Last week, we rolled out the vision for our Preschool Parent Partnership. What’s happening with parents of elementary-age kids?
In Luke 12, Jesus finishes a parable, saying, “The servant who knows the master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what the master wants will be beaten with many blows. But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked” (emphasis mine).
In our current, American church-culture, there is not much discussion about God’s demands. However, as the season reminds us, He is King of kings and Lord of lords. In this discussion, I want to point out that He is King of parents and Lord of families. He has demands for us. Loving demands. Righteous demands. Life-giving demands. But real demands nonetheless on us as parents. The Lord has given much (our kids) and He has something to say about what we do with his gifts.
But here is part of the good news about his demands: God provides to us everything that He requires from us. And one of the biggest ways that He does this is through the church: his body.
As a church, Sandhurst is committed to an Ephesians 4 ministry; we are here to equip the saints. So the family ministry at Sandhurst (including all of our kids programs) exists to equip and partner with parents in their God-given mission of disciple-making. Walking together like this is the heart behind our Elementary Parent Partnership for 2023.
So what is the church bringing to this partnership?
A one stop-shop for communication that is clear. In the new year, we will be sending out one weekly email and one weekly text with a link to a page on our site that has everything you need to know for that week. It will include things like: the Scriptures that were taught on Sunday, extra resources to follow up, what is happening on Wednesdays, prayer prompts, special events, etc.
Curriculum for church and home that is good for the class and the family. The weekly link that you receive will include access to what is taught in our elementary Kids Gathering. You can see exactly what your kids see. And you can use it at home.
A regular encouragement to read the Word with your kids. I mentioned in the Preschool Partnership article that reading the Bible with your kids is one the largest shapers of who they will be as adults. So we will let you know what we are studying so that you can build on that, deepen that, and reinforce that at home.
A FREE and giant library of digital resources that you can use to support the discipleship that God has called you to: RightNowMedia. Just click that link to get access. You can sign up there.
So what does the video curriculum teach? What makes it special?
In 2023, we will complete our current study of 1 John (What Is a Christian?) and then Philippians (Where Does Joy Come From?), Ephesians (What Is God’s Plan?), and 1 Peter (Where Does Hope Come From?). Many elementary kids have already learned many “Bible stories,” but the big teachings that are fleshed out in the epistles are not as well known to them. So this is filling the gap in a kid-friendly way.
Additionally, these studies work through the text verse-by-verse. The idea here is twofold: 1) We don’t want to only teach elementary kids stories from the Bible; we want to teach them the Bible as written. They are ready for it and they need it. And 2) This kind of teaching mirrors what we do in the Gathering, so when our kids graduate out of the Kids Gathering, they will be ready for Adam, Will, and Izzy to teach the text of Scripture verse-by-verse.
What Now?
I would suggest you immediately sign up for Right Now Media. Have this ready to go for January 1.
And, reach out to me (kelly.hayes@sandhurst.net) with any questions or ideas. I am here for you.
I am super excited to partner with you in 2023! And I am grateful to be in a church that wants to walk together toward faithfulness with what God has given us—our kids.
