Student Ministry Parent Email Vol 1 Ed 2

Published on April 14, 2010 by Mike Forrest

Hello Parents and Volunteers for NCPC Student Ministries!

For this edition of the somewhat regular parent/staff email, I wanted to focus on some resources to get you thinking about parenting your teenager in a Christ-centered way. At a recent Children's Ministry Conference that our Children's Directors attended, the overwhelming theme focused on the fact that the number one influence on a child's faith is the parents.  Nothing determines the likelihood that your teenager will love Jesus more than you.  Not youth group, not church, not other adults, not friends. 

Take a deep breath.  The scary part is over.

With the above in mind, I searched some of my favorite spots and then used some basic Googling, and here are some helpful websites, articles, devotions and books that may help you continue to grow in Jesus as you parent your teen.  If you ever have questions about any of this, please connect!  Our church staff is in the middle of a four-week dialogue about how we can better equip parents to love their kids. Hope the following is a good start.

Look at http://www.realworldparents.com/ from Mark Matlock, a national speaker who I know personally and who has done a ton of work studying students, faith and families.  There is a ton here!  Blogs, conversation starters, prayers from Scripture.  This site is filled with useful material.

Check out this blog post aimed at ways college students can faithfully represent Christ to their campuses.  I really like the approach this author took: instead of being afraid that a student will "lose his faith", he challenges the believing student to go on "the offensive" for the Gospel, if you will.  http://blog.marshillchurch.org/2010/04/13/seven-ways-to-be-a-missionary-in-college/

Lifeway has a Christian magazine called 'living with teeneagers.' I've only looked at the sample sections online, but it looks intersesting.  Check it out here:  http://www.lifeway.com/LivingWithTeenagers

Lifeway also offers family devotions called Heart Connex.  They're free!  Check them out and possibly subscribe at http://www.lifeway.com/article/161567/

About.com has an article how to be effective parent to a teenager.  I thought it was interesting, though it left one really important thing out.  In my opinion (as a 33 year old single male who has no kids and has never been married!), the single most important thing you can do for you kid is to ask their forgiveness.  If you model grace and humility, coupled with love, I believe you're on the right path (though the way is narrow and difficult!).  See the article here: http://christianteens.about.com/od/parentresourcecenter/tp/betterparent.htm 

A great resource book is called "Helping Your Struggling Teenager".  I keep a copy in my office for those dreaded "what do I do with Johnny since I found out he ________" phone calls.  Its a great reference book, to help with what certain struggles might look like, how you can help, and what professional counselors can do to help.  Find it here: http://www.amazon.com/Helping-Your-Struggling-Teenager/dp/0310234026

Also see a new book called "Hurt", on the world of today's teenagers.  I have a copy on my desk and hope to get to it soon (while on vacation in May!), but it comes highly recommended and Doug Swagerty is also reading it.  Only $10 at Amazon! http://www.amazon.com/Helping-Your-Struggling-Teenager/dp/0310234026

So there it is.  A bunch of stuff that will hopefully at least get you thinking.  If you have more resources that may help other parents, please click on this blog at http://ncpcfamily.org/blogs/nugget-blog and comment on this post so others can see them.

Grace,


Mike Forrest

North Coast Presbyterian Church
www.ncpcfamily.org
mike@ncpcfamily.org