"In the context of family, it's not only children who need to be educated; parents are the group who should be trained as well." A minister with years of experience in family ministry discussed his insights into building faith-based families.
Every parent needs to be re-educated to establish a family view based on the truth.
Pastor F's church is located in the central district of a major city in East China. Due to its prime location and vibrant church atmosphere, a considerable number of young and middle-aged believers were attracted.
Pastor F, who has served as a leader in diverse fellowships and departments within the church, noted that over the years, whether among believers or pastoral staff, the most frequently discussed topics invariably revolve around family issues. He said these family crises often spill over, affecting both their spiritual lives and their service in the church.
"Many of the conflicts in families stem from individual value system issues, so guiding believers to establish correct family values is crucial," Pastor F explained.
In his view, a firm faith perspective helps build a comprehensive outlook on life, which in turn fosters a biblical view of marriage, ultimately contributing to a correct view of family. "Thus, we always aim to help believers strengthen the foundation of truth, starting at the conceptual level."
In 2008, with the collaborative efforts of Pastor F and several other ministers, a parent fellowship was established with the vision of "building families that align with God's will," dedicated to renewing family perspectives through truth.
Growth through learning and walking together in practice and fellowship
To ensure broad coverage and long-term follow-up for believers, the fellowship adopts a method of "cultivating and enhancing through weekly lessons and communicating in small groups."
Moreover, to accommodate believers at different levels of faith, the fellowship intentionally downplays more obscure theological content in its curriculum and materials, opting instead for practical, faith-based family counseling resources. The courses are periodically adjusted based on different teaching cycles.
Pastor F believes that, compared to step-by-step and in-depth training courses for believers, family ministry courses should prioritize meeting family needs and helping believers practice the truth in various aspects of their family roles. "Each person's role in the family is not singular. We have prepared extensive course content tailored to different roles, making the learning process engaging."
Pastor F explained that currently, the parent fellowship is divided into 13 groups, each ranging from thirty to eighty members, with regular gatherings of around 300 people. There are 45 volunteers capable of leading the courses, more than half of whom have been with the fellowship since its inception in 2008.
He noted that most of these volunteers were once desperate individuals whose family relationships were on the brink of collapse. "Why can our group leaders explain the teachings to life well in the parent classes? Because each of them has personally experienced tears, struggles, and brokenness in the family and has ultimately triumphed through the Lord. Therefore, when they teach new parents about building families through truth, they are not merely conveying theoretical knowledge; they are imparting the living word, which can transform more families."
Allowing every family to truly experience the preciousness of love
Over the past fifteen years, Pastor F himself has grown significantly through leading the parent fellowship. "Family relationships may seem to be just about interactions among a few members, but in reality, they're far from simple. There is so much we need to learn."
"Families must be nurtured with love and managed with principles of truth, which family members are willing to follow," Pastor F said. "You have to live it out, not just talk about it. This is the mission God has placed us in our families to fulfill, although there are many challenges."
- Translated by Abigail Wu
“在家庭的概念里，需要受教育的不能只有孩子，家长也是需要受教育的群体。”一位专职负责家庭事工多年的传道人谈及信仰化家庭建造的经验。
“每位家长都有必要接受真理式家庭观的再教育”
F传道服侍的教堂位于华东某一线城市的中心城区，由于地理区位繁华且堂会氛围活跃，吸引了数量相当可观的中青年信徒。
曾在教会多个团契及部门担任过带领牧者的F传道表示，在多年服侍期间，不论是信徒还是牧者同工，大家讨论最多的话题内容总是离不开一点。他们谈论存在与各自家庭中的大大小小的争战，因这些家庭危机也或多或少波及影响到信仰生活乃至教会侍奉。
“其实很多家庭里出现问题矛盾的背后都是个人价值观的问题，所以引导信徒建立正确的家庭观念非常重要。”F传道分析。
在他看来，坚定的信仰观能帮助建立整全的人生观，而人生观又能促成正确的婚姻观，最终帮助形成健康的家庭观。“所以我们一直倾向于从观念的层面，在真理根基上帮信徒提升与归正。”
就这样，2008年，在F传道与其他几位牧者的共同努力下，以“建造合神心意的家庭”为标杆异象、致力于用真理更新家庭观念的的家长团契成立。
学习与栽培中提升 践行与交通中同行
为考虑信徒覆盖及课程的长期跟进，团契采用了“在周课中栽培提升，在小组中交通成长”的教育体系。
不仅如此，为了照顾到不同信仰层次的平信徒，团契在课程设置以及教材选用方面也适当地弱化了较为晦涩的神学理论内容，而是更多采用突出实践的主内家庭辅导教材。课程也会按照不同的教学周期不断进行变动。
