Do You Really Know?

I've been writing a fair amount about Grandparenting Ministry - not necessarily ministry to grandparents, but rather, ministry which engages, equips and encourages grandparents to pass on a heritage of faith to their grandchildren. You may think this is really not something which is needed in your church, and not something to add to the Children's Ministry "plate", but have you taken the time to talk with the grandparents in your church? Do you really know what they are thinking? Do you see how engaging, equipping and encouraging grandparents can make a difference with the Children's Ministry and multiply it's impact?

Yesterday at my church, I spoke with just three grandmas and do believe what they said is very representative of grandparents in general in churches across the country. The first grandma I talked with shared how her grandchildren are grown and are not living for the Lord. She said she does not know what to do to reach them. The second grandma told me her grandchildren are older elementary age and young teens and they do not want anything to do with God. She also said she does not know what to do to reach them. The third grandma told me how she has just been given custody of two of her grandchildren. She is starting over with raising two young elementary children (one of which is not actually her grandchild, but is the sibling of her grandchild). She is exhausted and told me she will be using my curriculum; Science, the Bible & Fun at home with the children, because she does not know what else to do with them.

All three of these grandmas care very much about their grandchildren; they want them to love, know and walk with God, but they feel quite a bit of despair when it comes to their grandchildren. They want their grandchildren to love, know and walk with God, but do not know what to do to pass on their faith.

If you talk with the grandparents in your church, you will probably find many of the same responses. Grandparents want to be equipped, so they know how to pass on a heritage of faith to their grandchildren. We in the church need to do this.

Think for a minute what would happen if the grandparents in your church were engaged, equipped and encouraged to pass on their faith to their grandchildren. Grandparents have a "platform" from which they can speak truth into the lives of their grandchildren. When they are able to do this, they will experience joy in place of despair! They will be focused on their grandchildren in ways which bear fruit. They will also be more engaged with what the Children's Ministry is doing with their grandchildren as well.

And think how the children in your ministry would be impacted! The children would have more adults who love them like crazy who are encouraging them to grow in their love for God!They would have a much deeper and richer faith and walk with God. They would be able to see on a closer basis what faith looks like lived out in our everyday lives as they spend time with their grandparents. The church only, at most, has 156 hours a year of direct contact with a child . . . and many children only really have 39 to 78 hours a year of direct contact with their church. Grandparents who are engaged and equipped to pass on a heritage of faith can make a huge impact on their grandchildren and multiply the time children are being encouraged to grow in their walk with God.

The "math" of it all shows how our time is well spent to engage and equip grandparents. There is no "down-side" to engaging, equipping and encouraging grandparents to pass on a heritage of faith and there are so many "up-sides"!

Talk with the grandparents in your church and focus on starting a Grandparenting Ministry in your church! What would you need to be able to do this?