The Turning Hearts Tour, scheduled for Dec. 1-2 at Florida Blvd. Baptist Church here, focuses on the relationships between parents and their teenagers.
BATON ROUGE – The Turning Hearts Tour, scheduled for Dec. 1-2 at
Florida Blvd. Baptist Church here, focuses on the relationships between
parents and their teenagers.
Specifically, “turning the hearts of parents and teenagers toward each
other through powerful worship, straightforward teaching, and family
experiences to build kingdom families and bring glory to God,” the
tour’s website said (www.turningheartstour.com).
“We have women’s events that are just incredible,” said Paul
Radosevich, coordinator for the tour and Minister of Education at
Florida Blvd. “And we have men’s events and youth events that are all
incredible, but we don’t have something where the family comes together
for a spiritual encounter.”
“We look really good when we go to church, but when we go back home,
life goes back to the world,” he said. “What we want is for parents to
be teaching [their] kids spiritually. It’s not the church’s job; it’s
the parents’ job.”
“[The church] can’t affect change in people’s lives in three hours a
week,” said Radosevich, a former youth minister who has 12 children of
his own, ranging from age 24 to one. “Change has to start in the home.”
Radosevich insists that in order for our nation to experience revival,
parents must become involved with their children on a spiritual level,
transforming the family into what God wants it to be and not letting
the world disconnect the hearts of family members from one
another.
“It’s hard to get those hearts connected again,” he said.
Ideally, teenagers should attend the conference with their parents, he
said. However, the conference is for anyone who is struggling as a
parent as well as for those who simply need to sharpen their parenting
skills.
Youth without parents in church are encouraged to attend with a
spiritual mentor, so when they return home, they will have someone they
can still connect to in church.
In addition, Radosevich encourages parents of younger kids to attend as preparation for those teenage years.
“If we want to see revival, if we want to see lives changed, turning
the hearts of parents and youth together is what it will take,”
Radosevich said. “God could change the face of the earth if we could
have that heart connection.”
Tour leaders include Richard Ross, co-founder of the True-Love Waits
movement and professor at Southwestern Seminary in Fort Worth.
He is also co-author with Ken Hemphill of the conference text, Parenting with Kingdom Purpose.
Joel Engle, worship leader, and Tyra Lokey, a worship artist, will also lead during the conference.
Parents can expect to experience three 1-hour parenting sessions with Ross while Lokey and Engle lead students.
“The three student and adult breakout sessions will help parents and
students have a better understanding of each other and how to honor God
through that relationship,” the website said.
The event is divided into three very important segments that focus on
Forgiveness, challenging students and parents to look at the biblical
mandate and example of forgiveness; Living, teaching students and
parents tools that will help them have healthy relationships with one
another; and Turning, teaching parents and students the significance of
dedicating their lives and their homes to the Lord.
In addition, attendees will experience times of family worship and can
expect to participate in a commitment service designed to challenge
families to commit to and pray over the head of the household.
“It may be the first time either have prayed for the other,” Radosevich said of that commitment service.
For more information about the Turning Hearts Tour, contact Radosevich
at Florida Boulevard Baptist Church in Baton Rouge: 225-272-3740; or
check the website: www.turningheartstour.com.