Intern Minster Eric Johnson at Ballarat Church felt impressed to start a care group for young families after his own experience with his two young children. “I realised after a few nightly meetings how often young families would need to decline nightly Bible studies due to family time/bedtime routines.” The Church now holds a 3pm Bible study on Sabbath afternoons led by Eric, so that young families can have time to connect and fellowship with one another.
Eric’s care group focuses on just five questions taken from the Discover Jesus Bible study series. While the adults study the Bible together, their children are free to play with their toys and interact with one another. Eric describes this as some “almost quiet time, to study the Bible and pray together.” A member of the group commented, “I don’t even remember the last Bible study I attended. Once you have kids, a lot of these kind of things are put to the sidelines and oftentimes we would be just in junior Sabbath school and miss out on Sabbath School.”
Care group has been helpful in strengthening the spirituality of the young families in Ballarat. It has not only brought their Church together, but it has also led to new ideas and vision for the Church in creating worship services to be more intergenerational and for leaders to think more about meeting the needs of all demographics in the Church. Eric commented, “Overall, it has been a healthy addition to Church life.”
If you would like to join the Ballarat care group, contact Eric Johnson on 0407 331 440 for more details.