As children's ministry leaders, we should not only be focused on children, but their parents as well. Parents are the greatest influence in a child's life. So you should seek to influence the greatest influencers in children's lives.
It is important to always be thinking about how you can invest in parents and partner with them.
Here are some key conversations and trainings you can have to impact parents, which in return will make a positive impact on their children.
#1 - How to raise their children to love and follow Jesus for a lifetime. A key time to have this conversation is when you are hosting a parent and child dedication service. Have a class that is connected to the dedication. In the class, explain what the dedication is about AND talk with the young parents about the essentials they need to raise their children in God's ways. If you can speak into parents' lives at this early stage, you will see the fruit for many years.
If you are looking for a great parent and child dedication class, I have one that is being used by hundreds of church. You can check it out at this link.
#2 - Making God's Word a priority in their home. As kids enter elementary school, it's a great time to talk with parents about making God's Word a priority in their home. A great way to do this is to have a Bible celebration class for children and their parents. In the class, you can give parents practical ways they can help their children grow to love God's Word and make it part of their life. I also have a class available for this at this link.
#3 - How to lead their child to Jesus. Some parents are not prepared to lead their child to Jesus. You should partner with them in the most important decision their child will ever make. Again, a class is a great way to do this. Have kids and parents attend together as you clearly share the Gospel.
Talk with them about these questions:
-How old does a child have to be to enter a relationship with Jesus?
-How can I know when my child is ready to make this decision?
-What verses should I use to share the Gospel with my child?
You can get more information about the Starting Point salvation class at this link.
#4 - The importance of consistent church attendance. In many churches we see families attending one to two times a month. This means the children are missing over half of the lessons. Then we wonder why they grow up and don't know God's Word or how to defend their faith. It is crucial that you help parents see how important it is to be in church consistently for the sake of their children.
We see many families in today's culture who choose to have their children in sports on Sundays. Not to mention the traveling sports teams which will take children out of church for weeks on end. We must help parents see that if they want to see their children serve Jesus for a lifetime, then they must start now making church the top priority for their family.
#5 - Preparing their children to enter the teenage years. This is a great time to talk with parents about how to parent a teenager, pitfalls to avoid as the parent of a teenager, how to help their child thrive in their teen years, etc. A class is a great way to communicate this. It's also a great time to partner with your student ministry as you invest in parents during this critical time of transition. You can see the class I developed for this at this link.
#6 - How to protect their children from online pornography. This is so crucial. I can't tell you the number of times I've had parents come to me and with tears in their eyes share that their child has been exposed to pornography online. We need to be proactive and talk with parents about this before it happens. Give them tools like online filters that block questionable information and protect children from being exposed.
Many pre-teens in today's culture have smartphones. Pornography is just one click away if preventive measures are not taken. Consider having a parenting seminar that covers this issue and equips parents to put preventive measures in place.
#7 - Why we believe what we believe. Kids are growing up in this culture unprepared to defend their faith. Apologetics is a must. Doctrine is a must. Talk with parents and equip them with the resources they need to accomplish this.
#8 - How to model prayer in the home. Help parents see the importance of prayer in the home. It must go beyond just saying a quick prayer over the meal. Provide parents with a prayer calendar they can use to pray over their children. Get the tools in parents' hands that they need to have a family devotion time.
#9 - How to help their children develop a Biblical worldview. The culture that we live in is moving farther and farther away from a Biblical worldview. Help parents equip their children to have a Christian worldview.
#10 - How to help their children have a growing relationship with Jesus. Encourage them to have a time of daily Bible reading and prayer with their children. Help them understand that this is something they should lead the way in. When children know their parents have a growing relationship with Jesus, it will help them establish the same. As children grow into their pre-teen years, they should also have their own time of Bible reading and prayer.
