Episode 48 - Engaging Families

Want to hear a real kids staff member share her own vulnerable story of family discipleship and her hopes for families at The Hills? You won't want to miss this one! West Fort Worth Kids Family Engager Amy Leith shares how her new role in Kids Ministry actually set the trajectory for what discipleship looks like in her own home. You'll be encouraged and inspired by this one! Family Discipleship by Matt Chandler Amy Leith - [email protected]  KIDStory at Home Family Worship - September 3, 2023 - FAMILY WORSHIP In Deuteronomy 6:4-9 we read, "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates." One of the amazing things about this text is that it's completely exhaustive! It leaves very little wiggle room for us to sidestep our responsibilities as parents in the spiritual development, training, and discipleship of our kids. There is no greater responsibility in your life than spiritually equipping your children. It is not always easy nor convenient. It is demanding and sometimes there is little fruit to show for your labors. Nonetheless, it is our call as the primary disciples of our kids to be active in bringing the gospel to bear on their hearts and minds each and every day. Our aim for Family Worship services here at The Hills Church is to engage, equip, and encourage parents in the daily task of discipling their children toward a lifetime of following Jesus. We want all that we do to come alongside you. We never want to replace you, and biblically, don't see that as an option. But we want all that we do to serve and equip you for the daily task of discipleship! We sometimes think the production of fruit in our kids' lives is our responsibility. It's not. It is simply our responsibility to faithfully live out and teach these amazing truths to our kids. We must leave the fruit to God. In applying these verses to the weekly worship service as believers gather on Sunday mornings, it is vitally important that you model a life and heart of worship in front of your kids as you lead them into worship. Here are some things to keep in mind as you prepare to and are in worship with your kids: More is caught than taught. Your children will learn more about the value of worship by how you model it than what you simply say about it.  Talk with your children ahead of time about what worship is and why it matters, what behavioral expectations are for the worship service, and ask and answer questions they have.  Encourage and praise them when they meet expectations and correct when needed.  Make corporate worship gatherings and church involvement a family priority every week.  Look for ways to involve your children in the various aspects of the worship service as the different aspects are happening: prayer, Scripture reading, offering, communion, etc.  Arrive early and sit where you can see clearly and hear effectively during the service.  Pray, pray, pray! Pray with your children on Saturday evenings before bed, during breakfast, on the way to church as a family, and during the service. Plead with God to move in your own heart and life as well as your children's.  Encourage your child to listen for familiar names, songs, words, or events during the service.  Worship with your child throughout the week through everyday conversations, meal times, family devotions and worship, singing in the car, and expressing gratitude for all God has done regularly.  On the reverse side, there are some ways for you to talk through, explain, engage, and equip your children at various points throughout the worship service. There is also some space provided for them to take notes during the sermon as well. What an incredible opportunity for you to teach, model, train, and equip your children during worship. You're not in this alone! How to prepare your children for and equip them during worship: Announcements/Host Moment: This is when we learn about what is going on in the community of our church, ways to be involved or volunteer, as well as things to do be more connected to others in our congregation.  Music: This is the time that most people think of when we say, "worship," though all of life really is worship. Music is simply the time that we sing praises to God for all that He has done for us through Jesus. It is done corporately as a way of demonstrating unity in what we believe and sing about.  Prayer: This is a time when we approach God and speak to Him. Sometimes there are components of:  confessing  honoring Him as God  asking God for various things in our lives or the lives of others, and  thanking Him for His grace, mercy, and patience with us through Jesus.  Missions Moment: This is an occasional time that we hear from a missionary or someone who has gone a mission trip and what they saw God doing in various parts of our country or the world.  Testimony: This is an occasional time that we hear from someone in our church about what God has done or is doing in their life as well as what they are learning about God through their experiences.  Baptism: This is an occasional time when we see people respond in obedience to Jesus' command to make disciples and baptize them. There's nothing magical about the water. It is simply a picture that everyone watching gets to see that reflects what God has done in that person's heart and life.  Scripture Reading: This is the time when we read through a selected portion of the Bible, which is God's breathed-out word to us. There are 66 individual books with one main message: God's love for a sinful people and everything that He has done throughout history to redeem and love them in Jesus.  Sermon: This is the time when the preacher takes what the Bible says and explains what it meant when it was written and also what it means to us today. This is a very important time to pay attention, listen, pray, follow along in your own Bible, and see what needs to change in your life to live obediently.  Offering: This is the time in the service when we are reminded about God's faithfulness to us and that everything we have ultimately belongs to Him. He doesn't need our money. It is simply a time for us to generously give to advancing the gospel in our own church and the ministries it is involved in.  Communion: This is an event that takes place every Sunday. It is a reminder for us of Jesus' death for us as we eat the bread, which reminds us that His body was broken for us, and when we drink the cup, which reminds us that His blood was spilled in order to reconcile us to God.