Collaborate

Dick Gruber: Families Serving Together

First Things First

This is no dig at Dick Gruber… but, if I have to read another chapter intro that rehashes Deuteronomy 6, I’m going to put the book down for a week.

I get the fact that each author was given a chapter to work with, and that many of us who are called to ministering to kids and families are currently wrestling with that text.  However, couldn’t there be some way that an intro to the book could talk about texts that inspire family ministry?  I’m just saying… I never thought I’d be sick of the Shema.  Yet, 8 chapters in, and I’m there.

Quick Take-Away

Dick looks like he’s done an amazing job of releasing families to serve in ministry together.  If families serving together is a new concept for you, Dick lays out multiple ways you might be able to apply this concept to your context.  However, as this chapter makes clear, you have to start with the things that people are already passionate about.  Dick didn’t go around creating program after program and forcing families to serve together.  Instead, he takes things that families are already excited about and infuses a family ministry approach to those volunteer opportunities and programs.

My take-away is going to www.dickgruber.com to download some free ideas on some of the large events he’s pulled off in the past.  You may want to check them out as well.

This post is 1 of many in a series.  I’m assuming that the contributing authors of Collaborate want to have a conversation with me.  You can read my open letter to them here.