Another Video Re: Faith @ Home

Check out this video from Mark Holmen!  Mark will be the guest speaker the weekend services of May 1st & 2nd at Colonial Woods Missionary Church.  Enjoy!

Volunteering @ VOX

As VOX Church begins their preview services over the next several months, there is a strong desire to begin seeing kids have a safe and fun place to engage Christ on their own level.  As part of our on-going partnership with them, we would like to see several volunteers from CW to assist them in their children’s ministry programming.  


Volunteers are needed to help with Infants, Toddlers and Elementary kids three Sunday nights in April – 11^th, 18^th and 25^th.  Would you consider making an impact with this “daughter church” as they begin to make a difference in the lives of young families?  If you are interested, contact either Dean Butterfield,  Matt Woodburn or Kate Mayer.


Kate will be working towards developing safe and fun environments that foster spiritual growth for the children who come to VOX Church. She will be putting programs and strategies in place to disciple children at VOX as well as equipping parents to disciple their children at home. Along with this, Kate will organize and train the volunteers who want to be involved in the ministry. We are excited to see what God will do through Kate's love and passion for children and their spiritual well-being. Please pray that God provides Kate with children's leaders and volunteers with a heart to see children grow in their love of Jesus. Also, pray for the children who will be coming to VOX and that they will see just how much they matter to God through the words and actions of our team..  


If you are interested in helping more long term with VOX Church, I'm sure Matt would love to talk with you more.

How is the Family Different? - A Facebook Comment Transplant

A Co-Worker recently asked a great question on Facebook that I think has implications for how we do Kid's & Family Ministry, so I thought I would share it here:

In what ways has the concept of "the family" changed from Biblical times until now? In what ways do conservative Christians view "the family" similarly and differently than they did in the New Testament era? In what ways are these changes good and in what ways are they not so good?

There were several responses, but here are my initial thoughts:

The definition and make up of family has changed drastically over the centuries - and it is hard to put labels on those, but here are a few:

1) Extended Family vs. Nuclear Family - in NT extended families living in the same abode (or on the same compound) was common place.  Aunts, Uncles, G-parents, cousins grew up and often stayed in the same area their whole life.  Nowadays, in CC circles, extended families are the exception and not the norm.  Of course, nuclear families in the "traditional sense" (mom, dad, kids in one house) is quickly becoming the exception as well.  This is not a statement of good or bad, just one of observation - but one that does carry implications for ministry

2) Transience - families today are far more mobile than they were in the OT.  Simply b/c of the inability to cover vast areas of land easily and quickly, families in OT and NT times most often just stayed together.  Today, children are often living in different states and different countries than where they grew up and where their parents may be.

3)  Individual vs. Corporate - Families are far more isolative today than in Biblical times.  When we lived in Colorado, the neighborhood I lived in looked like cattle stockyards b/c everyone had a 6 ft privacy fence keep their own piece of land separated from everyone else's.  Also, with the invention of the garage and garage door opener, families never even have to come in contact with others if they choose to.  They simply press a button to open and close their home without ever being seen.

4)  Family size - Families today are far smaller than in Biblical times as well.  I couldn't venture a guess what family size was back then, but I would imagine it is far more than the 1.8 kids per families today.  On the surface this doesn't seem like a big deal, but when you understand the reasons behind having numerous children back in OT & NT times, it becomes a bigger issue:  kids for working the family business/farm, kids to carry on the beliefs and values of the Spiritual family are just 2 of them. 

5)  Priorities & Values - Overall the values and priorities of the family has changed drastically.  It seems one of the main thrusts of the family in the OT & NT was to promote certain values or at the least maintain certain priorities - maintaining a certain level of livelihood was one of them (i.e., you grew crops and raised cattle to make a living and to be able to eat vs. going to the grocery store and buying whatever is needed). 

The priorities and values of our families today show a very different culture.  With the rise of entertainment - music, sports, computer technology, etc. - families have shifted into focusing on things that they believe will benefit their kids more in the long run.  Not that these things are BAD in and of themselves, but I often wonder what is being left out to make room for all of these things?

6)  Outsourcing – We have become a nation that outsources just about everything.  We get our kids lessons for sports, music lessons, tutoring, spiritual training, etc.  We buy our groceries at a store rather than grow them ourselves.  We use technology to outsource our entertainment so kids don’t have to entertain themselves.  In part, this has been driven by necessity – working 40-70 hours a week doesn’t leave a lot of time for other things.  But there are also choices the family has made to value certain things over others; so to make time for those things we see how we can cut time to “make room” for it all.

7)  Maturity & Rite of Passage - By and large, in European and American cultures, the age of maturity and marriageability has risen since OT & NT times.  We tend to think of young people not being adults until they reach 18-21 years of age; and even then they not really ready to be married until much later in their twenties.  This wasn't the case for a LOOOOONG time!  A Rite of Passage typically took place (Bar Mitzvahs, Bat Mitzvahs in Jewish culture) took place at age 13-16 - and it is then they were marriage eligible.  You still see this in various cultures around the world - Quinceanera, for example - but by and large has gone by the wayside.

