H2H has been a real success at Family of Christ. Our teachers enjoy teaching the material and the youth look forward to coming each week. - Pete Hiller - Family of Christ Lutheran - Ham Lake, MN
Faith Inkubators Resources + Introduction
In a bold initiative to revision Christian education by connecting parents to their own children’s faith walk seven nights a week, Faith Inkubators announces the release of their new 2008-09 resource line.
Our motto? “Teach Better, Keep More Kids, Connect Parents!”
Our goal? “Every Night in Every Home”
INTEGRATED RESOURCES
"All of Faith Inkubators resources have now been designed into an integrated whole-church system that transforms Christian education from something the church does TO kids and FOR parents, into something children, parents and the church do TOGETHER,” says Rev. Rich Melheim, founder and Chief Creative Officer of the Christian education systems think-tank and resource provider.
“Turning parents into partners in their own children’s faith journey – that is what our Update 2008-09 is all about. Our newest resources simply get a theme started at church, then give you the tools to send it home seven nights a week.”
CALLING PARENTS TO THE PROMISES MADE AT BAPTISM
“It has taken Faith Inkubators 15 years to change the way the Lutheran church does confirmation ministry,” says Melheim, a Lutheran minister under specialized call from the St. Paul Area Synod of the ELCA.
“Now that the church has embraced our model of large group/small group ministry for adolescents and our ground-breaking methods of teaching, it’s time to bring it on home! The next wave of Christian education will be longer and later… and a whole lot earlier. And it will call the parents to the promises they made in baptism and equip them to be the chief faith mentors, guides and role models for their own children with the church as reinforcement – not replacement – in their children’s faith incubation. "
FROM CRADLE TO GRADUATION
The Faith Inkubators family of resources now run from cradle to graduation, with additional systems and curricula for intergenerational ministry.
In 2008-09, churches can join and enjoy the new “Bible Song” Children and Family resources for Sunday School, “Head to the Heart” adolescent ministry resources for confirmation, “Faith Stepping Stones” Family Ministry resources to connect parents with their own children every night, and Faith Inkubators Seasonal curriculum (Advent, Lent, and/or Stewardship) for cross-generational ministry.
PARTNERSHIPS WITH PARENTS
"We are now setting our sights on creating true partnerships with parents – starting when they bring their babies home from the hospital and extending all the way to graduation Sunday," says Melheim.
"We intend to invest the next 15 years reframing Christian education from a church-led artificial program into a family involved natural process. We are calling on the most passionate, innovative, committed pastors, Christian education leaders, and parents in the church to join us, test these approaches and materials, and spread it across the world.”
THE LIVING JOURNALS
To launch this new strategy, seven vibrant “Home Journals” have been designed to connect the church curriculum to caring conversations at home. In addition to the colorful and animated PowerPoint based curriculum and beautiful home journals, a number of fun new online components have been added for Faith Inkubators members in 2008-09.
“We’re taking the tech-savy nature of kids seriously,” says Monty Lysne, Director of Head to the Heart Confirmation & Family Ministry.
“We’ve designed this year’s update to allow kids and families to hop online and experience each week’s theme Bible verses in music, art, devotions and engaging new learning games. Faith Inkubators members will also enjoy new parenting and leadership blogs, practical monthly ministry podcasts, online youth ministry training videos, online Bible verses in song and sign language, plus 100+ of our articles on excellence in youth and family ministry to help them build and run more effective ministries.”
FAITH INKUBATORS MEMBER COMMUNITY
“Churches joining as 2008-09 members will also now be connected to the best thought leaders, practical helps and hands-on support system in the world through our new Faith Inkubators Member Community online,” says Deb Streicher, Director of Bible Song and GIFT Family Ministry.
“We’re going to change the church one family at a time… one night at a time. Our aim is not to simply baby-sit children or teach a class of adolescents. Our aim is to connect parents as partners, build a motivated teaching team at church, teach the way the brain learns, and grow an integrated Christian education program. If you want to have a blast while you’re doing it, you’ve come to the right place.”
