Reassure them that Jesus entrusted the future of the church to disciples who so often didn’t understand Jesus or what he said or did. The Holy Spirit was sent to empower them to do what they could not have done on their own. That same Holy Spirit is with parents, helping them to pass on faith. Sermons are preaching, but they also teach. They teach scripture and its interpretation and application. Sermons equip all of us to be the priesthood of all believers. Newsletter Articles – Another wonderful vehicle for teaching and equipping is the congregation’s newsletter. Look around for parents, mere mortal non-ordained parents who are already doing a wonderful job and ask them to share what they do. Have book reviews on resources that help parents tell God’s story, teach their child to pray, see God in their lives. Have Resources Available – Make sure that you have books available for sale that parents can take home and use to learn and to do faith nurture with their child. Give a Bible to families of three year olds. Even a formerly un-churched mom or dad will not find that intimidating. As the child grows, provide additional Bibles and devotional resources that are age appropriate and that involve the whole family. Provide resources to equip parents and their children and youth at each milestone of faith. Use Teachable Moments – Before you baptize a child, have a class to help parents know not just what will happen in the baptismal service, but what happens then, in home and congregation, to share the Good News. Teach them to read scripture (which may be a children’s Bible or Bible story book) with their children, to pray with their child, and to bring them to worship. Before you give those Bibles, have parents, grandparents, godparents and all of the adults who love the children in to mark up the Bible. Have all of them underline or highlight favorite verses or stories. (Provide a list of favorites and help finding them for those adults who just don’t know.) Have them write simple prayers in the front for the child. My colleague Dick Hardel says, “Never give a ‘new’ Bible. Make sure it passes on the faith of the ones who give and use it.” In the fall, before school, nursery school, and Sunday school begin, have a blessing of the backpacks as part of the worship service. Remind children that Jesus goes with them wherever they are. Give parents a simple prayer or blessing to say with their children as their children leave for school. Classes – Offer Bible studies, often in homes, that welcome those new to studying the Bible, as well as those who have done it all their lives. No adult wants to look stupid or ignorant in front of others. Invite parents personally. Offer to attend with them. Remember the Ethiopian eunuch who knew that he needed the help of Philip, a believer, to understand what he was reading in scripture.
We need to be those who come alongside the parents to help them learn in order to teach their children. Offer parenting classes. It is as easy as finding a good parenting book and a person with passion for strengthening families and nurturing faith. Do it as a book study. No need to be an expert, just facilitate discussion and give them a chance to practice the new skills in class. Open with simple devotions. Close with prayer. Help all to find the love of God in their lives.
Supporting Parents We’ll look at three ways we support parents: networking parents, support groups and mentor parents. Networking Parents – Parents need to know other parents. They need to have a place to be real, to talk open and honestly about what hard work this is, how inadequate they feel, how exhausted they are, and how afraid they are that they simply aren’t up to the task. All parenting is hard work. That said, some parents have unique challenges. Some of those may include children born with developmental challenges, learning disabilities, or physical disabilities. Others challenges include single parenting, diffculties in the marriage, and unemployment or other financial stresses. Some live in isolation from extended family. Some don’t have friends in the area. Parental mental health issues or chemical dependency are other huge stressors. Of course you cannot be a full service social service agency, but you can help parents connect with other parents who have gone through many of the same challenges and with medical and social service providers in your area who can connect parents with the help they need. Be absolutely wonderful at referrals. Build support from within, enabling parents to support other parents. Mentor Parents – can be those whose children are grown and can be surrogate parents to the parents and/or surrogate grandparents to the children who do not have family close by or whose family does not engage with and support parents and children. These relationships might be face-to-face or through phone calls, time together in the congregation, a monthly dinner out, or any combination of these. Turn your members loose and let them dream what this might be. Support Groups – It is only fair to tell you that I am sold on parent support groups in the congregation. And I’ve put my life where my mouth is. For the last twenty-nine years, I have gone to my congregation every Wednesday morning, year-round, as a volunteer, to run a parenting group we call Parents Share. Obviously, the parents aren’t the same, but I am still there, loving this part of my week. I wasn’t a parent educator when I began, but the stay-at-home mom of three children. People in your congregation could do this,
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