Sheneka Land
Ministry With Families
Dr. Jackie Johns
Planning and Programing Family Ministries
Planning and programing family ministries require looking outside the family to examine the relationship between the family and far-reaching social connections. The church must recognize and exercise wisdom as it learns to minister in the midst of family diversity and ever-changing family values that have divided and broken communication among family members and the church.
Sadly, traditional values that were once promoted and praised socially and within the church setting are now being blamed for the decline of the family and society in general. As a result of modernity and post-modernity, Christian leaders must step forward and consider new opportunities in order to affect society with a biblical prescription in the midst of social change. Retreat and avoidance are not options because all social structures are interconnected. No social structure is autonomous. It is imperative that the church find new and meaningful ways to communicate family ministry. In fact, a new ministry language may be necessary.
The church has been so habitual in embracing technique that the need to teach and engage in effective communication has been neglected. The church community and families alike have become lost to each other in the pursuit of the latest “how to” self-help aids; therefore, losing the joy of effectual communication that informs, builds, refreshes, and empowers. Plans and programs are needed that teach the value of aptly-spoken words beginning in the pulpit and extending to the family dinner table. The objective of the church is to teach effective discourse so that frequent, attentive, and respectful conversations become a normal activity of everyday life within the church community and among the families therein.
Modernity and postmodernity have greatly changed and challenged the traditional family. To embrace either stance is to choose a human frame of reference over God’s perspective. A return to the idolized past is not the answer. Rather, a creative biblical response is needed. Changes in society have weakened the privacy and intimacy of family life and the church must model and teach that intimacy and fulfillment are still possible in family life if the character of Christ is taught and reflected. The church is responsible for the families that constitute that assembly and it is nothing short of failure within the church if families become solely internal and struggle to meet their own relationship needs without the support of the church family.
The church must be willing to appear foolish if necessary in order to promote biblical rather than wordly values for the sake of family ministry. This should come as no surprise with I Corinthians 4:10 as our scriptural reference. The church is to become a fool for the sake of Christ!
Because we live in a society that often embraces financial success above family relationships, the church has a grave responsibility to teach and guide families in the ways of servanthood and loving empowerment. The church can bless families with a ministry environment that provides acceptance, intimacy, concern, and support. The church must plan and program ministry so that the external assaults on the family can be healed internally by a loving church system.
Ministry With Families
Dr. Jackie Johns
Planning and Programing Family Ministries
Planning and programing family ministries require looking outside the family to examine the relationship between the family and far-reaching social connections. The church must recognize and exercise wisdom as it learns to minister in the midst of family diversity and ever-changing family values that have divided and broken communication among family members and the church.
Sadly, traditional values that were once promoted and praised socially and within the church setting are now being blamed for the decline of the family and society in general. As a result of modernity and post-modernity, Christian leaders must step forward and consider new opportunities in order to affect society with a biblical prescription in the midst of social change. Retreat and avoidance are not options because all social structures are interconnected. No social structure is autonomous. It is imperative that the church find new and meaningful ways to communicate family ministry. In fact, a new ministry language may be necessary.
The church has been so habitual in embracing technique that the need to teach and engage in effective communication has been neglected. The church community and families alike have become lost to each other in the pursuit of the latest “how to” self-help aids; therefore, losing the joy of effectual communication that informs, builds, refreshes, and empowers. Plans and programs are needed that teach the value of aptly-spoken words beginning in the pulpit and extending to the family dinner table. The objective of the church is to teach effective discourse so that frequent, attentive, and respectful conversations become a normal activity of everyday life within the church community and among the families therein.
Modernity and postmodernity have greatly changed and challenged the traditional family. To embrace either stance is to choose a human frame of reference over God’s perspective. A return to the idolized past is not the answer. Rather, a creative biblical response is needed. Changes in society have weakened the privacy and intimacy of family life and the church must model and teach that intimacy and fulfillment are still possible in family life if the character of Christ is taught and reflected. The church is responsible for the families that constitute that assembly and it is nothing short of failure within the church if families become solely internal and struggle to meet their own relationship needs without the support of the church family.
The church must be willing to appear foolish if necessary in order to promote biblical rather than wordly values for the sake of family ministry. This should come as no surprise with I Corinthians 4:10 as our scriptural reference. The church is to become a fool for the sake of Christ!
Because we live in a society that often embraces financial success above family relationships, the church has a grave responsibility to teach and guide families in the ways of servanthood and loving empowerment. The church can bless families with a ministry environment that provides acceptance, intimacy, concern, and support. The church must plan and program ministry so that the external assaults on the family can be healed internally by a loving church system.
Planning and Programing Family Ministries
Ministry with Families
Raheel Rizvi
God intended for the family to be the basic unit in society. A casual view of history reveals that as go marriages, so goes the family; as go families, so goes the community; as go communities, so goes the nation; as go nations, so goes civilization.
The starting place for any family ministry is to see what the Bible has to say about the family. Throughout Scripture, God provides instruction related to marriage, the family, and parenting. Today, most of the functions that were provided for in the Hebrew home are now met outside the home. Education takes place in the schools. The majority of social and recreational activities take place outside the home, usually with nonfamily members. Even the bulk of religious education is left to the church.
