Family Discipleship
IDC Family Discipleship ministries aim to see families changed by the gospel by:
Equip and encourage the church to function as a family.
Equip and encourage the family units in the church to be faithful disciples at home, church and throughout the world.
Guiding Principles
There are several guiding principles that govern the activities of these ministries to ensure alignment and support of the vision:
- Equip and encourage the church to function as a family (Mark 3v.35; John 17 v.20-22, Ephesians 2 v.14-19, Titus 2v.1-5)
- Church Integration
- While appreciating the unique opportunities and challenges of communicating the gospel to children/students, we want to avoid isolating these ministries from the church as a whole. We want to integrate children/students into the life of the church.
- We want to leverage the gifts, experiences, and resources from all the disciples of the church (not just a selective few) to come alongside children/students and their families in a supportive manner.
- Strengthening Families
- Through a collaborative effort amongst the saints, create environments designed to strengthen the relationship between families: parents and their child(ren), siblings, husbands and wives, and other relationships within the family; and spiritual families: family units in the church relating to other family units as their own family.
- Church Integration
- Equip and encourage the family units in the church to be faithful disciples at home, church, and throughout the world (Deuteronomy 6v.6-7; Psalm 78 v.1-7; Matthew 28v.18-20; Ephesians 6v. 4)
- Parental Partnership
- We want to encourage, equip, and resource parents in their role as their child’s/student’s primary disciplers.
- We want to partner with parents through the direct investment in their child’s/student’s life (i.e. classes, events, mentoring).
- Age Attentiveness
- We want to communicate and apply the gospel in such a way that it is easily understood and clearly relevant to each child/student, given their age and development.
- Parental Partnership
Ministries
In support of the vision of Family Discipleship, IDC Kids (babies to 5th grade) aim is to support parents in their efforts to disciple their children. It is our prayer that we can work together with families to teach our children to know God, love God and be on mission for God. Key information for IDC Kids including online curriculum content with @home guides for families is consolidated in one location at IDCKids.com.
Discipleship Hour Meeting Time: Sundays, 4:00-5:15 pm (except the first Sunday of each month)
In support of the vision of Family Discipleship, IDC Students (6th-12th grade) aim is to support parents in their efforts to disciple their students. The ministry seeks to encourage students to know and rejoice in the gospel, experience Biblical community, and live compassionately on mission.
Discipleship Hour Meeting Time: Sundays, 4:00-5:15 pm (except the first Sunday of each month)
Childcare
While children of all ages are welcome in the corporate worship service, we do offer childcare for children six weeks old to four years old during the 9:00 am and 11:00 am services.
Our goal for Sunday morning childcare is to provide a safe and secure environment where children can play and learn while their parents attend corporate worship. Babies and one-year-olds will receive loving care; while two and three-year-olds will also hear Bible stories, sing together, and participate in developmentally appropriate activities. All of our childcare volunteers are members of Imago Dei Church who have passed background checks and completed childcare volunteer training.
During the 4:00 pm Sunday Discipleship Hour, childcare is provided for children birth-three years old while their parents attend the adult discipleship classes. However, during this time no curriculum is provided for this age group. Four-year-olds are invited to the Pre-K Discipleship Hour.
Discipleship Hour
IDC Kids (4 years old through 5th grade) & Students meet weekly, except the first Sunday of each month, for the Discipleship Hour from 4:00-5:15 pm at the IDC building.
Know and Rejoice in the Gospel
During our Discipleship Hour, our kids and students receive gospel-centered teaching with the intention of establishing a firm foundation in the lives of even our youngest attenders. We want our kids and students to go beyond just knowing stories and facts to allow the gospel to transform them from the inside out. As a portion of our curriculum states, “When kids truly experience the gospel, their hearts are transformed. It is the gospel, not good behavior, that changes everything.” They will learn who God is, His amazing redemptive plan to rescue us from sin and death, and how we can join Him in His mission.
Experience Biblical Community
Kids and students crave community and the gospel provides that community. We believe that the primary way believers are discipled is in the context of relationships. This is no different for our kids and students. We nurture community by providing contexts for them to be intentional in their relationships with each other and with the leaders.
Live Compassionately on Mission
The body of Christ is made up of members who have different functions and our kids and students have a unique role in evangelizing to the world. We encourage them to know the story of scripture and the role they have to play in it. One of the ways believers follow Christ is by making disciples of others. This pattern of disciple-making disciples is one that all believers are called to and one we want to nurture in our kids and students. They have a role to play in God’s mission right now.
Special Needs
Part of the effort for the Family Discipleship ministries is to establish a safe and caring environment so that children with special needs will be able to clearly hear and prayerfully be changed by the gospel.
