Family Ministry Is NOT Another Program

After spending a day and a half with Brian Haynes, author of Shift: What it takes to finally reach families today, I'm more convinced than ever that Brian brings something to the family ministry dialogue that I rarely see: a workable, sensible, biblical, sustainable family ministry philosophy.

Brian's grasp of family ministry goes beyond anyone's that I've encountered thus far. He and his church (Kingsland in the Houston area), have spent the last decade studying, refining, and testing a spiritual formation path that integrates family ministry into everything their church does (at every age level). Sounds hard, I know. But the beauty of it (and something we've searched for in the arena of family ministry for the last two years) is its utter simplicity.

There are three parental behaviors that are the goal of their family ministry: celebrating milestones, weekly faith talks at home, and capturing God Sightings. And they've so brilliantly succeeded at helping parents grow in these behaviors--as evidenced by the quarterly research they conduct with parents.

I'm telling you! This works! Brian and his church have succeeded in what Timothy Jones has identified as the key factor of a church's family ministry success. They've created an ethos in their church that influences everything they do. It's brilliant--and it's very different from what other folks espouse in their strategies.

Check it out at legacymilestones.org, the latest issue of Children's Ministry Magazine, and Brian's new book Shift (releasing 8.5) from Group.

Seriously, this is what it takes to finally reach families today. And it's not a program; it's a workable paradigm shift.

Comments

[peggy moore]

i've never been on a blog before, and don't know if this is where i need to be or not! something happened today that i felt moved to share. having been a children's minister until my husband's job changed our location,and a subscriber to your magazine and workshop attender, i always thought i was sensitive to the invisible child. i have an invisible grandson, one who is unchurched unless i take him to vbs or other church outreach events. his family situation makes for a stay-in-the-apartment existance unless memaw takes him places. i took him to a church day camp this week. i came home and cried after i left him today and wrote this letter to the church. i think all children's ministers need to read it and think about that invisible child.

She took me into camp today.
Did you see me?
My teacher wasn't in the sanctuary.
Did you see me?
No one greeted me.
Did you see me?
It was the same thing yesterday and the day before.
Did you see me?
When I am on the playground, no one is near me.
Did you see me?
When I leave, no one tells me goodbye.
Did you see me?
She makes me come every day.
Did you see me?
I probably won't come Sunday.
Will you miss me?
When I look for Jesus, will He see me?

A lonesome child

thanks for letting me vent.
memaw

[Chris Yount Jones]

Peggy,
That is heartbreaking! Everyone needs to read this! Thanks for posting it. And thanks for loving your little one and seeing him! And for being faithful to help him discover Jesus!
Chris

[Dana Hagstrom]

Thanks for posting! Our VBS starts next week, and I will make sure EVERY child is seen AND LOVED!

[Scott]

At a minimum, every child deserves a welcome and a good-bye. We strive to do this in my class. And use the child's name. If a child is new, we try to learn the name as soon as he arrives. Names are powerful. No child is invisible if the adults there call him by name and genuinely express happiness that he is there.