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Parenting Vision, Overview, & Church Partnership Beliefs:
We believe God have given parents as the primary means by which a child is to be discipled and holds them accountable for, not the child’s fruitfulness, but their own faithfulness in preparation and actions seeking toward that end by God’s grace.
We believe the church is the primary place by which any believer is grown in their Christian walk and thus see our involvement and discipleship in the lives of children as a partnership with parents and key, intentional responsibility.
It is our goal within this document to help lay out a framework and roadmap to inform parents of ways we desire to partner with them in this vital ministry and help give them some possible guidance in their pursuit of this process.
Defining Each Section: (please choose your child's age group below or scroll down to look through each)
Goals – a rough target of what to aim for helping to give direction and purpose for discipleship of the child.
How? – processes recommended, seeking, by God’s grace, to achieve the stated goals generally & specifically in relation to Parents and the Church.
Transition Celebrations – exciting and encouraging ways for the parents and child to clearly recognize, identify, and celebrate a new stage in the child’s life and development.
Recommended Resources – books, videos, articles, and other resources we see as helpful in equipping the parents and/or child at a given stage in the child’s life and development with an “*” indicating the most important ones, in our view.
Life Stage Sections:
Birth – Infant (0–1 year old)
Toddler – 2-Year-Old (1-2 years old)
Preschool – Pre-K (3-4 years old)
Kindergarten – 2nd Grade (5-7 years old)
3rd – 5th Grade (8-11 years old)
6-8th Grade (12-14 years old)
9th-12th Grade (14-18 years old)
College Age / High School Graduate
Birth - Infant (0-1 year old)
Goals:
Your child would experience God’s love through their interactions with you and the broader church
How?:
Generally:
This would largely be done in basic interactions with them, praying over them, and hearing songs sung and Bible stories read to them.
Parent:
You would create a loving, gospel saturated culture in your home serving your child and spouse selflessly, praying for them regularly, singing and playing Bible-rich music for them, playing with them, and reading Bible-saturated books to them.
Church:
Our church would partner with you by caring for your child in our Infant Nursery seeking to play with, hold, and love on them
Transition Celebration:
Church birth announcement
Parent/Baby Dedication
Recommended Resources:
Parent:
* Preparing for Motherhood, by Barbara Miller Juliani (minibook)
* Preparing for Fatherhood, by Deepak Reju (minibook)
Gospel-Powered Parenting: How the Gospel Shapes and Transforms Parenting, by William P. Farley
Tying Their Shoes: A Christ-Centered Approach to Preparing for Parenting
Disciple-Making Parent by Chap Bettis
Duties of Parents by J.C. Ryle
Dedicated to the Lord: Five Parental Promises for the Faithful Discipleship of Children
Family:
The Biggest Story ABC by Kevin DeYoung (board books)
Little Words Matter Bible Storybook (padded board book)
Baby Believer Series (board books)
Big Theology for Little Hearts (board books)
Easy for Me Bible Verses (board books)
Jesus Came for Me: The True Story of Christmas (board books)
Jesus Rose for Me: The True Story of Easter (board books)
100+ Little Bible Words Board Book (board books)
Toddler – 2-Year-Old (1-2 years old)
Goals:
Your child would be introduced to big core truths about God to help them understand God and His authority and love for them.
How?:
Generally:
Through learning key stories in the Bible & beginning to experience and join family worship habits of Bible reading, prayer, and singing. Also through the loving, faithful home culture of biblical discipline and parental authority
Parent:
You would begin forming family worship habits around the spiritual disciplines of Bible reading, prayer, and singing with Scripture memory and theological truths largely memorized through song.
Ask them for one exciting thing they learned or did after each of their times at church.
Church:
Our church would partner with you by caring for your child in our Toddler Nursery and Tiny Tots BethanyKids! class seeking to play and interact with, hold, and love on your child while having intentional conversations with them and introducing them to times of teaching about God.
Transition Celebration:
Parent Date Night - Find a babysitter & do a special date together as a couple.
