PARENTS
At CrossRoads, we believe our role in children’s and student ministry is to come alongside the family in discipleship, prayer, and life. Parents are the primary influence and primary disciple makers for their children. This page is a landing space for resources and more to help parents in the things of life. Parenting isn’t easy, don’t do it alone!
Helping our kids develop a heart of service doesn’t happen through one big lesson or a perfectly planned moment. It’s formed slowly through the everyday rhythms of family life. Long before children can explain what they believe, they are watching how we treat people, how we respond to needs, and what we value most. When parents intentionally invite their kids into simple acts of love and kindness, they’re showing them that faith in Jesus isn’t just something we talk about on Sundays, but something we live out together in real and practical ways. When we intentionally lead our kids toward Christ-like service through small, everyday acts of love, kindness, and generosity, we’re inviting them to experience the joy of a faith that looks beyond itself and reflects the heart of Jesus in real and lasting ways.
In this month’s Parenting Class, we encourage parents of young children to see service not as a big project but as a way of life that’s shaped through simple, everyday moments, helping kids learn early that following Jesus means noticing people, caring about them, and responding with love. By making service tangible, parents can show their children that loving others brings real joy and reflects the heart of Jesus. We’re reminded that young children learn best by watching and doing, so when parents model service and talk about the “why” behind it, faith becomes something their kids experience, not just hear about. Over time, these small, ordinary acts plant seeds of compassion, generosity, and joy that God will continue to grow.
As teenagers move through the world today, they are starting to see life with a wider perspective, and they’re ready to wrestle with real needs and real people. As parents of teenagers, you have a unique opportunity to help your kids take the faith they’ve been learning for years and put it into action in the world around them. When you guide them toward Christ-like service by encouraging them to notice needs, step in with compassion, and use their gifts to help others, you’re helping them discover that following Jesus isn’t just about belief, it’s about living with purpose and love. Even small, intentional acts of service can shape their character, deepen their faith, and show them the joy of a life lived for others.
In this month’s Parenting Class, we explore how parents can lead their teenagers into a life of service that’s authentic, meaningful, and rooted in the love of Christ. In a world that constantly asks, “What’s in it for me?” it can be challenging to help teenagers see the value of giving rather than getting. This video offers practical guidance for helping families make service a normal part of everyday life, learning to connect faith to real needs, real people, and real opportunities to act with compassion. Parents will be reminded that inviting teens to participate, reflect, and take ownership can transform service from a chore into a formative experience that shapes character, grows empathy, and cultivates a heart aligned with Jesus’ example of love.