fsm parent packet
DESCRIPTION
This packet is the parent packet that is given out to the parents of Foothills Church. It provides analysis and explanation on the vision of our Family Driven Student MinistryTRANSCRIPT
2011ParentInformationPacket
FoothillsStudentMinistry/FOOTHILLSCHURCH
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::GregGibson::StudentPastor
MissionPastor
GregismarriedtoGraceandtheyhaveonedaughterCora.HereceivedhisBSin
BiblicalStudiesandYouthMinistryfromBoyceCollegeandhisM.Div.fromTheSouthern
BaptistTheologicalSeminaryinBiblicalandTheologicalStudies.
HeisthefounderanddirectorofTheVeritasNetwork,atruthnetworkthatexploresculture
making,truthdefending,andothergospelrichtopics.
ConnectwithFoothillsStudentMinistry:
• http://foothillschurch.com
• http://twitter.com/FoothillsSM
• FoothillsStudentMinistryFacebookPage
ConnectwithGreg:
• http://twitter.com/gregrgibson
• http://facebook.com/grgibson
• http://theveritasnetwork.org
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MissionStatement:FoothillsStudentMinistryexiststomakedisciplesinrelationalenvironmentsbypartneringwithparentsandotheradultsinthediscipleshipandspiritualdevelopmentofyoungpeople.
VisionStatement:
::Share::Connect::Equip::WeShare:ThecenterofallthatweteachatFCisthegospelofJesusChrist.EveryWednesdaywewillshareGod'sredemptivestoryinhopesthateverystudentwillhearthegospelandhavetheopportunitytospirituallymature.WeConnect:Thesecondstepisconnectingourstudentswithotherbelievers.Indoingso,studentswillgrowintheirrelationshipwithGodthroughsmallgroupsandrelevantteachingfromGod'sWord.WeEquip:Finally,wewanttoequipthefamilytobetheprimarydisciple‐makersofourstudents.Wewanttoworkalongsideyou,oursmallgroupleaders,andotheradultstoequipourstudentstolivewithabiblicalworldview,lovethelocalchurch,andlovetheGreatCommission.
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PhilosophyofStudentMinistryTheFoothillsChurchFamily‐DrivenModel:1.WhatistheFamilyDrivenModelofStudentMinistry? ~Thehomechampionsthechurch ~Thechurchchampionsthehome ~Simplyput:Weareworkingtogetherforacommongoal
2.Whatisourfoundationalgoal? ~Thespiritualdevelopmentanddiscipleshipofourchildren3.Howwillwefosterandfacilitatethismodel? ~Catalysts, Content, and Context ~ Catalysts: Parents, Youth Pastor, Other Adults ~ Content: See Our Goals Below ~ Context: Relational Environments at Church and Home 4.WhoaretheprimaryCatalysts/disciple‐makers?
~ParentsortheYouthPastor?~Parentsaretheprimarydisciple‐makersorCatalysts~YouthPastorchampionsthisandcomesalongsideofthefamily~YouthLeadersandotheradultsalsoshouldcomealongsidestudentsinthisendeavor
5.WhataboutourContent?
TeachTheology:Thisissomethingthatweareverypassionateabout.Webelievethatweneedtoraisethebarinwhatweareteachingtoourstudents.Theycanhandleit,andtheywantit.TheentirecounselofGodisprofitableforeverypersonatanylife‐stage(i.e.,2Timothy3:16).Weareseeingyoungpeoplebegintocravetheology.Infact,wemustbegintoteachourstudentsthefoundationsoftheirfaith,sothatwhentheyarefacedwithoppositiontheyarereadytogiveanaccountfortheirgreatKing(i.e.,2Timothy4:2;1Peter3:15,etc.).TeachApologetics:Weholdahighviewofapologeticsbecausewebelievethatyoungpeoplemustbegintoknowwhytheybelievewhattheybelieve.Letmebeclearthough,weteach
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theologyfirstinarelevantway.Inordertodefendyourfaith,wemustfirstunderstandit.Thisisespeciallyimportantasstudentsleavethecomfortableconfinesoftheirparent’shomeandstepontothebattlefieldforthemind‐‐thecollegecampus(i.e.,Jude3).
6.WhatareourprimaryContextsforthisphilosophyofstudentministry?
