PFF Participant's Handbook Fillable
PFF Participant's Handbook Fillable
the course
Participant’s Handbook
December 2018
Parenting for Faith is part of The Bible Reading Fellowship, a Registered Charity (233280)
This material is copyright The Bible Reading Fellowship 2017. Used and reprinted with permission.
parentingforfaith.org
2
Parenting for Faith is part of The Bible Reading Fellowship, a Registered Charity (233280)
This material is copyright The Bible Reading Fellowship 2018. Used and reprinted with permission.
Participant’s Handbook | December 2018
3
This booklet is for you to use as you would like. For each session, there is:
• a session outline summarising that week’s teaching;
• a guide to that week’s session, with spaces for you to take notes and your own personal reflections
– or just to doodle in, if you wish;
• some suggested next steps for you to take throughout the week – pick and choose one or two that
may encourage you to explore the topic deeper.
The course is based on the book Parenting Children for a Life of Faith – Omnibus Edition (BRF, 2018), but
is not limited to it.
Our website – parentingforfaith.org – is full of stories, ideas and wisdom from lots of people who
are passionate about parenting for faith. There’s content from and for parents, grandparents, carers,
church leaders, course leaders and those with a particular interest in parenting for faith and additional
needs; in fact, all sorts of people who are committed to this journey of learning to spiritually parent our
children.
There are several ways you can keep in touch with Parenting for Faith:
• join our email newsletter to stay up to date at parentingforfaith.org/email;
• follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/parentingforfaithBRF;
• follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/godconnected;
• follow the Parenting for Faith podcast.
May God bless you with clarity, hope and boldness as you go on this journey.
Parenting for Faith is part of The Bible Reading Fellowship, a Registered Charity (233280)
This material is copyright The Bible Reading Fellowship 2018. Used and reprinted with permission.
Participant’s Handbook | December 2018
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Video introduction
• God-smart or God-connected?
Parenting for Faith is part of The Bible Reading Fellowship, a Registered Charity (233280)
This material is copyright The Bible Reading Fellowship 2018. Used and reprinted with permission.
Participant’s Handbook | December 2018
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Individual reflection
• Ten years from now, what do I want my child’s relationship with God to look like?
Parenting for Faith is part of The Bible Reading Fellowship, a Registered Charity (233280)
This material is copyright The Bible Reading Fellowship 2018. Used and reprinted with permission.
Participant’s Handbook | December 2018
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Group discussion
In your groups, discuss some of the following questions:
• What is your experience of learning to have an individual, connected relationship with God? How
did you learn this?
• How are you already travelling with your child on this journey of faith?
• Thinking about the ideas of creating windows and inviting children into your relationship with
God, how might you do this with your child?
• How might focusing on relationship with God rather than a discipline of Christianity impact your
spiritual parenting?
Parenting for Faith is part of The Bible Reading Fellowship, a Registered Charity (233280)
This material is copyright The Bible Reading Fellowship 2018. Used and reprinted with permission.
Participant’s Handbook | December 2018
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Acknowledgements
Scripture quotations taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version (Anglicised edition)
copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. Used by permission of Hodder & Stoughton Publishers, a
Hachette UK company. All rights reserved. ‘NIV’ is a registered trademark of Biblica. UK trademark
number 1448790.
Scripture quotations taken from the Contemporary English Version. Old Testament © American Bible
Society 1995. Anglicisations © British & Foreign Bible Society 1996. Used by permission.
Parenting for Faith is part of The Bible Reading Fellowship, a Registered Charity (233280)
This material is copyright The Bible Reading Fellowship 2018. Used and reprinted with permission.
Participant’s Handbook | December 2018
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Video introduction
Seeing God in our world – building a spiritual framework for our children
Individual reflection
• Who has been significant in your life for helping things make sense spiritually?
• How have they given you a framework to understand life with God in it?
Parenting for Faith is part of The Bible Reading Fellowship, a Registered Charity (233280)
This material is copyright The Bible Reading Fellowship 2018. Used and reprinted with permission.
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Group activity
In a small group, have a go at framing one or more of the following:
• Explain why we sing to God at church.
• Talk about a change your family has had to make and where God was in that.
• Explain why some people are really poor.
• Tell the story of the last big decision you made and the part God played in it.
Parenting for Faith is part of The Bible Reading Fellowship, a Registered Charity (233280)
This material is copyright The Bible Reading Fellowship 2018. Used and reprinted with permission.
