BY JOHN RIGGIO

It is amazing that there is always a new way to celebrate one of the oldest institutions in the world—the family. A new program is starting at Northview Church called Family Experience (FX). This will be a monthly family worship night for parents and their children.

Northview’s goal for FX is to bridge the gap between “adult church” and “children’s church.” Northview Kids currently teaches a Bible lesson during Weekend Services, but moms and dads do not know what is being taught or how it is being taught to their children. Then when their kids get picked up after the lesson, it is like an interrogation: “What were your Bible verses? What will you memorize? What did you learn?” Kurt Brodbeck, Northview’s Carmel campus Family Pastor, said it leaves the children feeling like “deer in the headlights.” Brodbeck wants there to be more of a spiritual conversation between parents and kids, not an unintended interrogation.

With FX, the parents and their school-age kids receive the lesson together, then follow up with at-home activities to not only reinforce the lesson but to act out the point of the lesson. “If the lesson is about who to honor, the family activity will be to designate a place of honor at the dining room table. Each person in the family will then occupy that place of honor in their turn. Families can look up Bible verses about the topic, share these verses and have a discussion right there at the table,” Brodbeck said.

[photo by Kurt Hostetler]

He said each month FX will be led by a couple different hosts, have segments made up of teaching time, live worship, short skits from a drama team and conversation time with family members. The entire session will last about 90 minutes. The teaching time is for parents and their children ages K-4. However, older children up through junior high are encouraged to attend the worship time and activities/games.

“God makes it very clear that our role as parents is to train kids and to be spiritual leaders in our kids’ lives,” Brodbeck said. “It can be scary and intimidating for parents to know how to raise kids in the right way. We want to provide tools to help parents engage their children in important spiritual conversations in their own home.”

Brodbeck said he draws incredible strength and inspiration from the Bible. “I often refer to Deuteronomy 6:4-9 as a mandate for parents to have these spiritual conversations with their children. These verses are a demand from God to constantly talk of the commands of God that will provide a spiritual foundation for the rest of their children’s lives.”

“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk bout 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 door frames of your houses and on your gates.” Deuteronomy 6:4-9 (NIV)

[photo by Kurt Hostetler]

Northview’s Carmel campus will host their first FX at 6 p.m. on Feb. 23. Northview’s Greater Lafayette campus will offer FX at 6 p.m. on Feb. 27 as well. Northview’s Fishers campus will have their first FX the following Wednesday, March 5.