When people talk about family ministry the first question that pops up is how we are able to get ministries aligned and working together? The beginning of the alignment process for our family ministry team started here at Grace Community Church with 2 choices. We chose to embrace a strategy and we chose a curriculum to support that strategy.
- We chose to EMBRACE A STRATEGY >> our team had a powerful desire to rethink ministry. When we heard about the strategy of designing ministries that would partner with families we could not turn back. We watched other churches carry out the strategy. We went to conferences that talked about the strategy. We helped our volunteers understand the strategy. We hired staff to fulfill the strategy. The strategy is not an option for our staff or volunteer team. If you are not ready to push the strategy of creating engaging environments for the next generation and partnering with families then you do not need to be on our family ministry team. Alignment slowly came as we all bought into a dream that we wanted to see become a reality in our city.
- We chose a CURRICULUM TO SUPPORT OUR STRATEGY >> we simply decided that we were not going to settle and just get by when it came to curriculum. The first director of kids ministry at our church looked at everything out there to see what resources would help Grace fulfill the strategy. We landed on partnering with the team at Orange and we never looked back. In order to better align all our environments we began to use the Orange curriculum in every environment. The curriculum helps us speak the same language…engage parents at every level…move kids and teens through a process of growth…provide our entire church with resources they can trust…unite with churches all across the country with the same strategy.
Alignment is a hard process that continually needs attention. Without addressing these first two issues you will never get there. Embrace a strategy and then build your curriculum around that process!
