TJ Connection - Summer 2003

Author and Family Minister, Rick Freudenburg offers a provocative new paradigm for congregations seeking to meet the needs of families. In his book with Rick Lawrence, The Family Friendly Church, Freudenburg shares his experiences as a youth minister on the verge of burnout.

He writes,
“In retrospect, our chief goal was to get parents involved with what the church was doing for their kids. We were reaching out to include parents in shaping their kid's faith lives. Today, this is what most consider effective youth ministry, even 'family ministry.' I hadn't yet taken the next philosophical step-a church that works to get involved in what parents are doing for their kids at home. Our parent plug-in strategy worked then, but many of today's parents rebel against hyper-involvement in the church. They're refocusing on their homes, and they don't appreciate the church pulling them away from where they want to be. [Religious] educators are forced to find a new vision.”

Drawing much of his philosophy from the Search Institute's research and other research clearly indicating that parents are their children's primary religious educators, Freudenburg identifies four program priorities for congregations:

1) A child-, youth-, and family-friendly [culture];
2) A parent-empowerment system;
3) A strong educational ministry for children and youth; and
4) A dynamic youth ministry.

While on sabbatical, Freudenburg conducted family ministry programs in a number of congregations. These confirmed for him the need for a new approach to family ministry:

The [congregation's] vision must shift from a consumer-driven focus to a partner-driven focus. This new paradigm can be described as the shift from [congregation]-centered, home-supported ministry to home-centered, [congregation]-supported ministry. Freudenburg asserts that the congregation and professional staff can best minister to families by providing resources and programs that are focused on a quality home and family life. Ultimately the congregation will in turn benefit from the support of nurtured and satisfied families.

SOME IDEAS FOUND IN THIS BOOK
~Home Month: create programs to affirm and support religious education in the home, such as the suggested, "A Home Faith-Development Plan for All Ages and Stages." Those signing up to participate in this congregation-sponsored program would get a packet of home faith-development ideas, a calendar for a month of activities the family plans together, publicity about a scheduled "Stay at Home Night" and family activity day (the congregation arranges for discount tickets to a local event or amusement park), other congregation meetings and activities are limited that month, etc.
~Holiday or Seasonal "Build a Banner" Kit: materials and instructions for a 17X22" paper banner are packaged for each family with an invitation for them to create a banner symbolizing their family (with drawings, words, photos), these are brought to a Family Sunday service or other event. (There may be a banner procession or display created as part of this event.)
~Family Mission Statements: Instructions for a process that families can use to create their own mission statement can be distributed, with ideas for celebrating the accomplishment.

Book: The Family-Friendly Church, by Ben Freudenburg, with Rick Lawrence, 1998, Group Publishing, Inc, ISBN# 0-7644-2048-8