The WOW Factor in Your KidMin

The WOW Factor in Your KidMin

 

 

 

When was the last time you asked a volunteer or a parent (figuratively or literally), “How can I wow you today?”

 

For Christmas I got the best laptop bag ever. Seriously, I loved it. Yet by March, the bag was falling apart, and I was left with a sad face.

Thankfully, the person who gave me this bag bought it at Zappos!

The on-line IM service was great, but as the bag was ripped I’d have to call into the office and talk to a live person.

More often than not, this causes me angst. If I can do business over email or IM, I’d rather, especially when dealing with a major company. But I called Zappos.

As soon as the customer service representative picked up, I knew this would not be an ordinary phone call with a multi-national company.

“Thanks for calling Zappos! This is [Jane]. How can I WOW you today?”

That phrase “How can I wow you today?” caught me off guard. I chuckled and started telling her my story. Not only did they overnight me a new bag, I also didn’t have to send the old one back.

Needless today, I was wowed.

The WOW Factor

I began thinking about kid’s ministry. When was the last time any of us walked up to a parent or child and (figuratively or literally) asked them “How can I wow you today?”

How many of us actually went followed through on the promise to do so?

It could be that we make a practice out of wowing our “customers” week-in and week-out as they walk our halls and enter our environments.

However, when we take a step back and take a 10,000’ view of the landscape, we realize that our signs maybe confusing, our welcome center is cluttered and insufficiently staffed, or our slides are littered with mis-spelled word and we’re using a font that only a sharp-shooter could see from his scope.

Wowing means that we go above and beyond expectations.

We don’t just point people in the right direction, we walk with them to their destination.

We let that last child into the room even if they’re two minutes late, after all getting a family of 6 to church is hard work!

We send a goody-bag to the hospital for the precious third-grader’s tenth round of chemo not just the first.

Making WOW part of your Kidmin

This week, take a look around your hallways, evaluate your parent and volunteer care structures, and re-read your policies. Ask yourself:

1. Where are we currently wowing people? How do we know that?

2. Where could we improve? How can we be generous to our parents and kids, wowing them each time they walk through our environments?

3. What are five small things that are inexpensive (or FREE!) that we could do this month to build WOW? Make a plan, and follow through!

Do the work. Wowing people makes them feel like you care. And you do care otherwise you’d be in a different line of work, be sure people know that.

Do you have a WOW story?

I’d love to hear about the WOW-factor in your ministry. Comment below!

 

 

 

Dan Scott serves as the elementary director at Ada Bible Church, which is outside of Grand Rapids, MI. He establishes the vision for programming including curriculum, volunteer care, and environment. Dan enjoys sharing ideas and encouragement from his life and ministry. He has a busy speaking and writing schedule and was recently named one of Children’s Ministry Magazines’ 20 leaders to watch. Dan and his wife Jenna have four kids: Liam, Ellison, Addison, and Taye.  visit Dan at danscottblog.com

Views: 3

Teaching The Bible With Toys

by Dale Hudson

Have you seen the book Teaching Physics with Toys? Here is the philosophy behind it:

“Science is best understood by providing students with opportunities to make connections between their own world and scientific concepts. What’s more natural than using toys as learning tools to teach science to elementary and middle school students? For teachers and students alike, toys can provide motivational and experiential links between science concepts and everyday experience. “

I think this is brilliant. Not because of this company….but because this is one of the key methods Jesus used to teach truth. He used familiar objects from people’s everyday world to connect them with truth. Physical objects they saw, touched, used, or interacted with on a regular basis. Think about it… He used birds, flowers, fish, money, seeds, rocks, salt, trees, and much more.

If you want the truths you are teaching to stick in the long-term memory of children, then tie the truths to objects that kids are familiar with. And some of the most familiar objects in a kid’s life are toys.

