Dr. Voddie Baucham

Wow! So blessed to hear such a wonderful man of God speak last night. Not what I expected in so many ways! But so much better. He is a big black guy who grew up in south central L.A., was married at 20, and has his 6th kid on the way. He and his wife are first generation Christians and out of 26 marriages in the last two generations (I think), only 3 have not ended in divorce. He has made many mistakes and talked to us last night about the greatness of our God and the sufficiency of God's word. All in the context of discipling our children and living the Christian life.

I will be honest, I have read one of his books (and am reading it again) and I was hoping it was going to be a "paint by numbers" kind of talk. This great man of God was going to tell me and my husband how to disciple our children. How to ensure that our children will walk with God all the rest of their days! But that is not what he did. The first thing he said was "Take out your Bibles." What, you mean I need my Bible? I had a notebook and I had his book but not my Bible. (I wasn't the only one by the way.) But, after I thought about it a second, it totally made sense. This guy is for real. How can he instruct my husband and me how to raise up our children according to God's plan if we aren't looking at and reading God's word. Duh!! Then he told us to read with him in Deuteronomy 6:1-12. The whole book of Deuteronomy is fast becoming a favorite of mine.

He was speaking to Christians and was very convicting (for lack of a better word) how even though I might say, shaking my Bible in the air, "every Word, every where" I, even as Christian don't live that way. That I truly do not believe in the sufficiency of God's word. It has to be God's word - AND THEN SOMETHING. He was talking to homeschoolers so he was saying you can mill wheat and make your own clothes and home educate but if you neglect to "train them up" it is all for naught. I am not looking to the kingdom of God for our family purpose. I would never in 6 paragraphs even begin to scratch the surface of what all he talked about. It was so much in so short a time. And my paraphrasing will definitely not do him justice. (You will have to read his book Family Driven Faith.)

Hubby said, "If he was the pastor of a church here in town, I would go there." I think the reason why is he was straight to the point and he wasn't afraid to say the way it is, what the Bible says. I, as a Christian, make so many excuses to not do what God tells me to. Everything from the way I treat my neighbors, enemies, family, husband, children, God, etc. To the choices I make: family size, education, money decisions, time management decision etc., etc., etc. He wanted to make it clear that God has given us a blue print. His Word is sufficient. And He is a God that will overcome. We are looking for someone, anyone to tell us what to do and how to do it. (I know I am ;) But, my God has given me His word, His plan and He is big enough to take care of all the mistakes I make along the way.

If I am praying and reading and meditating on God's word, listening and following, and doing the best I know to do, God will take care of the needs I have and fix my mistakes. My God is that BIG. Dr. Baucham put me in my place. My hubby said "I heard him speaking to you a couple times." I KNOW he was. I am a "paint by numbers" kind of gal. I like somebody spelling it out for me. (I was hoping he would ;) And he did but not in the exact way I wanted. Dr. Baucham pointed me, our family in the right direction. He isn't going to tell me what to do and how to do it. But he did tell me where to go and find the answers.

He had much to say on how we have many idols before God. A good education, a good job, money, security. Not that those things are bad, but when we strive for those things in lieu of striving for Christ we are not doing what God has planned for us. He said so much about those things I could never write it all down in any way that made sense. (Have to read the book ;)

He talked about sheltering our children. Yes, we should. Until they are old enough, spiritually mature enough to make decisions for themselves. By not sheltering them, we could cause them to stumble. And I am not to do anything to cause someone else to stumble. There again, he had much to say but I could never put it all down. (I am just writing things that spoke to me.)

He finished up by talking about multigenerational faith. The kind of faith we pass on to our children, who then pass it on to their children. Getting better and wiser. More loving, serving and more faithful. He called us each to have a home that is useful to the kingdom of God. I could go on and on and on and on. It would be an understatement to say I was inspired and provoked to thought. So far from where I need to be, where we need to be as a family. But I have faith that my God is that big . . .