FOOTHILLS CHURCH COMMUNITY-DRIVEN MODEL (MINISTRY TO ADOLESENCE / AGES 10-18)
Equipping the Family --------------- Age-Graded Relational Programs
Step 0: Gateway Picnic for SHARE CONNECT EQUIP upcoming 6th graders. Level 1 / Level 2 / Level 3 / Level 4 / Level 51 Step 1: Families worship together. No Sunday School. I---------DOXA--------I I------Fall Retreat------I Step 2: Weekly parent email I--------DNOW--------I
- Weekly Scripture Reading - Family Devotions Summer Gatherings - Small Group Questions - Outline from Doxa LockOUT
Student Worship Service) Super Bowl Party Step 3: Small Group Leaders con- Small Groups nect with parents each sem- ester (phone calls). The Summit Step 4: Four parent equipping Doxa II meetings / Parent Connect Love the City Missions Trips Step 5: Comprehensive Resource Guide. Leadership Teams
Step 6: Family mission opportunities (local & international)
Step 7: Yearly parenting seminars (2-3 per year)
1David Adams. 5 Levels of Programming Class Notes. (Level 1 = Relationships, 2 = Evangelism, 3 = Discipleship, 4 = Leadership Development, and 5 = Leadership Reproduction).
ExplanationofEquippingtheFamily:TheEquippingtheFamilysideisprettyself‐explanatory.Thereare8totalstepsthatweareimplementingintoourministryto10‐18yearoldsinordertobetterequipthefamily.TheseStepsareasfollows:Step0:Entryclassforparentsofupcoming6thgraders.Itwillalsoserveasthegatewayintothelifeofourstudentministry.Heretheywilllearnaboutthewordcochampion.Theywilllearnaboutourstudentministryprocessforpartneringwiththem,equippingthem,andequippingtheirchild.ThisGatewayPicnicforparentsof6thgraderswillbetwiceayearattheendofsummerandinJanuary.Step1:AtFoothillsChurch,wedonothaveSundaySchooloryouthactivitiesonSundaymornings.Wedonotwanttoseparatethefamilyduringthistime.Thisway,thechildrenandtheparentsareworshipJesustogether.Step2:AftereachDoxa,PastorGregwillsendoutaparentemaileveryThursday.Thisemailwillincludesmallgroupquestionsthatwillbeaskedanddiscussedattheupcomingsmallgroup,guidedScripturetoreadasafamilyfortheweek,discussionsonhavingfamilydevotions,andwhatwetalkedaboutthatnightatDoxa.Step3:Eachsemester,smallgroupleaderswillconnectwithparents.Thishopefullyfacilitateanopendialoguewithparentsandtheirchild’ssmallgroupleaderthroughoutthesemester.Step4:ParentConnectionswilloccuratthebeginningofeachseason(i.e.,Spring,Summer,Fall,andWinter).TheywillserveasthemainlineconnectionbetweenparentsandPastorGreg.ParentConnectionswillcontainstudentministryphilosophyteachingtimes,parentequippingsections,andtimesforparentsandPastorGregtointeracttogether.Thesearethemostimportanteventsoftheyear.Step5:ThecomprehensiveresourceguidewillbegiventoeachparentattheParentConnectseachyearandwillalsobeavailableattheInformationCenteronSundayMornings.Itwillbecompletewithparentingresources,discipleshipresources,familyworshipresources,etc.,allfortheequippingofthefamily.Step6:StudentMissionTripsarespecificallydesignedforourstudentstodoministry,andoftentimeswiththeirfamilies.Wedodomesticandinternationaltripseachyear,oreveryotheryear.LovetheCityisourcity‐widemissionalendeavorinwhichwedevelopevents,almosteverymonth,wherefamiliescandooutreachandserviceprojectsinourcommunitytogether.Step7:Theyearlyparentingseminarswillbeheldtwo‐threeweekendsayear.Attheseseminarswewilllikelybringinanexpertspeakertospeaktoourparentsontheissuesofparentingteens.
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Thisisonlythebeginningofimplementingafamilyministryphilosophyintothelifeourchurch.Thisministryphilosophyallowsourchurchtotrulyengageinequippingthefamily,whilealsopartneringwiththeminthediscipleshipoftheirchildren.Andagain,thisphilosophyofministrytrulyallowsustocontinuetobemissionalinengagingyouthcultureandthepublicschoolsystemwiththetruthofthegospelforthegloryofKingJesus.
