Posted on January 10, 2010 - by rfrank
6 models of family ministry – part 1
In the next two weeks, I will be sharing with you six models I have discovered that churches use when doing family ministry. Which one is best? Which is right for your church? I’ll let you decide.
Model 1: “We Can Do It” Model
The philosophy:
1. Parents are the called to educate their children (Deuteronomy 6). In this model, parents own it, take the lead, and say “we can do it.”
2. Most activities center around the home.
3. The emphasis of the church is on building strong families rather than building a large church with lots of programs.
Pros:
1. This model is based on the needs of the children, not the desires of the church.
2. Parents take the lead in pastoring their own children.
3. This is very age-specific and inter-generational.
Cons:
1. This doesn’t interest every parent.
2. The family can be over-emphasized and the church becomes unimportant.
3. How are kids from un-Christian homes reached?
What do you think about this model?
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About Ryan
Ryan Frank is a husband, dad, children's pastor, creator of KidzMatter, and publisher of K! Magazine.
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January 11, 2010
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Gina said:
I think some advocates of this model would suggest that if families respond then reaching the unchurched is a natural bi-product. I’m not familiar with many churches that operate with this model. I’m curious if it can foster more isolation than reaching out.
In my opinion, I think the balance is too heavily focused on home and family. Although I believe the majority of churches need to swing more in this direction, this pendulum may swing so far that the church doesn’t effectively meet the needs of the community.
Advancing ministry in a specific community requires a balance of home, church and community activities/events that engage those that know Christ while enticing those that don’t.
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January 11, 2010
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rags said:
thanks for posting this. i’m interested and can’t wait for the next 5 models.