DEVELOP FAMILY FRIENDLY EVENTS AT YOUR CHURCH
Interest in family ministry has skyrocketed over the past few
years, but the concept has been around for a long time. With a
few exceptions these family ministry programs shared a common -
though unrecognized - assumption: that the most effective way to
serve families was to minister to the individuals in those
families. More often than not, family ministry programs separated
parents from children and attempted to meet the needs of each in
age-graded (and sometimes gender-defined) classes.
Valid though this approach may be in some cases, it is not the
only way to conduct family ministry. Many churches realize that
effective family ministry teaches and guides family members as
individuals, and the family as a unit. More churches are offering
family friendly events in which family members learn, worship,
and laugh together.
What you need to consider when hosting family friendly events:
- The demand has never been greater for family-based learning,
worship, service, enrichment, and fun ideas in the church.
- You can create a family friendly church without organizing a
formal family ministry program. Many churches do not have the
resources to hire a family minister or to allocate large
amounts of money to family ministry. But every church can
offer family ministry.
- Recruit families to help plan and prepare these activities.
The most effective family ministry programs don't rely on one
or two people to do all the work. They encourage families to
help plan and prepare family friendly events and activities
for others to enjoy.
- Be sure to include families of all shapes and sizes. A number
of families in your church probably don't fit the
stereotypical family mold (one or more children living with
their biological parents). To create a truly family friendly
environment, you need to accept and minister to families
where they are - not where you wish they were. So make a
special effort to minister to every family in your church,
regardless of its shape or size.
- Look for creative ways to include singles and couples without
children at home. Ideally, the church as a whole will operate
as an extended family that includes and involves every
member. Sensitively invite and include anyone who might want
to attend or help with your events. Remember: there's a place
for everyone in God's family.
- Use family friendly programs for special family events and as
a part of your regular church program. Many churches schedule
a special "family night" once a week, or once a month. The
approach provides an easy and effective way to minister to
church families, but you can accomplish more by using these
ideas during regular church events as well. Occasionally
incorporating a family activity into a Sunday evening
service, or a Sunday morning worship time, is an effective
way to advertise your family friendly focus and to
demonstrate your belief that the church as a whole is a
family.
Contributing writers: Ben F. Freudenburg, Tim Kurth,
Michael W. Sciarra, Liz Shockey, Kathy Sizer, and Bob
Buller.
Reprinted by permission from Family Friendly Ideas
Your Church Can Do. Copyright (c) 1998 by Group
Publishing, Inc., PO Box 481, Loveland, CO 80539.
www.grouppublishing.com