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ExplanationofAge‐GradedRelationalPrograms:Ourmissionstatementismakingdisciplesinrelationalenvironments.Wehavecreatedthreewordsthatweconstantlyputinfrontofourpeopleforhowwearegoingtoaccomplishourvisionstatement.Thesethreewordsare:Share,Connect,Equip.Underthesethreewordsarethewords:Level15. Level1=Relationships Level2=Evangelism Level3=Discipleship Level4=LeadershipDevelopment Level5=LeadershipReproductionDOXA(Level13).DoxaisourweeklyWednesdaynightstudentgathering.AtDoxa,weopenGod’sWordandworshiptogether.Itisspecificallydesignedforstudents10‐18yearsofage.DNOW(Level13).DiscipleNowisouryearlyweekendintownretreat.ItfallsunderbothShareandConnectbecauseitseemstohaveanoverlapfromrelationshipbuildingtodiscipleshiphappeninginsmallgroupenvironmentsthatmeetinhomes.FallRetreat(Level13).FallRetreatisdesignedspecificallyforourstudentstogetawayforaweekendduringthefallmonths.Itrunslikeashortcamp.Whatismore,studentsfeelcomfortabletobringtheirfriends,whichiswhythisprogramalsospansfromSharetoConnect(Relationships,Evangelism,andDiscipleship).LockOUT(Level1).OurstudentministryLockOUTisoneofthebiggestrelationaleventsoftheyear.Itdesignedforthatverypurpose–pre‐evangelismandrelationshipbuilding.SuperBowlParty(Level1).OurSuperBowlPartyisspecificallydesignedforthesamereasonastheLockOUT.Thesearetheonlytwoprogrammedeventseachyearthataredesignedforrelationshipbuildingonly.SmallGroups(Level3).SmallGroupsarethecoreofourstudentministry,aswellasthecoreofFoothillsChurch.TheymeetinhomesonSundayNights.Theyareage‐graded,genderspecific,andledby2adultleaderswhoareatleasttwolifestagesabovethestudents.SmallGroupsaredesignedprimarilyfordiscipleship.OurhighviewofsmallgroupsreflectstheContextoftheFamily‐Drivenmodel.Inoursmallgroups,studentsconnectwithotherstudentsandwithadultleadersinanintentionalrelationalenvironment.Summersmallgroupsmeetafewtimesinthesummermonthsandaredesignedforrelationshipbuilding.DoxaII(Level34).DoxaIIisdesignedspecificallyforhighschoolstudents.Itwillmeet4
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timesayear,usuallyFridaynightsfor4hours,foranextendednightofworshipandteaching.Itisanencouraging,equippinganddevelopmentaltimeforourstudents.TheSummit(Level3).TheSummitisdesignedforstudentsenteringintothe9thgrade.Itisa3‐weekclassattheendofJuly,inplaceofsummersmallgroups,thatboththemenandwomenpartakein.Themenaretaughttheessentialsofbiblicalmanhoodandthewomenaretaughttheessentialsofbiblicalwomanhood.Itisalsoheldforstudentsenteringintocollegeeachyear.Inthisclasswetalkaboutwhattoexpectwhenleavinghome,discussafewapologeticoverviews(whichwehavebeendiscussingforthelast4years),andhaveatimeofcelebrationandreflectionforwhatGodhasdoneinthelivesofourstudentsoverthelast7‐8years.MissionTrips&LovetheCity(Level5).MissionTripsarespecificallydesignedforourstudentstodoministry,andoftentimeswiththeirfamilies.Wedodomesticandinternationaltripseachyear,oreveryotheryear.LovetheCityisourcity‐widemissionalendeavorinwhichwedevelopevents,almosteverymonth,wherefamiliescandooutreachandserviceprojectsinourcommunitytogether.LeadershipTeams(Level5).Leadershipteamsconsistofstudentswhoareparticipatingindifferentareasofministry(i.e.,worshipteam,LovetheCityteam,Doxateam,etc).Eachteamconsistsofanadultleaderandanapplicationprocess.
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SomeFurtherInformation…1.TheFamily‐DrivenModeldoesnotmarginalize:
~Thesingleparenthome~Thepublicschoolsystem~Itprovidesasolidbalancebetweennuclearfamilies,singleparenthomes,andprivate,public,andhomeschoolfamilies
2.Howarewenotgoingtomarginalizethem?
~WednesdayNightactivities‐‐DoxaStudentGathering~SmallGroupsonSundayNights~Thisallowsforspiritualdevelopmentanddiscipleshipfromayouthleader,aswellasaparent~SmallGroupactivities~Camps,MissionTrips,andRetreatsforstudents
3.WhatwillourWednesdayNightsLookLike?~RelevantTeaching~HighEnergyWorship~AuthenticCommunity~FunGamesandOtherActivities
4.WhatwillourSundayNightSmallGroupsLookLike? ~AgeGradedandGenderSpecific ~InHostHomes ~2LeadersoftheSameSex
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Top5GoalsforourStudentMinistry:1.Wewanttoseestudentssavedandbaptized.2.Wewanttoseediscipleshiprelationshipsbegintotakeplacebetweenleadersandstudents.3.WewanttoseestudentsgetpassionateaboutJesusandhisWord,andbegintostudyScriptureontheirown.4.Wewanttoseesmallgroupsgrowandbranch.5.Wewanttoseefamiliescontinuetobeequippedtobetheprimarydisciple‐makersoftheirchildren.**Asyoucansee,westructureeverythingwedoaroundthesegoals.Everyyearthesegoalsallowustoevaluateandmeasurethesuccessofourstudentministry.