Family Integrated Church
Encyclopedia
A family integrated church is one in which parents and children attend church service
s together, children stay all through church services (without attending Sunday school
or children's ministries
) and organised groups and activities for children and youth are non-existent. Timothy Paul Jones notes that in the family-integrated ministry model, "all age-graded classes and events are eliminated." Other terms used are family discipleship churches, family-centered ministry and inclusive-congregational ministry.
Family integrated churches emphasise inter-generational ministry and the "parents' responsibility to evangelize and disciple their own children." Some advocates base this on the idea that families are the "God-ordained building blocks of the church." In 2009, B&H Academic
published Perspectives on Family Ministry: Three Views (ISBN 0805448454) which included a contribution by Paul Renfro in favour of "Family-Integrated Ministry." Renfro argues that in the Old Testament, children were part of the "gathered assembly of God's people" (Deuteronomy ), while "in first-century churches
the presence of children in the church assembly was assumed," since Paul directly addressed children in Ephesians
. Scott Brown argues for family integrated churches on the basis of the sufficiency of Scripture, while advocates of the concept also argue that this is the practice of historic Christianity.
A movement of family integrated churches has formed among evangelical
churches in the USA. Organisations that advocate family integrated churches include Vision Forum
, the Alliance for Church and Family Reformation, and the National Center for Family-Integrated Churches. The NCFIC lists around 800 affiliated churches.
Church service
In Christianity, a church service is a term used to describe a formalized period of communal worship, often but not exclusively occurring on Sunday, or Saturday in the case of those churches practicing seventh-day Sabbatarianism. The church service is the gathering together of Christians to be...
s together, children stay all through church services (without attending Sunday school
Sunday school
Sunday school is the generic name for many different types of religious education pursued on Sundays by various denominations.-England:The first Sunday school may have been opened in 1751 in St. Mary's Church, Nottingham. Another early start was made by Hannah Ball, a native of High Wycombe in...
or children's ministries
Christian ministry
In Christianity, ministry is an activity carried out by Christians to express or spread their faith. 2003's Encyclopedia of Christianity defines it as "carrying forth Christ's mission in the world", indicating that it is "conferred on each Christian in baptism." It is performed by all Christians...
) and organised groups and activities for children and youth are non-existent. Timothy Paul Jones notes that in the family-integrated ministry model, "all age-graded classes and events are eliminated." Other terms used are family discipleship churches, family-centered ministry and inclusive-congregational ministry.
Family integrated churches emphasise inter-generational ministry and the "parents' responsibility to evangelize and disciple their own children." Some advocates base this on the idea that families are the "God-ordained building blocks of the church." In 2009, B&H Academic
B&H Publishing Group
B&H Publishing Group, once known as Broadman & Holman, is a division of Lifeway Christian Resources. Specializing in Christianity pertaining to fiction, homeschool, youth, history, and other interests...
published Perspectives on Family Ministry: Three Views (ISBN 0805448454) which included a contribution by Paul Renfro in favour of "Family-Integrated Ministry." Renfro argues that in the Old Testament, children were part of the "gathered assembly of God's people" (Deuteronomy ), while "in first-century churches
Early Christianity
Early Christianity is generally considered as Christianity before 325. The New Testament's Book of Acts and Epistle to the Galatians records that the first Christian community was centered in Jerusalem and its leaders included James, Peter and John....
the presence of children in the church assembly was assumed," since Paul directly addressed children in Ephesians
Epistle to the Ephesians
The Epistle of Paul to the Ephesians, often shortened to Ephesians, is the tenth book of the New Testament. Its authorship has traditionally been credited to Paul, but it is considered by some scholars to be "deutero-Pauline," that is, written in Paul's name by a later author strongly influenced by...
. Scott Brown argues for family integrated churches on the basis of the sufficiency of Scripture, while advocates of the concept also argue that this is the practice of historic Christianity.
A movement of family integrated churches has formed among evangelical
Evangelicalism
Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
churches in the USA. Organisations that advocate family integrated churches include Vision Forum
Vision Forum
Vision Forum is an evangelical Christian organization based in San Antonio, Texas. Vision Forum Ministries is a 501 non-profit organization, while the associated commercial operation is called Vision Forum, Inc. It advocates Biblical patriarchy, creationism, homeschooling, Family Integrated...
, the Alliance for Church and Family Reformation, and the National Center for Family-Integrated Churches. The NCFIC lists around 800 affiliated churches.