Dear Parent:

One of the core values of First Baptist Arlington is that God designed the family as the primary place for discipleship. The Faith Journey initiative exists to partner with you as you guide your child’s spiritual journey one step at a time. Age-appropriate kits have been created to help you leverage the best faith formation strategy for your child’s stage of development.

Getting Started

In this Giving & Serving kit you will find practical ideas and suggested resources to help you teach your child to make a difference. We’ve also included an Assessing Your Child’s Spiritual Gifts tool that you will enjoy completing with your son or daughter to begin coaching them toward serving in their area of strength.

We hope you find this kit helpful in the process of forming the faith of your child at home. Feel free to visit fbca.org/faithjourney to learn more or to determine if your child/children are ready for other Faith Journey markers.

Blessings,

The Young Families Ministry Team

ROLLING IN MONEY

Best Use

As a family night activity with younger kids

Value

Teaches the value of money and good stewardship.

Advance Preparation

Go to the bank and withdraw as many one-dollar bills as you can up to $100 or play money. (Don’t worry – you’ll return most of it the next day.)
You will need three boxes and GIVE, SAVE and PAY labels for each child.
Create an envelope titled “God’s Instructions for Money” with several notes containing Bible passages with instructions on how to use the money.
- Malachi 3:10 - Give 10% to God
- Proverbs 30:24-25 - Save 10% for the future
- Romans 13:8 - Pay your bills (List several pretend bills such as $50 for food, $20 for electricity, etc. Make sure the mock bills add up to almost the entire cash pile – leaving only a few dollars free.)

Rolling in Money Family Night

Step One: Hide the pile of cash someplace in the house and invite the kids to find the secret treasure. When they find the money, allow time for them to go nuts!

Step Two: Invite the kids to count the treasure promising them they will be able to spend it on anything they want AFTER following God’s instructions for money.

Step Three: Have the children count out enough one-dollar bills to meet each financial obligation described on the three notes – 10% for tithe, 10% for savings, and enough for each of the “bills.”

Step Four: Give each child the remaining cash to spend as they please. Needless to say, they will be a bit disappointed. But they will also better understand real-world expenses and our responsibilities as stewards of the money God gives.

Step Five: End your time creating “Stewardship Boxes” or “Stewardship Jars” with three labels for the categories GIVE, SAVE and PAY. Have the kids use the three categories whenever they earn money or receive their allowance.

God blesses and entrusts each of us with gifts, talents and resources. Look for opportunities to teach your child to be a good steward of these blessings from the Lord in a way that will honor and glorify Him.

Giving

Followers of Jesus give a portion of their income to meet the needs of God's work and other people as an act of obedience and worship. In Genesis 28:10-22 we see Jacob making a vow to the Lord, worshiping Him and giving ten percent (also called a tithe) back to God. Giving reflects obedience, showing that we love a God who is worthy to be obeyed in all areas of life. It is also an opportunity to participate in something bigger than ourselves with eternal value.

Model It: Start by putting into practice the disciplines you want your child to learn. This may mean taking steps to become a better steward of your family’s finances. Let your child see that you first give money toward tithing, then savings and so on. In 2 Corinthians 9:7 the Bible says “So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.”

Teach It: If your child receives money from an allowance, jobs or gifts, take the time to help him or her divide the money wisely. A good place to start is to set aside 10% for giving, 10% for savings and 80% for spending on other activities and items. Use the Rolling in Money activity card and stickers included with this kit to make your own boxes to help them start the habit of good stewardship.

Serving

In addition to financial resources, God has also entrusted us with gifts, talents and time. As believers we have the great opportunity to worship and glorify God through the spiritual discipline of service. Help your child discover their unique gifts and explore how they might use those gifts to glorify Him. Use the Assessing Your Child’s Spiritual Gifts tool included with this kit to get started and then find ways to experience serving together. A few simple suggestions include…

Shared Passion: Spend some time talking with your child about the things that interest and concern him or her. It will be more meaningful if you share a passion for the specific area of service.
Good Fit: Help your child find good serving options. It can be as simple as baking cookies for a homebound neighbor or it can be an extended serving time such as a mission trip or meeting a particular need on a regular basis.
Set Expectations: Put your child more at ease by explaining what to expect. If visiting a nursing home, for example, explain he or she may encounter odd sights, sounds and smells.
Build Your Relationships: Take note of what your child does well while serving. Intentionally encourage him or her by saying you are proud of how they demonstrated a great attitude or area of strength.
Be Safe: Keep a close eye on one another, especially children/teens if serving in unfamiliar settings.
Talk About It: Ask questions when you finish serving together such as “What kind of difference did you/we make?” “Why was it important to do this project?” “How did it impact those you served?” and “How did it impact you/your family?”
Pray: Take a few minutes to pray, asking God to bless those you served.