Getting to the right answers means first starting with the right questions. In fact some of the best questions are both diagnostic and visional at the same time. Below are eight questions about Family Ministry that should help you in evaluating your Church or ministry environment and determine if it’s right for you to chase after a Family Ministry approach.
1. What if the Church had an intentional growth plan for children and studetns that incorporated age appropriate Biblical education into small groups, large group, and experiential settings that was cyclical and measurable?
2. What if families were placed in environments where they could grow spiritually in an integrated fashion together instead of being decentralized by the Church into isolation?
3. What if families were resourced by the Church with tools and opportunities to have meaningful spiritual conversations and experiences with one another?
4. What if parents were trained to and owned the discipleship and shepherding of their own children?
5. What if there were agents with in the Church who were skilled enough to see the big picture and at the same time were also able to provide cultural architecting and leadership that resulted in tangible symmetry?
6. What if there were not competing departments (i.e. preschool, elementary, middle school, high school, college, etc.) within the local church setting but symmetry that ran through out the infrastructure and functionality of the Church?
7. What if resources were pooled and shared for the common good of the Church?
8. What if the specialists that have been hired by the Church used their strengths in a global effort to add to the health of the Church instead of in an isolated fashion in their own specific sub-department?
Posted in Family, Leadership, Spiritual Formation
Sounds like someone’s been reading Think Orange.
Great post. It’ll probably be this year that we really start addressing a lot of these questions in our own church. Right now we are definitely running an “every man for himself” kind of ministry to the family. No united strategy. No communication among leaders. Not much equipping of parents. But I’m ready to put in some hustle to integrate ministries and really empower parents, instead of just doing lip service.
Good blog. Keep it coming.
Haven’t read it yet Zach, but have heard great things about it! I know the guys at Orange are doing incredible work! Glad to hear about the steps you guys are going to take this next year, can’t wait to hear about it!