A COORDINATED EFFORT
“If you're not beginning with the end in mind, you're setting yourself up for a tougher journey than you may expect," says Ben Hoogland, Faith Stepping Stones Advistor .
Ben, a marriage and family therapist who also holds a degree in youth and family ministry, knows how important integrated family systems are to raising healthy kids . "With Faith Inkubator's resources, we help churches create a coordinated effort from birth to graduation in which families are strengthened and parents are taking the lead in not only nurturing their children's physical and emotional needs, but also their spiritual needs."
FAITH INKUBATORS INTEGRATED RESOURCES FOR 2008-2009:
Head to the Heart Confirmation Curriculum (90 themes in art, music, learning games, Bible study, and cartoons)
Head to the Heart Home Journals
• Living Scripture (The Old Testament, The Life of Jesus, The New Testament)
• Living Faith (The Ten Commandments, The Lords Prayer, Hot Topics such as sex, drugs, war, materialism, suicide)
• Living Lutheran (Luther and the Catechism, the Apostles’ Creed, Lutheran Life and Worship)
Bible Song Sunday School Curriculum (60 themes in cartoons, music, sign language, Bible stories, and learning games with 60 more on the way)
• The Books of Moses (Genesis – Deuteronomy) - Available now.
• Into the Promised Land (Joshua – Job) - Available now.
• The Good News (Matthew – John) - Available now.
• Word Spreads (Acts – Philemon) - Shipping in August.
Faith Stepping Stones Parenting Courses
• Raising a Healthy Baby (3 sessions on physical, emotional spiritual care of infants and the people who love them)
• Raising a Healthy Toddler (3 sessions on physical, emotional spiritual care of toddlers and the people who love them)
• Entry Kindergarten (3 sessions on physical, emotional spiritual care of kindergartners and the people who love them)
• My First Bible (8 sessions taking young readers and their parents from Genesis to the Revelation)
•Livin’ Forgiven (3 sessions on the gifts of Holy Communion and the importance of saying “I’m sorry” in a family)
• How to Survive Adolescence (3 sessions of practical advice for parents and confirmation-aged youth)
• Confirmation (3 sessions on making your confession of faith, confirming your convictions, and claiming your calling)
• Graduation (3 sessions to prepare graduates and their parents for saying “goodbye” with love and humor)
Faith Inkubators Seasonals (involving and including the entire congregation)
• Faith Inkubators Advent (Four weeks of learning and fun in cross-generational faith family groups using the Revised Common Lectionary texts)
• Faith Inkubators Lent (Six weeks of learning and fun in cross-generational faith family groups using the Revised Common Lectionary texts)
• Faith Inkubators Stewardship (Six weeks of time, talents and treasures in cross-generational groups)
All new resources include the amazing Bible art of He Qi (www.heqigallery.com) , NRSV Bible verse songs by the Faith Inkubators Music Guild, humorous cartoons by Rich Melheim, skits by the Faith Inkubators Writing Guild, online games and more.
“It’s all beautiful. It’s fun. It’s effective,” says Melheim. “There’s simply nothing like this in the Christian education world. If you’re ready to pull parents into the process of their own children’s faith life, the Faith Inkubators team is now prepared to help.”
Enjoy the free samples of each system, curriculum and resource at www.faithink.com.
Sign up for your membership today at http://store.faithink.com/ .
You’ll have the whole summer to read, laugh, enjoy and prepare for a great fall with your team!
 |
For more information on Head to the Heart Confirmation, contact Monty Lysne, Director of Head to the Heart, at mlysne@faithink.com or 888-55FAITH. |
 |
For more information on Bible Song or GIFT, contact Debbie Streicher, Director of Bible Song and GIFT, at dstreicher@faithink.com. |
 |
For information on Faith Stepping Stones, contact Ben Hoogland, Faith Stepping Stones Advisor, at bhoogland@faithink.com or 888-55FAITH. |