One of the ever-growing struggles in youth ministry is families who no longer see church as a priority. On today’s episode of the Multiply! Podcast, Brian is joined by Mel Walker. Mel is the president and co-founder of Vision for Youth and the author of several books, including Inter-Generational Youth Ministry and his latest book Going On For God. Brian and Mel address the topic of helping families prioritize regular involvement with their local church.
- We cannot forget that God has developed two institutions: the family and the church
- Both are priorities (Ephesians 4, Ephesians 6)
- Some people see their families as idols
- How is your family partnering with the church?
- The trend is not going towards good families
- Families have to make a commitment to church, and the church has to make a commitment to be more family-friendly
- Sometimes we use family as an excuse to not be committed to a local church
- The church is God’s program
- Families were designed to be encouraged and helped in a community of faith (Titus 2)
- We need balance in our thinking
- We miss the benefits the church has for our family
What can church leaders do to foster this kind of environment?
- Make a commitment to the families in your church
- Be committed to busy youth – have breakfast with them, go to their games, etc.
- Think about shot-term ministries instead of ongoing meetings
- Ask parents how you can help them
- What do they want for their children?
- Parents have to make decisions
- Be on their side
- The church needs to be a family
- Families will be in trouble
- The definition of family is changing
- Figure out your community
Resources:
“Going on for God” – Mel Walker: https://goingonforgod.com/
Multiply episode 16 “Inter-generational youth ministry” – Mel Walker: https://lcm.wol.org/multiply/inter-generational-youth-ministry-mel-walker/
“Inter-Generational Youth Ministry” – Mel Walker: http://intergenerationalyouthministry.com/
Multiply Email: Multiply@wol.org