New book! ‘As the Family Goes, So Goes the Nation’

We are pleased to announce the release of a new book co-written by Scott Allen, president of the DNA Global Secretariat, titled: As the Family Goes, So Goes the Nation: Principles and Practices for Building Healthy Families.

The book is an important addition to our DNA library of resources because of the vital roles that marriage and family play in discipling nations. Historically, the DNA has emphasized the central role of local churches in blessing, healing and restoring broken nations, but equally important is the place of family: the first and most basic social institution in any society.

Simply put, healthy families produce healthy nations. Healthy families are those united by a solid spiritual foundation in Christ.

Today, the prevailing culture has redefined marriage and family, and non-Christian habits of thought and practice dominate, even in the church. Christian parents need a biblical vision of purpose, wholeness and joy in marriage and family life, and a practical plan for applying the wisdom and power of God’s Word to their lives.

As the Family Goes, So Goes the Nation emphasizes the purpose of marriage and family in God’s overarching redemptive plan for the nations. It not only lays out the basic biblical principles that form the foundation of marriage and family; it also encourages application by providing helpful and creative suggestions for applying each principle.

Along with Scott, the book is co-authored by Dr. Elizabeth Youmans and Dr. Jill Thrift. Dr. Youmans is founder and president of Chrysalis International, a DNA affiliated organization. Elizabeth’s calling is to disciple leaders and transform education by nurturing the hearts and minds of teachers, parents and children for Christ through her AMO® Program. She resides in Orlando, Florida and is the mother of four children and grandmother of eight.

Click to read an excerpt

Dr. Jill Thrift is an early childhood educator who serves the interests of children and parents as a teacher, writer and advocate for public policies that protect and nurture children and families. She is the mother of one grown son and resides in San Antonio, Texas.

The book is intended for use by married couples and parents (and those preparing for marriage and parenting in the future). It is also written for pastors and church leaders as a resource for equipping their members to fulfill their roles as husbands, wives, mothers and fathers.

The book now is available at Amazon.com and soon will be available through the DNA Secretariat Office online bookstore.

A Spanish-language version of the book will be published later this year by Editorial Jucum.

Table of Contents:

Chapter 1: Marriage, Family and Worldview (Scott Allen)

Chapter 2: Pursing God’s Design for Marriage (Scott Allen)

Chapter 3: God’s Design for the Family (Scott Allen)

Chapter 4: God’s Purpose for the Family in Discipling Nations (Scott Allen)

Chapter 5: The Power of Words and God’s Word (Elizabeth Youmans)

Chapter 6: The Christian View of Children (Elizabeth Youmans)

Chapter 7: The Home as a Vital Learning Center (Elizabeth Youmans)

Chapter 8: Nurturing the Whole Child for Life and Leadership (Jill Thrift and Elizabeth Youmans)

Chapter 9: Establishing Family Worship (Jill Thrift and Elizabeth Youmans)

Chapter 10: Celebrating Family Traditions and Godly Heritage (Jill Thrift and Elizabeth Youmans)

Chapter 11: Loving and Serving Others (Scott Allen and Jill Thrift)

Appendix 1: A Note to Single Parents and to the Church

Appendix 2: A Word for Pastors and Local Church Leaders

Appendix 3: “God’s One Anothers” from the New Testament

The 2013 DNA Global Forum: A Milestone

Since 1999, DNA partners from all over the world have gathered about every two years to renew their vision for their work, to share how the biblical worldview plays out in their various ministries, and to build new partnerships for even greater impact.

This year, the DNA Global Forum was a milestone. For the first time, it was hosted in Latin America, and two new countries declared themselves as local DNA networks: Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic!

The Forum, in mid-March, was hosted by the newly formed DNA-Brazil network. More than 60 delegates from 16 countries spent six days at a retreat center operated by Igreja Batista da Lagoinha, a 51,000-member church in the city of Belo Horizonte. Many leaders and members of the church participated in the Forum, the topic of which was “Possessing the Kingdom: A Call to Truth and Love.”