Remember some of your favorite toys growing up? I remember Stretch Armstrong, Atari 2600, G.I. Joe, Lite-Brite, Silly Putty…(okay…I’m dating myself). If those toys had been connected to Biblical truths, I am sure I would not only be thinking about the toys right now, but also about the truths.

Here’s the process…

• Start with the Biblical truth you want to share. This is the basis. The toy or object is simply a way to illustrate the truth.
• Find a familiar toy or object from current kid culture. This may even mean a trip to Toys R’ Us. The more they use the item, the more effectively it will connect the truth to their long term memory.
• Use the familiar toy or object when you teach the lesson to illustrate the truth.
• Encourage the kids to think about the truth each time they see the toy or object you used.
• Encourage the kids to share the truth they learned with a friend when they are playing or hanging out together and see the familiar toy or object.
• Partner with parents. Share with them the truth and toy or object you used, so they can do the same at home. Encourage them to also look for ways they can tie truth into toys or objects from their child’s everyday world.

I have personally seen the effectiveness of this many times. I remember teaching the kids that Jesus is the only way to heaven. I had a one way street sign in my hand as I was teaching (no…I didn’t steal it). Over a year later we were on the bus going to camp. We passed a one way sign and one of the boys yelled out from the back of the bus, “Look Pastor Dale, a one way sign…there’s only one way to heaven!” My heart skipped a beat when he said that. I knew the truth had found it’s way into his long term memory.

The next time you stand up to teach kids, why not have a toy or everyday object in your hand? Teaching the Bible with toys works!

Dale Hudson has been on the Children’s Ministry journey for 21 years. He was recently named as one of the top twenty influencers in children’s ministry by Children’s Ministry Magazine. He is the Director of Children’s Ministries at Christ Fellowship Church in Palm Beach, Florida where he oversees the children’s ministry at the church’s five campuses. He is the co-author of Children’s Ministry in the 21st Century, Turbo Charged Children’s Ministry, and Turbo Charged Preschool Ministry. In addition, he also writes for children’s ministry leadership magazines on a regular basis and speaks at children’s ministry conferences across the country.

 visit Dale at www.relevantchildrensministry.blogspot.com

Views: 4

Web Security for Ministers

 

 

 

Kidmin veteran Kenny Conley gives some helpful tips for those of us who aren’t experts at Internet security.

 

I’m no expert on internet security, but I thought I’d share a few thoughts about security as a resource to the readers here at CMO. The truth is that most people have lousy security for their online accounts and having something more secure can actually be pretty easy. I was prompted to write this recently as I decided that it was time to change up most of my passwords. I’d been using my primary pasword for several years and I know that you’re supposed to change your passwords on a regular basis, so I figured that it was time.

So, here’s what you might need to know. In 2009, a gaming site was hacked and thousands of accounts were compromised. A study was conducted and here is what was discovered:

• 29,000 compromised accounts used the password 123456 (seriously)
• Many other accounts used a string of consecutive numbers like 111111 or 333333
• The fourth most popular password was the word… password (come on!)
• Lastly, thousands of passwords consisted of first names or simple combinations of abd123

When you hear about hacked accounts, it’s usually because of this. When accounts are compromised, passwords like the above are usually broken within seconds (computer software submits thousands of potential passwords to hack in and these simple passwords are the first used). Having a stronger password is really, really easy.

So, every password needs to have upper case letters, lowercase letters, a number and a symbol. Never use a password again that doesn’t contain at least one of each of those. Remember, every letter you add makes your password 26 times more difficult to break (since there are 26 letters). Add numbers and the breaking difficulty is increased. Add a symbol and you’re golden. There are 1500 potential symbols to use, so just using one symbol just make your password 1500 times more secure.

Here’s and example. Say your password is “moose44.” Hacker software can crack that password in less than one second. However, if you added some symbols and make the password “moose44!.!.!.!” the same software would take an estimated 200,000 centuries to hack it.

