How we can strengthen and restore families

The third part in the series:

Guest Post: How YOU Can Strengthen and Restore Families

November 1st, 2012 by Blythe Scott

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the third in a four-part series by Blythe Scott, the City Partnership Coordinator at District Church located in the Columbia Heights neighborhood of Washington, D.C. In this series, Blythe examines what it means for the Church to strengthen and restore families.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This idea of strengthening families can sound so abstract, but in reality it all comes back to two things: people and time. The work is very real, and it’s very hands-on. I’ve witnessed through working with my church and what I’ve seen from other churches and organizations as well:

1. Examine the needs in your city, town, neighborhood or Christian community. Pray for God to show you the opportunities there are to serve and build relationships with those in need. Be open to The Holy Spirit, and then go where He takes you. In my church we have several teachers who desperately need volunteers in their classrooms – an open door for our church to serve our kids. This can lead to deeper relationship with both the children and their families, and inspire bigger movements to heal a family. For example, at my church, visions to start a pregnancy center and foster care initiative are in the very early stages of prayer and discussion.
2. Partner with like-minded churches and organizations. Look for an organization where you can serve meals, teach classes or serve others in another practical way. Form a network that families can call on for resources and that your local government can easily use as an example of an effective partnership. This will help the Church support families and invest in individuals more powerfully and effectively. You can also use this opportunity to meet new people and build relationships.
3. Create an official partnership between churches and schools. Pair up with a school to provide mentors, resources, events and support for school administration, teachers and parents. Identify the most at-risk kids and create specific programs focused on them and their families. A recent article from Christianity Today provides some examples of effective church-school partnerships that invest in kids and families. I believe that volunteering at a local school is a great way to build relationships with kids and serve families. I’ve seen how much influence my husband has had in his classroom as a teacher, and I’ve seen such a need for more examples like him.
4. Mentor, foster and adopt kids. Broken families are in need of consistent role models to speak into their lives and help them break negative cycles. Thousands of children in the US alone are waiting to be adopted, an opportunity that the Church can help fill. If you’re not in a place to foster or adopt, mentor a child on a regular basis. Create a partnership with your local government around foster care such as providing permanent homes or respite care for foster and biological families. Some great examples of these partnerships are Focus on the Family and Safe Families for Children.
5. Advocate. Use your voice on behalf of hurting kids and struggling families before our government, churches and communities. Show your support for programs, like parent coaching, and community partnerships that support and strengthen families.

The most practical thing we can do is to build relationships. Make time in your life for a least one disciple relationship with a child, teenager, mother, father – anyone. Invest in someone consistently and intentionally by mentoring them, walking with them and helping them grow more into the image of Christ. This changes us. It restores relationships and families. By making room for consistent relationships with others, we are truly able to help make families whole.