock and the verse was, \u201cThe Lord is our rock.\u00a0 He is our salvation.\u201d\u00a0 That was our handbook when I was a little kid.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong>\u00a0 That was a better place to start than where we started with our kids.\u00a0 It may be was AWANA but we started with the ABCs and the \u201cA\u201d was All we like sheep have gone astray each to his own way.\u00a0 We definitely taught our kids about how they were headed for their own way and that\u2019s why they needed salvation ultimately.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Larry Fowler:<\/strong>\u00a0 Yes. I challenge parents to do the same thing that we do at AWANA and that is to ask themselves what scriptural truths would you really like your kids to have engrained in their memory bank for life?\u00a0 That is a challenging question.\u00a0 What are you going to equip your kids for?\u00a0 Are you going to equip them for how to avoid temptation or are you going to equip them for comfort in the time of crises or are you going to equip them for doctrinal foundation?\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tThe selection of verses that you have them work on to memorize is different based upon the objectives that you have for them through the years.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 I think you\u2019ve heard about the event we are helping to sponsor that is coming up in September in a regional level and then in November at a national level, the Bible Bee. You\u2019ve heard about this right?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Larry Fowler:<\/strong>\u00a0 Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 We thought this was a great idea.\u00a0 It wasn\u2019t our idea but when we heard about is we said we want to be a part of this.\u00a0 There is a national spelling bee that has been going on for years and kids will memorize a lot of spelling words and then go to Washington, D.C.\u00a0 They will be asked a word and they will spell it and whoever wins gets recognition.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong>\u00a0 Yes, in fact back in late May I was watching the national spelling bee.\u00a0 It\u2019s fierce competition.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 It is.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong>\u00a0 That spelling bee was held at the same location where the national Bible bee\u2026 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 At the J.W. Mariott in Washington, D.C.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong>\u00a0 That\u2019s right.\u00a0 I\u2019m personally looking forward to being there.\u00a0 You are going to be there as well.\u00a0 We are going to be participating with them and after the event is over you and I are going to interview the winners in three categories.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 Right.\u00a0 There\u2019s a category for elementary age children, one for middle school children, and one for senior high children.\u00a0\u00a0 I think the concept is so powerful.\u00a0 If you are going to have your kids involved in some kind of academic discipline memorizing scripture what would we prefer our kids to do?\u00a0 Would we rather have them memorizing spelling words or even math equations?\u00a0 Hiding God\u2019s word in their hearts, that\u2019s powerful.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Larry Fowler:<\/strong>\u00a0 Well, yes.\u00a0 Of course the skill of memorizing will actually help them in the other things first as well.\u00a0 But certainly what comes first is memorizing God\u2019s word.\u00a0 Do you men know if there is an age limit on who can enter that?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 There is.\u00a0 I think it is elementary through senior high so maybe age 7 through 18 I think is about where it is.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Larry Fowler:<\/strong>\u00a0 I was really hoping I could enter my mother?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t(laughter)\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong>\u00a0 Your mother?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Larry Fowler:<\/strong>\u00a0 My mother and the founder of AWANA, Art Rorheim.\u00a0 My mother is Margaret Fowler.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong>\u00a0 How old are they?\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Larry Fowler:<\/strong>\u00a0 Art is 90 and my mom is 91.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 So you are trying to get some ringers in the competition.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Larry Fowler:<\/strong>\u00a0 Let me tell you they are ringers.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 Art would be disqualified since he\u2019s a professional at this and it\u2019s amateur competition.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong>\u00a0 The founder of AWANA.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Larry Fowler:<\/strong>\u00a0 Yes, he knows a number of whole books of the Bible by memory.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 Whole books of the Bible?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong>\u00a0 Wow.\u00a0 I was thinking as you were talking about the value of scripture memory.\u00a0 There are a lot of things that end up getting lodged in kid\u2019s minds\u2014songs, poetry, nursery rhymes.\u00a0 These really are of little benefit in terms of the choices they are going to make in their lives but the scripture is really a light to their path.