Convincing? So, here’s a system you might want to use. Pick a name, object or place that has some meaning to you. Maybe not something that would be published on Facebook that would give people ideas. Maybe it’s a character of a book you liked or a place you’ve always wanted to visit. Maybe it was a TV show you liked as a kid. Here’s mine.

GummyBears
GuMM4B3ar5!

See what I did. I used a good mix of upper and lowercase letters. I substituted a 4 for the Y since they look similar, a 3 for the e and the 5 for the s. I thew a ! at the end just for fun. What would have been even more secure was to put an @ in pace of the a. So, you’re turn. Plan out what you want to use and change one of the sites you sign in to regularly and get used to typing it in. Eventually, you fingers will memorize the code and it will be very natural. Eventually, change your other passwords as well.

Tips:
Okay, here are few remaining tips.

• This isn’t the most secure, but I use the same password for many accounts. However, I do have 2 or 3 separate passwords that I might use at any given time. One passwords might be used for financial stuff, another one for social media and other stuff.
• I also keep a stupid password in my back pocket. Every now and again there is a stupid website that won’t let you use symbols or restrict your password to 6 characters. I don’t like being put on the spot to have to create a password (I’ll forget it), so I have a stupid password for these occasions.
• I also keep a sharable password. It is inevitable that you might have to share a password with someone because they are helping you do something and they need access to your account. I have a password that I share with people that is still pretty secure but I don’t mind sharing with people. If I know they are going to be logging into a site to do work for me, I’ll change the site’s password to this one and then give them access. When they’re done, I change it back.
• Oh, I also have a password that I used for work related stuff. It just helps me to keep that stuff separated. If it’s work related, I know what password I used. That way, if I ever need to turn stuff over, I don’t have to change all my passwords in order not to compromise personal stuff. I also tend to share work passwords with co-workers.
• Because I only use three or four secure passwords, if I hit a site that I forgot my password, I just have to cycle through the 3 or four that I have.
• Never share your passwords. I don’t care who they are, don’t share them. I have 2-3 passwords, a few of which I have used for 7-8 years. The only person who knows them is my wife. Period. Much of your identity, security and financial data is all sitting behind these passwords… take it a little more seriously.

 

 

 

 

Kenny Conley is the Next Generation Pastor at Gateway Community Church in Austin, Texas. Kenny has a B.A. in Christian Education and a M.Ed in Curriculum and Instruction. He’s been a children’s pastor for over 11 years and can’t believe it’s been that long. In addition to his passion for kids, Kenny’s heart is to equip and encourage those who pastor and work with kids by sharing ideas, training and giving away “things that have worked for him.”  visit Kenny at www.ChildrensMinistryOnline.com

Views: 102

Web Security for Ministers

 

 

 

Kidmin veteran Kenny Conley gives some helpful tips for those of us who aren’t experts at Internet security.

 

I’m no expert on internet security, but I thought I’d share a few thoughts about security as a resource to the readers here at CMO. The truth is that most people have lousy security for their online accounts and having something more secure can actually be pretty easy. I was prompted to write this recently as I decided that it was time to change up most of my passwords. I’d been using my primary pasword for several years and I know that you’re supposed to change your passwords on a regular basis, so I figured that it was time.

So, here’s what you might need to know. In 2009, a gaming site was hacked and thousands of accounts were compromised. A study was conducted and here is what was discovered:

• 29,000 compromised accounts used the password 123456 (seriously)
• Many other accounts used a string of consecutive numbers like 111111 or 333333
• The fourth most popular password was the word… password (come on!)
• Lastly, thousands of passwords consisted of first names or simple combinations of abd123

When you hear about hacked accounts, it’s usually because of this. When accounts are compromised, passwords like the above are usually broken within seconds (computer software submits thousands of potential passwords to hack in and these simple passwords are the first used). Having a stronger password is really, really easy.

So, every password needs to have upper case letters, lowercase letters, a number and a symbol. Never use a password again that doesn’t contain at least one of each of those. Remember, every letter you add makes your password 26 times more difficult to break (since there are 26 letters). Add numbers and the breaking difficulty is increased. Add a symbol and you’re golden. There are 1500 potential symbols to use, so just using one symbol just make your password 1500 times more secure.

