Parents

Over the past couple of months I have had the privilege of digging deep into the purpose and vision of family ministry. I have looked at everything from the why to the how to the what. Why do we do what we do? How do we implement family ministry in way that brings honor and glory to God? What do we need to do differently in order for our families to truly experience God’s fullness.

This mind-boggling conversation has caused me to fill up pages upon pages of notes. I have spent hours researching what other churches are doing while looking at what parachurch organizations are available for us to partner with. Our team has evaluated every aspect of what we have done and where we currently are. We have spent time actively seeking what God desires of us over the next weeks, months, and years.

My conclusion is not profound. Instead, it is simple… Although families are full of brokenness, through the grace and truth of Jesus, we have the only message that can provide true healing and restoration. As much as we think we have our act together as parents, spouses, and children, the majority of us are broken, messed up individuals in need of repair. The message of Jesus is also incredibly simple – he has come to ‘seek and save that which is lost.’ In other words, he has come to restore the broken, heal the fractured, and transform the lost.

I come into contact with brokenness amongst families on a daily basis. Whether it is a past mistake destroying a marriage, a lack of trust and compassion, or moments of crisis ruining a families’ rhythm, many families are faced with extremely difficult circumstances. As a church, we are called to share Christ’s love, grace, and mercy to those in need, including the family that lives across the street that may walk into our church doors for the very first time.

The mission God has called us to is clear – empower and equip parents to be pastors! The church, as a whole, has a tendency to take too much responsibility for the spiritual growth of our children and students. That is not family ministry. Instead, living out a Christ-centered family ministry means that we are providing our parents with the tools, resources, and relationships they need to live out their God-ordained calling as parents. They must become the spiritual leaders of their homes!

We preach ‘what happens in our homes is more important than what happens in our church.’ While I believe that wholeheartedly and agree that it sounds wonderful, I often feel as if it is a simple statement that lacks integrity. In other words, God is challenging me as a Family Ministry Pastor to truly begin living that phrase out practically! The more I hear from God, the more he challenges me to truly practice what I preach – not only on a personal level, but also from a standpoint of leadership within ministry.

I am excited to see the practicality of family ministry rise to the next level over the next few weeks, months, and years – a level that in which we will see families discipling other families while being discipled. It is a level that not only experiences numerical growth, but also passionately cares about the spiritual development of our children and students. Finally, a level in which parents truly become the pastors of their homes!

As we lay out the vision for family ministry, my prayer is that we are not drawn one bit away from the vision God has for us. May we constantly walk in step with Him every day of our lives – seeking Him, listening to Him, and obeying Him at all cost! Through our obedience may families within our community truly be reached for the cause of Christ!

When I first began my journey in Student Ministry, I had a mentor tell me that I will never be a successful Youth Pastor if I don’t partner with parents. He said that parents would be my best friends in ministry, even if it seems like they don’t like me.

For the first few years I tried doing Student Ministry without parents – and never succeeded. The only time I connected with parents was when they were in my office frustrated at me for not communicating clearly about an event, charging too much for a summer trip, talking about specific topics without their permission, or the worst – telling a student their parents didn’t know what they were talking about.

I learned pretty quickly that I had to do whatever it took to partner with parents. I had to reach out to them, talk with them, go to lunch with them, get to know them, make myself available to them, allow them to speak into the ministry, and yes, even allow them to lead areas of the ministry!

Now, as a father of five children, I definitely see the importance of partnering with parents, from the perspective of a parent.

The moment our ministries become only about the children and students is the moment we begin missing the mark as leaders. Each one of us has been blessed with an opportunity to not only reach students, but also and even more importantly, the entire family. How can we partner with the parents God has placed in our ministry and empower them to become the spiritual leaders of their homes?

I now view our parents as our greatest asset – even more than having the quarterback of one of the local football teams attend our youth ministry. Our leadership teams – from preschool to high school – are full of parents who desire to serve within their child’s ministry! To me – one of the greatest success stories is to have parents as passionate about our youth ministry as their students!

Yes, it is neat to see parents passionate about ministry and they are extra volunteers for our ministries, but why would we want to partner with parents?

First, parents are the primary influences on the faith formation of children and young people. They are the primary ‘impact people’ for better or for worse.

In their book, Partnering with Parents in Youth Ministry, Jim Burns and Mike DeVries write, ‘If we truly desire to be more effective in seeing the lives or our students transformed into the likeness of Christ, the greatest resource we have is the greatest influence in their lives – their parents. Our goal is to come alongside parents to help them pass on the faith to their children… We should never underestimate the power of parents in the spiritual formation of their children. If spiritual formation is the key – and we believe it is – parents are too valuable to leave out of the equation. We need to bring parents into the circumstances and situations of their children, affirming and helping to re-establish parental roles in the spiritual formation of our students.’

