Kara Powell has been doing some amazing work over the last several years at Fuller Youth Institute with her Sticky Faith, Growing Young, and now Growing With research. On Friday at the Orange Conference 2019, she spoke about the need to help parents know they measure up.
Here is a quick summary of what she said:
Deep down, parents feel like they don’t measure up. It often starts when they get pregnant.
Cue the “Not-Enough Monster”
The monster continues to grow as children continue to grow. At every phase, they realize more and more that they’re not able to do what they need to do.
Often, the church makes it harder, because they tell parents what they’re supposed to do, which only make it harder on parents. They get more overwhelmed and don’t do anything.
Then the monster multiplies.
Not-Enough Monster = Shame
Shame poisons the most deepest and personal sense of ourselves.
Then that affects their kids.
Anxiety and depression is running crazy in our culture, especially with teenagers. So where is the young person and parent able to turn when they are struggling with thoughts that they don’t measure up? They should turn to us, the church.
Here’s the message all of them need to hear: You are enough, because Jesus makes you enough.
This is such good news that parents should be flocking to our churches, but that’s not often our experience. Usually only about 20% of our parents show up to our meetings/trainings and use our resources.
So how do we reach the rest?
Ages when kids and parents really need to know Jesus makes you enough: 6-13-18-23
Each of these are big transition times, moving from one phase to the next. And they are left wondering if they are enough and their parenting is enough. So we need to be even more strategic around those transition ages.
And here’s the good news: Jesus is actually more than enough!
Want a free chapter of Kara Powell’s new book Growing With and a great resource for parents? Text the word WITH to 66866.
Steve Cullum 