Here’s and example. Say your password is “moose44.” Hacker software can crack that password in less than one second. However, if you added some symbols and make the password “moose44!.!.!.!” the same software would take an estimated 200,000 centuries to hack it.

Convincing? So, here’s a system you might want to use. Pick a name, object or place that has some meaning to you. Maybe not something that would be published on Facebook that would give people ideas. Maybe it’s a character of a book you liked or a place you’ve always wanted to visit. Maybe it was a TV show you liked as a kid. Here’s mine.

GummyBears
GuMM4B3ar5!

See what I did. I used a good mix of upper and lowercase letters. I substituted a 4 for the Y since they look similar, a 3 for the e and the 5 for the s. I thew a ! at the end just for fun. What would have been even more secure was to put an @ in pace of the a. So, you’re turn. Plan out what you want to use and change one of the sites you sign in to regularly and get used to typing it in. Eventually, you fingers will memorize the code and it will be very natural. Eventually, change your other passwords as well.

Tips:
Okay, here are few remaining tips.

• This isn’t the most secure, but I use the same password for many accounts. However, I do have 2 or 3 separate passwords that I might use at any given time. One passwords might be used for financial stuff, another one for social media and other stuff.
• I also keep a stupid password in my back pocket. Every now and again there is a stupid website that won’t let you use symbols or restrict your password to 6 characters. I don’t like being put on the spot to have to create a password (I’ll forget it), so I have a stupid password for these occasions.
• I also keep a sharable password. It is inevitable that you might have to share a password with someone because they are helping you do something and they need access to your account. I have a password that I share with people that is still pretty secure but I don’t mind sharing with people. If I know they are going to be logging into a site to do work for me, I’ll change the site’s password to this one and then give them access. When they’re done, I change it back.
• Oh, I also have a password that I used for work related stuff. It just helps me to keep that stuff separated. If it’s work related, I know what password I used. That way, if I ever need to turn stuff over, I don’t have to change all my passwords in order not to compromise personal stuff. I also tend to share work passwords with co-workers.
• Because I only use three or four secure passwords, if I hit a site that I forgot my password, I just have to cycle through the 3 or four that I have.
• Never share your passwords. I don’t care who they are, don’t share them. I have 2-3 passwords, a few of which I have used for 7-8 years. The only person who knows them is my wife. Period. Much of your identity, security and financial data is all sitting behind these passwords… take it a little more seriously.

 

 

 

 

Kenny Conley is the Next Generation Pastor at Gateway Community Church in Austin, Texas. Kenny has a B.A. in Christian Education and a M.Ed in Curriculum and Instruction. He’s been a children’s pastor for over 11 years and can’t believe it’s been that long. In addition to his passion for kids, Kenny’s heart is to equip and encourage those who pastor and work with kids by sharing ideas, training and giving away “things that have worked for him.”  visit Kenny at www.ChildrensMinistryOnline.com

Views: 4

It’s About You First

Justyn Smith reminds leaders to prioritize themselves in order to sustain their ministry for the long haul.

“If the blind lead the blind both shall fall in the ditch.” – Jesus

If your church is like the average growing, making a difference church out there then you’re probably moving at a fast-paced speed. You’ve probably got leadership who are expecting big things from limited resources.

You know what I’m talking about. The kind that say, “Recession is an opportunity that allows us to be more creative with what we already have.”

As I have gotten back from vacation, which someone corrected me saying that I had “family time” because when you’re on “vacation” with five kids it’s not vacation, I began thinking about my health and how I can sustain what I’m doing for the long haul. You see, I feel called to ministry and have a responsibility to God to manage my time and efforts so that I can make the biggest impact possible for as long as possible.

