Kids teach me so much. I remember talking to a feisty little 3-year-old with bright blue eyes one Sunday while I was serving on the Preschool Team. She asked me about my daughter who had also recently joined the team.

“When does Bella serve?”

She didn’t say, “When does Bella help?” She said serve. Because this little girl’s parents serve every Sunday on the Parking and Kids Community teams. She hears them talk about serving — not helping out or volunteering, but serving out of their relationships with God. So, even at 3, she gets the idea behind the Serving Values we follow here at Blue Ridge.

Another time, I was talking to one of my son’s friends. I said something about it being time to go to church. He said, “Don’t you mean ‘the building’?”

I hesitated. “Yes, I guess so.”

He smiled, “’Cause we’re the church. That’s just a building.”

Schooled by a tween!

So where did he learn that idea? From his parents, who are showing him what the church looks like — not just on Sundays but every day.

As we’ve been learning through our Be Rich series, we’re meant to be the church outside of our building. We can do that by loving others, giving to our community and by serving. And when we do that with our kids, we model for them how to Be Rich!

Serving as a family

The tough thing is that it can seem daunting to serve as a family. Often the options are more limited than for individuals. But it doesn’t have to be some big fancy volunteer opportunity. Look at those needs right around you.

  • Is there a yard you can rake?
  • Is there someone who could use a meal you could make and deliver together? Maybe it’s a friend who’s had a baby or a relative who has been ill?
  • Are there cards you could make to send to the military, to missionaries or to give to an assisted living home?
  • Is there a shoebox you can fill for Operation Christmas Child?

You can also serve together as a family at Blue Ridge. If you serve with your child, you can participate in many areas of Guest Services, in Celebration Place, through Events or in Facilities. If you feel called to Kids Community, your child can serve starting in late elementary school. Campus workdays are always open to families. Bond over mulch!

Encourage your kids to serve

While serving looks different at different ages, kids can benefit greatly from serving. It gives purpose and helps connect them in meaningful ways to others in their family, their church family and the world around them. To hear more about the benefits, check out this podcast from Parent Cue.

Also, check out the “Step into My Shoes” project from the Fuller Youth Institute and Compassion International for a five-day family devotion.

Let’s teach our kids to Be Rich!