FOUNDATIONS: Purpose to Potential

This is a continuation of a series that began in February 2023. Join us as we take a closer look at each building block of FHC’s Mission Statement using the book of Colossians as our lens:

“To be a relationally driven community that seeks to encounter God, empower Christ-centred lives, and faithfully serve others"

Scripture: Colossians 3:20-21

Being a kid these days is hard. This is especially true when we consider the mental health challenges and how confusing our world can be to navigate today. For this reason, when we’re talking about the role that families and their children play in the church, it is important for us to think about how we can best support our youth to grow into healthy disciples of Jesus Christ in a way that offers clarity while also pointing them towards grace. Together, we believe we can do this in 3 ways:

Firstly, Paul’s intention in this week’s passage is to reframe the relationship between parents and their children. He does so by flipping the script on its head, so to speak, and encouraging parents to be encouragers themselves. The relationship dynamics between parents and kids in the context of Paul can be described as authoritarian and domineering. This is to say that children were expected to obey their parents even to the point of being given away for marriage. Paul’s encouragement for parents in this regard is to “not aggravate" them in their obedience but to be a positive reinforcement in their lives. In this way, parents have the opportunity to reflect the grace of God for their children and, in doing so, demonstrate a new way of instilling obedience in their kids.

Secondly, one of the biggest ways we can support the youth of our church is by taking the time to understand their world. From peer pressure to the identity crisis, each of these things is what our youth face not only on a daily basis but every time they scroll through their phones. Every waking moment, they are being bombarded by unhealthy messages which bring true meaning to the word “aggravate” that Paul uses here. Parents in particular play a crucial role in helping our children understand this world in a positive way that does not begin with black-and-white judgments but with sincerity and grace. This begins with taking the time to understand their world and what they truly value in the various online platforms they find themselves on.

Lastly, we must remember that no matter who you are, there is grace for those who have failed to “honor your mother and father.” And in light of the overarching narrative of scripture, this means that Jesus is the true son who was faithful even unto the Cross and each of us, therefore, is in need of his grace if we are to fulfill what God wants for us as sons and daughters. This is true for both parents and children alike. We are all in need of grace in order to truly love one another unconditionally.

Study Questions:

1.) In what ways do you struggle in your relationship with your parents?

2.) Who has inspired you in their relationship with their parents?

3.) In what ways has your relationship with your parents drawn you closer to Jesus?

4.) Being a parent is hard. In what ways can we honor them regardless of what life stage we are in?

5.) How can we better understand the culture our youth are growing up in today?