Family Integrated Church

At the most basic level, the family-integrated church is one intentionally designed to eliminate unnecessary age-segregated structures from the church’s ministry. Children typically attend all corporate worship gatherings with their parents that they can, rather than attending a separate children’s ministry or, in some cases, even a nursery. Intergenerational discipleship is a core value of the movement. The movement seeks to put the responsibility for disciple-making within the family primarily upon the parents (and particularly fathers), rather than relying on church programs.

The church intentionally disciples parents to be disciple makers to their children and others, fulfilling the great commission and following God’s design for the family as the first and foremost place of discipleship (Deuteronomy 6:4-9).

In support of family integration, the church services are intergenerational; all ages attend and participate in the services. All ages, as they can, are part of the services. This includes serving the church by reading scripture, greeting, taking offerings, etc. Men and women, children, youth, and adults are all part of the body of Christ and are valuable and contribute to the body (1 Corinthians 12:12-31; Joshua 8:34). This intergenerational aspect of the church benefits the older members in vital energizing relationship with the younger and the younger with wisdom and love from the older (Titus 2:1-8).

The goal in the end, is to be the family of God, a family who knows, loves, and cares for God and for one another (see vision statement), which is the hallmark and witness of people who belong to God (Mark 12:28-31; John 13:34-35).