Participant’s Handbook | December 2018
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Group activity
In your small groups, have a go at retelling a Bible story, stopping to add in aspects of God or to ask
others what God was feeling, thinking or doing at that point. For example, in the story of Joseph
and his brothers (Genesis 37), you might ask, ‘What was God doing while Joseph was bragging to his
brothers about his dreams’, ‘Where was God when Joseph was in the pit?’ or ‘How was God feeling
when the brothers lied to their dad?’
Alternatively, your group could choose a simple Bible story (such as Daniel in the lions’ den, David
and Goliath, or Noah) and write a bullet-point outline of how you would tell it so that it highlights the
relationship between God and the character rather than just the events of the story. After five minutes,
get together with another group and tell it to them.
• What do we know?
Parenting for Faith is part of The Bible Reading Fellowship, a Registered Charity (233280)
This material is copyright The Bible Reading Fellowship 2018. Used and reprinted with permission.
Participant’s Handbook | December 2018
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Group activity
In your small groups, have a go at answering some of the following questions using the four tools:
• How many ears does God have?
• Will my friend who is a Muslim go to heaven?
• Were there dinosaurs on the ark?
• Why does God let bad things happen?
• Is there McDonalds in heaven?
Group discussion
In your groups, discuss some of the following questions:
• Can you think of something you have framed for your child – for example, moving house or starting
school?
• How could you bring the reality of God into your everyday conversations with your child?
• What frameworks might you need to start building for your child to prepare them for something
coming up? What stories from the Bible might help with this?
• Does your child ask questions about God and life? If not, what is a question you could ask them to
get them thinking about how God sees a situation and what he’s doing?
Parenting for Faith is part of The Bible Reading Fellowship, a Registered Charity (233280)
This material is copyright The Bible Reading Fellowship 2018. Used and reprinted with permission.
Participant’s Handbook | December 2018
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Video introduction
The God disconnect – how wrong views of God are shaped
Individual reflection
We have all been on journey of how we see God. What has been your journey of how you view him?
Parenting for Faith is part of The Bible Reading Fellowship, a Registered Charity (233280)
This material is copyright The Bible Reading Fellowship 2018. Used and reprinted with permission.
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2. Jolly, optimistic God – A Santa-like figure who sits on his throne enjoying the worship of his
people. He wants his people to please him and bring him joy. He doesn’t want any sadness or sin
around him, only happy, perfect people who can please him.
3. Angry God – Waiting and watching for any little infraction, this version of God is ready to squash
and punish lightning quick. He pleasures in seeing people fail, and varies between annoyed and
angry as he watches our lives in judgement and rage.
4. Mysterious, eccentric God – This version of God is an unexplainable and barely understandable
being that demands and commits random acts.
5. Buddy Jesus or overindulgent father God – This version of God is my sidekick and vending
machine, existing to love me, give me gifts, make me feel great and tell me I’m awesome.
Parenting for Faith is part of The Bible Reading Fellowship, a Registered Charity (233280)
This material is copyright The Bible Reading Fellowship 2018. Used and reprinted with permission.
Participant’s Handbook | December 2018
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Group discussion
In your groups, discuss some of the following questions:
• What ideas of God might you want to unwind for your child? What might be the difficulties in doing
this?
• Are there any areas of God’s character that you would like to share with your child? What are the
next steps for you as a parent in this area?
• Have you noticed any changes in your child’s attitude to God recently? How might you explore this
with them?
• For parents of younger children: how could you help them understand that God’s love is constant
and not dependent on what we do?
Parenting for Faith is part of The Bible Reading Fellowship, a Registered Charity (233280)
This material is copyright The Bible Reading Fellowship 2018. Used and reprinted with permission.
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• How might thinking about all the everyday bits of Jesus’ life that we don’t read about in the Bible
help children or teens understand God better?
• For parents of older children and teens: how might the following truthful, but incomplete,
statements contribute to a wrong view of God?
• ‘God has a plan’
• Which Bible stories or passages do you or your child enjoy the most? Do they give a balanced view
of God? Are there any stories or passages you could explore to broaden that view?
Parenting for Faith is part of The Bible Reading Fellowship, a Registered Charity (233280)
This material is copyright The Bible Reading Fellowship 2018. Used and reprinted with permission.
Participant’s Handbook | December 2018
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Video introduction
• Focusing on relationship rather than formula
Individual reflection
• What is your pattern of connecting to God as you go through your day?
Parenting for Faith is part of The Bible Reading Fellowship, a Registered Charity (233280)
This material is copyright The Bible Reading Fellowship 2018. Used and reprinted with permission.