God spoke to me and said, “It’s okay to think about yourself. It’s okay to look out for you.” It seems like a selfish thing to do. What about those who need help? What about this project or that new ministry? As I’m asking these questions airplanes came to my remembrance.

When you get on an airplane and the flight attendants starts their script about safety one of the things they mention is that YOU need to put on YOUR oxygen mask FIRST in the event the cabin loses air pressure BEFORE YOU help someone else. Why do they do this? Why not help the children, elderly or those in need first? Well, the answer is because if you’re passed out or can’t breathe then you’re no good to anyone.

If you’re not taking care of you (or leading you first), resting, keeping things in perspective and enjoying life then you will be no good to anyone and especially those you lead. This doesn’t mean be lazy. It means prioritize, understand you can’t be all things to all people, you’re spouse and children come first, you can’t fix everything, etc.

Go ahead, put on your mask first!

Justyn Smith is married to an amazing wife and is a father to five children. He is the children’s pastor at South Hills Church in Corona, CA and has a passion to help other children’s pastors become great leaders in their local church and ministry. He consults, writes, and is a frequent conference speaker. Justyn is the host of Celera Kidmin (click http://www.celeragroup.org/network-coaching/kidmin.aspx for more info) and has recently been named one of “Children’s Ministry Magazine’s” Top 20 to Watch. Twitter: pastorjustyn Facebook: facebook.com/pastorjustyn

 visit Justyn at justynsmith.com

Views: 2

It’s About You First

Justyn Smith reminds leaders to prioritize themselves in order to sustain their ministry for the long haul.

“If the blind lead the blind both shall fall in the ditch.” – Jesus

If your church is like the average growing, making a difference church out there then you’re probably moving at a fast-paced speed. You’ve probably got leadership who are expecting big things from limited resources.

You know what I’m talking about. The kind that say, “Recession is an opportunity that allows us to be more creative with what we already have.”

As I have gotten back from vacation, which someone corrected me saying that I had “family time” because when you’re on “vacation” with five kids it’s not vacation, I began thinking about my health and how I can sustain what I’m doing for the long haul. You see, I feel called to ministry and have a responsibility to God to manage my time and efforts so that I can make the biggest impact possible for as long as possible.

God spoke to me and said, “It’s okay to think about yourself. It’s okay to look out for you.” It seems like a selfish thing to do. What about those who need help? What about this project or that new ministry? As I’m asking these questions airplanes came to my remembrance.

When you get on an airplane and the flight attendants starts their script about safety one of the things they mention is that YOU need to put on YOUR oxygen mask FIRST in the event the cabin loses air pressure BEFORE YOU help someone else. Why do they do this? Why not help the children, elderly or those in need first? Well, the answer is because if you’re passed out or can’t breathe then you’re no good to anyone.

If you’re not taking care of you (or leading you first), resting, keeping things in perspective and enjoying life then you will be no good to anyone and especially those you lead. This doesn’t mean be lazy. It means prioritize, understand you can’t be all things to all people, you’re spouse and children come first, you can’t fix everything, etc.

Go ahead, put on your mask first!

Justyn Smith is married to an amazing wife and is a father to five children. He is the children’s pastor at South Hills Church in Corona, CA and has a passion to help other children’s pastors become great leaders in their local church and ministry. He consults, writes, and is a frequent conference speaker. Justyn is the host of Celera Kidmin (click http://www.celeragroup.org/network-coaching/kidmin.aspx for more info) and has recently been named one of “Children’s Ministry Magazine’s” Top 20 to Watch. Twitter: pastorjustyn Facebook: facebook.com/pastorjustyn

 visit Justyn at justynsmith.com

Views: 3

Free Kids Series

Download this five-week series for your children’s ministry.

http://seeds.churchonthemove.com/series/come-with-me-to-the-future

This kids series package includes:

• Art files
• Sketch scripts + MP3s
• Service schedules
• Message notes
• Countdown video
• Who Knows bumper
• Jesus What A Friend remix MP3 + video

Views: 3

What Parents Really Need from Us

Ask parents in your ministry what they really want, and you likely hear a lot of “right” answers-something along the lines of teaching their children about God or leading their kids into a relationship with Jesus. These are akin to kids’ “right” answers in Sunday school: No matter the question, the answer must be “Jesus!”…Right?

