• Target Aud—Young Families
Target Audiences
The third in a series that will attempt to help you deal with some of the issues you face in relating to various constituents in your children’s ministry.
#3. Focus on Families with Young Children
It is all about your preschool and your program menu to help parents. It has been researched that the fastest growing churches in the nation are churches that focus upon families with young children. It is important to build up your program for the younger children, but you must not neglect programming to meet the needs of young parents.
Some parents will tolerate the lack of meaningful ministry to them, if the needs of their children are being met. However, it may not last a long time before the parents want programming for them too. This in not just an either/or option, you need to build them together. If you have to start with one, I would concentrate on nursery and work my way up. Keep an eye on your ministry to the parents as you do, it can help you to plan for them.
Here are some tips for focusing on the families of young children:
1. Nursery and the Preschool rooms have to be clean, attractive and inviting to help the young feel safe and welcome there.
2. Promote a ministry mindset with your workers—not just child care. Ministry must take place here. They must be trained, competent and caring.
3. Have wellness policies in place and enforce them. Parents will stop bringing their children to places where they get sick. Compromises here will hurt your program in the long run and will keep families away.
4. Find the best resources and furniture you can provide to equip your rooms. Keep the room clean and furniture repaired.
5. How would you rate the Young Marrieds’ Sunday School Classes? Is it helpful, relevant, healthy, sound teaching, welcoming or growing? It might help to attend them.
6. Offer workshops, classes, with speakers/leaders that help young adults parent their children.
7. Consider intergenerational models of extra curricular programming that speak to the needs of parents and families. (i.e., aqqll church events)
8. If you are not responsible for family programming, you must partner with your church leadership to advocate meeting the needs of young families. Part of being in a team is working on the same page to attract and assimilate these young families with children. It will benefit your ministry and theirs too.
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