Covered Bridge Family Ministries-Family Integrated Worship

Family-integrated worship is the practice of cultivating unity in the church by keeping families together rather than separating them into age-segregated groups. While not all age-based groupings of children and adults is wrong or harmful, its widespread practice has certainly contributed to the fragmentation of families in the church. This page presents a case for reforming the way churches view their members, not as groups of consumers seeking religious goods, services and experiences, but as members of an inclusive, cross-aged family who need to be discipled.

The Crucial Need For Family Restoration In The Church

Hard times have fallen on the traditional family. Without citing extensive sociologic data on the degree of family dysfunction, suffice it to say that things are bad and getting worse. By way of analogy, if the human body is diseased at the cellular level, then decay will spread to the organs and systems as well, ultimately infecting the entire body. Similarly, when the family becomes spiritually and relationally dysfunctional, this condition affects both the church and society, resulting in the abysmal state of affairs we see today.

Family-Integrated Worship: Ideal Versus Ordeal

Picture this all-too-common scenario. In thousands of churches across America, families go to church together, but they rarely see each other once inside. For the first hour, the children might go to graded Sunday School classes (patterned after the secular state schools) while their parents visit an adult class. During the second hour the kids might go to Children’s Church while their parents attend the service. It is possible that the only common experience a family might share Sunday morning for church is the car ride to and from the building.

In addition to Sunday morning programs, many churches host weeknight gatherings or special events such as camps (also age-segregated), which further cultivate the bond between peers and church staff at the expense of bonding with one’s family. Programs of this nature might have the appearance of serving families, yet true spiritual fruit is frequently elusive.

Time For Reformation

I believe that needed reformation in the Church hinges upon the return of fathers to their God-ordained role of spiritual leadership in their homes and the restoration of healthy families. It hinges upon the church getting its house in order and becoming more like a congregation of families (youth, singles and elderly included) who love and disciple one another into maturity, as well as reach out to those who need Christ. It is the hope of Covered Bridge Family Ministries that local churches will move in this direction.

Check out the web links below for more information.

National Center for Family Integrated Churches web site

Family Ministry IS Church Ministry by Phil Lancaster

The Only Reason for Family-Integrated Ministry by Eric Wallace

Our Church Youth Group by Doug Phillips

Family Integrated Home Groups by John Sleadd

Household of Faith Community Church web site of a family-integrated church in the Portland area