Participant’s Handbook | December 2018
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• Does your child engage with corporate prayer or pray on their own?
• Learning to do ‘chat’
• Modelling
Parenting for Faith is part of The Bible Reading Fellowship, a Registered Charity (233280)
This material is copyright The Bible Reading Fellowship 2018. Used and reprinted with permission.
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Group discussion
In your groups, discuss some of the following questions.
• How can you create opportunities for them to chat to God alongside you?
• How can you help them talk to God and include him in however they communicate with you?
Parenting for Faith is part of The Bible Reading Fellowship, a Registered Charity (233280)
This material is copyright The Bible Reading Fellowship 2018. Used and reprinted with permission.
Participant’s Handbook | December 2018
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General questions
• Do you notice the ‘high priest’ tendency in yourself, or in your upbringing? How did it affect you?
• Are there any views of God you may need to unwind to help your child feel free to chat to God?
• Children like communicating in different ways – some like talking while doing something, others
like to talk while walking or cuddled up in bed, some like drawing or journalling. In what ways can
you create opportunities for your child to chat to God in a way or place that fits them best?
Parenting for Faith is part of The Bible Reading Fellowship, a Registered Charity (233280)
This material is copyright The Bible Reading Fellowship 2018. Used and reprinted with permission.
Participant’s Handbook | December 2018
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Individual reflection
• How do you access God’s voice in your life?
• When was the first time you became aware of it and what does it mean for you? If you are still on
the journey of discovering God’s voice, how do you feel about it?
Parenting for Faith is part of The Bible Reading Fellowship, a Registered Charity (233280)
This material is copyright The Bible Reading Fellowship 2018. Used and reprinted with permission.
Participant’s Handbook | December 2018
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• In our dreams
Parenting for Faith is part of The Bible Reading Fellowship, a Registered Charity (233280)
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• Trying catch
Group discussion
In your groups, discuss some of the following questions:
• What has been your journey of learning to hear God’s voice? Where on the journey are you and
what have you learned so far?
• Do you have any concerns about doing catch with your child? If you already do any catch at home,
how has it gone?
Parenting for Faith is part of The Bible Reading Fellowship, a Registered Charity (233280)
This material is copyright The Bible Reading Fellowship 2018. Used and reprinted with permission.
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• What is your experience of hearing from God? What aspects of that might be helpful in coaching
your children in this?
• Is there any framework you may need to put in place to introduce this to your child well?
Parenting for Faith is part of The Bible Reading Fellowship, a Registered Charity (233280)
This material is copyright The Bible Reading Fellowship 2018. Used and reprinted with permission.
Participant’s Handbook | December 2018
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• Frame
• Equip
• Create opportunities
• Establish boundaries
• Feedback
Parenting for Faith is part of The Bible Reading Fellowship, a Registered Charity (233280)
This material is copyright The Bible Reading Fellowship 2018. Used and reprinted with permission.
Participant’s Handbook | December 2018
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Individual reflection
• What values or skills did your own parents successfully grow in you – for example, a love of the
theatre or the importance of thriftiness. Can you see some of the six-stage model reflected in how
they did it?
• What values have you been struggling to grow in your children? Looking at the six-stage model,
which stages might you be missing out?
Parenting for Faith is part of The Bible Reading Fellowship, a Registered Charity (233280)
This material is copyright The Bible Reading Fellowship 2018. Used and reprinted with permission.
Participant’s Handbook | December 2018
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• Curiosity
• Spontaneous ideas
• Questions
Parenting for Faith is part of The Bible Reading Fellowship, a Registered Charity (233280)
This material is copyright The Bible Reading Fellowship 2018. Used and reprinted with permission.
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Group discussion
In your groups, discuss some of the following questions:
• What waves are currently rising in your children’s lives? What are they interested in? What are they
curious about? What makes them angry (holy discontent)? What stories do they play out? What
spontaneous ideas have you noticed? What questions do they ask?
• How do you feel about the idea that waves peter out? Does this cause anxiety or fill you with relief?
• Which of the six types of waves mentioned in the session did you recognise, and which were a new
idea for you?
Parenting for Faith is part of The Bible Reading Fellowship, a Registered Charity (233280)
This material is copyright The Bible Reading Fellowship 2018. Used and reprinted with permission.
Participant’s Handbook | December 2018
28
Parenting for Faith is part of The Bible Reading Fellowship, a Registered Charity (233280)
This material is copyright The Bible Reading Fellowship 2018. Used and reprinted with permission.
