Intentional Parenting = NBFamilies, "What a ride!"

Raising children is like a journey. Life is like the road you travel. There are times when that journey is like a pleasant drive, like coasting down hill, like cruising with the top down on your convertible, or like a sunny vacation day. But there are other days when the ride is bumpy, frustrating, scary, and exhausting. The desired destination for every parent on this journey is seeing your kids enter into adulthood with strong faith in God, healthy loving relationships, and solid godly characters to face their futures.

• Have you ever been lost?
• Isn’t it upsetting when you are not sure where you are or how to get where you want to go?
• Isn’t it frustrating when you get that feeling that you are late and growing later every minute you remain confused?
• What if you had a map that would lead you to your intended destination?

New Beginnings Family Ministry or NBFamilies is a critical undertaking that leads parents (traditional parents, single parents, blended family parents, grand parents) on the journey of raising kids to become fully devoted, vibrant disciples of Jesus Christ. When the parents partner with one another (the church) they can support one another, encourage one another, and challenge on another to journey well.

• Faith Map is the NBFamily’s guide to raising fully devoted disciples of Jesus Christ who He can use to change the world!
• Imagine teams of parents who have partnered with their church to track their children's spiritual formation from birth through young adulthood.
• Picture in your mind disciple-making parents who partner with other New Beginnings parents to plan to tackle specific spiritual essentials which are age appropriate for their kids.
• Faith Map is a plan that engages parents in their kid’s spiritual growth.
• Faith Map is a strategy that addresses each kid's unique spiritual need at each stage of their life.
• Faith Map identifies spiritual milestones which mark key moments in the spiritual life of the child. These moments have the potential to change the trajectory of the child's journey for a lifetime.

1. Preschool

   First Steps: is a class where parents learn how to become the primary faith trainers for their children and accept the responsibility of the lead discipler(s) or faith influencers in their kid’s lives.

   Parent/Child Dedication: After the First steps Class parents participate in a public ceremony called ”Parent/Child Dedication.” This ceremony typically occurs for parents who have children between birth and five years of age. During the "Parent/Child Dedication" ceremony, the New Beginnings Church commits to partner with the parents in the faith development of the child for the duration of the discipleship journey.
2. Genesis Kidz (1st - 4th Grades)
   Salvation, Profession of Faith & Baptism: The most important milestone in the life of every person is salvation and baptism. New Beginnings Church will partner with and equip parents to lead their kids toward a personal relationship with Jesus Christ that leads toward salvation. Making a decision to surrender to Jesus as Savior and Lord occurs at every age. But parents seek to lead their kids to trust Jesus as soon as they have the ability to understand. There are two opportunities for parents:
   • 
"I'm a Christian Now" is both a book and a 4-week class. Parents are encouraged to attend with their kids. This class teaches how to understand salvation, their testimony, baptism, the church and the biblical habits of prayer and bible study.
   • Baptism: Parents are encouraged to invite family, friends and those who were a spiritual influence to see their kids be baptized. Baptism should be a family (both personal and church) event.
3. Wired (5th - 8th Grades)
   • Preparing for Adolescence: It is so important to help children prepare spiritually, emotionally and physically for adolescence. Between the ages of 10 and 12, NB Family Ministries begins to introduce these concepts to middle school students and parents. Parents are equipped to intentionally prepare their children to enter the teen years well. 

   • Purity for Life: In our sexually saturated secular culture, it is obvious that "sexuality" must be addressed from a biblical perspective. The Wired student ministry partners with parents by teaching the importance of family communication, healthy male & female communication, healthy male & female friendships, the compassion of truth & homosexuality, accountability, the biblical standard for purity and covenant Christian marriage.
4. NB High School (9th-12th)
   • Rite of Passage: The passing from childhood into adulthood is a significant event. Biblically, we must equip our children to become men and women of God. Age 16 is a significant time of freedom in our culture. Rite of Passage is not about keys to the car; instead, it is about becoming a man or woman of God. Real freedom is about equipping you to disciple your freshmen and sophomore students for adulthood.
   • 
Emerging Adults: Parents must help their students develop the practical and spiritual skills to leave home. The NB High School student ministry partners with parents and equips them to prepare their students fro the world outside of the nest. This can be a very healthy time in the family journey if parents continue to keep the lines of communication open with their students.
   • 
Graduation: Parents celebrate this occasion with their personal family and their church family through a service of honor, focus and challenge.

NBFamily’s prayer is that as we travel this road together, we can celebrate the journey, we can learn to follow our Lord, and we can bring Him glory along life’s milestones.

“Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride!”
Hunter Thompson