Sheneka Land
Ministry With Families
Dr. Jackie Johns
Family Equipping Model for Family Ministry
The Family-Equipping model for family ministry is one in which the church works to promote the parents as the primary disciple-makers in the lives of their children while the church family is an active participant in the process.
A mingling of the generations within the church family is necessary to eliminate relationship isolation. This interweaving of associations will produce healthy families and healthy churches that each empower the other. The goal of family ministry is to impact the family for spiritual purposes. Once the family is transformed and changed, the church experiences the positive outcomes of that process.
While the church equips the family for Christian service in our present culture, caution must be taken to avoid losing Biblical distinctiveness while engaging the culture in teaching and training. I like the phrase shared in the book Perspectives that says: “Family ministry needs a Biblical prescription rather than a cultural prescription.” This is a powerful observation that must be carefully considered with much wisdom, because the church must find ways to effectively minister to the world’s present state.
In order for the church to produce effective Christian parenting, intentional training is key and fundamental. While methods may not be specifically outlined in Scripture, they are to be developed according to the principles of Scripture in orderly and detailed ways. When programs are designed and implemented with this in mind, family growth and discipleship will become a natural emergence. Strong foundations of faith and grace will be formed by parents with their families in conjunction with the support and partnership of the church. All involved must remember that the goal for all is to fall in love with a Biblical spiritual vision rather than a specific method.
The family-equipping method of ministry will produce strong spiritual families when parents, children and the entire church body work together serving God and each other side by side.
Ministry With Families
Dr. Jackie Johns
Family Equipping Model for Family Ministry
The Family-Equipping model for family ministry is one in which the church works to promote the parents as the primary disciple-makers in the lives of their children while the church family is an active participant in the process.
A mingling of the generations within the church family is necessary to eliminate relationship isolation. This interweaving of associations will produce healthy families and healthy churches that each empower the other. The goal of family ministry is to impact the family for spiritual purposes. Once the family is transformed and changed, the church experiences the positive outcomes of that process.
While the church equips the family for Christian service in our present culture, caution must be taken to avoid losing Biblical distinctiveness while engaging the culture in teaching and training. I like the phrase shared in the book Perspectives that says: “Family ministry needs a Biblical prescription rather than a cultural prescription.” This is a powerful observation that must be carefully considered with much wisdom, because the church must find ways to effectively minister to the world’s present state.
In order for the church to produce effective Christian parenting, intentional training is key and fundamental. While methods may not be specifically outlined in Scripture, they are to be developed according to the principles of Scripture in orderly and detailed ways. When programs are designed and implemented with this in mind, family growth and discipleship will become a natural emergence. Strong foundations of faith and grace will be formed by parents with their families in conjunction with the support and partnership of the church. All involved must remember that the goal for all is to fall in love with a Biblical spiritual vision rather than a specific method.
The family-equipping method of ministry will produce strong spiritual families when parents, children and the entire church body work together serving God and each other side by side.