Children's Ministries
Parenting / Child Dedication Resources
Resources for raising your children to the glory of God.
Our Desire
Our desire is to partner with parents in their efforts to equip children with an understanding of the truths of God's Word, the grace of the Gospel, and the character of God, so that they might worship the Lord with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength. Below are taped sessions from a parenting seminar and some of our child dedication classes.
Next Child Dedication Classes
Our next child dedication classes will be Saturdays, November 15 and December 6, from 9-11:30am at FOMC. All parents who desire to dedicate their children to the Lord should sign up for these great classes taught by our pastors and elders and their wives. If you can only come to one day, still plan to attend, as we are recording and making available all class sessions. Mark your bulletin feedback slip or contact at (850) 385-0004 if you plan to attend. Click here to request childcare. Child Dedication Sunday will be December 14.
Click here for more information about dedicating your child. Also, check out a testimony from Alan and Shannon Ivarson who recently went through our classes and dedicated their child.
Pastoral Parenting: Shepherding Your Child’s Heart
Jim & Terry Dudley - Saturday, October 20, 2007
The Dudleys challenge us to examine our parenting and see whether it reflects a focus on behavior-control or pastoring and shepherding our children. Included in this discussion are barriers to pastoral parenting, as well as ways to shepherd our child's heart.
Download documents: Outline | Shepherding Essay | 25 Ways to Provoke Your Children to Anger
Download audio: .mp3
Dedicating Your Child to the Lord and His Church
Scott & Julia Stake - Saturday, October 20, 2007
Why should we dedicate our children to the Lord? Why is it important to submit our lives (and our children’s lives) to the church and its leaders? In looking at I Samuel 1 and Luke 2:18-38, these and other important questions are answered.
Download documents: Outline
Download audio: .mp3
Parenting Seminar: How Do I Teach the Gospel to My Kids?
Scott Stake - Saturday, November 17, 2007
This 4-part seminar explores the wondrous truths of the gospel and how to communicate them to children. Part 1 discusses false gospels and how they have pervaded the church. Part 2 examines the gospel through passages in both the Old and New Testaments. Part 3 is an exposition of Romans 3:19-28, which communicates the heart of the gospel. Part 4 then teaches us how we should communicate the gospel message to our children not just in a "gospel presentation" but in all of life.
Download documents: Evangelizing Children | Evangelism Strategies
Lessons Learned in Parenting
John & Margaret Stewart - Saturday, May 12, 2007
The Stewarts teach on the importance of parents identifying the idols in their lives and how these idols impact training their children to be worshipers of God. Other “lessons learned” include the importance of prayer, the church community, and battling against worldly influences.
Download documents: 25 Ways to Provoke Your Children to Anger
Download audio: .mp3
Developing a Spiritual Vision for Your Child
Kerry & Ginny Schoolfield - Saturday, November 04, 2006
What is a spiritual vision? What is the parents' role in God’s process of calling their children to Himself? Through scripture and personal stories, the Schoolfields discuss these issues in this session.
Download documents: Outline | PowerPoint
Loving Your Child
John & Christy Jacobs - Saturday, October 21, 2006
There is nothing more important than for your children to know that they are loved. Based on this principle, the Jacobs teach about what this love is, where it comes from, and how it should be experienced in our homes.
Download documents: Outline
Download audio: .mp3
Discipling and Praying: The Grand Opportunity!
Kent & Jan Hamilton - Saturday, October 21, 2006
Looking for teachable moments, leading in family devotions, seeing spiritual markers, praying for your children—these and other topics are addressed by the Hamiltons.
Download documents: PowerPoint
Download audio: .mp3
Glorifying God By Being Good Stewards Of Our Children
John & Pat Howard - Saturday, April 12, 2008
Psalm 127 says that children are a gift from the Lord. Based on this verse, John and Pat Howard challenge us to recognize God's ownership over our children and to raise them for His glory.
Download documents: Questions to Consider
Download audio: .mp3
The Three-Legged Stool
Larry & Mary Shingler - Saturday, April 12, 2008
Larry and Mary Shingler...
Download documents: Homework Questions
Download audio: .mp3
Parental Stewardship from a Christian Worldview
Mike & Pru Sloderbeck - Saturday, April 26, 2008
Using stewardship principles from the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30), Mike and Pru Sloderbeck teach us how to be good stewards of the incredible treasure God has entrusted to us as parents--our children.
Download documents: Outline
Download audio: .mp3
What Do These Commitments Really Mean?
Scott & Julia Stake - Saturday, April 26, 2008
Scott and Julia Stake elaborate upon each of the child dedication vows that parents make before the Lord on Child Dedication Sunday (and throughout our lives), particularly focusing on how the gospel should weave through every life commitment we make.
Download documents: Outline | Evangelizing Children
Download audio: .mp3
A Conversation about Parenting with the Martins and Sloderbecks
Mike & Pru Sloderbeck and Skip & Lori Martin - Saturday, November 15, 2008
This panel discussion with the Martins and Sloderbecks covers a variety of topics, including relying upon God's grace to make up for the inadequacies in our parenting, making sacred the secular (bringing God into every area of life), being connected to the local church, and keeping the lines of communication open with your children.
Download documents:
Download audio: .mp3