Are you and your family actively involved in serving others in some capacity? In yesterday’s blog post I shared one verse about how we are to be aware of the needs and a part of coming alongside the widows and fatherless.

Yet, ministry goes beyond that.

Within your home are individuals with different personalities, interests, spiritual gifts, skills, unique ways of viewing the world, and diverse passions. God has a unique plan for your kids and your family’s ministry- one that very well may be out of the box…and all you need to do is ask Him about it. He’ll give you a plan to match how he has and is equipping your family. This is an exciting process.

Involve the Kids in Brainstorming.

Spend time alone praying. Pray with your spouse. And, gather the whole gang together to pray and share ideas.

Brainstorm. Grab a big dry erase board or a tape a big piece of art paper or poster board to the wall. Write this on it.

Matthew 22:37 says, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”

Dream Big for Christ.

Discuss that verse. Dream Big. Point out strengths you see in each family member, including heart passions you see, skills, things that could be used to create a unique ministry.

Gather input. Allow ideas.  No one is laughed at. None…unless you want to teach your kids not to dream big. Give prompts. Listen. Add to ideas.  Make this time be light-hearted. Laugh.

  • What are needs you see?
  • What ideas do you see of how our family can serve others?
  • Point out their uniqueness:
    • What skills and talents do you see in Brett?  Allow for feedback and you start, if needed: “Brett, you love playing the piano, you like to write music.. ” Get more feedback. Ask, “How could you use that for the Lord in serving others?” Invite the rest of the family to toss out ideas.
    • “Chelsey, you’re artsy and so good with talking with people and listening.” Let everyone dream big about Chelsey and how she could be used to serve others.
    • Go through each of the kids. Let everyone dream big and paint pictures of using these gifts as you go as well as specific ideas to make a point to arrange.
  • How could our home be used to bless others? (teaching them that all we have is for God)
  • How could our boat, or cars, our this or that… be used to serve? (teaching them to not hold onto things tightly)
  • What family or families could we come alongside of or anonymously give to? and how? (It’s fun to do this and keep this confidential, teaching them to freely give, not for the acknowledgment. Simply hearing and obeying God)
  • How could our family be used at our church, within our church body for Christ?
  • What ideas do you have for serving in neighborhood?

Opportunities Unique to Each Child’s Passions.

The results of your time in prayer, brainstorming together, and dreaming big for Christ will be uniquely yours.

Let’s say your daughter has a love for singing and playing the guitar. Maybe singing at your next Sunday school gathering or a planned trip to a nursing home, or including the guitar this year during your family’s annual Christmas caroling in the neighborhood. Whatever the ideas are that have her excited, plan to orchestrate it. (get it? orchestrate?)

Let’s say your son has athletic abilities and is passionate about basketball. You see he is good with kids. You observe attributes that he is lacking or ones that need further development, such as leadership skills. Perhaps he might be interested in coaching a kid’s basketball team. (And, in so doing, you have opportunity to coach him on how to invest in the lives of students, being mindful that he may be the only male speaking into their lives in a positive manner.)

That’s my husband and our son Daniel as coaches of two of his little sisters’ basketball team.

That’s my husband and our son Daniel as coaches of two of his little sisters’ basketball team.

Your Pain. Your Ministry.

 Out of our greatest pain becomes our greatest ministry.

Consider dark times in your life. Times of heartache. Wrong choices made leaving scarring consequences. Times that were so painful, yet you met God in a deep way and know His faithfulness. Times you’ve not ever wanted to talk about. Maybe few or even no one knows about. In God’s sovereignty, each of our “stories” is different and has the capacity to impact another.

Don’t push it aside or stuff it deep down inside. Allow God to use your journey with another hurting soul. Perhaps you are part of their healing…or part of coming alongside and just being and reassuring. This could be in a one on one situation as you hear of similar heartache. This could be spearheading a small group or being willing to share your story in a group setting, being transparent to the degree the Lord calls, allowing for a unique ministry helping others who have felt they are the only ones.

I have a friend whose teenage daughter had cancer. Recently, another friend’s daughter has just begun her battle with cancer. When I went to visit the second friend in the hospital she mentioned that the others, whom she did not know personally, had already called and been supportive.

By including your family in this process of dreaming big for Him, you’re teaching them to continually see their life as meaningful and their journeys – whether through pain and/ or just through talents and skills God has given them, to be used by God.

Your Family’s Ministry.

An exciting result from your prayer time and family brainstorming is that a unique ministry for your family will be birthed. This will bond your family like nothing else. I can’t tell you the results for your family, but over the years, as we have sought the Lord He has brought about various callings for our family to be intentional about.  (and I hope to share more later- because during this process of writing this series, God has given us another “out of the box” idea for our family. Yeehaw!)

Remember. A ministry can be something as simple as being a blessing to one neighbor. That’s huge! Sure, no one else may know about it, and isn’t that a beautiful thing…to simply have a heart to love another.

God could be creating a unique, crazy, out of the box ministry for your family. Don’t miss it. Dream big for Him.

A ministry called Mo.YO was birthed through this very process of prayer and brainstorming.

A ministry called Mo.YO was birthed through this very process of prayer and brainstorming.

Christ Lived Out.

Bottom line is you’re intentionally teaching your children to be upward and outward thinking. Teaching them that all we have is God’s and to be used for Him.  You’re cultivating a culture within your little nation (family) of Christ being lived out through them – as you go about your daily life.

You’re role modeling as you actually live out “expecting to hear Christ give you ideas, trusting, and obeying.” And remember, in so doing, your faith increases.

If you missed any previous posts in this series intended to help you think through and make a plan for intentional spiritual training in your home, here they are:

Tomorrow, come right back here. I’m continuing to stretch your thoughts on your family’s involvement in serving.  of  It’s called “We Cry, Heartbroken. They Cry, Crushed.” Hmmm.

How is your family uniquely serving the Lord this year?

Rhonda whyismydogsittingonmychairbehindmybackwhileItype ellis

1 Comment
  1. Mel

    “Out of our greatest pain becomes our greatest ministry.”

    Wow, convicting!!

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