Your May Resources Are Here!
As ministry leaders or parents (or in many cases, both), the seemingly endless hustle and bustle of “doing ministry” or “parenting” often casts a tyrannical shadow over the simple truth that at its core, the essence of both ministry and parenting lies in embodying the love, care, and compassion of Jesus Christ to our kids and teenagers. As a children’s or youth ministry leader, true success isn’t found in the number of events we schedule or the size of the ministries we lead but in the relationships we build and the faith we foster. As a parent, success isn’t defined by our behavior modification, good grades, packed calendars, and praises for our kids’ talents or athletic abilities. The true marks of success in parenting are found in making memories, building healthy relationships, passing along core values/healthy boundaries, savoring every day, and raising up mentally/emotionally/relationally/spiritually healthy kids who know who they are and whose they are. Ultimately, the goal of what we do as ministry leaders and parents is to help our kids and teenagers grow up while at the same time growing closer to Jesus, and we need to keep that in mind as we attempt not to get sucked in by the hustle and bustle.
Jesus prioritized relationships and individual needs over structures, rituals, and busyness. He referred to Himself as a shepherd caring for His sheep. Throughout Scripture, Jesus demonstrated His love and care for people through His personal interactions, healing touch, and unconditional love of all. As ministry leaders, our primary mission is to follow Christ’s example by offering genuine care and support to those we serve. This means listening with empathy, offering comfort in times of struggle, and walking alongside individuals in their journeys of faith. Ultimately, it’s through authentic connections and acts of compassion that we truly reflect the heart of God and bring about transformative change in the lives of others.
This month, we want to provide you with a lot of great resources to help you challenge and equip the kids, teens, parents, and volunteers within your span of care to step out of the hustle and bustle and be more intentional when it comes to caring for others in their lives. This month’s Coaching Videos will challenge you and those who lead with you with some thoughts on care being the new attractional in ministry. But care goes much further than simply providing direction or physical needs. It starts with the heart and seeks to meet emotional and spiritual needs. That’s why this month’s Online Parenting Classes will challenge parents to think through how they are caring for their kids and teens. Kids and teens need parents who genuinely care for them and who are more focused on helping them grow and develop than on helping them succeed in the world. This month’s Parent Toolbox Resource is a list of practical ideas that will help parents step into caring for their children in a deeper way. There are easy things that parents can do that will both incline their hearts to care for their children in a different way and demonstrate that care in everyday life. And don’t forget that we always arm you with incredible Blog Articles and Social Media Posts to reinforce some central concepts like: ways we can care for ourselves, ways we can care for our kids and teens, stepping back from the busyness of life, learning to rely on God as our Good Shepherd, and how learning to be cared for puts us in a much better position to care for the people in our lives. Finally, in Episode 079 of the M2P Podcast, we have a conversation at the D6 Conference with author, speaker, and disciple-maker Marianne Howard about her new book Rest: Overcoming Spiritual Fatigue and how we can all learn to step into experiencing the rest that God offers and that we so desperately need.
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” – Mark 11:28-30 (ESV)
The M2P Team
WHAT IS IT?
This month’s Toolbox Resources for parents is a list of simple yet practical things they can do to care for their kids and teens in a deeper way. Due to the hustle and bustle of life, parents can easily fall into the trap of believing that care equals providing for their children’s physical needs and worldly desires. On one level, that’s true. But true care actually occurs when parents pay attention to the mental, emotional, and spiritual needs of their kids and teens and parents stepping into meeting these needs on a regular basis.
HOW TO USE IT
- Download the resource and post it on your website or share it on social media.
- Email parents a link to download the Toolbox Resource.
- Print the Toolbox Resource and have it available at church for parents to pick up.
When you think about what people in your church are in need of the most, what comes to mind? For those of you who just internally or externally shouted, “They need Jesus,” we see you, and you’re not wrong. But Divine intervention aside, there are a lot of things that could make it onto that list. People need information, ideas, support, more time, and a myriad of other things. Not to tell you something you already know, but there is a lot going on in the world and in people’s lives, and we all need help. One of the best ways we can help people as they navigate life today is to care for them in a real way. We intuitively know this, and, for some of us, this is what we want to do. But, because of the unrelenting pace of life and ministry, we often don’t slow down enough to care for people in a real, deep way. As ministry leaders, we may need to shift the way we think and consider making tangible changes in the way we lead. Maybe we need to focus a little less on programs and events and more on people and situations. Maybe we need to stop saying yes to so many things and be highly intentional about creating some margin to care for people well. If we narrow our focus to parents, we have to recognize that they need care on so many levels because of all the issues they and their kids and teens are dealing with. Not only do many of the parents in your church and community struggle to know how to engage in good and healthy conversations with their kids and teenagers, but they often don’t slow down enough to pay attention to what is happening to both them and their families. Some things we can do as ministry leaders are to take the time to pay attention to the parents around us, get to know them, and be intentional with creating opportunities to engage in open conversations with them. It’s through these intentional actions and offerings of our most coveted things (our time and our attention) that we can begin to know what is happening emotionally, relationally, and spiritually with the parents and the families around us. Once we have a better understanding of these parents and their felt needs, we can better care for them like the shepherds we are called to be.
In this month’s Coaching Videos, we want to offer you and your team some thoughts about how you can increase your focus on caring for the kids, teens, parents, and families in your church. Providing care should be a centerpiece of what we do as shepherds, not an afterthought that gets attention after the program planning has occurred.
To view, click HERE for youth and HERE for kids.
In this month’s online parenting classes, we encourage parents to think more deeply about the ways they care for their kids and teenagers, which go beyond just meeting their practical needs. We spend a little time looking at Jesus as the Good Shepherd (John 10:11), and we encourage parents to see themselves as a shepherd to their children, willing to sacrifice and truly know them on a deep level. It’s so important for parents to build a strong relationship with their kids and teens, working to protect them while also giving them room to grow and mature. As shepherds, parents have the opportunity to provide not just actual food but also spiritual nourishment for their children and point them to a real relationship with God. As parents shepherd their kids and teens, they will need to embrace their imperfections and rely on the grace and care of Jesus for themselves as they navigate the complexities of parenting in today’s world. Tending to sheep is hard, but they need it more than we know. As parents lead and guide them, they need to be led and guided themselves by the Good Shepherd who loves us all more than we can imagine.
To view, click HERE for youth and HERE for kids.
New blog posts coming this month:
- For Kids’ Ministry Leaders: “Leading the Lambs: Shepherding the Children in Your Care” by Amy Diller
- For Kids’ Ministry Parents: “Entrusted to Our Care” by Amy Diller
- For Youth Ministry Leaders: “Caring for Those Who Care” by Karin Sasser
- For Youth Ministry Parents: “Caring for Your Teens” by Karin Sasser
To view, click HERE