The strategy outlined focuses on enhancing the family ministry team at Noblesville First United Methodist Church for ages birth through 12th grade by developing a strategic plan and a comprehensive discipleship pathway. The first key component involves establishing a discipleship pathway that includes conducting a needs assessment, developing an age-appropriate curriculum, and creating a progression chart for tracking spiritual milestones. Examples include organising training workshops for volunteers and incorporating family-centered worship sessions bi-monthly to foster community.
Another significant aspect is integrating different age groups within the broader congregation. This involves hosting intergenerational worship services and community service projects that bring all age groups together. Initiatives like a family ministry council and a buddy system where older children assist younger ones during church activities promote inclusivity and mentorship.
Building strong communication and outreach channels is the third strategy, aiming to keep the congregation informed and engaged. This includes creating a family ministry web page and utilising social media platforms and mobile apps for updates. Surveys and virtual webinars can help understand and meet the communication preferences of the congregation while partnering with local schools to promote church programs extends outreach.
The strategies
⛳️ Strategy 1: Establish a comprehensive discipleship pathway
- Conduct a needs assessment for each age group from birth to 12th grade
- Develop age-appropriate curriculum focusing on spiritual growth aligned with Methodist doctrines
- Create a progression chart to track spiritual milestones for each age group
- Organise regular training workshops for ministry volunteers and leaders
- Implement small groups to foster deeper connections within each age bracket
- Incorporate family-centered worship sessions bi-monthly
- Introduce mentor-mentee programmes pairing older youth with younger children
- Utilise multimedia resources such as videos and apps to supplement learning
- Conduct annual retreat for spiritual renewal for families
- Evaluate and refine the discipleship pathway annually based on feedback
⛳️ Strategy 2: Foster integration of different age groups within the life of the broader congregation
- Host intergenerational worship services monthly
- Organise community service projects involving all age groups
- Create a family ministry council with representatives from each age group
- Develop a buddy system where older children assist younger ones during church activities
- Provide intergenerational Bible study groups
- Introduce family fellowship events such as picnics and game nights
- Facilitate cross-age group worship bands and choirs
- Highlight the achievements and milestones of children and youth in church newsletters and services
- Encourage participation of younger members in church leadership roles
- Hold quarterly family forums to gather feedback and new ideas
⛳️ Strategy 3: Build strong communication and outreach channels
- Create a dedicated family ministry web page on the church’s website
- Utilise social media platforms to share updates and upcoming events targeted at different age groups
- Develop a monthly newsletter specifically for family ministry
- Implement a mobile app for event registration and news
- Set up an information booth on Sunday mornings to engage with new and existing families
- Utilise SMS services for reminders and alerts for parents
- Conduct surveys to understand communication preferences of the congregation
- Host virtual webinars and Q&A sessions for parents and guardians
- Collaborate with local schools to promote church programmes
- Monitor and regularly update communication channels based on analytics and user feedback
Bringing accountability to your strategy
It's one thing to have a plan, it's another to stick to it. We hope that the examples above will help you get started with your own strategy, but we also know that it's easy to get lost in the day-to-day effort.
That's why we built Tability: to help you track your progress, keep your team aligned, and make sure you're always moving in the right direction.
Give it a try and see how it can help you bring accountability to your strategy.
