In a previous post I dared to suggest that family ministry is not the solution to what’s wrong with families today. We need to be careful that we aren’t merely trying to fix the symptoms of a greater problem. This is not to say that the church abandon family ministry. The key is that we get to the core and not merely address symptoms. We must be discipling and equipping people with the right emphasis. First is that they be fully devoted followers of Jesus who love the Lord with all of who they are, living in accordance with His Word and lining up all they do with His character and ways. Then, in family ministry it becomes about applying who they are in Christ to their role in the family. With this emphasis, people become more and more the parents they should be. And, they approach family life with the same focus — the heart.
In essence, then, family ministry must be rooted in the right message. Content matters.
It isn’t just about providing sermons, seminars, small group studies, etc. on all sorts of parenting skills and tactics. We need to carefully and strategically choose materials with the message that lines up with what matters to God — the heart. Reflect on these verses:
The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart. (1 Sam. 16:7)
Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. (Prov. 4:23)
You can find plenty of parenting help out there that focuses on behavior modification. But, is that going to equip parents to disciple their children in ways that teach them to love and revere the Lord? Is that going to teach them to honor their parents and other family members out of love for God and one another? Content matters.
Check out the Shepherding a Children’s Heart DVD Curriculum in one of our affiliate stores.