Recommended Resources:
Parent:
* Family Worship, by Don Whitney
Shepherding a Child's Heart, by Tedd Tripp
* Parenting: 14 Gospel Principles That Can Radically Change Your Family, Paul David Tripp
Help! My Toddler Rules the House, by Paul and Karen Tautges (minibook)
Don't Make Me Count to Three, by Ginger Hubbard/ Plowman
A Father's Guide to Blessing His Children (Family Discipleship Book 3)
Gospel Centered Family: Becoming the Parents God Wants You To Be
Family:
* The Jesus Storybook Bible: Every Story Whispers His Name
Big Picture Story Bible by David Helm
The Biggest Story Bible Storybook by Kevin DeYoung
“Songs for Saplings”
* Seeds Family Worship
God Made Boys and Girls by Marty Machowski
What Every Child Should Know About Prayer by Guthrie, Nancy
Big Theology for Little Hearts series
Bible History ABCs: God's Story from A to Z Nichols, Stephen J
Preschool – Pre-K (3-4 years old)
Goals:
Your child would grow in their responsibilities, involvement, and interactions with the family understanding more of Who God is, who they are, and the beginning implications those truths have on their life, especially in the area of obedience to authorities.
How?:
Generally:
This would again take place through faithful times of family worship focusing on disciplines of Bible reading, prayer, and singing, but expanding to further memorization of Scripture and/or catechisms. The loving discipline in the home would expand to adding further intentional discipling conversations about the gospel, while teaching would largely focus on the overall story of the Bible and theological truths gleaned throughout it.
Parent:
Intentionally maintain regular family worship times
Pursue intentional conversations, discipling your child in thinking biblically and understanding the gospel
Seek to draw out what they are learning and taking away from their times at church
Church:
Our church would partner with you by caring for your child seeking to play, interact with, and love on your child while having intentional conversations with them and advancing times of teaching them about God and His Word in our Preschool and Pre-K BethanyKids! classes on Sunday Mornings and Cubbies Awana times on Wednesday nights.
Transition Celebration:
Family Fun Day - Take a special day to do something fun with your whole family in honor of your child.
Recommended Resources:
Parent:
* Instructing a Child’s Heart by Tedd and Margy Tripp
Everyday Talk: Talking Freely and Naturally about God with Your Children, by John A. Younts
Intentional Parenting: Family Discipleship by Design, by Tad Thompson
* Parenting with Words of Grace by William P. Smith
The Heart of Anger: Practical Help for Prevention and Cure of Anger in Children
True Feelings: God's Gracious and Glorious Purpose for Our Emotions
* What Is the Gospel? (9Marks)
Child Proof: Parenting By Faith, Not Formula
For the Love of Discipline: When the Gospel Meets Tantrums and Time-Outs
Wise Words for Moms pamphlet
Teach Them Diligently: How To Use The Scriptures In Child Training
What The Bible Says About Parenting: Biblical Principle For Raising Godly Children
Family:
God’s Design for Sex–The Story of Me (Book 1, Ages 3-5) by Stan and Brenna Jones
New City Catechism
The Big Book of Questions and Answers Sinclair Ferguson
Fighter Verses (https://www.fighterverses.com/)
* The Biggest Story Bible by Kevin DeYoung
Family Devotions Collection from Truth:78
God Made All of Me: A Book to Help Children Protect Their Bodies Holcomb, Justin
Teaching Children to Use Their Words Wisely series Ginger Hubbard and Al Roland
Good News for Little Hearts Series
Everyone a Child Should Know Clare Heath-Whyte
Inspector Smart and the Case of the Empty Tomb Michael J. Tinker GBC
* Generations of Grace Family Devotional (goes with our Sunday School curriculum)
Mighty Acts of God: A Family Bible Story Book
Kindergarten – 2nd Grade (5-7 years old)
Goals:
Your child would grow in godly character, interacting with others, and conflict resolution by gaining a greater understanding of the gospel themes through the storyline of the Bible and by having intentional opportunities to hear the good news of the gospel offered personally to him or herself, as well as its implications on how they live their daily life.
How?:
Generally:
This stage seems to provide both a growing ability to rationally understand the gospel and soft ground for responding to it.
During this time they should have many “what” theological questions answered like, what is in the Bible and what does it say specifically about God, Jesus, Creation, the Fall, Redemption, Faith, Biblical Truth, Personal Sin, Repentance, Salvation, being a disciple/follower of Jesus, a life of worship, and the church focusing not just on what is said, but what that means for them.