\u00a0 It guides their decision making and keeps their hearts and heads clear, right?\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Larry Fowler:<\/strong>\u00a0 Yes.\u00a0 I\u2019ve had that example in my mother for all of these years.\u00a0 My mother has been deeply committed to the discipline of memorizing scripture.\u00a0 Even at 91 she reviews all the time.\u00a0 In fact, she started this thing of reviewing by asking people to give her a letter of the alphabet and then she\u2019ll think of verses that start with that letter of the alphabet.\u00a0 God has really preserved her mind and her ministry and her influence on our family.\u00a0 I believe comes from the discipline that she has chosen of memorizing God\u2019s word.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 Is Art still memorizing passages?\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Larry Fowler:<\/strong>\u00a0 Yes.\u00a0 He still memorizes.\u00a0 Part of our staff requirements for working at AWANA is to memorize scripture on an annual basis.\u00a0 We sometimes deliberately pick passages that he doesn\u2019t know just to make him memorize a new one.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t(laughter)\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 So what are you working on right now in AWANA?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Larry Fowler:<\/strong>\u00a0 We just finished learning 2 Timothy 3 because we are learning the book of 2 Timothy.\u00a0 We are also working on Colossians 3 and Psalm 1.\u00a0 Those were the chapters for this last year.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0 What would you do?\u00a0 Would you have staff members memorize those chapters and share those passages?\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Larry Fowler:<\/strong>\u00a0 Yes.\u00a0 Every staff member is required to memorize.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 Does that mean I can come around and knock on somebody\u2019s desk and say Psalm 1.\u00a0 Let me hear it.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Larry Fowler:<\/strong>\u00a0 They should be able to do that.\u00a0 There would be various levels of retention.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t(laughter)\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong>\u00a0 Let\u2019s test you out right here.\u00a0 You are a staff member is that correct?\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Larry Fowler:<\/strong>\u00a0 Yes, that\u2019s right.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong>\u00a0 What version are you memorizing?\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Larry Fowler:<\/strong>\u00a0 I memorize out of the King James.\u00a0 I would love to memorize in a different version but I\u2019ve learned so many verses in my past in King James that I\u2026\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 You didn\u2019t want to mess up the flow.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong>\u00a0 I\u2019m sure Bob has this committed to memory.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t(laughter)\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tAnd even though I don\u2019t have a King James Bible here.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 Let\u2019s see how you do on Psalm 1.\u00a0 It\u2019s only six verses long, right?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Larry Fowler:<\/strong>\u00a0 Yes.\u00a0 Blessed is a man that walketh not in the council of the ungodly nor standeth in the way of sinners nor sittith in the seat of the scornful.\u00a0 But his delight is in the law of the Lord and on his law doth he mediate day and night.\u00a0 His leaf also shall he not wither and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. The ungodly are not so but are like the chaff that the wind driveth away.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tDoing it on the air puts a little extra pressure on.\u00a0\u00a0 It\u2019s kind of like a little Bible bee for me.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong>\u00a0 \u201cTherefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the Lord\u2026\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Larry Fowler:<\/strong>\u00a0 For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous but the way of the ungodly shall perish.\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong>\u00a0 Way to go!\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 Good for you!\u00a0 Having something like that committed to memory means that there are times when you\u2019re going through the normal course of life and something happens and it triggers a part of that passage doesn\u2019t it?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Larry Fowler:<\/strong>\u00a0 Absolutely.\u00a0 We really have focused a little bit too much the last couple of decades in particular on learning about the word of God without learning the word of God.\u00a0 I think I can get up and teach or preach and my words are not inspired but God\u2019s word is.\u00a0 Doesn\u2019t it make more sense that we would spend a little bit more time actually learning His words rather than our own?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tI\u2019ve been guilty as a preacher and a teacher.\u00a0 You\u2019ve probably heard people do this, too.\u00a0 They will read a passage of scripture and they read it real fast and they get done and say, \u201cNow\u2026\u201d and there is this pregnant pause and say \u201clisten to this or I don\u2019t want you to miss this.