Youth Ministry Hints, Youth Ministry Thoughts
“Involving Your Daughter in Your Ministry!”
Aug
My 20-year-old daughter just wrapped up an 11-week internship at the Global Leadership Summit on the Next Gen Team. I had the privilege of watching her lead a team of 25 other interns, ages 8 to 24, for the summit week. I watched her host, interact with, and lead meetings with presidents and CEOs of some of the world’s biggest and best student ministry organizations.
This has been a journey, starting when she was just a little girl and involving her and our family in ministry. It has always been an invitation, not a requirement. My son has also been involved in leading in and around our ministries, serving special needs children and students, and in so many other ways. It is just part of our lives. Last week reminded me again of the importance of involving your children in your ministry.
Involving your daughters as a “Ministry Dad” in our ministry, church, and life is important. Not to demand it but to welcome it, embrace it, and truly celebrate it! I did a podcast interview a while back, where I explained my personal values and our family’s philosophy of serving together. Since then, various people have asked questions and shared their thoughts about this idea, so I have continued to share a few posts around some aspects of “Serving Together As a Family.”
Especially in the middle of the current national conversation, media, and movements about girls and women being valued and respected, We feel it is important to continue this conversation regarding my wife and daughter.
Here are some quick thoughts about “Why Dads (Parents) Should Involve Their Daughters in Their Ministry”…
- They will learn they have a voice in the church and our world.
- They will see our example as leaders firsthand, enabling them to make discerning choices about the men they allow to lead them in the future. Vital observe firsthand how a man in authority SHOULD treat women (husbands, pastors, bosses, etc.).
- They will see examples of Godly women firsthand, empowering them to make wise choices about the women they want to become and the female role models they choose to follow.
- They learn how to be “help-mates” and Biblical partners in ministry. They can see your wife and her role in your ministry.
- They will learn how to serve and experience the value of using their gifts and talents for God.
- They will be given a safe place to talk and wrestle with what it means to be a “woman” and a safe place to grow into a woman.
- They can become role models and encouragers for younger girls in the church, especially for other daughters on staff.
- Because being a PK is not easy. There are a lot of people that your daughter has to share you with sometimes. There are extra demands,
weird schedules, and life interruptions. Involving them allows them to “own” it and appreciate it. It is not just dad’s ministry, it is “mine”… “ours”. - So, they will be less likely to walk away from their faith, church, God and maybe even you when they get older. There are no guarantees, but involvement is one more way to allow faith to become “sticky.” Taking it from being “dad’s church,”…” dad’s job,” and” dad’s faith” to “my church,”…” my ministry,” and” my faith”!
- They are daughters of the King, and they are your daughters, too. You get to share them! They deserve VIP, full-access passes to us, the church, and God. They should have the privilege of front-row seats and a backstage pass.
