Family Worship: What’s Your Format?Christian parents are eager to see their children come to faith in Christ. A warm home environment and an overt love for the Lord, on the part of the parents, are paramount. However, what could be suggested as a next step? If you’re in this spot as a parent, family worship may be a great way to continue your family discipleship journey.
For years, our organization has trained parents on what it takes to meet regularly with their families to worship God together. We call it Family Time. In many of our training experiences, we advocate for the Family Time Format, showing parents how to in
Frank Trimble, Family Time Training
May 10, 2024
2 MINUTE READ
What is an Unreached People Group?As a child, I grew up learning about missions from a young age. My parents often shared how people in other countries did not have a Bible or church or would be persecuted if they chose to follow Christ. It wasn’t until I was in my thirties that I met someone who had never heard about Jesus. Sitting next to each other on a plane, we started talking about work and life. While I was talking with her, I realized that she had no idea who Jesus was. It was a surreal experience; I felt as if I was talking with someone from another world. This encounter opened my eyes and broke my heart for the
Marleen Mortin, Operation Mobilisation
April 20, 2024
3 MINUTE READ
Explore: VaisakhiExploring traditions from other cultures is one way to expand your family’s view of the world and cultivate a heart for the peoples that God loves. Learn about Vaisakhi (vu-SAH-kee), the most important holiday of the year for Sikhs (seeks).
Celebrated annually on April 13 or 14, Vaisakhi (vu-SAH-kee) is similar in significance to Christmas or Easter among Christians. There are 28 million Sikhs worldwide—making the Sikh religion the fifth largest in the world! The majority of Sikhs live in the Punjab region of northern India. Sikhs believe only one God exists and that all rel
Jenny Marcelene
April 10, 2024
3 MINUTE READ
Responding to RamadanFrom March 10-April 9, Muslims around the world observe their holy month of Ramadan (RAH-muh-dahn). With your family, learn about and pray for Muslims during this period of fasting when many are seeking God in deeper ways. Read the story below. Then choose from the suggested activities to go deeper in learning about and praying for Muslims during Ramadan.
Hamid (hah-MEED) excitedly follows his father and older brothers to the mosque. He has joined in prayer with them before, but this time is different. At age 12, he is finally old enough to participate fully in the fast of Ramadan (RAH-muh-da
Karen Hardin, Via
March 20, 2024
2 MINUTE READ
Navigating Hard Things: Lessons from EstherMoving 2,000 miles across the country took its toll on our family. Starting over was hard for my husband and me, but even more so for our then-8-year-old son. Leaving behind a life he loved, with friends he cherished, and a school he thrived in, hurt. Rather than a smooth landing in our new town, that first year threatened to crash our boat onto the rocky shoreline.
Life is filled with challenges and unexpected twists. Learning to navigate hard things as a family is not as simple as following a paint-by-numbers kit. But we can glean truth from Scripture to help our family walk through the ups
Jenny Marcelene
March 10, 2024
3 MINUTE READ
10 Worship Songs for Your Family’s PlaylistIn honor of Via Families’ 10th anniversary year, we’d like to introduce your family to 10 worship songs you should know about.
God is worthy of our worship! He desires the worship of our families, our churches and the nations. We sing of God’s might, holiness, justice, and love, but how often do we sing about his heart for the nations? Let’s give God the praise he deserves as he fulfills his mission to be known and worshiped by people from every nation, tribe and tongue.
We invite you to listen to, learn and sing these 10 worship songs with your family. The ly
Mindy Christensen, Via
February 20, 2024
4 MINUTE READ
It Starts with MeAs Christian parents, we would love a guarantee, a promise that our children will follow Jesus with all their heart, soul, mind and strength. But God doesn’t guarantee a specific outcome. He does promise to guide us (Psalm 48:14). He promises that he hears our prayers and answers them (1 John 5:14-15). He promises to guard his faithful ones (1 Samuel 2:9). And he promises he will save those who call upon him (Joel 2:32).
We would love a formula, a step-by-step guide to follow that leads to our children walking with Jesus. But God doesn’t give us a specific formula to follow
Alicia Bennett, Mobilizer Mom
February 12, 2024
2 MINUTE READ
Embracing God’s Global Plan Through World Christian HabitsGod’s mission has already begun, and your invitation to join him has arrived. Since the beginning, God has been at work fulfilling his mission to make himself known and worshiped among all nations. He invites and prepares all believers to join him in accomplishing this global plan–this includes you and your family.
God placed you in your church, workplace, school, and neighborhood for the role he has designed for you. He’s given you abilities, interests, and heart desires. God even created your unique family for a specific purpose. Whether you are three or 103, you can accep
Danielle Brown, Via
January 20, 2024
3 MINUTE READ
Meet the BambaraCome with me to the middle valley of the Niger (nee-ZHER) River in Mali (MAH-lee), where bright yellow, white and purple blooms gently sway among the feathery grasses. Scattered across this green valley are Bambara (BOM-buh-ruh) villages. Each one is made up entirely of an extended family. Here the children are taught Islamic beliefs as well as traditional practices like ancestor worship. No one has told them that Jesus died to remove sin and intercedes for them. Look!. See that little girl standing near a bushy mango tree…
Hello! Welcome to my village. My name is Pemba (PEH-Mba
Danielle Brown, Via
January 10, 2024
3 MINUTE READ
Links of BlessingHave you ever noticed that many Christmas decorations consist of individual items linked together? Strings of twinkling lights, shiny tinsel, and colorful beads crown our mantles and wind around our trees. Chains of popcorn, cranberries and paper add a homespun touch.