\u201d\u00a0 What they don\u2019t want you to miss is their words when they have just run through scripture really fast.\u00a0 I think we don\u2019t elevate scripture as high as we ought to in our homes and in our churches.\u00a0 Certainly scripture memory is one way of elevating the value of God\u2019s word.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 You said there are 18,000 churches doing AWANA across the United States?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Larry Fowler:<\/strong>\u00a0 Across the world.\u00a0 There are 12,000 in the U.S.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 In a couple of weeks in a lot of these churches there are going to be AWANA clubs getting under way because they kick off in September.\u00a0 If there are parents who live in a community and they have never heard about AWANA but they want to find out more information so their kids can be involved how do they do this? \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Larry Fowler:<\/strong>\u00a0 Well, in virtually every part of the country there is an AWANA club near them within driving distance.\u00a0 They are in virtually every community with some rural exceptions and they can find that out by going to awana.org and on the front of our home page there is a little spot that says \u201cclub finder.\u201d\u00a0 If they will type in their zip code then they will be able to find the churches nearby them that have an AWANA club.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 We have a link on our web site FamilyLife Today.com to your web site so if folks want to get the information about where a club is being held and find out how they can get their son or daughter enrolled for this fall again our web site is FamilyLife Today.com.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong>\u00a0 I hate to correct our guest because occasionally when you find an error\u2026I don\u2019t think Art is the founder of AWANA.\u00a0 I think Ezra is the founder of AWANA.\u00a0 It says in Ezra 7:10 \u201cfor Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the Lord and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel.\u201d\u00a0 So it could be argued that he was the first AWANA leader all the way back to the nation of Israel.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 You didn\u2019t need to read that.\u00a0 Larry has that memorized from Ezra.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t(laughter)\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong>\u00a0 I should have asked him.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Larry Fowler:<\/strong>\u00a0 I will tell you that Art would certainly say that he is not the founder of AWANA but that God is.\u00a0\u00a0 I appreciate so much being a part of an organization that has such a wonderful man of God that He has used through the years to develop this ministry.\u00a0 He is a man who is very humble and doesn\u2019t take any of the credit.\u00a0 Art is always ready to give all the credit to God for the good things that have happened.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong>\u00a0 I want to say thanks to a man like Art for his faithfulness over the years and for continuing to model what he is teaching to others.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 On behalf of our five Timothy trophy award winners my thanks to you and the team at AWANA for helping me as a parent build in to my kid\u2019s lives.\u00a0 That is really what this is all about Dennis.\u00a0 It\u2019s about a tool that is available for parents to be able to press home scripture and biblical truth into the hearts and lives of their children.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Larry Fowler:<\/strong>\u00a0 You know we were talking about parents getting their kids into an AWANA program I would want to say to parents if you put your children into AWANA don\u2019t you just depend on the AWANA program to train your kids to follow God.\u00a0 We have really found that the greatest success is if you will be involved in this process, too.\u00a0 Or if you are a parent who already has your kids there do that work right along with them because that is when it really makes a difference.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 It wouldn\u2019t hurt mom and dad to memorize a few verses would it?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Larry Fowler: <\/strong>\u00a0It would not hurt at all.\u00a0 This is not a child\u2019s activity.\u00a0 This is a discipline that is good for all of life.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong>\u00a0 AWANA is not a substitute for the responsibilities a mom and dad have in raising the next generation.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Larry Fowler:<\/strong>\u00a0 That is exactly right, Dennis.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 But it is a great supplement or at least it was in our family.\u00a0\u00a0 There are hundreds of thousands of families that would say the same thing all around the country.\u00a0 I know a lot of churches are going to be kicking off their AWANA program this fall here in the next couple of weeks and if folks would like to go to our web site FamilyLife Today.com we have a link to the AWANA web site where you can find out which churches in your area might be hosting AWANA clubs and if you can get your kids involved in that program.