Participant’s Handbook | December 2018
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• Six steps
1. Understand – Ensure you fully understand both the problem and what is the heart cry
behind it
2. Explain – Talk your child through what is going to happen next, what you are asking them
to do, what you are going to do and, most importantly, what God is going to do
3. Pray – No more than three sentences! We are just positioning our child in front of God and
helping their hearts connect.
4. Wait – Wait for God to talk to your child and give them what they need. Wait at least 30
seconds to allow them time to meet. If your child pops their eyes open, encourage them
to wait a bit more on God. Sometimes God has already been talking and they may want to
process with you, which is okay as well.
5. Check – After 30 seconds to two minutes, quietly ask an open-ended question. ‘How is it
going?’, ‘What’s God been doing?’ or ‘How are you feeling?’
6. Offer – Give them a chance to decide what they want next. ‘Would you like to spend more
time with God or are you all done?’ Accept whatever their answer is and remind them you
are always there to help if they want it!
Parenting for Faith is part of The Bible Reading Fellowship, a Registered Charity (233280)
This material is copyright The Bible Reading Fellowship 2018. Used and reprinted with permission.
Participant’s Handbook | December 2018
30
Common questions
• Do I share what I’m catching from God?
Parenting for Faith is part of The Bible Reading Fellowship, a Registered Charity (233280)
This material is copyright The Bible Reading Fellowship 2018. Used and reprinted with permission.
Participant’s Handbook | December 2018
31
Parenting for Faith is part of The Bible Reading Fellowship, a Registered Charity (233280)
This material is copyright The Bible Reading Fellowship 2018. Used and reprinted with permission.
Participant’s Handbook | December 2018
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Video introduction
• Church – a wonderful gift to us
Individual reflection
• When my child leaves home, what do I want them to have in their hearts and minds about
‘church’?
Parenting for Faith is part of The Bible Reading Fellowship, a Registered Charity (233280)
This material is copyright The Bible Reading Fellowship 2018. Used and reprinted with permission.
Participant’s Handbook | December 2018
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2. Radically love others and be loved, so that the world looks at the church and knows God
through it
3. Spur each other on – encourage, support and pray for each other and each other’s
ministries; challenge and be challenged, spurring each other into action, service and
significance in the kingdom
4. Play our part – know that you are a small part of something big; commit to being a
significant and purposeful part of the whole body
5. Pursue the Spirit – pursue the inner transformation of becoming more like Christ and more
of who we are designed to be; experience and move in the work and the power of the Spirit
Parenting for Faith is part of The Bible Reading Fellowship, a Registered Charity (233280)
This material is copyright The Bible Reading Fellowship 2018. Used and reprinted with permission.
Participant’s Handbook | December 2018
34
• Frame
• Equip
• Create opportunities
• Establish boundaries
• Feedback
• Frame
• Equip
• Create opportunities
• Establish boundaries
• Feedback
Parenting for Faith is part of The Bible Reading Fellowship, a Registered Charity (233280)
This material is copyright The Bible Reading Fellowship 2018. Used and reprinted with permission.
Participant’s Handbook | December 2018
35
Group discussion
In your groups, discuss some of the following questions:
• Which of the five values of church resonates with you? Do any not?
• What are your main struggles, concerns and passions with your child regarding church?
• How can we as a church and as individuals instil these values in our children? What help might you
need?
Parenting for Faith is part of The Bible Reading Fellowship, a Registered Charity (233280)
This material is copyright The Bible Reading Fellowship 2018. Used and reprinted with permission.
Participant’s Handbook | December 2018
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What next?
We do hope that you have enjoyed being part of this course and that you are already seeing the fruits
in you and your family’s life. Of course, this is just a beginning, and we’d love to continue supporting
you in this journey.
We’re regularly adding new content, and we’re working to develop what we offer over the coming
months. Do keep in touch with us and help us shape what we offer.
Keep in touch
There are several ways you can keep in touch with Parenting for Faith:
• Join our email newsletter to stay up to date at parentingforfaith.org/email
• Follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/parentingforfaithBRF
• Follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/godconnected
• Catch our podcasts at parentingforfaith.org/podcast
Rachel Turner has also written Comfort in the Darkness (BRF, 2016), a collection of retellings of Bible
stories exploring God’s character and promises that helps parents grow peace, confidence and an
understanding of who God is in their children.
You can find these and other useful books and resources at parentingforfaith.org/resources.
Parenting for Faith is part of The Bible Reading Fellowship, a Registered Charity (233280)
This material is copyright The Bible Reading Fellowship 2018. Used and reprinted with permission.
Participant’s Handbook | December 2018