Here are some reflections on the week by John and Kate, long-time partners of the DNA serving in South Asia:

John and Kate on the DNA Global Forum 2013 from Disciple Nations Alliance on Vimeo.

Below are a few photos from the week. Click here to see many more! Over the next few months, we’ll feature stories on many of these people and the work God is doing through them. Subscribe to our e-newsletter to stay informed!

Join us for “Common Good PHX,” April 12-13 in Phoenix, Arizona!

Disciple Nations Alliance is glad to partner with Christianity Today, Christ Church Anglican and others in hosting a two-day event in mid-April featuring Andy Crouch.

Andy wrote the excellent book Culture Making and, in his three plenary talks, he’ll lead us through the story of culture, the work of culture, and the hope of culture, stirring our imaginations to consider how we can serve the common good of Phoenix through our vocations.

We’ll also have opportunities to hear from local Christians whose common-good decisions are making Phoenix a better place for all of us.

Phoenix, Arizona is the 12th largest city in the United States.

Register today! www.commongoodphx.com

NEW resource to teach biblical worldview to children

We are thrilled to announce the release of a very important new resource from the Disciple Nations Alliance, Footings for Children: Imparting a Biblical Worldview so They Can Thrive, written by our director of international programs, Dwight Vogt, along with Karen Jacobsen.

For nations to be discipled, Christ’s followers must allow the biblical worldview to enlighten every area of their lives, and they must carry it outward into every sphere of society.

Essential to this task is the discipleship of our children. Building healthy, free and prosperous nations is a multi-generational endeavor, and it begins with the training of children in knowledge of the truth. This training is a primary responsibility of Christian parents, equipped and supported by local churches.

If you have a heart to disciple your nation, begin with the children in your life!

Footings for Children is perfect for:

• After-school or para-school programs
• Sunday schools
• Christian camps
• Family devotions
• Home schools

Footings for Children is designed to be adapted to any cultural context, including settings where teaching aids and tools are limited. The lessons are appropriate for beginning teachers and those more experienced.
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Click here to learn about the four versions of Footings for Children
and the authors behind them.

There are several hundred children and adolescents in Peru, from all walks of life, that have experienced the blessing of being exposed to the profound and yet simply-expressed practical teachings of Footings for Children.

Footings is an excellent resource with a great holistic approach, presenting topics not often covered in children’s ministry in my country. The lessons are well-written and appropriate for beginning teachers as well as more experienced ones.

With its active and participatory methodology, and adapting for different age groups, we have successfully used these lessons in children’s clubs and Sunday Schools in both rural and urban communities. With a few adaptations, they have also been used with children health promoters and a parent training program. I have no doubt that Footings for Children will continue to bless young and old.

–Rosaura Mesones, former country director of Food for the Hungry, Peru

“It’s a Girl” film on gendercide debuts in Phoenix

On October 25, the powerful documentary film “It’s a Girl” played for about 140 people in Phoenix, Arizona. The film exposes the horror of the One-Child Policy in China, deadly, deep-seated prejudice against females in India, and the resulting gender imbalance in these two countries.

Every year, according to an expert featured in the film, China and India together eliminate more baby girls than all the girls born in one year in the United States.

The audience included university students, Christian laborers, a high-school principal and her students, and many others spanning ages 14 to 80. Following the film, DNA co-founder Darrow Miller and “It’s a Girl” director, Evan Grae Davis, entertained questions from the crowd. Several audience members purchased copies of Nurturing the Nations and the “It’s a Girl” DVD, promising to show the film to their small groups and churches.

Two literally life-saving organizations were highlighted:

Let Her Live is a grassroots Christian organization in India that attacks gendercide at the root. They are out to change people’s minds about women, reversing the lie that women are inferior to men and, instead, showing that all people are made in the image of God.

