Serving Together as a Family
Over the last several weeks, we've been talking about how our Missional Communities can live on mission throughout the Valley. Last week, we looked at organizations like HeartReach, MY House, and local senior facilities, and how our MCs might begin building relationships with people who are already serving our community.
This week, I want us to think about something that I believe can make a tremendous difference in how we approach mission. Who are we bringing along with us?
One of the things I love about Missional Communities is that we have people from different stages of life gathering together. Some of us have young children running around the house. Some have teenagers who seem to have more activities on their calendars than we do. (Believe me...we get this one) Some are empty nesters, and others are enjoying being grandparents.
And every one of those stages of life brings something valuable to our MC family.
But sometimes when we start planning opportunities to serve, we immediately begin thinking about which adults are available. We wonder who can take time off, who can help with a project, or who can volunteer on a Saturday. And we can unintentionally overlook some of the most important people in our MCs. Our kids.
I want us to consider what it would look like to intentionally include our children and teenagers in living on mission.
In Deuteronomy 6:6–7, God instructs His people to keep His words on their hearts and teach them diligently to their children, talking about them throughout the ordinary rhythms of life.
I think there's something beautiful about that picture. Our children learn what it means to follow God through more than the conversations we have with them. They're also watching the way we live.
They see what matters to us.
They see how we spend our time.
They see how we treat people.
They see whether the things we talk about on Sunday actually shape what we do throughout the week.
And that includes how we love and serve others.
Imagine a family in our MC that begins regularly visiting a senior care facility. Maybe the younger kids make cards or draw pictures. Maybe the teenagers sit down and listen to someone's stories. Maybe the adults help with an activity or spend time encouraging residents. Think about what those children are learning.
They're learning that older people have tremendous value. They're learning that sometimes loving someone means slowing down and listening. They're learning that God has given them opportunities to encourage others, even at a young age.
Or imagine our MC helping collect supplies for families through HeartReach. Our kids could help shop for diapers, organize supplies, or prepare something encouraging for parents, depending on what the organization needs and allows.
Now we're giving our children opportunities to participate in loving people they may never have met. And we get to have conversations along the way.
"Why are we doing this?"
"Why do these families need help?"
"Why does Jesus want us to care about people?"
Those are discipleship conversations!
We can explain how God has shown incredible compassion toward us through Jesus and how we now have the privilege of showing compassion to others.
Of course, we also need to be wise. Not every volunteer opportunity is appropriate for every age, and organizations serving vulnerable people often have important safety guidelines. We want to respect those boundaries and find meaningful ways for everyone to participate.
But I hope we won't assume that our children are too young to begin learning what it means to live on mission. And here's something else I love about this. Our MCs can become places where different generations serve together.
Maybe a teenager learns how to care for someone who's hurting by watching an older believer. Maybe a young parent learns something about generosity from a retired couple. Maybe a child asks a question that reminds the rest of us why we're serving in the first place. That's part of what it means to be a family of servant missionaries.
We have opportunities to learn from one another as we serve alongside one another.
And I think that's important because we want our children to grow up understanding that mission is part of the Christian life.
We want them to see that following Jesus shapes how we treat our neighbors, how we respond to people in need, and how we use the gifts God has given us.
So here's my challenge for this week.
As your MC begins thinking about opportunities to serve, ask this question:
"How can we involve the whole family?"
There are lots of ways to participate. And while we're serving, let's be intentional about helping our kids understand why we're doing it. And afterward, ask our children what they noticed and what they learned.
Because we're doing more than meeting a need in our community.
We're also helping raise up another generation of disciples who understand what it means to be on mission with Jesus.
Have a great week. I'm grateful for the way you're loving and investing in the families God has placed in your MCs.
And if you're serving with a bunch of kids, you might want to bring an extra cup of coffee.
This week, I want us to think about something that I believe can make a tremendous difference in how we approach mission. Who are we bringing along with us?
One of the things I love about Missional Communities is that we have people from different stages of life gathering together. Some of us have young children running around the house. Some have teenagers who seem to have more activities on their calendars than we do. (Believe me...we get this one) Some are empty nesters, and others are enjoying being grandparents.
And every one of those stages of life brings something valuable to our MC family.
But sometimes when we start planning opportunities to serve, we immediately begin thinking about which adults are available. We wonder who can take time off, who can help with a project, or who can volunteer on a Saturday. And we can unintentionally overlook some of the most important people in our MCs. Our kids.
I want us to consider what it would look like to intentionally include our children and teenagers in living on mission.
In Deuteronomy 6:6–7, God instructs His people to keep His words on their hearts and teach them diligently to their children, talking about them throughout the ordinary rhythms of life.
I think there's something beautiful about that picture. Our children learn what it means to follow God through more than the conversations we have with them. They're also watching the way we live.
They see what matters to us.
They see how we spend our time.
They see how we treat people.
They see whether the things we talk about on Sunday actually shape what we do throughout the week.
And that includes how we love and serve others.
Imagine a family in our MC that begins regularly visiting a senior care facility. Maybe the younger kids make cards or draw pictures. Maybe the teenagers sit down and listen to someone's stories. Maybe the adults help with an activity or spend time encouraging residents. Think about what those children are learning.
They're learning that older people have tremendous value. They're learning that sometimes loving someone means slowing down and listening. They're learning that God has given them opportunities to encourage others, even at a young age.
Or imagine our MC helping collect supplies for families through HeartReach. Our kids could help shop for diapers, organize supplies, or prepare something encouraging for parents, depending on what the organization needs and allows.
Now we're giving our children opportunities to participate in loving people they may never have met. And we get to have conversations along the way.
"Why are we doing this?"
"Why do these families need help?"
"Why does Jesus want us to care about people?"
Those are discipleship conversations!
We can explain how God has shown incredible compassion toward us through Jesus and how we now have the privilege of showing compassion to others.
Of course, we also need to be wise. Not every volunteer opportunity is appropriate for every age, and organizations serving vulnerable people often have important safety guidelines. We want to respect those boundaries and find meaningful ways for everyone to participate.
But I hope we won't assume that our children are too young to begin learning what it means to live on mission. And here's something else I love about this. Our MCs can become places where different generations serve together.
Maybe a teenager learns how to care for someone who's hurting by watching an older believer. Maybe a young parent learns something about generosity from a retired couple. Maybe a child asks a question that reminds the rest of us why we're serving in the first place. That's part of what it means to be a family of servant missionaries.
We have opportunities to learn from one another as we serve alongside one another.
And I think that's important because we want our children to grow up understanding that mission is part of the Christian life.
We want them to see that following Jesus shapes how we treat our neighbors, how we respond to people in need, and how we use the gifts God has given us.
So here's my challenge for this week.
As your MC begins thinking about opportunities to serve, ask this question:
"How can we involve the whole family?"
There are lots of ways to participate. And while we're serving, let's be intentional about helping our kids understand why we're doing it. And afterward, ask our children what they noticed and what they learned.
Because we're doing more than meeting a need in our community.
We're also helping raise up another generation of disciples who understand what it means to be on mission with Jesus.
Have a great week. I'm grateful for the way you're loving and investing in the families God has placed in your MCs.
And if you're serving with a bunch of kids, you might want to bring an extra cup of coffee.
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