That’s all I got to say about that…..

What are your thoughts????

Questions??????

This is a  promo video for the D6 Conference.  Church leaders - I encourage you to check it out!!!



The line up of speakers there is INCREDIBLE:  Dr. Kevin Leman, Mark Holmen, Tim Hawkins, Rob Rienow, The Skit Guys, and so on....

Annual Family Journey in Faith Report

This year I decided to do an Annual Report for our Family Ministry as well - Family Journey in Faith.  Catch up on what's happening with FJIF!
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Purpose of FJIF

Family Journey in Faith was started a little over 3 years ago as a ministry to families to encourage, inspire and equip parents to intentionally disciple their children in the home – not just at church!

Take-It Home Events

The primary way we attempt to accomplish that goal is through monthly Take-It Home events.  These events bring together kids of a specific age/grade and their parents to practice one way to pass along faith to their children.  Usually, a resource is given to the kids to help them take the Take [the practice] Home.  You can see the complete schedule online colonialwoodsmc.com.

The Journey Newsletter

I am also excited to announce that the FJIF team also recently released the 1^st issue of The Journey newsletter to encourage parents to keep up fighting the fight in passing on their faith.  This unique blend of resources, encouragement and advice from church leaders and parents is available on the CWMC website.  We are even using pictures of some of our own Colonial Woods’ kids, so check it out!

Mark Holmen Event

Another event I am excited about, coming May 1^st & 2^nd, is in partnership with the Missionary Church’s Michigan District’s Family And Children Team (F.A.C.T.), Mark Holmen and Focus on the Family, called Faith @ Home Church Seminar.  There will be a time of training for church leaders and pastors on Saturday AND a parenting workshop on Sunday, May 2^nd, from 5-7 PM.  This will be a great opportunity for parents to gain valuable insight on how to pass their faith onto their children.  Be on the lookout for details.

Visionary Parenting Conference

Another exciting opportunity I am excited to introduce to you is a weekend Conference FJIF is sponsoring February 18^th & 19^th, 2011 called Visionary Parenting.  This conference will be for all parents of Colonial Woods – infants through high schoolers – who wish to take the first step, continue, or rise up a level in the discipleship of your children.  

Dr. Rob Rienow from Wheaton Bible Church in Wheaton, IL will be our featured speaker.  He will be presenting 5 Visions for how we can create a God-centered Home as we seek to make disciples of our kids.  There will also be times of connections with other parents over desert (Friday evening) and lunch (Saturday afternoon).  Check out the brochures at the information booth or contact the Children’s Ministry office for details.

Calendar of Events

April 18^th          Kindergarten Take-It Home Event

May 1 & 2       Faith @ Home Church Seminar

May 16^th          2^nd Grade Take-It Home Event

June 6^th            Elevate Family Worship Event

Sept 19^th          3^rd Grade Take-It Home Event

Oct 17^th           1^st Grade Take-It Home Event

Nov 21^st           3 Year Old Take-It Home Event

Dec 5^th             Elevate Family Worship Event

Feb 18 & 19    Visionary Parenting Conference

Future Vision

The possibilities for Family Journey in Faith are virtually endless as CW strives to be a church that encourages, inspires and equips parents to carry out their Biblical role of discipling their children.  Our hope is to see FJIF continue to expand into areas such as a Family Mission Trip, continued Family Worship opportunities, Parent-on-Parent mentoring, and so on.  Watch and see what God does!!!

In His Service,

Dean L. Butterfield

Director of Children’s Ministries

Annual Children's Ministry Report

Below is the text from the Annual Report for Anchor Children's Ministry.  Thought you might like the preview long before the report comes out this early Spring.  Enjoy!
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What a busy, but GREAT, year this has been!  Anchor CM @ CWMC has grown by leaps and bounds as we have seen many new families attending Colonial Woods. 

Purpose of Anchor CM

It is my desire to see Anchor CM be THE PLACE for kids and families seeking to go deeper in their walk with Christ.  Children’s Ministry exists to partner with parents of children (Birth – 5^th Grade) to see them become fully, committed Disciples of Christ.  It’s about Changed Lives & Hearts in the lives of our kids!  It’s not about Baby Sitting – It’s about serving our Lord & Savior, Jesus.

Saturday Venue Live            

For over a year now we have had full Children’s Ministry programming available during Saturday Venue Live.  We operate 3 different rooms that utilize volunteers to oversee, teach and help in each one.  Recently, in the 1^st – 5^th Grade room, we switched to using the same curriculum we use on Sundays during the 10:45 service – Elevate!  Elevate is a dynamic, engaging kid’s curriculum we use to encourage kids to take Biblical truths and live them out in their daily lives.  If you are interested in checking us out on Saturdays or Sundays, feel free to stop by!  Or, better yet, ask your Elementary kids all about us!

