Resources

Links for Parents:

The mission of Family Time Training is to train families to teach children Christian principles and values in the home.  "Family Time" is a term used to describe fun, intentional, spiritual lessons in the home.  In addition to spending fun time together, Family Time lessons are used to teach specific Christian values, character qualities and spiritual beliefs.  A free activity is provided on the website every month.

Passing along a heritage of Christian faith to your family is a parent's highest calling. Heritage Builders' goal is to encourage and empower you in this great mission with practical resources and inspiring ideas that really work and help your children develop a lasting love for God. We exist to equip, train and motivate parents to become intentional about building a strong spiritual heritage.

Visionary Parenting will expand your vision, encourage your heart, and give you a practical plan to turn your family into a discipleship center. Visionary Family Ministries provides original materials in a variety of formats: books, audio, or DVDs. Each study has a downloadable guide for group discussion making them a wonderful resource for small group Bible studies or parent groups. Popular titles include Visionary Marriage, Visionary Parenting, and Never Too Late: Encouraging Faith in Your Adult Child. Several audio messages are available for FREE download which are definitely worth exploring.

LifeResource Ministries has a FREE 7-part audio series called Parenting for Faith.  God passes His faith to our children through the relationship we share with them. Through examples and practical tips, this series teaches parents how they can interact with their children in order to enhance their children's relationship with God.

A Splink is a SIMPLE way to LINK your family together spiritually. It’s a FREE weekly email packed with ideas to help connect your family. Splinks are creative ways of interacting with your children with family devotional starters and ideas for family time. Splinks can also help you use teachable moments to pass along spiritual truths and life lessons while making memories or just having fun together. No matter where you are, it can always be time for a Splink!

If you’ve been wondering how to begin developing your child’s character, or if your past efforts haven’t been as successful as you’d hoped, we’re excited that you’re checking out Kids of Integrity. Suitable for ages three to ten, Kids of Integrity is designed for maximum kid appeal! Each lesson features Bible-based discussions plus crafts, games, and object lessons from science, nature and even home cooking. This is truly one of the most comprehensive FREE resources I've seen.

Many Christians are failing to keep their faith after they begin college or enter the workforce. Focus on the Family's TrueU DVD curriculum offers an introduction to apologetics (a defense of belief in God) that aims to help reverse this trend. Two titles currently available: Does God Exist? and Is the Bible Reliable? are targeted toward a teen audience.

Mad About Jesus has lesson plans and videos of Bible object lessons. Although the site is designed with church youth leaders in mind, the lessons can easily be adapted for use in a family setting. These lessons may be particularly interesting for older children and teenagers.

Books for Parents:

Filled with stories from real parents and children who share successful and unsuccessful teachable moments, the book was unexpectedly entertaining. As I read, I felt as though someone was coming alongside me and mentoring me in how to spontaneous teach my child about God and His ways. At the end of the book, the authors have included “101 Common Opportunities for Uncommon Teaching.”   My full review can be found here.

This comprehensive guide includes information on the stages of spiritual development as well as specific strategies that can be used by families. Worksheets are included for parents to use while creating an individualized plan for their family.  Because it is an overview of children's spiritual development, it does not provide detailed "how to" information, but the book does provide a list of suggested resources.

Visionary Parenting: Capture a God-Sized Vision for Your Family  deserves high praise indeed!  Dr. Rob Rienow examines the role of the family in the Bible from both macro and micro viewpoints.  Personal stories are engaging and help the reader to see what spiritual leadership in the family looks like. 

This is the first book in Heritage Builders'  Family Nights Tool Chest series.  It provides flexible lesson plans for doing Family Nights at home to teach your children about God.  Lessons are short, activity-based object lessons with relevant Bible verses.  A wonderful way to show your children how interesting and exciting Christianity truly is!

Resources for Family Ministry:

Homepointe Ministries is not another ministry program.  Instead it's a model for integrating the "best practices" of family ministry into existing church structures.  Following the family-equipping model of family ministry, Homepointe strategies are church-wide strategies.  Examples of church using various Homepointe strategies are provided on the website.

D6 stands for Deuteronomy 6:5-7 which commands dads and moms to take everyday opportunities to impress God's Word upon the hearts of their children.  The D6 Conference is an annual event designed primarily for people involved in family and youth ministry, although parents are also welcome to attend.  A variety of resources fall under the D6 umbrella including Splink and curriculum for children and parents.  The D6 Family Emphasis Kit is an extremely economical way for churches to begin shifting their focus to equipping parents.

When he started Faith At Home, Mark Holmen did not want to just create another program, or "ministry silo."  Instead he seeks to integrate family ministries into existing ministry structures.  The Faith at Home approach is a legacy approach to family ministry.  Once each year, parents attend a "Faith at Home" event where they are taught a specific skill for bringing up their children in the Lord.  The skills correlate with a the stage of development their children are going through.  The Faith Begins at Home: The Family Makeover with Christ at the Center book includes a CD-ROM with videos sharing the vision for the ministry.  The book also provides a 5-part sermon series about the family.  Slides that correlate with the sermons are included on the CD-ROM.

Discover a vision for family ministry in your church. Develop a biblical theology of family ministry that will transform lives for generations to come. DVD series include the popular Visionary Marriage, Visionary Parenting, Never Too Late, Encouragement for Single Parents, Building a Home-Centered Youth and Children's Ministry, and The Role of the Family in World Evangelism.

 

Kidology's Leadership Lab Download Kit #4 -Partnering with Parents is a resource designed for those involved in children's and youth ministries.  However, it contains wonderful ideas and principles that can used by anyone who is trying to engage parents in the spiritual development of their children.  This download includes an e-book, Powerpoint slides, and seven videos.

I have just started reading Think Orange: Imagine the Impact When Church and Family Collide...  but am already very impressed.  Practical strategies are provided for how two God-ordained institutions--the church and the family--can work together for a common purpose.  That purpose is effectively reaching the next generation.