PARENTING THE NEXT GENERATION: Our Methodology & Discipleship Strategy
our Methodology
We strive to be intentional about what we teach and when we teach it.
In order to do this, we use what we call The Master Plan.
"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself." Matthew 22:37-39
We believe in this verse so much, we've connected everything we do to these key relationships. Three words remind us how important these relations are:
Wonder. Discovery. Passion.
Each of these three relationships--highlighted in Matthew 22--has a different level of relevance to the stages of a child's development.
Wonder
What if children grew up amazed by the wonder of their heavenly Father and how much He loves them? What if they understood God is big enough to handle whatever they will face in life?
Discovery
What if children were provoked to pursue a lifestyle of discovery, where their identity is determined by a personal relationship with Christ and they are guided by His Spirit?
Passion
What if kids developed a sense of passion that mobilized them to do what Jesus did on earth? What if they understood they are designed to personally participate in God's story to show His redemptive plan to every generation?
Picture the concepts of wonder, discovery, and passion as three separate dials:
Wonder
This is the most natural dial to turn during the formative years. We base our ministries around truths that teach young children about God as a loving Father and Creator.
Birth through age four:
- God made me
- God loves me
- Jesus wants to be my friend forever
Discovery
During the elementary years, we add the discovery dial, and spin our ministries to help children see how His truths should be the compass for their decision making. We also begin tuning in the passion dial, encouraging older elementary-age kids to serve and challenging them to make others a priority.
Kindergarten thru Sixth Grade:
- I can trust God no matter what (wonder)
- I need to make the wise choice (discover)
- I should treat others the way I want to be treated (passion)
Passion
When kids move into the teenage years, we turn up the passion dial. It is critical for teenagers to personalize what they learn, but they need consistent opportunities to do ministry so they can understand how to be the church. Middle and high school students feel significant when we give them something significant to do.
Seventh thru Twelfth Grade:
- I am created to pursue an authentic relationship with God (wonder)
- I belong to Jesus Christ and define who I am by what He says (discovery)
- I exist every day to demonstrate God's love to a broken world (passion)
*Methodology adapted from Think Orange by Reggie Joiner
There are 168 hours in a week. On average, we, as a church, have your child's attention for 1 hour. That leaves 167 hours outside the church--lots of room for discipleship at home.
DisCIpleship at home
Equipping Parents
We do not pretend to be the end-all, be-all when it comes to walking alongside your child(ren) in their journey with Christ. In fact, we simply see ourselves as supporting role.
There are 168 hours in a week.
On average, we, as a church, have your child's attention for 1 hour. That leaves 167 hours outside the church--lots of room for discipleship at home, with parents guiding.
Easier said than done though, right? Schedules are busy, life is hectic, and we don't even know where to start. That's why we, as a church, desire to equip families for the responsibility, and strive to do so in a number of ways.
Occasional Small Groups for Parents
Sometimes we just need to be with people who understand what we are going through. We'd planned to start small groups this fall for parents of kids and teens to help equip you and provide a community for you, however our options have been limited due to COVID-19. Stay tuned!
Resources for Discipling Kids & Teens
There are numerous resources out there to help you disciple your child(ren). It can be overwhelming. Each month in our parent emails, we will suggest a resource that we have reviewed and meets our standards. If there is something specific that you are looking for, feel free to ask us!
Practical Tools for Conversation at Home
Each month, parents will receive an email that gives an overview of what we will be teaching the kids and teens. These emails will have some practical discussion starters to assist you in continuing the conversation of what we are talking about at home.
Family discipleship strategy
4 Spiritual Habits
We believe there are four spiritual habits that help kids (and adults, too) grow closer to God. These four habits aren’t anything new. They’ve been talked about countless ways, by a countless number of people.
Since these four spiritual habits are behaviors that help kids grow closer to God, we need a strategy both at church and at home to help them engage in these habits on a regular basis, year after year.
Want some help designing a strategy for your family? Let us know! We'd love to partner with you.
Spend Time with God
God designed us to have a relationship with Him. Like our other relationships (family, friends, classmates, etc…), our relationship with God gets better and stronger the more time we spend with Him!
Developing personal spiritual disciplines (reading the Bible, praying, journaling, etc...) is a critical part of making this a habit. Talk with your kids about your own habits and invite them to participate with you or make their own.
Some ideas to get you started...
Make a plan for daily quiet time and invite your kids to read the Bible for themselves (or look though a picture Bible). A great place to start? The passage from church on Sunday!
Keep a family prayer list somewhere that you will see it regularly. Invite your kids to choose a person off the list to pray for.
Do family devotions. Habits are more easily "caught" than "taught". Choose a book to read through. Need a suggestion? Let us know!
Spend Time with Others
In the same way that we were designed to have a relationship with God, He also placed in us a need for community. The people we have in our lives make our lives better and more meaningful. We can share the hope we have found in Jesus with the people around us. When our closest friends and family are also followers of Jesus, they can help us mature in our faith as well! This habit is a fun and easy one to develop and strengthen.
Here are some things to try...
Invite a family out to lunch after church. Share a part of the sermon that was meaningful to you. Encourage your kids to share what they learned.
Set up a play date at a park or your house. Make time for conversation that goes deeper than just “catching up”.
Make a list of your kids’ close friends. Help them find ways to intentionally connect with them.
Share Your Story
Sometimes our faith journeys can feel very personal. We wonder if we are “getting it” or if we are “doing it right." We hesitate to share honestly, even with the ones we know best.
Your story is important, though, and needs to be heard! God is working in your life and He doesn’t want you to keep quiet about it! Being open and vulnerable is definitely a skill and habit that will take some practice!
Ready to try one of these ideas?
Write down some of the ways God is working in your life right now. Next time someone asks you “What’s new?," share one of the things you wrote down with them!
Keep asking questions. It takes at least 3 questions to move a conversation beyond the surface-level topics. Even when your kids don’t seem like they want to be bothered, keep gently probing…and LISTEN!! Even the small stuff is big stuff to them and it deserves your full attention!
Go deeper in conversations, asking friends how they are growing in their faith. This one can be hard, but take a deep breath and just put the question out there. You have to share, too!
Use Your Gifts
Every person on the planet is unique and has been given many talents and gifts. We can choose to use those gifts to serve ourselves or we can choose to use them to serve God.
It is important to help kids develop the spiritual habit of knowing and using their gifts to serve God and others. Like each of the habits, this is one that is most easily modeled and incorporated into the framework of your family.
If your family is ready to grow in this area...
Look at your family’s weekly schedule. Are there any activities that involve serving or ministering to others? If not, take inventory of your obligations. Can you swap one out for a service opportunity or incorporate serving into an existing activity?
Talk to your kids about their gifts. Help them see ways that they can use their gifts to help others and your family.
Join a service team at church. Can you see yourself as a smiling face welcoming others to church? A member of the livestream, sound, or A/V team? A small group leader for kids or teens? A connection point for guests and new families? Consider where God may be calling you to be more involved.