We pray you are all having a fun and safe summer. There are so many exciting things we've been working on for you, and we are eager to share them! We've included a lot in this months newsletter so make sure to check it all out!
As announced last month, this year's Texas Leadership Summit will be on Saturday, October 5th, at The Barnhill Center in Brenham, TX! SAVE THE DATE! We will be opening the Summit Friday October 4th with a Praise & Worship Night led by Champion Collective. We will also be helping them celebrate their album release party.
Early Bird discounted tickets for both nights, go on sale Friday June 14th, through Thursday June 27th. Details on how to purchase discount tickets are below. We look forward to seeing you there!
Don't forget that Father's Day is Sunday June 16th. We would like to provide you with a “Prayer for Dad's Faith”.
Lord, we come before You with a humble heart, seeking Your strength and guidance. We pray for all dads today and everyday, for their faith in You, that it may be steadfast and resilient through all trials and tribulations. May dad’s find joy, in the midst of, challenges, knowing that each test is a step towards a deeper, more mature faith. Let perseverance shape all dad’s, making them complete and whole in You.
Grant them the grace to demonstrate their faith to the world around them. Let their lives be a beacon of Your love and truth, drawing others to Christ through their example. May their faith be unwavering and visible to all, a testament to Your power and presence in their lives.
Help them to pass this precious faith on to future generations, creating a legacy that honors You. Let their faith inspire and encourage those who come after them, ensuring that Your love and truth endure from one generation to the next.
Amen.
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:2-4).
We've recently made numerous updates to our website and APP. If you haven't yet downloaded the TLS APP, make sure you do so in order to stay up to date with important announcements and reminders via our APP push notifications. See links below for help downloading the TLS APP.
One of the main additions to both the website and the APP is the "Upcoming Events" section. This now includes local in-person events, as well as, virtual events and classes that we believe you'll greatly benefit from participating in. Check this page out so you can get all these awesome events, added to your calendar!
Additionally, we've added an Affiliate page, where you can find other organizations in line with our mission. These affiliates provide additional resources and continued education & encouragement for Leaders, like yourself, who seek to keep Biblical Truths in all areas of their lives.
May you all have a blessed June!
If you attended our 2022 Summit or heard about it from someone who was there, then you know what to expect, and you will not want to miss this year's Summit! We again aim to not disappoint and deliver dynamic speakers that you will not want to miss! We will also be providing tools and action items on how you can get involved and make a difference within your communities, churches & homes.
You can secure your seat to the Summit early at a discounted price before we announce the highly anticipated speaker line up. This is offered exclusively to those of you who receive our newsletter and/or those who have the TLS APP. Be on the lookout for emails and APP push notifications, with the Early Bird Discounted Ticket Link included. Once the speaker line up is announced on Friday June 28th, tickets will be full price so don't wait!
Read what TLS 2022 Attendee's had to say about the Texas Leadership Summit!
We are seeking sponsors & volunteers to help make this year's Summit possible. If you or your organization are interested in sponsoring this year's Summit, please reach out to Deanna@TexasLeadershipSummit.org.
If you are interested in volunteering please click the link below to check out the volunteer positions we have available for both Oct. 4th & Oct 5th.
One of the central creeds of the Christian faith is found in Deuteronomy 6, in what is known as the shema: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength." These words are followed by God’s practical instructions: "Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up."
There are two lessons here that are essential to our success as spiritual fathers. First, God wants the home to be the primary place where our children learn about faith. The temple, synagogue and, later, the church were all secondary in responsibility for spiritual training. In the New Testament, Paul didn’t write to pastors or teachers in Ephesians 6 when he said, "bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord." He was talking to you and I, fathers. Mothers also have a responsibility to train their children in spiritual matters -- and they have often stepped in where fathers have been negligent. But God has placed the primary responsibility upon fathers to be loving, serving leaders in their households. I encourage you to lead your family in regular times of worship, prayer and Bible study.
