Comments on: Parents: Not The Enemy http://www.cmmonthly.com/2010/01/parents-not-the-enemy/ Focusing on the needs of everyday children's ministers Tue, 01 Jun 2010 13:11:10 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: The Children’s Ministry Blog Patrol (January 2010) « Dad in the Middle http://www.cmmonthly.com/2010/01/parents-not-the-enemy/comment-page-1/#comment-242 The Children’s Ministry Blog Patrol (January 2010) « Dad in the Middle Fri, 05 Mar 2010 04:09:15 +0000 http://cmmonthly.com/?p=957#comment-242 [...] Parents: Not The Enemy [...] [...] Parents: Not The Enemy [...]

]]> By: James http://www.cmmonthly.com/2010/01/parents-not-the-enemy/comment-page-1/#comment-241 James Tue, 26 Jan 2010 22:19:01 +0000 http://cmmonthly.com/?p=957#comment-241 Exactly! The right parents are key. Folks who want to be there... not those who have to be. Exactly! The right parents are key. Folks who want to be there… not those who have to be.

]]> By: revbex http://www.cmmonthly.com/2010/01/parents-not-the-enemy/comment-page-1/#comment-240 revbex Tue, 26 Jan 2010 22:00:56 +0000 http://cmmonthly.com/?p=957#comment-240 I think finding the right parents are key - I picked two sets of parents (from the 15 or so I have available) and told them that I want our kids to be like them, and that I want their input in the program, as parents. They were families with higher than usual interest in their children's spiritual development - I just gave them a wider sphere of influence and material to reinforce what they were already doing. I've had a lot of people talk about the "requiring parents to do time in Kid's Church" - I think this is, in LOST terms, the beginning of the end. Then it becomes about wrangling kids in order to provide adults with a childfree church experience, instead of a ministry to people within a family who are all on the same path, following Jesus. I think finding the right parents are key – I picked two sets of parents (from the 15 or so I have available) and told them that I want our kids to be like them, and that I want their input in the program, as parents. They were families with higher than usual interest in their children’s spiritual development – I just gave them a wider sphere of influence and material to reinforce what they were already doing.
I’ve had a lot of people talk about the “requiring parents to do time in Kid’s Church” – I think this is, in LOST terms, the beginning of the end. Then it becomes about wrangling kids in order to provide adults with a childfree church experience, instead of a ministry to people within a family who are all on the same path, following Jesus.

]]> By: James http://www.cmmonthly.com/2010/01/parents-not-the-enemy/comment-page-1/#comment-239 James Mon, 11 Jan 2010 18:06:30 +0000 http://cmmonthly.com/?p=957#comment-239 I totally agree. Some of my best volunteers have been parents. But they were parents that God sent me... not ones who were required or forced. For me it's not enough to just fill a position with a body. I want their heart there too! God will provide the rest! And the right people are worth waiting for! I totally agree. Some of my best volunteers have been parents. But they were parents that God sent me… not ones who were required or forced. For me it’s not enough to just fill a position with a body. I want their heart there too! God will provide the rest! And the right people are worth waiting for!

]]> By: Sara http://www.cmmonthly.com/2010/01/parents-not-the-enemy/comment-page-1/#comment-238 Sara Mon, 11 Jan 2010 17:55:56 +0000 http://cmmonthly.com/?p=957#comment-238 I have had people tell me that the solution to all our staffing problems is to "require parents" to volunteer. I don't see that as the solution. Although I urge all parents to volunteer, I'm sure that everyone has parents that they DO NOT want involved in their ministry. I've also had to let go of disgruntled parent volunteers who have felt pressured into helping and they have made sure that I know they are NOT happy to be there! I think the main question to ask is: is it ministry or is it babysitting?? At our church we value ministry. And I know that the only true supplier of workers is God. Parents are a great source to search for ministers, but not all of them are going to be a good fit. Take what you can get, and then allow God to provide the rest! Being in Children's ministry has been a journey of faith...trusting God to provide for each service. We have never had to close the nursery....because God is faithful! Parents are not the problem, but they can be part of the solution. I have had people tell me that the solution to all our staffing problems is to “require parents” to volunteer. I don’t see that as the solution. Although I urge all parents to volunteer, I’m sure that everyone has parents that they DO NOT want involved in their ministry. I’ve also had to let go of disgruntled parent volunteers who have felt pressured into helping and they have made sure that I know they are NOT happy to be there!

I think the main question to ask is: is it ministry or is it babysitting?? At our church we value ministry. And I know that the only true supplier of workers is God. Parents are a great source to search for ministers, but not all of them are going to be a good fit. Take what you can get, and then allow God to provide the rest! Being in Children’s ministry has been a journey of faith…trusting God to provide for each service. We have never had to close the nursery….because God is faithful!

Parents are not the problem, but they can be part of the solution.

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