The power of a story

A good story is powerful. It connects us to one another, drawing us in as we imagine ourselves or those we know in the story. It holds our attention, crosses barriers of age and culture and is remembered long after it is told.

As Easter fast approaches we are reminded we know the greatest story ever told, but how do we empower the parents in our congregations to tell their children about the story that transformed their lives?

Ideas this month

As a church leader I want to see people grasping the power of Jesus’ story, not only on a Sunday, but in every aspect of their lives. And as a family and children’s pastor I want to empower parents to feel confident to tell their faith story to their children – not only how they came to faith, but how Jesus impacts their lives every day.

I want to resource parents with tools and ideas to help them as they disciple their children on a Monday morning school run or a Saturday afternoon at the park.

Often parents feel that the experienced children’s workers are better placed to share their testimony with their children. But how can we help parents to realise that their story, in the ups and downs of daily life, has the greatest influence on their children? How can we join the dots between church and family life?

Often it’s about building parents’ confidence and helping them see this isn’t something to add to a busy to-do-list. There are so many simple ways they can bring their faith story into everyday life.

It might be as simple as the language we use! It might mean talking from the front of church about the amazing opportunity parents have to disciple their children in daily life, and recognising it as one of our ‘church ministries’.

Or it could be taking it that step further and showing parents how you want to invest in this amazing ministry by using some of the ideas we’ve included above.

Sometimes, just asking parents what they need from the church, or asking about their children and letting them know you are praying for them during the week is a huge encouragement.

This month, how can you help parents to see how their faith story influences their children and that what goes on in their homes in the week is very much part of what your church cares about? It might just help them to join some of the dots between church and home!

Blessings

Claire and the Kitchen Table Project team

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.