Grandparents want to impact their families, particularly their grandchildren. They want to be a positive influence in their families’ lives, but sometimes grandparents need inspiration and encouragement to be involved. There are many barriers to involvement in the lives of grandchildren and adult children. A survey of over two hundred grandparents asked, “What are some of … [Read more...]
Strong and sage: Influencing grandparents toward intentionality
God calls grandparents to nurture the spiritual lives of their children and grandchildren, but it’s not always easy. Here are three common hurdles to faithful grandparenting and ways your church can help grandparents overcome them. The restricted grandparent Many Christian grandparents have absorbed society’s message not to interfere and thus remain on the periphery of … [Read more...]
For the next generation: Engaging grandparents for powerful impact
When you look at the grandparents in your church, what do you see? My guess is that you see some pursuing travel and leisure with vigor, others heavily involved in child care for their grandchildren, and others on the sidelines because their grandchildren live far away. Of these, how many do you think have a clear vision of their spiritual calling as grandparents? There are … [Read more...]
Inspiring and involving grandparents who lack purpose
If there’s one thing we expect grandparents in our churches to do, it’s spoil their grandkids. This is so ingrained in our mind-set that we speak of grandparents having the “privilege” of doing so. But is that all there is to the role? Is spoiling grandchildren the only way grandparents can influence their families, or is there something more pastors can help them see? The … [Read more...]
Caring for aging parents: 6 ways to prepare your people well
With such a large group of Baby Boomers getting older, there is also a larger number of middle-aged adults caring for aging parents. Many times, this is entered into with little forethought: a parent needs care, so the adult children are the ones to give it. And while most adult children anticipate a period of adjustment, few realize the true difficulties that caring for aging … [Read more...]