They should personally take part in times of family worship reading with everyone where able
They should also be taught how to use technology as a tool and in a way that honors God with many schools and curriculums adding tech usage to their learning programs.
Parent:
You continue to set good family structures in the schedule allowing worship times with all family member’s involvement in Bible reading, prayer, singing, and memorization in this new life stage while still seeking to draw out what they are learning from times at church.
There is a great deal of forming and shaping which happens during these years, and you still hold enormous influence with your child. Teach them to value the Bible for him or herself by having them start trying to read as part of the family.
Be intentional to move discipleship and discipline conversations all the more toward the gospel focusing on your child’s sin and need for a Savior provided only through Jesus.
Teach about and prepare your child to join and engage in corporate worship
Determine and clearly espouse healthy guidelines for technology usage and why they are in place
Church:
Our church would partner with you by caring for your child seeking to play, interact with, and love on your child while having intentional conversations with them and deepening times of teaching them about God and His saving work throughout the story of the Bible in our Kindergarten – 2nd Grade BethanyKids! classes on Sunday Mornings and Sparks Awana times on Wednesday nights.
Transition Celebration:
Parent & Child Date - Each parent plan a time to take your child out to do something together & talk for a bit.
Recommended Resources:
Parent:
Peacemaking for Families: A Biblical Guide to Managing Conflict in Your Home, by Ken Sande
Teaching Your Child about Money: Biblical Stewardship for Beginners Machowski, Marty
* Mom, Dad…What’s Sex?:Giving Your Kids a Gospel-Centered View of Sex and Our Culture by Thompson, Jessica
The Next Story: Life and Faith after the Digital Explosion
* Children and the Worship Service (Family Discipleship)
The Family: Together in God’s Presence (article from desiringgod.org)
Child:
Welcome to Bible World: explore all 66 books of the Bible Mike Nappa
66 Books in One: A Guide to Every Book of the Bible Paul Reynolds
I Can Read: Adventure Bible Stories series by David Miles
Read with Me Bible NIrV Bible Storybook by Zonderkids
Day by Day Begin-to-Read Bible by Tyndale Kids
Family:
* Big Truths for Young Hearts: Teaching and Learning the Greatness of God, by Bruce Ware
* Keeping Your Kids on God's Side: 40 Conversations to Help Them Build a Lasting Faith
God’s Design for Sex–Before I Was Born (Book 2, Ages 5-8) by Carolyn Nystrom????
More than a Story by Sally Michael
Big Book Of Questions & Answers About Jesus
The Church History ABCs: Augustine and 25 Other Heroes of the Faith Stephen J. Nichols
Good Pictures, Bad Pictures, Jr. Kristen A. Jenson
Polly and the Screen Time Overload Betsy Childs Howard
God’s Very Good Idea Trillia Newbill
Day by Day Kid's Bible (Tyndale Kids)
3rd – 5th Grade (8-11 years old)
Goals:
Your child would grow all the more in learning how to interact socially with peers and others around them, gain self-sufficiency in their abilities, continue to grow in the modeling of godly character, continue to practice basic Christian disciplines during family worship times while also starting to get personal times with the Lord in Bible reading, prayer, and Scripture memory for him or herself and being introduced to God’s heart for the world around them.
How?:
Generally:
They should be taught and encouraged to ask meaningful questions about God, the gospel, faith, the Christian life, and themselves including why the Bible can be trusted, why God reveals certain things about Himself, why Jesus is important, the purpose of the local church, and why the gospel is so continually good and necessary for the Christian life while growing in a firmer understanding and ability to espouse the narrative/story of the Bible as well as big theological truths found throughout the Bible.
Now fully participating in corporate worship, your child should be encouraged to grow in hearing God’s Word and applying it to his/her life, often done through notetaking and followed up in conversation.
They should be taught correct thinking about an overview of what God’s says regarding puberty, personally identity, gender, sex, and sexuality as their bodies start to progress toward puberty along with a good understanding of how technology can be used well or poorly.
Parent:
Still having a great deal of influence in your child’s life, you intentionally have further conversations with your child about the gospel in relation to their need for Christ and the implications it should have on their life seeking prayerfully that they become the worshipers you hope by God’s grace.
