Section 8: Fourth and Fifth Stages – Spiritual Parents and Grandparents
OBSERVATIONS, QUOTES AND ASSUMPTIONS: Agree or disagree?
A. Parents are able to bear children and also raise them to maturity where they also become good parents.[1] When children become parents, their parents become Grandparents. The role of spiritual Grandparents is to help the parents with their children. (Pastors should function primarily as spiritual grandparents or there will be abandonment issues when pastors move.)
B. The essence of spiritual parenting and grandparenting: You then, my son, be strong in the grace
that is in Christ Jesus, and what you have heard from me before many witnesses
entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also (2 Timothy
2:1-2).
C. Cells function as spiritual families; the purpose of a family is to help its members mature – to grow up. Cells provide an excellent opportunity for emotional reparenting and to heal past hurts. The cell management infrastructure provides the cell “parents” with the support they need and smooths the process of spiritual parenting.
QUOTE [1]
NOTE
DISCERNMENT QUESTIONS
RESOURCES
[1] The quote is a selection from David O. Kueker’s Fuller Seminary Doctor of Ministry project submitted in September, 2007, entitled Diagnosis, Dialogue, and Decision: A Threefold Process of Revitalization For the Illinois Great Rivers Conference.
It is shared here in recognition of its 12th Anniversary along with comments to update and provide perspective on the material. The original project was a Training Manual/Study Guide of three Seminars supported by three chapters of research and an Introduction. The material is available for download at www.disciplewalk.com/Resources.html. In 2009 it was provided for purchase as a softcover book entitled Designing Discipleship Systems: Christian Disciple Making For Any Size Church, Any Theology through CreateSpace.com.
[2][3] [4][5] [6][7] [8]
All Scripture quotations are from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1946, 1952, and 1971 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Please review the page How and Why We Use Quotes.
[1]Ogden, Transforming Discipleship, 74-118.