week 7 reponds
Billy Oorbeek
Equipping families
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Deuteronomy 6:7 states, “You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.” These words from Moses should remind all parents that our primary ministry is the ministry of our children. Unfortunately, according to Jeremy Rader, only 9% of church going families conduct family devotionals each week and only 5% of children talked to their dad regarding their faith.[1] As youth pastors, we must be aware of these statistics while looking to equip our parents that help them disciple their own children.
As Timothy Paul Jones mentions, we must acknowledge the role parents have as discipleship makers in their children’s lives by constantly reminding them of this responsibility.[2] Here are several ways we can equip parents to effectively disciple their families:
1. Develop churchwide devotionals for parents each week. The church youth ministry team should develop weekly devotionals which tie into that week’s teaching at church. This is a way for the parent to follow up and connect on that week’s teaching with their child.
2. Conduct FaceBook LIVE weekly devotionals. Developing and sending home weekly devotionals does not mean they will be used. Starting a family devotional can sometimes be intimidating and overwhelming. One way to encourage families to do these devotionals is to model how to do them. A member of the youth ministry team can conduct weekly devotionals with his family that is streamed on FaceBook live. This will show vulnerability and model effective ways a family can conduct a weekly devotional together. These live streaming events will certainly lead to vulnerable moments, laughs and allow outsiders to witness spiritual growth and knowledge.
3. Preparing for parenting class: As Jones mentions, many churches often require premarital counseling before weddings, but perhaps they should also offer classes preparing expecting couples how to parent their child in a biblical way.[3] There is an old joke that there is no handbook on how to parent. While that may be true, when dealing with colicky babies, there is certainly a handbook when it comes to discipling your child. It’s called the Bible. Churches should consider offering “Preparing for Parenting” classes for expecting parents in an effort to launch them into parenting with confidence and biblical knowledge.
These are just a few suggestions for how to equip parents that I pray we will all consider as we launch into youth ministry.
[1] Jeremy Rader, “Essentials of Middle School Ministry,” Liberty University, February 9, 2018, 11:17, yout510m7essentials_201205141659.mp4.
[2] Timothy Paul Jones, Family Ministry Field Guide: How Your Church Can Equip Parents To Make Disciples, (Indianapolis, IN: Wesleyan Publishing House, 2011), 172.
[3] Ibid, 174.
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Benjamin Moeller
Equip Families
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Jones shares three parts of how families can disciple their own children. The first part is called “Faith Talk”. A faith talk is “prayer and to study a biblical truth together”.[1] I believe this important in several ways. First faith talks get the family to come together at least weekly, so the family is spending some time together and it is purposeful time, not just watching TV. Second, it provides regular prayer time for the family and this can help grow the family closer together. Third, it provides time to listen and learn from the Bible which is good for everyone. Members of the family can take turns reading and sharing insights. Lastly, faith talks set a standard for the children to do with their future, which will continue a best practice.
The second part is “Faith Walks”. Faith walks are a “discussion in the course of daily life that turns a child’s attention toward the presence of the gospel and the providence of God in every part of life.”.[2] Faith walks provide a purposeful moment provide by the parents to relate in a child’s life the gospel, so they see God at work in everyday life and the presence of sin in everyday life. This is critical, so the child knows to continue to work every day to be like Chris and resist sin and Satan.
The third part is called “Faith Process” Faith process is a “plan that involves parents in a child’s spiritual growth by partnering with parents to address the child’s particular needs at each stage of life”.[3] This part can be the most challenging due to the parent having to really know their child and make time for coming up with a plan with the child on their progress. Many families are busy and can put extra meetings like this due to a lack of time and energy. However, this is the most important to continue to help develop the child in their walk with God.
I believe it is important for the church and/or youth ministry to develop and train families to do all three parts with their children. I even argue that these steps are even beneficial for adults as well. That being said families should not be left behind and that every family in the church, along with the singles, should be a part of these steps regularly, either leading or being a part of.
wc:403
[1] Timothy P Jones (2017). (p. 154). Family Ministry Field Guide: How Your Church Can Equip Parents to Make Disciples. Retrieved from https://app.wordsearchbible.lifeway.com
[2] Ibid., 161.
[3] Ibid., 166.
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