Families
8 Ways to Encourage Discipleship Among Children
Children Independently Following Jesus. Irregular attendance at programs is a constant concern of children’s ministry leaders. The reality is that children can only attend our programs when their family enables them. Teaching children to nurture their relationship with God and independently follow Jesus will help them in the wider circumstances of their life when they may…
Read MoreSeeking After Excellence in Ministry with Children – A Concise Checklist
We will treat each child as a unique individual: whilst ‘ages and stages of development’ material can provide some general help, they do not describe a real child – just trends. We will take the time, and make the effort, to ‘tune in’ to the life of each child it is our privilege to minister…
Read MoreThe Church Sticking Together – The Vital Role of Intergenerational Relationships in Fostering Sticky Faith
It turns out that intergenerational relationships are one key to building lasting faith in students. Silver bullet? No. Helpful if we want students to live their faith beyond high school? Absolutely. Sadly, many high school students lack these significant relationships. In our effort to offer relevant and developmentally appropriate teaching and fellowship for teenagers, we have…
Read MoreThe impact of church based parent and toddler groups
The importance of working with children in early years (aged 0-5) There has been a large amount of academic and social policy research concluding that the single most important factor influencing a child’s intellectual and social development is the quality of parenting and care they receive and the quality of the home learning environment that…
Read MoreReclaiming the Missing Link in Faith Formation
What is forming the spiritual intelligence in our youngest children? Kevin Unicomb looks at child discipleship from within the traditions of his church and draws out universal lessons for us all. Without doubt, from what I have seen and studied in the church during the past 25 years, including leadership conferences, church growth seminars, planting…
Read MoreThinking Clearly About Family Ministry – Where to Start?
God created and designed us to live in a community called family but we live in a world filled with broken hearts and broken homes. Globally we are confronted by the struggles and the results of fragile, hurting families … and we are worried. This paper is the beginning of a response which aims to…
Read MoreLeaving a Godly Heritage – The Consequence of Ideas
What does leaving a Godly heritage look like? What does it mean ‘to leave a Godly heritage?’ Sons are a heritage from the Lord, children are a reward from Him Psalm 127: 3 (NIV) Heritage can relate to many things, but for our purpose we will use the Oxford Dictionary definition which in part states;…
Read MoreWhat is the context of child discipleship?
In biblical culture, as in most cultures still today, people did not live primarily as individuals, but as families, especially extended families. How might this influence our understanding of discipleship? Bob Rognlien works in the Middle East and elsewhere seeking to help people understand the context of the Bible – find out more here This…
Read MoreGod’s Plan for Generational Blessing Through the Church
Are we prepared to put the same strategic, financial and people resources into nurturing the children of the church, and reaching the unchurched child, that we pour into our evangelism courses, youth work and church fabric budgets? Dave Roberts was a founding publisher of Youthwork magazine, the annual Eastbourne, UK children’s ministry training event. This…
Read More7 resources to stretch your thinking about men, dads and discipleship
Dad Matters – Forming Faith If both father and mother attend regularly, 33 percent of their children will end up as regular churchgoers, and 41 percent will end up attending irregularly. Only a quarter of their children will end up not practicing at all. If the father is irregular and mother regular, only 3 percent…
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