Effective Children/Family Ministry

I couldn't sleep tonight because I was thinking about how Christian families are falling to divorce and disaster as quick as wild fire. With the opportunity to lead a Children and Family ministry at a church plant in Utah, my mind has been racing on how we should set up this ministry and how it should function. I made up the following outline listing 4 key components. Uniting the family unit NEEDS to be the main focus of anything we do.

I believe that it is not the church's duty to raise kids spiritually. A child only spends maybe 3-4 hours a week at church. Mom and Dad are the MOST important role models in a child's life and it is the church's job to resource the parents and support what they are doing at home and encourage parents in their marriage. Keep in mind some children don't have parents who are believers, so, in that case it is the church's job to reach out to that child's family and also provide Godly role models and resources for the child.

Anyway, this is a brainstorm of my thoughts, I think I can go to sleep now that I put all these thoughts on paper. . . Feel free to post any comments if you have any. This is just a brief overview, I will post at a later time more specifics in each category.

4 Components to a CHILDREN/FAMILY MINISTRY

A. Uniting Husbands and Wives
1. Daily Prayer/Reflection/Study together (even for just 10 min)
2. Weekly or Bi-Weekly Date nights (fun times one-on-one)

• Switch off weeks with other couples and baby-sit for each other

3. Communication and Understanding of your Spouse

• Sunday School Classes
• Mid-week Bible study with other couples
• Resources, Resources, Resources, Books, Sermons, DVD, whatever it takes
  

B. Educating Parents
1. Provide Resources on Childhood Stages and Godly Parenting Tips

• i.e. Bringing baby home, Newborns, Toddlers, Preschool, Kinder, Early Elem., etc.

2. Midweek Bible study and fellowship with other couples/mentor couples
3. Stage Based Sunday School Classes

C. Uniting the Family as a Unit
1. Daily Devotions (Resource) Given to Families
2. Weekly Family Fun Night (Just Parents and Kids)

• Pizza Night
• Movie Night
• Mini Golf
• etc.
  

3. Monthly or Bi-Monthly Church-wide Family Gatherings

• Bowling
• Picnics
• Holiday Parties, etc.

D. Educating Children
1. Newborns

• safety, care, experience Godly love
• leaders praying over children
  

2. Toddlers

• Learn who God is and his presence in our life
• again, prayer for these young children

3. Pre-School

• Learn moral behavior and basic Bible History
• basics of saying prayers

4. Kindergarten

• learn rules of the Bible History and basics on what sin is
• How to pray as Jesus did

5. Early Elem. (grades 1-3)

• Truths of the Bible about God's Law transitioned to understanding grace in the Bible
• How to worship and preparing our hearts for worship

6. Late Elem. (grades 4-6)

• Learning the truth and evidence of Christ
• Concepts of Salvation
• Basics on how to share and defend your faith

**For work with Parents, Husbands and wives there will need to be accountability
**For work with kids there will need to be motivation, fun teaching/activities, exciting worship, and rewards.