Maintain good family structures in the schedule to still accommodate family worship times with all family member’s involvement in Bible reading, prayer, singing, memorization, and including Christian biographies, missionary updates, and a broadening vision of the world in the persecuted church and need for missions .
Encourage your child to value a personal relationship with the Lord for him or herself helping them carve out times each day and week to read the Bible, pray, and providing them helpful tools and resources to further enable them.
Teach and prepare your child to join and engage in corporate worship by encouraging them to take notes during the sermon & discussing it with them at a later time.
Intentionally connect with your child regularly seeking to draw out what they are learning from both their own personal times with the Lord and teaching times at church.
Be intentional to keep discipleship and discipline conversations focused on the gospel, sin, and its consequences, and the need for a Savior provided only through Jesus.
Reexamine and regularly clearly espouse healthy guidelines for technology usage for your child explaining further the dangers it can hold and ways it can be used well for God’s glory.
Invest heavily in building them into the people and worshipers you hope they become by God’s grace. More than anything, make sure they know God’s Word: not just what it says, but what it means and how that applies to them.
Church:
Our church would assist you by having our teaching times transition to a more interactive classroom format encouraging dialogue as well as asking the students to use their Bible’s during the lesson times.
Combining our 4th and 5th Grade classes while separating them by gender intentionally allows for the opportunity to encourage each group further to live out who God has made them to be in their sexuality too.
Our church would partner with you by caring for your child seeking to play, interact with, and love on your child while having intentional conversations with them and advancing times of teaching them about God and His Word in our 3rd – 5th Grade BethanyKids! classes on Sunday Mornings and T&T Awana times on Wednesday nights.
Transition Celebration:
Purchase & present a gift of first Bible to your child with personal notes from each parent written in it.
Recommended Resources:
Parent:
Exploring the Bible Together: A 52-Week Family Worship Plan
How to Help Your Anxious Teen: Discovering the Surprising Sources of Their Worries and Fears by Jessica Thompson
* Not If But When: Preparing Our Children for Worldly Images John Perritt
Tech-Savvy Parenting Brian Housman
Bible Reading With Your Kids: A Simple Guide for Every Father Jon Nielson
* Gender: A Conversation Guide for Parents and Pastors
Raising Kids in a Screen-Saturated World
Raising Men, Not Boys: Shepherding Your Sons to be Men of God
Child:
Exploring the Bible: A Bible Reading Plan for Kids
* The Radical Book for Kids Champ Thornton
Big Truths for Young Hearts: Teaching and Learning the Greatness of God, by Bruce Ware
The Child’s Book on the Fall of Man (also … on Repentance), by Thomas H. Gallaudet
Case for Christ for Kids Lee Strobel
Case for Creation for Kids Lee Strobel
Case for Grace for Kids Lee Strobel
* Good Bible Options:
NIrV Adventure Bible for Early Readers
NIV, Adventure Bible
Kids’ Quest Study Bible
HCSB Illustrated Study Bible for Kids
CSB Kids Bible
ESV Seek and Find Bible
ESV Grow! Bible
Family:
God’s Design for Sex – What’s the Big Deal? (Book 3, Ages 8-11) by Stan and Brenna Jones
* Window on the World: An Operation World Prayer Resource
* Trailblazer Series
God’s Word Series Laura Martin
6th – 8th Grade (12-14 years old)
Goals:
Your child would be growing in their own self-sufficiency and self-awareness to have a clear understanding of the gospel, who they are in Christ because of it, and how to grow in their own personal relationship with the Lord and others. They should be forming gospel focused, biblically grounded views of the world and the implications they have on his or her life, transitioning toward adulthood, taking on greater responsibilities and demonstrating selflessness through servanthood caring for others with God’s heart of compassion.
How?:
Generally:
They should be taught and discipled in opportunities to practice Spiritual Disciplines
They should be encouraged to actively learn during church services and apply sermons and Bible lessons to their life.
They should be encouraged and given opportunities to practice serving others in the church, home, and broader world around them.
Intentional focus should be given to provide a biblical understanding around the topics of technology, sex, gender and sexuality, manhood and womanhood, relationships’ formation and health, studying the Bible for him or herself, discerning how to view the world’s messages around them, who they are, God’s work in the world, how to view mental, medical, psychological, physical, and spiritual issues and hardships, and the purpose and meaning of baptism while growing their understanding of the Bible and how to study It.
