Cultivating A Child’s Personal Faith – It’s Not (Just) Your Job, Pastor! (Parents Are Shepherds Too)
As a church leader you know that your influence alone is not enough to cultivate life-long faith in the kids in your community. Is there a way to more intentionally empower and equip parents to lead the way at home? – Of course there is!
Have you ever lost your kid? As a former employee of an amusement park, we would come across lost kids—or lost parents as we would call them—rather frequently. Parents had a variety of emotions when they found their child. Some were angry. Some were emotional. Some were relieved. And every once in a while, we would come across a parent or guardian who didn’t even know that their kid was not with them. Herding your kids around an amusement park is more challenging than I think many expect.
Shepherding Children
Those who lead in kids ministry often describe their jobs as “herding cats” and if you have ever been part of a church VBS for longer than 5 minutes you would know that description to be accurate! However, our kids don’t just need adults to keep an eye on them physically, they also need those who care for them to keep an eye on them emotionally and spiritually. And just like us humans are prone to wander at the store or amusement park when we are young, we are likely to wander spiritually as well. It is no wonder that those who take care of Jesus’s followers are called to act as shepherds. You will find the word poimēn, the Greek word for shepherd, 18 times in the New Testament. It is from this very same word we get the title “pastor” from. Though the modern church has taken on a different form than the early church of 2000 years ago, those who make up the church, including their youngest members, are still very much in need of shepherding.
Team Approach to Children’s Ministry
And, if you are a shepherd of children – whether a children or youth pastor, director, leader or volunteer, you know the weight of that responsibility. Caring for kids is one thing, but caring for the souls of children takes on a whole other level of responsibility. You probably only see the kids you shepherd a few hours every week, if that! So how do we best serve as effective shepherds for the “little lambs” in our care? We empower and equip their parents to be spiritual shepherds at home.
Spiritual Styles- A Shepherd’s Tool
Parents often feel overwhelmed by this task. But we can make it simpler. One way to do so is through the use of Spiritual Styles. Spiritual Styles are the natural way we best hear and connect with God. Some of us love a powerful set of worship music, others of us are moved when we study God’s word. These are all evidence of our Spiritual Styles. If we can help parents understand kids’ Spiritual Style, discipleship becomes a natural part of their day-to-day lives. Here are just a few examples:
Sensing
Kids with a sensing style hear from God in the natural world. So when families are out and about in nature, parents can kids with a sensing style how they are hearing from God in that moment.
Authority-Driven
Kids of all ages who are authority—or Scripture-driven enjoy reading the Bible. Encouraging parents to ask them what they are learning about God and how He works in the world while reading a Bible passage will make their faith come more alive.
Sharing
Kids with a sharing style want to help others, and kids with a doctrinal or bold-dealistic style want to see the Bible put into action and justice carried out. Both styles can find deep spiritual connections in service, and should be given opportunities to serve in areas where they identify needs.
Learn More About Spiritual Styles
These are just a few examples. Of course we want all kids to read the Bible and serve others, however, kids whose Spiritual Styles naturally tie to these pursuits will find deep spiritual connections to their Heavenly Father in these activities. And, most of these moments can be weaved into the lives of families, without adding something to their to do list. If we can help parents identify their kids’ Spiritual Styles, then we can give them the confidence they need to be their kids’ most present and therefore most effective shepherd, guiding them into a personal relationship with Jesus.
You can learn about each of the Spiritual Styles in Janet Logan’s book, Child-Centered Spirituality: Helping Children Develop Their Own Spirituality.*
Who Wrote This Blog?
This blog was written by Rebecca Guerrero, a speaker, coach and strategist with 20+ years teaching and nearly three decades of ministry experience. To learn more about Rebecca visit beccaguerrero.com.
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