Family Matters

Do you believe family is important? Do you think studying the bible with your family is a necessity? Does your family serve the community together? Do you view the people of your congregation as your family? What/Who is it that you call family? Are you valuing time with your family at home? at church? Are you neglecting time with your family for other things?

These are questions that have been running through my head lately in regards to ministry. We are seeing a negative trend among families, especially those who attend church, with the decline of devotion to family time. Family time could include eating around a table together, bible study/devotional, watching a movie, etc. Families are simply not making time for family and it is affecting our churches.

Today, I had the privilege of attending a lectureship taught by Jerry Elder (Youth Minister at Spring Meadows Church of Christ) on Family Ministry. He shared a lot of things that I had been thinking lately in regards to youth ministry and how to evolve it into something that is family oriented.

At Rose Hill, we have shifted our focus in our student ministry to be more family oriented. If I am being honest, I know things do not change overnight, but I have been discouraged at the lack of progress in bringing the families in to what we are doing with our ministry. In youth ministry a culture has developed over the last several years (probably since the beginning) of it being a youth only ministry and parents make sure their kids are there, they drop them off, and the youth minister takes it from there. In reality, leaving it up to the youth minister to make sure their child's spiritual development is taken care of. Can I be honest? If parents are not also getting involved with the congregation, bible studies, and things for their own age, how can the parents expect their kids to do the same with the youth group? "Train up a child in the way he should go...." (Proverbs 22:6) Part of that training is allowing your kids to see your actions match your words and be genuine with your faith. I know there are always going to be some families who understand this concept, some who don't, and some who don't want to understand. It's a frustrating and daunting task when getting parents to see that their role in our youth ministry is larger than simply make sure your child is at an event or bible study or whatever else is planned.

This is something I believe in, Family Matters. It matters in our church and in homes. It is something I am not willing to cave in to. I will continue to pray that families will see the importance and need for them in our ministry and that our families who are involved will become the majority instead of the minority. I will pray that our families adopt other students in our youth group who may not have families there and help them to realize the family of God is a forever family and we are in this journey together.

I digress.... Back to the lectureship...

I appreciate very much what Jerry Elder had to say. It was like he read my mind and was able to speak what I had been thinking. Sometimes my thinking is a bit "outside the box" and I get weird looks or shot down because people can't understand my ideas. So, let me share with you some thoughts from Jerry, which I agree with.

In congregations, we do a great job of splitting up our kids, youth, young adults, and adults by age groups. However, we segment them sometimes to the point where they aren't spending time together. Growing up were you ever a part of a bible study or class that your parents were in? Did you grow up having family devotional time at home? The sad reality is the majority would say "No, that did not happen." If there isn't family time at home and there isn't family time at church, then where are our families having family time? The ball field? Drive-thrus? extra curricular activities?

Most of us will say "it starts in the home". Yes, you are right.... but it isn't starting in the home. SO we, as the church, must get back to the idea of family in our churches. Families matter.

Families have mattered from the beginning, from the Old Testament until now. Everything we read in the bible regards the family and how families have passed down there faith through generations of people. We aren't really seeing that in families anymore.

What if we did have family devotionals and we did have classes where parents and children shared in study together. This would maybe jump start and propel that spiritual family time that families need to be having in their home. What if we didn't have youth ministries anymore instead we solely focused on the family by having classes with future parents to help them understand the importance of the parents role in ministry. For those that are reading, we are trying to implement these things at Rose Hill Church of Christ. Why? Family Matters!

One thing, as a minister, that I have to do a better job of is making our youth and family ministry more personal. Parents, your kids are my kids. I want the best for them. I will be there in a time of need. I will be there in victory and defeat. I will watch them achieve great heights and fall to the lowest of lows because these are my kids, as well. I love them unconditionally. I need to play a bigger role in the lives of our families, so that you know we are all in this together.

If we can shift our focus in the church back to families and if families will realize the importance in ministry, the church, and homes we will see growth. Growth spiritually because of a deeper dedication to God and to family, as a whole. Our christian family will begin to realize we are a forever family and that we help each other out in time of need, hurting, and victory!

Family Matters! Do you believe it?

As we continue in 2014, I will continue to think outside the box, to challenge our families, and to push our youth to realize the importance of family (church and physical). I have thought of some great ways to implement this idea in our ministry at Rose Hill and can't wait to get the wheels in motion as we seek to love God, love each other, and love our families!