The home is the window through which children get their first glimpse of God. It is also where they get their first glimpse of who they are and what they are worth. Children discover their value and worth in the mirror of those around them by how much they are looked at, listened to and touched, by what their parents say to them and about them in front of others, and by how much time their parents make for them. Often this initial view will stay with them throughout their lifetime.
Given the significance God places on healthy relationships, a logical question is what is the role of the church in building strong marriages and families? One vital life sign of a healthy church is the health of its marriages and families.
STEPS IN ESTABLISHING FAMILY MINISTRY MAKING A DIFFERENCE
Step1. Make family faith formation a goal of congregational life and ministry.
Congregation can equip families at every stage of life as centers of faith formation through church ministries-worship, education, service, stewardship, evangelism-and community life.
Step2. Utilize church ministries and programming to teach, model, and demonstrate family faith practices, and then provide the resources for families to live the practice at home.
Step3. Build on practices families are already engaged in.
Step 4. Involve the whole family in congregational life, programs, and leadership roles.
Step5. Offer family and intergenerational learning programs through family workshops through the year focused on family faith practices, church year seasons, and/or family-focused topics.
• Family cluster or small group learning programs
• Family-centered (small group or large group) lectionary-based Scripture reflection
• Family-centered or intergenerational vacation Bible school
• Family retreats and camps
• Family Bible study
• Family-centered sacramental/ritual preparation programs
Step6. Develop family faith formation around life-cycle milestones. Rhythm of Life Milestones: birthdays, anniversaries, first day of school, family gatherings and reunions, holidays and vacations, new home, separation and loss.
The church has been called to be a lighthouse, the source of solutions for what is a lost and dying society. Developing a comprehensive family ministry is one of the most effective means of helping our people learn what it means to "become conformed to the image of his son" (Romans 8:29) and of outreach into our communities.
A strong family ministry serves as salt and light in a world characterized by confused, disoriented, and disintegrating families. It says that truth works, truth makes a difference. By offering tools, resources, support groups, and programs it also says that we care about our community. That is why family ministry is so powerful in the community. It addresses training in the areas of marriage, parenting and death, to name just a few. Evangelism occurs naturally out of a trust relationship among family members and friends.
Ministry with Families
Raheel Rizvi
God intended for the family to be the basic unit in society. A casual view of history reveals that as go marriages, so goes the family; as go families, so goes the community; as go communities, so goes the nation; as go nations, so goes civilization.
The starting place for any family ministry is to see what the Bible has to say about the family. Throughout Scripture, God provides instruction related to marriage, the family, and parenting. Today, most of the functions that were provided for in the Hebrew home are now met outside the home. Education takes place in the schools. The majority of social and recreational activities take place outside the home, usually with nonfamily members. Even the bulk of religious education is left to the church.
The home is the window through which children get their first glimpse of God. It is also where they get their first glimpse of who they are and what they are worth. Children discover their value and worth in the mirror of those around them by how much they are looked at, listened to and touched, by what their parents say to them and about them in front of others, and by how much time their parents make for them. Often this initial view will stay with them throughout their lifetime.
Given the significance God places on healthy relationships, a logical question is what is the role of the church in building strong marriages and families? One vital life sign of a healthy church is the health of its marriages and families.
STEPS IN ESTABLISHING FAMILY MINISTRY MAKING A DIFFERENCE
Step1. Make family faith formation a goal of congregational life and ministry.
Congregation can equip families at every stage of life as centers of faith formation through church ministries-worship, education, service, stewardship, evangelism-and community life.
Step2. Utilize church ministries and programming to teach, model, and demonstrate family faith practices, and then provide the resources for families to live the practice at home.
Step3. Build on practices families are already engaged in.
Step 4. Involve the whole family in congregational life, programs, and leadership roles.
Step5. Offer family and intergenerational learning programs through family workshops through the year focused on family faith practices, church year seasons, and/or family-focused topics.
• Family cluster or small group learning programs
• Family-centered (small group or large group) lectionary-based Scripture reflection
• Family-centered or intergenerational vacation Bible school
• Family retreats and camps
• Family Bible study
• Family-centered sacramental/ritual preparation programs
Step6. Develop family faith formation around life-cycle milestones. Rhythm of Life Milestones: birthdays, anniversaries, first day of school, family gatherings and reunions, holidays and vacations, new home, separation and loss.
The church has been called to be a lighthouse, the source of solutions for what is a lost and dying society. Developing a comprehensive family ministry is one of the most effective means of helping our people learn what it means to "become conformed to the image of his son" (Romans 8:29) and of outreach into our communities.
A strong family ministry serves as salt and light in a world characterized by confused, disoriented, and disintegrating families. It says that truth works, truth makes a difference. By offering tools, resources, support groups, and programs it also says that we care about our community. That is why family ministry is so powerful in the community. It addresses training in the areas of marriage, parenting and death, to name just a few. Evangelism occurs naturally out of a trust relationship among family members and friends.