But we know that parents–who also often bear the roles of breadwinner, spouse, friend, mentor, volunteer, and so many more–aren’t always expressing what they really need from your ministry. They typically aren’t saying things like, “I need help teaching my child to be happy for others when they have so much more than we do,” or “Our family is devastated; we discovered our teenage daughter is doing drugs and sleeping with older men. How do we handle this with our younger children in the home?”

The truth is, even though ministry is by nature personal and meaningful, so often parents resist truly opening up–for many reasons. They don’t want to be judged, they’re embarrassed, they feel overwhelmed, they don’t want generic responses such as, “I’ll pray for you” or “What would Jesus do?” Parents often struggle with a wide range of issues that lurk under their calm and collected surface–unspoken, unaddressed, unresolved, and unknown to others.

With this reality in mind, we asked scores of parents to anonymously open up to us about the very real issues they’re dealing with right now. What we heard was surprising, honest, and, yes, sad at times. Venture with us through this secret window into a regular parent’s thoughts and feelings. Listen in on the lingering whispers that tug at parents’ hearts, the worries that consume them. You’ll discover expert insights and maybe even a few new directions for your ministry.

CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT

Many parents say they feel confused and at a loss when it comes to issues of character development in their children. They worry about the everyday things…and not-so-everyday things.

• How do I handle the sex talk? I need to get past his embarrassment so it has value.

• We give our kids so much. How do I keep them focused on the true necessities in life like faith and health rather than material things?

Insight

Every parent wonders how his or her child will “turn out.” Will she be kind and honest? Will he follow the morals and values I do? That’s why parents work (often diligently) to instill specific character traits in their children.

“One of parents’ biggest fears is that they’re going to ‘mess up’ their child one way or another,” says Shelley Noonan, author of the Beautiful Girlhood Mentoring Program (pumpkinseedpress.net). To allay this fear and to help parents who are struggling with these issues, Noonan says children’s ministers “can best support parents by actively listening to their concerns and purposefully responding in a way that builds up the family unit as a whole.” Provide plenty of resources–and reassurance–for parents. Focus on strengthening and affirming families. Provide positive, interactive experiences that help parents effectively convey their thoughts and beliefs to their children.

CHOICES AND CONSEQUENCES

Parents express a great deal of concern when it comes to the choices kids make–and their natural consequences. They also worry about knowing their boundaries. How far do they go to protect their children from poor choices or the grim realities of our world?

• What are viable consequences for my kids’ poor choices, and how do I follow through consistently?

• I can’t stand some of my child’s friends. How do I handle this without alienating my child?

Insight

Child development experts say that a parent’s role is to act as a mentor when children are faced with choices–small ones and big ones–knowing that the child will make many wrong or poor choices along the way. It’s the very experience of making choices–along with the patient and guiding voice of a mentor–that develops a child’s ability to discern good decisions from poor ones. The end goal of all this choosing is that the child will, by early adulthood, be equipped to make good choices. This opens the door for you to provide support to parents by helping them view themselves as mentors.

“Encourage and support parents in their role as mentor to their children,” advises Noonan. “Mentoring children is a lost art. And the passing on of Christian values, biblical truth, and cultivating personal faith doesn’t just happen. Mentoring is the act of engaging in authentic discipleship of children through purposeful and intentional parenting. Children’s ministers can support this process by ‘mentoring the mentors.’ How? By encouraging parents to be in God’s Word…by shoring up families with resources.”

You can also support families by crafting your ministry so kids get opportunities to make choices, mentor one another, and take on leadership roles. When you give kids a healthy forum to make choices and take the lead, you offer them the positive experience and feelings involved in making good choices.