The other part of Elevate is the on-going desire to see kids to grow in mentoring relationships with mature adult Believers.  As a church, one way to partner with the home to help kids become ‘Anchored to Christ’ is by having a 2^nd adult (besides their parent) giving them the same message of God’s Love and Truth.  In order to accomplish that we are hoping to begin adding small group shepherds who will simply hang out with kids and encourage them in their walk with Christ.  Ultimately, we would like to have 1 adult for every 7-8 kids.  If that’s something you are interested in, let us know.

Praying for Leaders

One major thrust for the next year will be in the area of leadership.  There are nearly 150 volunteers in Children’s Ministry who serve either weekly, monthly or on a 6-week rotation – far too many for a single person to manage.  What I will be seeking God and others on is to identify and train 6 ministry coordinators who will be asked to oversee a certain sect of the on-going ministries – Sunday AM and PM, Saturday PM, & Wednesday PM. 

One of those coordinators is already in place, Elementary @ the 10:45 service, but more are needed.  This will allow me to then work with these 7 individuals to manage and oversee the volunteers to ensure program needs are met and kids are effectively being ministered to.

Kid’s Spring Musical

Please take not that we are NOT conducting a Kid’s Spring Musical but will re-group the Kid’s Choir and hopefully perform the annual Christmas program the Sunday after Thanksgiving.  If you are interested in that leadership, please let me know.

Anchor CM Blog & Facebook

Keep in mind that Anchor CM is also has a blog:  www.anchorchildrensministry.blogspot.com and is also on Facebook as a ‘Fan Page.’  It is a great way to stay connected with various happenings around the church – not just in Children’s Ministry.

Calendar of Event

Pinewood Derby             April 30^th

Tea for Two                    May 8^th

Happy Time Camp          June 21^st – 25^th  

VBS                                July 18^th – 22^nd  

Back to School Bash       September 1^st

Trunk or Treat                 October 30^th

Christmas Musical           Nov.  28^th  

Christmas Day Camp    Dec. 4^th  (New Date)

In His Service,

Dean L. Butterfield

Director of Children’s Ministries

The Case For.....

Lee Strobel's popular "The Case For...." series in available for Tweens as well.  This looks like it could be a great resource for parents who are hoping to give their kids some basic principles of doctrine and apologetics (how to share your faith).  I'm especially interested in "Off my Case."  It provides 12 real-life scenarios for kids on how they can defend their belief in Christ when confronted by others.


You can buy the set of 4 or each one individually.  These could also work well for homeschoolers, kids in public schools, Tween discipleship courses, Sunday schools classes, etc.


Have any of you heard about these, used them or read them?  What are your thoughts???

Faith @ Home

Parents and Church Leaders, this is a GREAT SITE to check out if you are interested in getting for information about how to disciple children in the home.  Mark Holmen was the Senior Pastor at Ventura Missionary Church until he left to pursue full-time missionary work in the Faith @ Home movement.

Again, with details coming shortly, Mark will be coming May 1st and 2nd to present a Faith @ Home workshop.  Saturday the seminar will be for Church leaders (Pastors, Directors, Lay Leaders).  On Sunday evening, from 5-7 PM, Mark and a representative from Focus on the Family will be presenting a workshop for parents of ALL ages who desire to continue, start or ramp up their discipleship of their kids at home.  Children's Ministry and Childcare WILL be provided - they will even get to eat!!!!

What's up with Prayer?

That's the title of our next Family Journey in Faith Take-It Home Event on February 28th during the 10:45 service in the gym at Colonial Woods Missionary Church.  This event will bring 4th & 5th Graders and their parents together to see what it means to be praying daily to God.  We have a couple of speakers lined up to come and inspire both the parents and kids as well as a resource to give to each child who attends.  There is also a possibility that Pastor Phil will come and kick off the morning for us as well.....???


During these Take-It Home events, the kids will separated from their regular Children's Church programming in order to participate.  Children's Ministry still happens for all other ages/grades.  FJIF is a ministry designed to encourage, inspire and equip parents to carry about our Biblical responsibility to disciple our children to be like Christ.  It helps us as parents carry out the Deuteronomy 6 mandate to "Impress [the Commands of God] on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.  Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates."


If you have a 4th or 5th grader, you won't want to miss this special time to connect in worship with your kids.

Focus on the Family & Colonial Woods

It's too soon to give all the details, but coming very soon Colonial Woods will be hosting a Faith @ Home Church Seminar the weekend of May 1st & 2nd with the Missionary Church's own Mark Holmen.  This event is being sponsored by the Michigan District of the Missionary Church.

There will be several components to the weekend - some for church leaders from across the Blue Water and Thumb of Michigan AND for parents who wish to take the next step in discipleship of their kids.  You can find out about how FOTF and Faith @ Home are partnering by going to their WEBSITE.

So stay tuned to find out more details as they become available.