Family ministry is one of the most powerful tools for outreach in congregations, because wanting the best for your family is one of the few universal feelings we share. It’s also one of the rare ideas that congregations share with our culture. Brandon Metcalf, a student at Concordia Seminary, St....
Teens and adults use social media very differently. Where adults tend to see social media as a place to keep in touch and share funny memes, many teenagers see it as a way to figure out how they fit in the world. The concern is that they’re interacting with kids...
Rev. Steve Andrews of Saint Matthew Lutheran Church in Lee’s Summit thinks we’re living in challenging times, as Christians often have. He says, “[You see] the work of the devil in our culture to keep us busy and put so many things before us to keep Christ from being the...
by Haley Link As I walked into my first Sunday school classroom, I felt like I was going to be sick. I didn’t know anyone in the room and I wanted so badly to go home. The rest of the third graders were opening their Bibles and I was sitting...
What fortifies a parent’s resolve to take their kids to church before they can sit still? What empowers those same parents to take the lead on teaching the faith, to ensure their kids feel comfortable praying, reading scripture and asking questions? The answers will vary as greatly as every family...
When you think of Sunday School programs, do you imagine classrooms filled with grandparents? At King of Kings Lutheran Church in Chesterfield, they host quarterly Sunday School classes designed for families to attend with all generations. Grandparents learn alongside teenagers, and parents learn alongside young children. The congregation designs these...
There’s still time to register for Tell the Next Generation: A Family Ministry Conference on March 9, in St. Charles. Jolene Siebarth, DCE at Immanuel Lutheran Church, has been working with families and youth for almost 20 years. In that time, much has changed, but much has also stayed the...
By Christina Stackle This post is one of a series about supporting families in your congregation. Join us for Tell the Next Generation: A Family Ministry Conference on March 9, 2019. Have you heard parents tell their children, “I love you right up to the moon and back?” This saying,...
9 Simple Ways to Reach Families in Your Congregation By Bethany Andrews, DCE Children’s Ministry Director, Zion Lutheran Church, St. Charles, MO This post is one of a series about supporting families in your congregation. Join us for Tell the Next Generation: A Family Ministry Conference on March 9, 2019....
by Rev. Jason Reitz This post is one of a series about supporting families in your congregation. Join us for Tell the Next Generation: A Family Ministry Conference on March 9, 2019. “If my kids are in church, I don’t get anything out of it.” “My kid can’t sit that...