Parent:
You prayerfully ask the Lord to draw and delight your child with Himself as the chief importance is their relationship with Him.
Maintain good family structures in the schedule to still accommodate family worship times with all family member’s involvement in Bible reading, prayer, singing, memorization, and finding times to discuss and pray over Christian biographies, missionary updates, and give a broad vision of the world in the persecuted church and need for missions.
Continue to encourage your child to value a personal relationship with the Lord for him or herself helping them carve out times each day and week to read the Bible, pray, and begin their own Scripture memory while providing them helpful tools and resources to further enable them.
Intentionally connect with your child regularly to seek to draw out what they are learning from both their own personal times with the Lord and teaching times of sermons and youth times from church.
You intentionally give responsibilities to your child around the home and seek to provide opportunities for them to also serve others in the church and community.
You are intentional in your child’s growing independence to lean in, rather than away, to your relationship with your child, taking advantage of opportunities of both discipleship and discipline to discuss once again the gospel, sin, and its consequences, and our need for a Savior provided only through Jesus by God’s kind graciousness toward us while still also emphasizing the implications this gospel should have on their life.
You have conversations with your child around technology and how it can honor God or attack our soul and decide on family guidelines for their technology use with them
Church:
Our church would assist you by teaching in multiple ways consisting of going through key books of the Bible from both the Old and New Testament to teach and equip kids in their own study of God’s Word and partaking of expositional preaching during Sunday Services while seeking to give clear, relevant applications for the texts into their lives, introducing the topics and practices of the spiritual disciplines, teaching through key theological truths from God’s Word systematically, showing how each is relevant to their current life and spiritual growth, and having topical teaching times around the topics of … technology use, sex, gender and sexuality, manhood and womanhood, relationships’ formation and health, studying the Bible for him or herself, discerning how to view the world’s messages around them, who they are, God’s work in the world, and how to view mental, medical, psychological, physical, and spiritual issues and hardships, and the purpose and meaning of baptism with the goal that they might have a good understanding of the flow of the whole Bible, sound doctrinal beliefs, and a growing commitment to studying & learning God’s Word in an expositional way.
Our Middle School (EDGE) youth program introduces them to church body life, deeper spiritual relationships, transparency, repentance, and discipleship through relationships formed in youth Small Group times as well as praying and caring for missionaries looking to God’s broader work in the world.
Middle School students can begin serving individually in the body in various ministries like Childrens’ Church, the Buddy Program, and VBC while also practicing serving in the youth group by joining our Youth Service Team (YST) and attending youth service projects and local missions trips.
Transition Celebration:
Coming-of-Age Dinner (13th birthday celebration) - Parents would plan an event where they would present their own written blessing to their child as well as invite a few other godly men or women in their child’s life to join in a time of sharing encouragements from the past as well as wisdom & hopes for the future including God’s call on them to reject adolescents instead living as an adulthood.
Recommended Resources:
Parent:
* The Tech-Wise Family by Andy Crouch
12 Ways Your Phone Is Changing You by Tony Reinke
* Age of Opportunity: A Biblical Guide to Parenting Teens, by Paul David Tripp
Get Outta My Face, by Richard Horne (on parenting rebellious teenagers)
Parenting Generation Screen: Guiding Your Kids to Be Wise in a Digital World Jonathan McKee
Raising Teens in a Hyper Sexualized World: Help for Parents
Why Is My Teenager Feeling Like This?: A Guide for Helping Teens through Anxiety and Depression
Child:
Thoughts for Young Men by J.C. Ryle
The Right Kind of Strong: Surprisingly Simple Habits of a Spiritually Strong Woman
* Disciplines of a Godly Young Man by R. Kent Hughes and W. Carey Hughes
* Disciplines of a Godly Woman by Barbara Hughes
* Do Hard Things, by Alex and Brett Harris
Visual Theology: Seeing and Understanding the Truth about God (w/ Study Guide) Challies, Tim; Byers, Josh
Growing up Christian, by Karl Graustein
What Do You Think of Me? Why Do I Care? Answers to the Big Questions of Life Edward T. Welch
* This Changes Everything: How the Gospel Transforms the Teen Years Jaquelle Crowe
Transformed by Truth: Why and How to Study the Bible for Yourself As a Teen Katherine Forster
Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life by Donald WhitneySpiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life by Donald Whitney
Input-output: Getting to the Heart of Personal Prayer and Bible Study Jo Boddam-Whetham
Is God Anti-Gay? Sam Alberry
* Ten Questions Every Teen Should Ask and Answer about Christianity Rebecca McLaughlin
* Good Bible Options:
ESV Study Bible
ESV Student Study Bible
ESV Teen Study Bible
ESV Journaling Study Bible
ESV Men's Study Bible
ESV Women's Study Bible
Family:
Between Us Guys: Life Changing Conversations for Dads and Sons by Joel FitzPatrick
Between Us Girls by Trish Donohue
9th – 12th Grade (14-18 years old)
Goals:
Your child would complete their formation into adulthood embracing adult responsibilities, grounded in their understanding of God’s Word and how it how applies to their life and world. They would have an excitement for the gospel and to be part of God’s redemption plan and glory seeing His glory and living for Jesus as their highest goal and joy in life They would recognize this means a life of selfless sacrifice, serving the Lord and building into others in committed, deep, spiritual relationships. They would have learned how to maintain and advance these relationships further while using their unique giftings and personhood as a man or woman of God in His church with a continually growing vision and love for God’s work in it, locally, and globally.