Our initial step is to LEARN about the child that has special needs. We want to ask questions about how the child is being taken care of at home, and what things would be helpful to do in different settings (Discipleship Hour, corporate worship, etc). Once we’ve learned about the family, our next steps are to be intentional and proactive in IMPLEMENTING a strategy that will be suitable to the needs of the family i.e. in a Kids Discipleship Hour context, ensure all volunteers are informed about the child and best practices to use; assign one volunteer to attend to the child at all times. Once these strategies have been implemented, a representative from the Family Discipleship ministries will make sure to FOLLOW UP with the family to confirm they are being served well and that the implementation strategy is working well for their family. In addition to the follow-ups, we’ll continuously EVALUATE our efforts at both a micro and macro level to identify opportunities for how we can better care for our families that have children will special needs.
I’m the parent of a child with a special need, what’s my next step?
Pastor for Family Discipleship
Akeloe Facey
akeloe@idcraleigh.com
Director of Childcare & Kids Discipleship
Summer Crepelle
summer@idcraleigh.com
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the difference between childcare and the discipleship hour?
A: Childcare is reserved for children who are younger than four years old. Childcare is available on Sunday mornings during the corporate worship service and on Sunday evenings during The Discipleship Hour. The Discipleship Hour for Kids & Students takes place on Sunday evenings and is an intentional time of teaching and accountability for children four years old through high school.
Q: Is there programming available for elementary students on Sunday mornings?
A: No. We believe that there is great value in families worshipping together during the corporate worship service. To encourage this, we do not provide any activities for children who are older than three years old on Sunday mornings. All programming for children four years old through high school takes place on Sunday nights during the Discipleship Hour. For resources and tips to help you and your child worship together, see Additional Resources at the bottom of the discipleship resources page.
Q: What happens when my child ages out of Sunday Morning Childcare?
A: Children who are four years old and older will attend corporate worship with their parents on Sunday mornings. On Sunday evenings during the Discipleship Hour, four-year-olds through high school students will spend intentional time with their peers and consistent leaders, learning and growing together in their knowledge of the scriptures.
Q: Will my child move up a classroom/age group when they have a birthday?
A: Yes. While in childcare, children are promoted to the next age group on the first Sunday of the month after they have had a birthday. For example, if your child turns two on July 15 he/she will be moved from the ones room to the twos room on August 1. However, once children enter the discipleship hour, they will remain with their grade the entire year.
Q: Will my child have the same teacher every week?
A: Yes and no. No, not in childcare on Sunday mornings. Volunteers who have passed background checks and received training will rotate serving in childcare. Your child will see a different volunteer each week. Yes, during the discipleship hour. By design, consistent volunteers will invest in your child weekly for the entire semester.
Q: What is the difference between Pre-K and Elementary Discipleship Hour?
A: The primary distinction is that Pre-K Discipleship Hour is for four-year-olds, while Elementary Discipleship Hour is for five-year-olds through fifth grade.
Q: What if my four-year-old is going to be five in September, and Discipleship Hour starts in August, will she be assigned to Pre-K or Elementary Discipleship?
A: The cutoff date is August 31. This means if your child will turn five before September 1, he/she will be assigned to the kindergarten class in the Elementary Discipleship Hour. If he/she turns five on September 1 or later, he will be placed in the Pre-K class.
Q: What if my child is five years old but has not entered kindergarten yet, where will they be assigned?
A: If your child is five but has not yet entered kindergarten, they are encouraged to attend the Pre-K Discipleship Class. Please let the Children’s Director know of this so we can update your child’s grade level in our system.
Q: If my child gets assigned to the Pre-K class, and turns five a month later, will she be moved to the Elementary Discipleship Hour for five-year-olds?
A: No. She will remain in the Pre-K class until the Fall of next year.
Q: Will there be a Discipleship Hour for two or three-year-olds?
A: Not on Sunday evenings. The primary teaching time for this age group is on Sunday mornings. However, we will still provide childcare for these children during the 4:00 pm discipleship hour so their parents can attend adult classes, but no curriculum will be utilized.
Q: What will my child learn in IDC Kids Discipleship Hour?
A: We use the Gospel Project for Kids, a chronological study that helps kids dive deep into the big story of the Bible—God’s plan to rescue his people through his Son, Jesus Christ.
Q: If my child is planning to start middle school in the Fall of the current year, when can they start participating in the IDC Student Ministry?
A: They can begin participating in the IDC Student Ministry in the summer activities prior to the start of the Fall semester.
Q: Do you have any recommended resources that I can look to for guidance on topics such as parenting, marriage, etc?
A: Yes! See all our Family Discipleship resources here.