MONTHLY and QUARTERLY
Training for unchurched and churched parents.
Create events that any parents can attend. Family issues are a felt need for any parent. Get licensed Christian counselors to host a seminar. Get your more committed and engaged parents to help plan and orchestrate the event. The goal is to get your disengaged parents to come so you can connect with them, so do an event that appeals to them. I had a lot of success doing parent events outside of the church walls.
Regardless of the size, or style, or cultural setting of your church, the issue of family is universal.-Joiner, Reggie. Think Orange pg. 229
Listen.
Listening = humility. Parents love to talk, so shut your mouth, and listen to their concerns, thoughts, and ideas. Send out a family assessment surveys so you can get an idea of what families need and want from their local youth ministry department. This assessment will give you great feedback and data on what your families need from their local youth ministry department.
Value organization.
Youth pastors are horrible at administration and organization. But in order to win over parents, organization is essential. Get a strategy, and get organized. If you aren’t organized, find someone who is. I had a lot of success recruiting moms who knew how to administrate like no other. Parents need to know you have all the details figured out. Create calendars and newsletters that inform parents about your plan and direction so they are in the “know.” I never had a parent tell me I was giving them to much information.
Get parents early.
Connect with parents right when their son/daughter is assimilating into your student ministry. Get parents in the elementary to middle school transition. And get parents in the middle school to high school transition. A parent is very open to connect when their son or daughter is moving into a new phase of teenage life.
Find others who can help you.
I am not a parent. So I never pretended like I could relate to parents. So I found parents who could help me. Plus parents hang out with parents and know the landscape of parenting a teen. In fact, I heard about one youth pastor who wanted to connect with parents so bad, he hired a parent to ONLY connect with the parents within his youth ministry. Also, empty nesters can be a great resource.
Bottom line remember 3 things:
1. Get parents to take one small step in the right direction to connect with your youth ministry
2. These small steps will exponentially transform your parent partnership and connection.
3. Celebrate the small wins because connecting with a parent is hard. So when a parent connects with you throw a party for yourself!
Questions:
How do you connect with parents of students in the midst of your chaotic youth ministry schedule?
What are some creative ways you have connected with parents?