The second lesson from Deuteronomy 6 is that God intended spiritual training to be part of the daily routine of family life. While I highly recommend structured devotions, we need to also emphasize a daily walk of faith. Mealtimes, for example, are like a regular family group meeting. You ask questions, hear about activities, tell jokes, and then one day a child brings up some problem she’s dealing with. That’s your opportunity to bring God’s truth into real life. Or, be pro-active: ask questions that stimulate discussion about spiritual matters. "What are you most thankful for this week?" "Who’s someone in your class that we can be praying for?" Or, "What’s the one difficulty for which you’d like some support?"
Look for teachable moments throughout the day, and use them to point to God’s glory and plan. Volunteer together to help those in need -- which gives a great example for your kids of the pure religion described in James 1:27.
In the process of incorporating your faith into your family life, you’ll also be building strong relationships so your children will want to follow in your footsteps. You’ve heard the saying: people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. It’s especially true among the "people" in your home.
Dad, maybe you feel like you're not a good enough Christian to be an effective spiritual equipper. It is a big responsibility, but our Heavenly Father doesn’t give us a task and then not equip us to complete that task. We can overcome feeling inadequate in our role as spiritual equippers of our children. You have father power. Use that power for the future of your family. Also, keep in mind that spiritual leadership in your home doesn't always have to look or feel just like your neighbor's home. Ask God to reveal your unique gifts as a father and draw from those to lead your family into a closer relationship with Him.
Tips for Family Devotions
Many men say they want to have a regular time when they gather the family together to read the Bible, worship, and pray as a family, but it’s tough to get going -- or keep going. Here are a few quick tips:
• Keep it simple. Make it your goal to help your kids understand one truth or principle each session.
• Be flexible. Use a variety of devotionals, videos, or CDs, or act out Bible stories to add an age-appropriate spark. You might read a biography of a Christian leader who learned to apply important Biblical truths to life. Some days, you may want to just talk about how God has blessed your family, or set up special traditions for birthdays and holidays.
• Be consistent. Your chances to keep it going will increase if you keep it at a regular, predictable time. Your children will be influenced more by your commitment to family worship times than they will by your Scriptural insights.
• Be the leader, but share the load. Make sure other family members have opportunities to use their gifts, including taking the lead occasionally, as they are able.
The National Center for Fathering was founded in 1990 by Dr. Ken Canfield because every child needs a dad they can count on -- someone who loves them, knows them, guides them and helps them achieve their destiny. Visit www.fathers.com for more articles and resources to assist dads in nearly every fathering situation.
New TLS Podcast episodes are released twice a month! Make sure to subscribe to the Texas Leadership Summit Podcast through your favorite mainstream Podcast platform, so you can be notified when a new episode is released.
Upcoming episodes to look forward to:
May 21st OUT NOW:“Success at the Local Level” - visiting with local Washington County organizations: Pastor Jon Davies representing Texas Church Leaders, Tressie Roark Washington County Membership Administrator w/ Moms for America & Suzanne Flammer w/ CUBS (Citizens United for Brenham Schools).
June 4th OUT NOW: “Christianity's Influence on Government and the Call for Faith-Driven Leadership” Tim & Deanna discuss the TLS Government Pillar
YOU WON'T WANT TO MISS:
June 18th:“The Profound Impact of Faith-Based Leadership in Governance” with Senator Lois Kolkhorst. Tim visits with Texas Senator Lois Kolkhorst about how her faith in The Lord has played a crucial role in her running and serving Texans as a state Senator.
Let us know who you'd like to hear us interview soon!
Visit our website to see all the updates we've made and stay connected by downloading the TLS APP. We want to make sure you don't miss any future announcements! See all the different link options below for downloading the TLS APP, based on the type of device you have.
Check out these Washington County summer events below for both adults & kids!! Hosted by our great friends at Moms for America. Visit the “Upcoming Events” page on the TLS website or APP for all the details on these events and how to register, so that they can plan appropriately for all who plan to attend.
We sure do appreciate your continued support. It goes a long way in helping us with this grass roots movement.
