What It Takes to Engage These Families

Linda Ranson Jacobs Creator and Advisor to DC4K www.dc4k.org http://blog.dc4k.org

Colossians 3:23-24 (NIV)

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

Baggage
Video By Nicole Johnson Fresh Brewed Life, Inc.

Too Small to Ignore

By Wess Stafford
Children learn what they live, and isolation in the Village is one of the most destructive messages we daily write on the tablets of their hearts. You are part of the village

Fueling Your Passion

Reaching out Deepening relationship with God Increased faith & trust in Christ Recognition of the power of the Holy Spirit

Questions to Ask Yourself

What fuels your passion?

What makes you passionate about your ministry?

4 Criteria When Ministering

Praying Understanding

Reaching out
Caring

Defining Passion
Passion is the object of someones interest or enthusiasm.
It comes from personal experience, your own or someone you know

Passion Comes from Within

When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into this harvest field. Matthew 9:35-36

Demonstration
Family Sculpturing
Death of a spouse Death of a marriage

Understanding the Legacy

Fear about safety
Behavior problems Regression to younger habits Total confusion

Legacies
Short-term

Affects the child right now or in the next few years

Long-term

Affects a child in their adult years and for some for the rest of their lives

Understanding the Brain

Brain stem - fight, flight, freeze Limbic - all about feelings Cortex - learning, problem solving
Conscious Discipline Dr. Becky Bailey 1-800-842-2846
www.ConsciousDiscipline.com

Brain stem - fight, flight or freeze

What Can You Do?

You cannot rationalize the brain stem

You can describe what the action is. Ex. Your body is going like this. Realize a response is to a perceived threat
www.ConsciousDiscipline.com 800-842-2846

Limbic - about feelings

What Can You Do?

You cannot teach the limbic system. You can mirror and reflect what they are sensing. Add empathy to the child
Ex. Seems to me your mad. I can understand why you would be sad.
www.ConsciousDiscipline.com 800-842-2846

Cortex - think logically, make choices, etc.

What Can You Do?

Help child reason
Validate feelings Listen to rationalizations Facilitate problem solving You can teach a child in the cortex
www.ConsciousDiscipline.com 800-842-2846

Mirror Neurons
Your facial expression and body posture make a difference These neurons show you what its like to experience what others do. Born for Love Share mirror neurons at work

Activate Mirror Neurons

Kids mimic your expressions Mirror neurons show you what its like to experience what others do (Bruce Perry,
Born for Love)

Mirror neurons at work - Have a good day.

Mirror Neurons
You can catch mirror neurons like one catches a cold

Upon entering your group

Be prayed up Prepare your heart Greet participants w/ warmth, joy, smile Maintain a spirit of empathy

What part of the brain are you in?

Share a brain stem moment

A limbic system moment

Hopefully everyone is in the cortex right now

Keeping passion alive

Relationships and community Building community You never stand so tall as when you stoop to help a child! (Too Small To Ignore)

Tips and Tools

Pray Plan Care

Be empowered

Pray
Has to start and end with prayer To effectively minister and sustain Apart from God this type of ministry is shortlived John 15:5: "I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing" (NLT).

Plan
Takes preparation & planning

Takes a team
Being part of a team is important

Plan, Plan, Plan

Proverbs 15:22

Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.

Care
Care for children with empathy Empathy is eroding due to

Decline in religious attendance Social media Texting Mobil society

Relational poverty is increasing

Empathy at work

Care continued
Care for team members

How do you encourage your team? Do you do this weekly, monthly or when? Do you have a solitary place? Do you get adequate rest? Do you press against Jesus?

Care for self

Empowerment
He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ. To this end I strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully work in me. Colossians 1:28-29

Be Intentional
Be prepared for when the show up Have a purpose Be resolved to reach out Be deliberate in actions/words/deeds Stop and think

Empower Through Prayer

Their immediate needs Understanding of situation Parent they live with to have energy Childs comfort Understanding Do not set them up to fail

Get energized
Let my teaching fall like rain and my words descend like dew, like showers on new grass, like abundant rain on tender plants." Deuteronomy 32:3

If you hang onto someones passion, it becomes habit-forming. (Bill Parcells)

Romans 15:13
May God, the source of hope, fill you with all
joy and peace by means of your faith in him, so that your hope will continue to grow by the power of the Holy Spirit. (TEV)

Data Card
Fill out the data card and give to volunteer Write Blog in the corner if you want to follow

What was helpful? What was missing? What will you do differently at your church?