DISCIPLINE

It may give you comfort to hear that parents struggle with discipline, too! Parents say they’re constantly second-guessing their discipline techniques. They worry they’re not effective or that their discipline methods hurt more than they help. Here are some of their most common worries.

• What do I do when I catch my child in a lie?

• What’s the best way to balance my time between kids? One is strong-willed and requires a lot of my time and energy, while my more compliant child gets ignored.

Insight

When it comes to discipline, “encourage parents to seek God’s answers,” advises Steve Nelson, pastor, author, father of eight, and co-founder of Premeditatedparenting.net. “I’d love to try to answer every discipline question that parents have, but even that would merely scratch the surface of the real issue–that parents need support!

Many parents are so desperate for support that they turn to nannies on TV for advice rather than to their churches. No doubt, many good lessons are available from a variety of sources–but the Bible and church are priceless touchstones for encouragement and support. Parents need their confidence strengthened that God’s Word has the answers to everyday issues they face. They need to be able to view church as a place where they can safely share their struggles and not feel condemned at every misstep of their children. My bottom line? Realize that one of the best ways you can minister to children is by ministering to their parents and equipping them as ministers.”

EMOTIONS AND BEHAVIORS

It’s no wonder that parents struggle with how to handle their children’s emotional and behavioral issues. No parent wants his or her child to suffer on any level. So it’s not such a surprise that this area of need garnered the most responses–and some of the most poignant pleas for help.

• How do I help my child with her behavioral disorders? Her school seems to have given up, our family is always in an uproar, and I feel completely lost.

Insight

Parents may be unlikely to let you know they’re struggling with their child’s emotional or behavioral issue because it’s a very tender subject. Many wonder if the problem is somehow their fault. Others may’ve sought help only to feel rejected or embarrassed by a carelessly given opinion. In this area, ask God for great discernment.

“Any significant change in a child’s behavior can be a signal of something amiss,” says Steve Rossi, Christian counselor and author of A Father’s Words: How Fathers Make or Break Their Children. “But it’s got to be particular to that child. And every child is different.”

Get to know the people you serve; you’ll likely discover there are as many quirky emotions and behaviors and worried parents as there are kids in your ministry. Counsel parents with kindness, gentleness, and careful words. And when you encounter an issue you’re unfamiliar with or that’s over your head, help the family connect with a Christian counselor who can help.

“By connecting with someone who’s suffering…we’re less likely to say or do something that’s going to worsen the situation,” says Rossi. “The worst thing we can do is be insensitive or do nothing.”

SPIRITUALITY

Parents have deep concerns about their children’s spirituality…most of which can be boiled down to one underlying question: Am I doing it right?

Insight

“The common denominator of the questions on the hearts of these parents is that they understand that it’s their God-given responsibility to raise and train their children,” observes Nelson. “It’s exciting that they want to be the ones equipped to train their children! These parents aren’t looking to pass off the discipling of their kids. Some churches have done away with children’s programs altogether, and others have gone the opposite direction and tried to train children without parental input. To avoid going to one extreme or the other, a children’s minister must recognize that parents must be supported and not replaced by the ministries of the church.”

PERSONAL NEEDS

Most parents confess to struggling with personal issues that impact their children. This area garnered a high number of responses, and it revealed some significant truths about parents’ needs. This sampling of responses offers a vista into the heart of parents everywhere–sadness, feelings of inadequacy, and deep questioning…all under the veneer of healthy, functioning families.

• My spouse and I have a very tense marriage. I know it hurts our kids, but I don’t know what to do.

Insight

Your ministry is just as much to parents as it is to children. Never miss an opportunity to reach out to parents and point out all the good they’re doing. Provide support when parents do share a need. Build a relationship with moms and dads. Pray daily for them. And reach out when you sense someone is hurting–in the best case, you’ll be wrong and the person is fine; in the worst case, you’ll connect with someone who needs your prayer and emotional support.

Views: 5