Transitioning to Family Equipping

This is Day 5 in our continuing discussion of Dr. Timothy Paul Jones’ new bookFamily Ministry Field Guide.”  Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to participate in our discussion!  It has been enlightening for me and I pray for you too.  Today we take a snapshot of Foundation 5 – Transitioning to Family Equipping.  We are also continuing with our Daily Giveaway and it’s a good one:

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Today we are going to touch on Foundation 5 and it is packed full of great observations, analogies and recommendations.  In fact, I think,  Foundation 5 is the “meat” and heart of the book.

The “One-Eared Mickey Mouse and the Octopus without a Brain!” These are two very stereo-typical pictures of how ministry happens in many churches.

The One-Eared Mickey Mouse – the head of the cartoon mouse represents the church as a whole and the ear represents one independent ministry (youth, children, etc.).  ” Although the ministry and the larger congregation are technically connected , the two operate on separate tracks, each pursuing it’s own purposes and passions.”

This approach became so popular that it has morphed into something even more frightening – “an Octopus without a Brain!” In academic circles this structure would be referred to “segmented-programmatic.”  The ministries our segmented by age groups flailing about for calendar slots and budget monies.  The family as a whole is rarely together and goes mostly unnoticed.

Dr Jones goes into great detail about the benefits of taking a fresh approach that he refers to as “Family-Equipping.”  This is an approach that goes beyond even the two approaches that are becoming prevalent: Family-Based Ministry Model & Family-Integrated Model.

The Family-Equipping Model simply means coordinating every aspect of your present ministry so that parents are acknowledged, equipped, and held accountable a primary disciple-makers in their children’s lives.  Family equipping is all about reorienting activities that are already happening so that parents are equipped to become primary disciple-makers in their children’s lives.”

Of course there is a great deal more information and food for thought in “‘Family Ministry Field Guide.” Let me encourage you to get a copy and spend some time thinking through all the challenges and implications.  Our families are worth it!

Question of the day:

Which ministry Model (Segmented Programmatic, Family-Based, Family-Integrated, or Family-Equipping) does your current ministry most closely represent?  What would you change if you could?

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