在F传道看来，比起按部就班、逐层进深的信徒栽培课程，家庭牧养的课堂更多以切合家庭生活中的需求为先；帮助信徒在家庭生活各个方面进行实践操练。“每个人在家庭里的角色都不是单一的。而针对不同角色，我们都有很多课程内容可以预备。大家学起来也不会枯燥。”
F传道介绍，截至目前，家长团契共计分为13个小组，每个小组，多则七八十人，少则也有三十人。常规的团契聚会通常在300人左右。而能够带领平信徒进行授课的服侍同工共有45位，其中超过半数都是08年开始就跟随团契的元老成员。
F传道表示，这些平信徒义工中的绝大多数都曾是在家庭关系中处于崩溃边缘的无望之人。
“为什么说我们的小组长在家长课堂上能够把书本上的教导讲活呢？因为他们每一个人本身就是亲历者，在家庭关系中经历过真实的眼泪、曲折、争战、破碎，又最终靠着主得胜。所以他们在给新的家长讲解真理建造家庭课程时，他们传讲的就不是轻飘飘的理论；而是真实流淌出的道的生命，是能够改变更多家庭的神的大能。”
“让大家小家都真实经历爱的宝贵”
十五年走来，F传道自己也在家长团契的带领中得到了许多造就，“家庭关系看上去无非是一家几口人之间相处的话题。实际一点也不简单，还有很多需要我们学的东西。”
“家庭是必须用爱去经营去呵护，用真理的原则去把控，然后愿意自己身体力去做的。”F传道说，“你要做的出来，不是只是说说而已，而是要真正能活出来。虽然确实有很多不容易的地方，但这就是神把我们放在家庭当中的使命。”
【专访】“家长也需要接受教育”——一个家长团契事工的十五载思与行
"In the context of family, it's not only children who need to be educated; parents are the group who should be trained as well." A minister with years of experience in family ministry discussed his insights into building faith-based families.
Every parent needs to be re-educated to establish a family view based on the truth.
Pastor F's church is located in the central district of a major city in East China. Due to its prime location and vibrant church atmosphere, a considerable number of young and middle-aged believers were attracted.
Pastor F, who has served as a leader in diverse fellowships and departments within the church, noted that over the years, whether among believers or pastoral staff, the most frequently discussed topics invariably revolve around family issues. He said these family crises often spill over, affecting both their spiritual lives and their service in the church.
"Many of the conflicts in families stem from individual value system issues, so guiding believers to establish correct family values is crucial," Pastor F explained.
In his view, a firm faith perspective helps build a comprehensive outlook on life, which in turn fosters a biblical view of marriage, ultimately contributing to a correct view of family. "Thus, we always aim to help believers strengthen the foundation of truth, starting at the conceptual level."
In 2008, with the collaborative efforts of Pastor F and several other ministers, a parent fellowship was established with the vision of "building families that align with God's will," dedicated to renewing family perspectives through truth.
Growth through learning and walking together in practice and fellowship
To ensure broad coverage and long-term follow-up for believers, the fellowship adopts a method of "cultivating and enhancing through weekly lessons and communicating in small groups."
Moreover, to accommodate believers at different levels of faith, the fellowship intentionally downplays more obscure theological content in its curriculum and materials, opting instead for practical, faith-based family counseling resources. The courses are periodically adjusted based on different teaching cycles.
Pastor F believes that, compared to step-by-step and in-depth training courses for believers, family ministry courses should prioritize meeting family needs and helping believers practice the truth in various aspects of their family roles. "Each person's role in the family is not singular. We have prepared extensive course content tailored to different roles, making the learning process engaging."
Pastor F explained that currently, the parent fellowship is divided into 13 groups, each ranging from thirty to eighty members, with regular gatherings of around 300 people. There are 45 volunteers capable of leading the courses, more than half of whom have been with the fellowship since its inception in 2008.
He noted that most of these volunteers were once desperate individuals whose family relationships were on the brink of collapse. "Why can our group leaders explain the teachings to life well in the parent classes? Because each of them has personally experienced tears, struggles, and brokenness in the family and has ultimately triumphed through the Lord. Therefore, when they teach new parents about building families through truth, they are not merely conveying theoretical knowledge; they are imparting the living word, which can transform more families."
Allowing every family to truly experience the preciousness of love
Over the past fifteen years, Pastor F himself has grown significantly through leading the parent fellowship. "Family relationships may seem to be just about interactions among a few members, but in reality, they're far from simple. There is so much we need to learn."
"Families must be nurtured with love and managed with principles of truth, which family members are willing to follow," Pastor F said. "You have to live it out, not just talk about it. This is the mission God has placed us in our families to fulfill, although there are many challenges."
- Translated by Abigail Wu
Interview: 'Parents Need to Be Trained in Families'
