Creating Connection and Belonging for the Whole Family 

By Crystal Mazzuca 

As Children’s Ministry leaders, we are passionate about providing a Gospel-centered environment for kids to grow, learn, and thrive in. We want to cultivate a place where they find real connection and true belonging. 

But these kids don’t come to us in isolation. Each and everyone one of them is connected to a household with one adult or more. Adults who are figuring out faith, just like they are. Adults who are longing for belonging, just their kids. 

We have the amazing opportunity to not only minister to the kids who come through our doors but to the adults in their lives who love them so much. Our reach and our impact is multiplied when we look beyond our young ones to the other ones that surround them. 

Real Connection 

If the only connection these adults have to us and our ministries is a take-home sheet and craft from Sunday, they won’t exactly feel seen, known, and valued. As leaders, let’s take advantage of the amazing technological advances in our society to engage with families on a whole new level. 

Weekly emails that not only recap what we’ve talked about but how they can keep the conversation going at home is a start. Top that off with social media posts that invite engagement and response and suddenly you have families that are thinking, talking, and experiencing our church community way beyond Sunday. As leaders, let’s take advantage of the amazing technological advances in our society to engage with families on a whole new level. Click To Tweet

Another simple yet effective tool is a text message. “I’m praying for you,” or “Do you have anything I can help with?” goes a long way in our world where people struggle to feel seen. Imagine being a grown up who gets that text from the Kids’ Ministry leader at their church. Wow – what a great feeling! 

These adults want our help and support in discipling their kids. But they also want to feel cared for too. Let’s create real connection by doing both. 

True Belonging 

Not only do we want to increase the connection between us and families, we want to cultivate a sense of belonging among the families themselves. We want our church families to be a place where they feel like they have friends and advocates, where they experience the love and life of Jesus through the relationships they have with His followers. 

As fantastic as parenting and grand parenting classes and seminars are, let’s help our families have fun! Events where the sole purpose is to get them to know one another are a great way that we can help them to start to develop these relationships. 

Lifeway’s new NextGen resource Hyfi gives leaders everything they need to create real connection and true belonging for kids AND their families. The Family Toolbox has templates, communication schedules, social media plans, fully planned family events, and more. 

When we are intentional about creating real connection and building true belonging, we will see these families grow in their love of the church, love for one another, and love of Jesus.

Crystal Mazzuca is a Content Editor for Lifeway’s Hyfi and Kids’ Short Term Studies. With an MA in Christian Education Administration, she has a passion to encourage and equip leaders to impact the next generation for Christ. She’s spent the last 20 years in Kids, Student, and Family Ministry and loves serving both the big C church and her local church in Olympia, WA. Crystal loves reading, going to the beach, and playing video games with her 3 sons.