Parent Ministry Resources

One of the most forgotten elements of youth ministry is the focus on parents as it was the focus of last week's post, parent ministry.

Connecting church and home is a very difficult and daunting task for youth workers.

If you are like me, you need a parent ministry plan that will set you on the right course. Other youth workers can design their own plan based and use various resources for support.

Need a Parent Ministry Plan
ParentMinistry.net
This is a great service that allows your kids ministry through youth ministry keep the same branding, messaging and resourcing. Cost: $25 per month.
What you get:

• one video, two emails, and 10 tweets/texts that you customize and send out to the parents in your youth ministry each month.
• give parents resources on a right of passage each year from grade 6 through grade 12.
• parenting toolbox that gives you the resources to build an effective parent ministry.
• event kits on creating impactful parenting events.
• community resources that connects you to other youth workers ministering to parents.

Need Resources for your Parent Ministry Plan
SimplyYouthMinistry.com
Youth Cartel.com
Group.com

Knowing my weakness in parent ministry I would set aside $25 per month from the youth ministry budget and recruit a communication team to run this for me.

What is your parent ministry plan and what resources do you currently use?

Parent Ministry

Let me be honest, parent ministry was not on my radar as a youth worker. It might be on a whiteboard in my office or a notebook as a dream or something that would be a good idea if I had time but I never have time or energy for it. I have good intentions for a parent ministry. Until I make parent ministry an intentional priority, I will always have good intentions about it.

Here is why parent ministry is such a struggle for me:

it's holistic
i move from focusing on a student to an adult(s) and their family dynamics.

the adult me
i need to be an adult when i speak to other adults. i need to face real world adult problems if i get involved in their lives.

extra help
i would potentially get extra help in resources for youth ministry. (parent drivers, event volunteers, material resources, extra help...) why would I ever want that!

communication
i need to build relationships with parents, not just inform them about upcoming youth events by updated Facebook or sending out tweets or an email.

what ideas, tips or resources have worked for you in your parent ministry?

Jeff Smyth