How?:
Generally:
They should continue to be taught and discipled in practicing the Spiritual Disciplines to continue to grow in their understanding of God and how to walk with Him regularly.
They should continue to be encouraged to actively learn during church services and apply sermons and Bible lessons to their life.
They should continue to be encouraged and given further opportunities to practice serving others in the church, home, and broader world around them while processing through with others the giftings and abilities God has given them toward those ends.
They should be challenged, if a professing believer, toward baptism and church membership if they have not already pursued either and seek to be actively finding ways to serve and relationally take part in the body considering what being discipled and discipling others might look like.
They should be trained in personal and practical life skills to be able to honor God through wise stewardship of the time, finances, relationships, jobs, and items He has entrusted to them.
Intentional focus should continue to be advanced in a biblical understanding around the use of technology, sex, gender and sexuality, manhood and womanhood, relationships’ formation and health, studying the Bible for him or herself, discerning how to view the world’s messages around them, who they are, God’s work in the world, how to view mental, medical, psychological, physical, and spiritual issues and hardships, and the purpose and meaning of baptism. In addition to these they should understand the overall story, themes, and doctrines of the Bible and how to learn more and apply them into their life, have a value and love for the church, be pursuing membership, understand worldview and apologetics, having a biblical view of dating and marriage, understand disciple making and influencing others, be deepening transparent spiritual relationships, and have a continually growing vision for God’s work locally and globally.
Parent:
You prayerfully ask the Lord to draw and delight your child with Himself as the chief importance is their relationship with Him.
You would strive to keep the lines of communication open with your child while giving them greater responsibilities and trust, as earned, believing them to be adults-in-training and far more capable than we might tend to think, thus, calling them higher by encouraging them to take ownership for their relationships, personal spiritual walk, and responsibilities as they aim toward becoming godly men and women. Your authority would continue to decrease while seeking to increase influence wherever possible to be a coach and guide for your child, even if they don’t always act like they desire it, pointing them toward what really matters: loving God and loving others.
Strive to maintain good family structures in the schedule to still accommodate family worship times of all family member’s involvement in Bible reading, prayer, singing, memorization, and finding times to discuss and pray over Christian biographies, missionary updates, and give a broad vision of the world in the persecuted church and need for missions inviting them into the times as much as they are able.
Continue to encourage your child to value a personal relationship with the Lord for him or herself counseling them toward carving out times each day and week to read the Bible, pray, memorize Scripture, and intake uplifting resources.
Seek to take every opportunity given to intentionally connect with your child to seek to draw out what they are learning from both their own personal times with the Lord, the teaching times of sermons and youth from church, and just in general in their life while always pointing them back to their hope of Jesus as a loving, gracious Savior as failures and sin arise encouraging them to live out who God says believers are in Christ.
You intentionally continue to give responsibilities to your child around the home and seek to encourage them toward opportunities for them to also serve others in the church and community.
Continue the conversations with your child around technology and how it can honor God or attack our soul and allow them to set their own goals within reason seeing you as a help in that process.