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tIn addition we have some resources that are designed to help you as mom and dad get your kids involved in Bible memory.\u00a0 We have a great book for ages 3-7 that is the ABC Bible verses book\u2014<em>Hiding God\u2019s Word in Little Hearts<\/em>.\u00a0 We also have Bruce Ware\u2019s book, <em>Big Truths for Young Hearts<\/em> which is for kids who are a little older.\u00a0 It looks at the key concepts of scripture but the point with all of this is we need to be working on the spiritual training and formation of our children and Bible mediation and memory is one of the ways we do that.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWe also have a link to the Bible bee web site.\u00a0 We talked about the Bible bee a little bit earlier.\u00a0\u00a0 The regional competitions are coming up next month and the national competition is going to take place in Washington, D.C. in November.\u00a0 Dennis and I will be there and we will keep you posted throughout the fall with what is going on with the Bible bee.\u00a0 Seventeen thousand young people have signed up for this event.\u00a0 If you need more information about where the regional competitions are being held you can find out details go to FamilyLife Today.com and follow the link to the Bible bee web site.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tFor a lot of us August is the month where summer is winding down, the school year is getting ready to start and it\u2019s the launch of a new season of life.\u00a0 At FamilyLife August is the month when our ministry year comes to an end and we close the books on one year and start a new year September 1<sup>st<\/sup>.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tHere at the end of our ministry year we are asking <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em> listeners to consider making a donation to help support this ministry.\u00a0\u00a0 Thank you for the way you have supported <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em> throughout this year.\u00a0 We appreciate what has been for many of you sacrificial giving.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tOn our web site FamilyLife Today.com we have posted some videos that give you a snapshot of how God is using FamilyLife in the lives of lots of couples and families all around the country.\u00a0 These are interesting stories from couples and families who have been significantly impacted by this ministry.\u00a0 It\u2019s great encouragement for us and we wanted to pass that along to you.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tIf you are able to help with a donation this month we would appreciate it.\u00a0 You can donate online at FamilyLife Today.com or call 1-800-358-6329.\u00a0 That\u2019s 1-800-\u201cF\u201d as in Family \u201cL\u201d as in Life and then the word TODAY.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWith that we have to wrap things up.\u00a0 We hope you have a great weekend and that you and your family are able to worship together this weekend.\u00a0 I hope you can join us back on Monday when Tim Hawkins is going to be with us.\u00a0 If you don\u2019t know who Tim Hawkins is go to our web site FamilyLife Today.com and watch the clip that we\u2019ve posted there.\u00a0 We are going to have some fun on Monday and I hope you can tune in for that.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tI want to thank our engineer today, Keith Lynch, and our entire broadcast production team.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tOn behalf of our host, Dennis Rainey, I am Bob Lepine.\u00a0 We will see you back Monday for another addition of <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em>.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<em>FamilyLife Today<\/em> is a production of FamilyLife of Little Rock, Arkansas.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tHelp for today, hope for tomorrow.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWe are so happy to provide these transcripts for you. However, there is a cost to transcribe, create, and produce them for our website. If you've benefited from the broadcast transcripts, would you consider <a href=\"http:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/donate\">donating today<\/a> to help defray the costs?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tCopyright \u00a9 FamilyLife. All rights reserved.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>www.FamilyLife.com<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>","theme_header_position":"","post_header_is_sticky":"","is_header_overlay":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/podcast\/301882","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/podcast"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/podcast"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/91"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=301882"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/294104"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=301882"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=301882"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=301882"},{"taxonomy":"podcast_series","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/podcast_series?post=301882"},{"taxonomy":"cwp_profile","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cwp_profile?post=301882"},{"taxonomy":"series","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/series?post=301882"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}