All Girls Allowed is a grassroots Christian organization in China working against the One-Child Policy (and ensuing forced abortions), supporting women who choose to keep their baby girls, and caring for abandoned and trafficked girls.

Since the screening in Phoenix, this film has been shown to the European Parliament and myriad groups all over the world. Evan Grae Davis (its director) was invited to speak at the Ted X Conference in Mumbai, and Eric Metaxas wrote a powerful piece on this topic in BreakPoint.

Gendercide is a topic on which Darrow Miller has researched, written and spoken extensively. Click here to read a collection of his thoughts, and pray about how you can engage with this important issue.

Join DNA at the first annual International Wholistic Missions Conference

Leaders from the Phoenix office of Disciple Nations Alliance will lead the workshop on “Worldview and Christian Community Development.” Please join us! If you’re coming from out of state, please let us know; we may be able to provide housing. Hope to see you there!

Darrow Miller interviewed on BreakPoint this Saturday, October 6

This Saturday, October 6, DNA co-founder Darrow Miller will appear on BreakPoint, a radio broadcast begun by Chuck Colson in 1991. Darrow will talk with John Stonestreet on the weekly radio program BreakPoint This Week, which engages Christian writers and thinkers around topics that shape our culture.

In the interview, listen to Darrow discuss his newest book: Emancipating the World: A Christian Response to Radical Islam and Fundamentalist Atheism.

Tune in this Saturday, October 6!
Click here to find your local station and airtime. The interview also will be posted online on Saturday, so check BreakPoint that day if you’d like to listen online (the interview will remain online through October 12).

 

Mary Kaech Joins Phoenix Team

The DNA is pleased to welcome Mary Kaech to the Phoenix secretariat as our new administrative assistant and office manager. She replaces Stephanie Shumate who, after five years of service, has taken a position with Redemption Church as office manager for the Arcadia campus.

Mary graduated with her BA degree in journalism from the University of Arizona in 2005 with minors in Spanish and photography. After graduating, she worked for at Food for the Hungry for more than five years in a variety of capacities including public relations, the artist’s program, volunteer management, US government grants support, and child sponsorship.

Mary travelled extensively with Food for the Hungry and is actively involved in several Phoenix-area ministries focused on work with refugees. She is a freelance photographer, and is co-editor of North Tucson Living Magazine.

Welcome, Mary!

DNA Welcomes New Research Specialist

As of January 1, John Tuggy became the newest staff member to join the DNA international secretariat. John will be the DNA Research Specialist. He is pursuing a doctoral degree at the Oxford Centre for Mission Studies.

John’s research will center on the relationships between Western churches and indigenous movements in the global south. He comes with extensive overseas experience, having grown up in Venezuela and served as country director in Cambodia with Food for the Hungry.

John and his wife and three children currently live in Silverton, Oregon.

A Special Evening to Benefit a Broken World

Some 270 friends of the DNA gathered at Chaparral Suites in Scottsdale, Arizona  on March 3 for a wonderful celebration of God’s work through the Disciple Nations Alliance. The annual benefit dinner was a big success and a splendid opportunity to share the vision.

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The featured speaker, Dr. Marvin Olasky, Editor-in-Chief of World Magazine, spoke of his deep appreciation for the unique contribution:

“I’ve done a lot of writing over the years about how to fight poverty … but it’s a privilege for me to be among people who actually do it!”

International Secretariat president Scott Allen painted the big picture of DNA’s burden and vision to address the world’s brokenness in the name of Christ:

“From the very beginning our great God had a plan to heal, redeem and restore the broken world; at the very center of that plan is His son, Jesus.”

We were also privileged to have U.S. Congressmen Trent Franks from Arizona as a special guest.

Over $44,000 was raised for the global efforts of DNA, for which we praise God. Thank you again for all the sponsors, volunteers and participants who gave so generously of their time and treasure and made this such a memorable evening.

Please take a moment to enjoy this video showing highlights of the evening.