No Images? Click here It takes a village to raise a childHave you ever stopped to think about the key people who influenced you to grow in your faith? Chances are that most of us can pinpoint individuals who had a big impact on us – people who invested time in us and encouraged us to seek God and develop a deep relationship with him. This can be at any age, but if you were a child when you came to faith there might well be an adult or teenager who stands out in your memory. In the book Sticky Faith Kara Powell talks about how powerful mentors can be in children’s lives, especially as they grow older. She says, “Other adults are often able to speak into your kids’ lives in a way that you cannot as their parent.” But these relationships don’t happen by accident. The Sticky Faith research recommends that parents invite five adults to input into their child’s life. They might be grandparents, family friends, a youth pastor, or even teenagers from church. Could you think about how to encourage this principle in your church? It will likely need to be tailored to your church family – but why not ask God how you might be able to inspire your congregation to love the families and children in church. “You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.” 2 Timothy 2:1-2 It might be a challenge to think about intergenerational relationships, but it could also have a big impact on children feeling valued and increase their sense of belonging to the family of God. Have a great week! Blog post: Mentor moments This week, one mum shares how the time she got to spend with her friend’s daughter became a beautiful opportunity for a mentoring relationship to start. Christian Resource Exhibition Our networker Gareth and the team will be at Christian Resource Exhibition North in Manchester on 13 and 14 March. It's a great opportunity to source great resources for your church and see what's happening in church life around the UK. And using our special link, you can get tickets for free! Article: Intergenerational churchTake a look at this Sticky Faith article where one church are building an intergenerational church where mentoring, connection and friendship has impacted the younger generation. “The church is a family of families. We need more adoptive parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and siblings to take up the challenge.” Please send us your stories of inspiring faith at home – good and bad – we know it’s a rollercoaster! We’d love to include them in our emails and on the blog. Care for the Family - a Christian response to a world of need. We've updated our Privacy Notice. If you'd like to learn more click here. |