You would teach and equip them with personal and practical life skills to be able to honor God in preparation for adulthood teaching them how to manage their money and time well, function as an adult in the world with general skills like cooking, washing clothes, and cleaning, encouraging them to have a strong work ethic, and take on adult responsibilities where able.
Church:
Our church would assist you by continuing to teach in multiple ways consisting of going through key books of the Bible from both the Old and New Testament to teach and equip kids in their own study of God’s Word and partaking of expositional preaching during Sunday Services while seeking to give clear, relevant applications for the texts into their lives, introducing the topics and practices of the spiritual disciplines, teaching through key theological truths from God’s Word systematically, showing how each is relevant to their current life and spiritual growth, and having topical teaching times around the topics of … technology use, sex, gender and sexuality, manhood and womanhood, relationships’ formation and health, studying the Bible for him or herself, discerning how to view the world’s messages around them and how to respond and think biblically about them, who they are, God’s work in the world, and how to view mental, medical, psychological, physical, and spiritual issues and hardships, and the purpose and meaning of baptism, why the church and serving and membership in it are so important, how to date and marry biblically, how to be discipled and disciple and influence others, and what God’s heart for the nations is with the goal that they might have a good understanding of the flow of the whole Bible, sound doctrinal beliefs, and a growing commitment to studying & learning God’s Word in an expositional way.
Our High School (IMAGE) youth program introduces them to church body life, deeper spiritual relationships, transparency, repentance, and discipleship through relationships formed in youth Small Group times as well as praying and caring for missionaries looking to God’s broader work in the world.
High School students can keep serving individually in the body in various ministries like Childrens’ Church, the Buddy Program, and VBC while also practicing serving in the youth group by being on our Youth Service Team (YST) and attending youth service projects and local missions trips.
Transition Celebration:
Parent & Child Trip - Ideally a father could take their child for at least a half a day or longer to a special place for them to spend time listening to and getting to know their child while also sharing their hopes for the child as they enter high school and adulthood.
Recommended Resources:
Parent:
* Preparing Your Teens for College: Faith, Friends, Finances, and Much More by Alex Chediak
Child:
From Pride to Humility by Stuart Scott
* Christian Beliefs: Twenty Basics Every Christian Should Know by Wayne Grudem
Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis
Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands by Paul David Tripp
* Surviving Religion 101
* Church Membership: How the World Knows Who Represents Jesus (Building Healthy Churches)
* Men and Women in the Church: A Short, Biblical, Practical Introduction
Stepping Heavenward: One Woman's Journey to Godliness (Inspirational Library Series)
* Strange New World: How Thinkers and Activists Redefined Identity and Sparked the Sexual Revolution
The Discipline of Grace: God's Role and Our Role in the Pursuit of Holiness by Jerry Bridges
Delights and Disciplines of Bible Study: A Guidebook for Studying God's Word by Warren W. Wiersbe
No Reason to Hide: Standing for Christ in a Collapsing Culture by Erwin Lutzer
Foxes Book of Martyrs
College Age / High School Graduate
Goals:
Your child would fully transition into adulthood, living out their faith in all facets of life, be actively involved in membership and serving the church, and continually growing in their love for the Lord, discipleship of the saved, and outreach to the lost.
How?:
Generally:
Membership at church
Attending Adult and College Sunday Schools and Care Groups
Serving in various ministries at church
Parent:
Pray over your child
Extend your friendship, service, time, and conversations to your child
Offer godly counsel when requested
Praise and encourage all positive actions
Graciously offer helpful applicable resources to your child’s needs and circumstances
Church:
As with all ministries to the adults of our church, we would encourage your child toward involvement in serving the body beyond that of simply attending on Sunday mornings. This would include being involved in discipleship relationships, serving in areas of gifting within the body, and being and receiving the full benefit of body-life through membership.
Transition Celebrations:
Graduation Party
Church Senior Banquet
Graduate Recognition Sunday
Recommended Resources:
Parent:
* You Never Stop Being a Parent, by Jim Newheiser
Child:
* Don’t Waste Your Life by John Piper
Systematic Theology by Wayne Grudem
The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self by Carl Trueman
* What is a Healthy Church by Mark Dever
* What is a Healthy Church Member? by Thabiti Anyabwile
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