In Think Orange, Reggie Joiner introduces the 3000/40 principle. The 3000/40 principle is based upon the observation that a typical child spends 3,000 hours per year with their parents and 40 hours per year in church-related activities. If we’re trying to build a master strategy to build faith and character in our kids, it makes a great deal of sense to leverage the 3,000 hours a year children have with their parents as opposed to putting all of our resources into the 40 hours kids spend at church.

Second, parents know their children better than we do! They have the opportunity to have more ‘teachable moments’ with their children than we do. Spiritual formation is more than just education – it is the learning and experiencing of faith in and through the folds and creases of everyday life. The course of daily life must be the primary classroom for faith exploration, testing, and practice.

Third, for the most part, parents care for their children even more than us! Here is a perfect example… Two of my nephews are in our middle school ministry. I love both of them dearly, respect them, and have seen them grow tons over the past few years. But when I go home at the end of the day, even though they are family and key students within our ministry, their parents display a love and care for them that I cannot even compare to. It is the same with my five children. We have some of the greatest preschool and elementary leaders I have ever met, but their love and care for my children cannot compare to the love and care I show to them.

If you have not already, each of you will come in contact with children who have parents that do not care for them at all… One of the most difficult experiences I have ever faced in ministry is when a student shares with me the neglect, hatred, and lack of compassion their parent shows them.

When this happens, we first must remember – we cannot fix this problem over night. It takes time, forgiveness, healing, and will often take hours of professional counseling. As hard as it may be, never feel like you have to bear the burden of someone else’s hurt due to the mistakes a parent has made.

Even during these moments, we must remember that parents also need and deserve our respect, support, and help. I have seen many of these circumstances reconciled due to the love and respect the family ministry leaders showed the parents!

So what practical things can we do to partner with parents and see the core of our families grow spiritually?

As family ministry leaders, we must establish a safe harbor for our parents. The majority of parents will find safety when a church accepts their current situation and helps them make the most of that situation. We must meet our parents where they are and affirm God’s grace as the foundation for parenting – trusting that God is actively pursuing all families – no matter their makeup, size, or background!

We must also build a compassionate community for parents. Are you intentionally connecting with parents in meaningful ways? I challenge you to create an environment where help is provided and mutual support is honored. Develop opportunities for parents to connect and relate to one another – formally and informally.

One of the steps we are taking as a church is to develop an environment of community for our parents. We are launching several Family Ministry Community Groups in the next several months that will involve parent mentors and small group material surrounding parenting of different aged children. We hope and pray it opens doors for parents to share their struggles and grow in community with other parents. We also believe it will create a culture of discipleship and accountability amongst our parents.

Another practical step to developing the partnership with parents is to provide activities that engage and empower parents. Whether it is parenting workshops, annual parenting and marriage conferences, or weekly communication in regards to the week’s message – we must be creating a sense of urgency within our parents! They are designed by God to be the spiritual leaders of their homes. As church leaders, we must assist in empowering them to live this out on a daily basis!

One of our biggest wins as at Cape Christian Fellowship is our Fam Jam program. It is a chance for kids to bring their parents to church to hear about the monthly virtue through an entertaining and comic service. It involves skits, music, and tons of fun for the entire family! Every month we provide follow up tools for our families to take and implement what their kids are learning in church. We must constantly be giving parents the opportunity to reinforce God’s Word!

That leads us to the next practical tool… We must also provide constant support for our families. Whether it is through a resource guide or a simple conversation – we must help our parents live out their God-ordained call as the spiritual leaders of their homes. This can also be accomplished by teaching faith skills and practices to parents through baptism classes, Rites of Passage ministries, and parent meetings

Parents new to the church, or to church period, might not have a clue about buying a Bible or praying with their kids. Don’t be afraid to offer a recommended resource list to parents to help them in their growing faith.

I recently came across an incredible web-based Rites of Passage ministry that has led us to develop an entire Milestones Ministry. While children and students experience transitions, parents are also faced with change and challenges in their parenting journey. The beauty of a Milestone or Rites of Passage Ministry lies in the extent in which the family and church work together to mentor children and students spiritually and emotionally during significant moments of life. Through our weekly services, classes, events, training, and mentorships we will work to empower our families to become the spiritual leaders of their homes.

All of these are great concepts, but to me the last one is the most important. As family ministry leaders, we must create a culture in which the God’s love shines through every one of our conversations and relationships. You do not have to wait for your pastor or ministry director to approve this one! We must be intentionally creating relationships with parents – showing them you care for who they are as individuals.

One last thought… creating a ‘family-friendly’ culture begins with you. If you want to bring about change, start with yourself. If you have children, let others see you partner with your children’s ministry and other adults who work with your kids at church. Be intentional about sharing the impact those partnerships are making in your family. Use whatever platform you can find or create to tell parents that God rejoices when parents lead family time with God, pray with their children, and worship with their kids inside and outside of church.

Remember, the goal isn’t just to have kids spend time with their parents. Rather, the goal is to equip and motivate parents to be their kids’ teachers, shepherds, and heroes!