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October 2021
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3/17/2021 Family MinistryThe Importance of Family Ministry Happening inside the church and inside the home
Family ministry is important because every life at every stage matters to God and should matter to us. From our youngest members to our oldest, we love them all and want to lead them all toward a growing relationship with Jesus. Family ministry is relevant in any church because it should not be strictly between parents: other members of the church are responsible to help guide parents and their children through their faith in every phase of life. We believe that every kid is made in the image of God to love God with all their heart, soul, and strength and trust Jesus. Our goal is to embrace children's physical needs while laying a foundation for their developing impressions about God's love and God's family. It is never too early to begin implementing these truths in a child's life. Beginning in the nursery, our trained and background-checked volunteers spend time singing songs, reading a Bible story, and leading an activity with our smallest members. Through our preschool and elementary programs, we present God's truths in a way that is memorable, understandable, and doable for our kids. We have a regular small group leader and helper (trained and background checked) to create continuity in an exciting environment in which our kids participate in worship, interactive storytelling, crafts, and games that help our kids grow in WONDER at who God is as they DISCOVER who they are in Christ. Our youth ministry is led by staffed by trained, consistent, adult small group leaders who are there to help your middle schooler or high schooler grow their relationship with God and others. A typical youth night is a relaxed environment in which we don't take ourselves too seriously, playing fun games that are interactive and challenging. As the night goes on, we funnel our energy and attention towards God as we engage with the Bible through a relevant message. After the message, guys and girls split up into age-specific groups in order to process what they're learning. From nursery to youth groups, we consistently provide tools throughout the week to partner with parents to ensure that the faith conversations that begin on a Sunday continue at home. "My favorite part of family ministry is getting to work WITH parents. Here at Grace, we believe that parents should work with their children's small group leaders to disciple their children," says Allie Strunk, our Children's Ministry Director. Family Ministry at Grace Church looks like intentionally influencing parents to be the spiritual leader for their kids. Parents get about 3,000 hours per year to impact their children's lives, while Small Group Leaders may only get 52 hours a year to have an impact on their lives. While this may seem overwhelming to parents, our church is here to walk alongside all members of the family to meet their needs in any way we can. This goes with children of all ages, from nursery to pre-kindergarten, from elementary to middle school, and even to high school and beyond. We love all our families of Grace Church, and are here for every member of every family that we welcome into our forever family. We believe that the combined influence of the church and family make a greater impact in developing an every day faith in the next generation. We are committed to doing everything we can to help families win. “Family ministry should not be another program you add to your list of programs. It should develop the process that drives how both the church and the home combine their effort to influence the next generation in their faith and character. If you really believe that nothing is more important than someone's relationship with God, it makes sense to combine the influences of the home and church.” ― Reggie Joiner
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