Top 5 Parent Helps
To the best Parents in the World...
Welcome to the Everyday Youth Group!
Our goal at the Everyday Youth Group (E.Y.G.) is simple. We desire to come along side you (the parent) and co-disciple your child. Just like you, we want to see your children fall in love with their Savior and have a deep passion to live for Him throughout their lives. As your child gets more involved with the E.Y.G., we’d like you to get involved too. Together in unity, there is hope for your teen! Here’s the top 5 ways you can be an amazing, supportive, All-Star parent to the E.Y.G.
1. Get your kid to church!
We’re working around the clock to make the E.Y.G. the most spiritual, and coolest place your child could ever imagine. Every time they miss, they will be missing something that we are specifically designing for this time in their life. How many of you parents want your child to miss the one time where we teach them the importance of loving their siblings? Or honoring their parents? Or saving their purity until marriage? Or the lesson about challenging them to be completely other-centered? You get the idea. We intentionally will not repeat the same Bible studies or hot topics for at least a span of 4 years. The time they miss just may be the time their whole life could change!
But the biggest reason of all, your child’s core group leader is praying for your child all the time. They don’t plan their lessons on their needs, but on your child’s needs- and everything that they seem to be going through. When they miss, it can be totally discouraging to a leader when they plan a whole lesson with your child in mind.
Practical Application: 1. Make sure your child gets their homework done early every Wednesday. 2. Make sure they have a ride. And 3. Help them make church and their relationship with God a bigger priority then sports, activities, or any other thing that lands on the 2 hours we meet every Wednesday.
2. Get to know your child’s Core Group Leader
Our leadership Team meets twice a week for training, accountability, prayer, and encouragement. Every one of these leaders volunteers because God has called them to this ministry. They still have their life to deal with: jobs, school, work, family, friends, activities, etc. They need your encouragement to keep going! How about encouragement notes to your core group leader once a month? How about having them over for dinner? Find out when their birthday is and make it special. Take care of them- they are on your team and want to serve you!
3. Get your kids involved as much as you can
The E.Y.G. does things every year that most non-Christians will probably never do in their lifetime. We go white-water rafting, snowboarding, camp in the most beautiful place created, climb half-dome in Yosemite, go water skiing, tubing, wave running, go to concerts, theme parks, the inner city, serve on missions, and to all kinds of training conferences and seminars. All these things are done to make your child “fit in” to the group. They will not only build friendships that last a lifetime, but they are able to get away from the media and all the negative influences that the world offers, and grow super close to the living God. You have no idea how much it helps Pastor Jason if you get your child signed up right away when you hear about an event… you’ll be his best friend!
4. Get yourself involved and stay informed.
Become a part of Parents Network. It’s a time for you to get together with other imperfect parents and pray for your kids. Or help out by being a Wednesday night walker, where you can hang out with the kids, help in any needed areas, and walk around during core groups to pray around the campus. Another option would be to volunteer as a personal mentor for the core group leaders. And finally, the easiest way for you to get involved would be to stay informed. We’ll send you a calendar every quarter letting you know every detail of the upcoming 3 months. Put it on the fridge! Get your child signed up for every event right away. It can be the most frustrating and difficult thing in all of youth ministry when you try to plan an event and everyone waits till the last minute to sign up. Once again, you will be Pastor Jason’s best friend in the world by simply signing your child up early! In addition, your child will be receiving lesson hand outs on most all Sunday mornings. Check them out! It is a perfect opportunity and bridge builder for you as a parent, to talk through these issues that your child is learning in church.
There are 3 super helpful resources that are outstanding if you feel like you’re lost in the world of parenting. My former pastor, Dr. Daniel Hahn, wrote an amazing book that is being used around the world to help parents teach their kids the connection between choices and results. It’s called Teaching Your Kids the Truth About Consequences, and is available at any Christian book store. There’s also a monthly devotional called “Youthwalk.” It’s great for your teen and has awesome insight for the direction of their lives. You can get a free copy by calling 1-800-877-5259. And lastly, if you feel like youth culture is not your cup of tea these days, Focus on the Family has a monthly publication called “Parental Guidance.” Call 1-800-232-6459 for the details.
5. Lastly, Pray for us.
I can’t emphasize this one enough. It’s more important than anything. Our dependence on God is our lifeblood and your prayers mean the world to us. If you ever hear something through the grapevine that makes you uncomfortable- please tell us before you hit the panic button. There will be plenty of times where you will receive information- yes, even from your own child, that may be inaccurate. Sometimes we blow it and we’ll do everything in our power to make it better. If anything goes wrong, please talk directly to the source of the problem first. (The leader, the other kid, or whoever it is- this is God’s principle, not mine.) Extend lots of grace, love, and flexibility for varying styles. If that doesn’t help, call Pastor Jason at the church. Don’t let things build up- let’s be a church that follows tough times with God’s way!
WE ARE HERE FOR YOU! WE ARE SO BLESSED THAT YOU AND YOUR CHILD ARE PART OF THE EVERYDAY YOUTH GROUP!
