Archive for Workshops
Who Would Benefit from a Family-iD?
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We love seeing each family come alive to their God-given multi-generational purpose, and attending or hosting a Family-iD workshop shows your commitment to those you lead, and the gift of family we all have! Who would benefit from a Family-iD?
SINGLES: What if it was a concise, easily understood document to help potential people in your future to clearly see what you feel is important in your family relationships? What if you had some way of knowing for certain whether a given person might be the right one for you? Wouldn’t it be great to have your values clearly in place so there couldn’t be misunderstanding about your expectations for your future marriage relationships or family life?
SINGLE PARENTS: What if you could simplify the ways you guide and discipline your children? Wouldn’t it be super to know what kind of spouse would actually fit with your family’s goals and values? What if you could be assured that your children would be very likely to adopt your Christian values and practices? Wouldn’t you like to feel confident that you are a great parent and “doing it right?”
COUPLES WITH OR DESIRING CHILDREN: What if you could minimize conflict in your marriage and especially bickering among your children? What if you could create a family identity so powerful your children would run to it, adopt it, and pass it on to their kids? Wouldn’t you love to clarify the “rules of the house” so everyone gets fair treatment?
BLENDED FAMILIES: What if you had a way to get all your kids on the same page? What if your older children understood their indescribable influence in the lives of the younger siblings and decided to be a positive team captain cheering for their success? What if your conflicts could be minimized and you actually saw the diverse personalities working together as a team?
GRANDPARENTS: What if you could assist your children in carrying out their family vision? Or maybe be a part of creating a family constitution? (Wow—how great would that be?) How would you feel about casting your family shadow at least 100 years into the future? What if you could help your children find clear and godly direction for their lives in this very confusing time?
Discover God’s Multi-Generational Purpose for Your Family! Register for any of the Family-iD Workshops scheduled or Host your own at www.Family-iD.com
Guest Blog: Gina McClain
Posted by: | CommentsMany have heard the familiar adage
You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink.
True. But you can give him a salt lick and make him thirsty.
If your a #kidmin leader, you’re very familiar with the helpful tools you provide to parents every week. Tools designed to help parents continue the conversation after their weekend fun in your ministry. Tools intended to equip parents to teach their kids how to navigate the bible, to internalize scripture, and to grow as a follower of Christ.
But we also know that if mom and dad don’t see those tools as valuable they aren’t likely to use them. So how do we provoke parents to put these tools to use?
Create a thirst.
Consider this… in my community it doesn’t take much to see what families value. Good schools & good sports programs. Why? Because they develop valuable skills and create opportunity for kids as they grow into adulthood.
Many parents I encounter have a vision for their child’s educational success. Which is why they enroll their kids in a specialized school, pay for private tutoring and pay close attention to their progress as a student. Success in academics opens doors for success professionally. So when a teacher sends homework, study tools and other materials home… parents utilize them. Why?
Vision.
There is an end goal in mind that includes a mortar board, a long, black robe and pomp & circumstance.
If mom and dad do not have a vision for their child’s spiritual development… if their goal is not centered upon raising a child that loves God with everything in them, then they will not see the value in the tools we place in their hands. They will not see the value in they’re child learning to navigate the bible on their own… they won’t encourage the discipline of internalizing scripture… they won’t teach the art of articulating their faith.
So, how do we create a thirst? Turn them on to a bigger vision for their family. Help them see there is a greater goal for their child. Give them a glimpse of the impact they can have on the faith of successive generations.
Parents want to be effective. But many times they just don’t know how. What do we (the church) have in place that will teach them how?
Some friends of mine have an amazing ministry that equips families in ways I’ve never seen before. If there is anything to consider for your #kidmin ministry in 2010, take a close look atFamily ID.
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Gina has been in children’s ministry for more than 5 years at LifeChurch.tv, their family are alumni of the Family-iD Workshop, and Gina is helping develop a Family Coach and Implementation plan for Family-iD. Contact directly: Gina@ginamcclain.com