Tags: parents

When most ministry leaders talk about equipping parents, they usually mean one thing: providing resources. And while there’s nothing wrong with handing out resources (we love a good family resource here at Deeper KidMin), if our strategy for partnering with parents stops there, we’re missing the bigger picture. Equipping parents is more than just distributing resources. If our only strategy for engaging families is giving them materials (that don't even make it into the house half the time), we’ve slipped into what I call a “vending machine mindset.” In a vending machine mindset… The children’s ministry leader simply provides resources with little interaction. Parents are expected to come to us: our buildings, our events, our parent resource shelves. Families may not know how to use what we’ve provided (or may not...

In children’s ministry, there are a few lessons you learn pretty quickly: Saturday-night volunteer call-outs are going to happen (so plan for them and don't let them wreck your weekend). The check-in printers will die at the worst possible moment (right before the Sunday morning rush). And if you bring out the glitter, you will still be finding it in the carpet six months later. But when it comes to partnering with parents, there’s one lesson that matters most: Consistent is better than flashy. Parents don’t need one more giant, blown-out event from you (though those are great when they're intentional). They don’t need the perfectly polished devotional resource that took you weeks to design and put together. They don’t even need a “wow” moment every single Sunday. What parents really need is simple, steady encouragement that...