This chapter was entitled Sitting on a Gold Mine. In this chapter, DeVries discussed the role of parents and the gold mine that they are when it comes to ministering to youth. DeVries says:
"Research now shows that parents who simply talk about faith in the home and who involve their children in serving alongside them can actually double and sometimes triple their children's chances of living out their faith as adults." (pg 63)
With this knowledge, youth ministries everywhere should be striving to figure out ways in which to incorporate entire families within their ministry. One way that I truly believe is a great way to begin getting parents involved, is to supply them with ideas and resources to work with their kids in their faith. This may look like conversation starter questions that will kindle up some kind of personal discussion within the family over dinner. One of the ministry practices that I grew up participating in during my high school years with my church, was an event every so often that we called Pinedale Impact. What this was, was a time when members of the church would forego Sunday night service and would instead meet up to go out and serve the community. During this ministry I had the opportunity to join with my parents and go to an assisted living home and play some hymns for a time of praise and worship with the residents there. I can honestly say that I look back on that experience with GREAT fondness and wish that I could have the opportunity to do that yet again sometime. I agree wholeheartedly with DeVries when he says that parents are a gold mine that youth ministries are unaware of as they slowly kill themselves. It is something that I want to see changed and be a catalyst in creating a culture within youth ministry where parental involvement is incorporated healthily in every manner possible.
No comments:
Post a Comment