Episode Description: Now more than ever, parents want to know that the church cares about the things they value most for their kids. In this episode, Orange President Kristen Ivy and Director of High School Content, Shane Sanchez discuss some of the ways that parents’ priorities have changed since the start of the pandemic, and they share practical advice for engaging with both parents and kids in your ministry. Kristen also shares some of the latest research from Orange and Parent Cue about what parents value most, what they worry about, and the places where we as leaders can provide support.

Episode Recap:

  • Why aren’t parents returning to church post-pandemic? (1:29)
  • We used to judge by attendance or salvation numbers, but parent engagement is just as important (5:29)
  • What do today’s parents care about most? (7:15)
  • People are re-evaluating their calendars to make room for rest (11:14)
  • Parents want to know that the church cares about the things they care about (12:18)
  • Whether they go to church or not, parents tend to value the same things (13:02)
  • As leaders, sometimes our job is to fight for a kid’s relationship with their parents (14:32)
  • Parents don’t get to avoid difficult conversations about things like mental health (17:58)
  • How to equip families to have important conversations (21:39)
  • Even when cultural differences exist, we can assume parents want the best for their children (25:03)
  • Look for ways to serve parents even if they don’t come back to church (28:35)

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