The Advent season itself involves links–links of blessing that began with God’s promise to bless all nations through Abraham and his children: “In you and your descendants shall all the families of the earth be blessed.”
-Genesis 28:15
God’s blessing
Karen Hardin, Via
December 20, 2023
3 MINUTE READ
Navigating Pain as a Family using Biblical Lament
We’d like to introduce you to one of our newest guest authors, Bethany Leong. Bethany is a regular, everyday mom. Her favorite job is being a mom to her twins, but she also works as a freelance writer at bethcreativeco.com.
I will never forget those early days holding my tiny babies in my arms as a new mama.
They awoke in me an intense and overwhelming love—and also an instinctual ferocity to protect. Oh how I longed to shield them from every pain, every disappointment, every heartache.
And yet, keeping our children from pain in this broken worl
Bethany Leong
December 10, 2023
2 MINUTE READ
Live Out God's Work: Advent Prayers for the NationsThe countdown to Christmas is on! Focus your children on the birth of Jesus, the Savior of the world. Make an Advent Prayer Chain with your family and intercede for unreached peoples living in cultures where the gospel has not yet penetrated.
4 MINUTE READ
Two Key Ingredients to ModelingWe’d like to introduce you to one of our new guest authors, Frank Trimble. Frank is the Executive Director of Family Time Training (famtime.com). He lives in Littleton, Colorado with his wife, Kristin, and their two wonderful daughters, Ava and Olivia.
Our organization specializes in training parents to have intentional times of family worship with their kids. However, we find that many parents are very hesitant to begin. Their feelings often stem from negative experiences with their parents that they had as children. The model they received when they were young is not a model they
Frank Trimble, Family Time Training
November 10, 2023
3 MINUTE READ
Ten Unreached People Groups Your Family Should Know AboutIn honor of Via Families’ 10th anniversary, we’d like to introduce your family to 10 unreached people groups you should know about. They represent more than 7,000 ethnic groups worldwide (see Joshua Project).
Within each group are families created and loved by God who have yet to hear the good news of Jesus. Click through this list to find stories and activities that help your family learn more about each people group.
1. Ansari (ahn-SAHR-ee) of India Population: 12.7 million Worldview: Islam
2. Brahmin (BRAH-muhn) of India Population: 58.8 million Worldview: Hinduis
Karen Hardin, Via
October 20, 2023
2 MINUTE READ
Embracing Your Multi-Generational LegacyThe mission of parenting is overwhelming. As a father of seven, sometimes I feel like my wife and I have all we can do to simply “get through” each day. It is so easy to lose sight of why God created our families! God has given you children so that you might do all in your power to impress their hearts with a love for God and equip them to impact this world for Christ. But it doesn’t end there! How often do you think about your grandchildren who are yet to be born? How about your great-grandchildren? Everything that is happening in your home right now is building a generation
Rob Rienow, Visionary Family Ministries
December 01, 2013
4 MINUTE READ
Praying Higher Things for Your ChildrenAs parents we pray diligently for our children, at least until they’re born. We then spend the rest of the time praying for ourselves, “Lord, deliver us from this evil.” I think the prayers of today’s parents may go something like this:
Dear Lord, I pray that You keep my child away from all evil, especially tattoos. I didn’t bring this child into the world to be another person’s Etch-A-Sketch. I don’t buy shin guards and helmets or lather on sunscreen three times a day at the beach to protect their bodies so they can later become walking art. And if they do get a tattoo, please don’t let
Walker Moore
November 01, 2015
5 MINUTE READ
Family Bible ReadingRhythms of daily family Bible reading are developed over time, as are all habits. Establishing these rhythms takes both intentionality and faith. Guest author Faith Chang shares her thoughts with parents who are thinking about cultivating this discipline.
By: Faith Chang
August 20, 2023
4 MINUTE READ
Meet the MiaoBecoming a family on mission includes developing a habit of learning about other cultures. Read this story together to learn about and pray for the Miao (mee-OW), one of the largest unreached people groups in Southwest China. Then try a popular Miao handicraft.
Jenny Marcelene
August 10, 2023
4 MINUTE READ
Prayers for Easter Island: Children in His StoryEven the youngest children in our families can make a difference in the world by praying. Prayer’s power lies not in the eloquence of our words, but in the God who hears and acts. Check out this account of how God used the prayers of a 5-year-old boy to impact the Rapa Nui people of Easter Island.
Karen Hardin, Via
July 20, 2023
4 MINUTE READ
Family Discipleship: Chocolate Milk and the Holy Spirit Ongoing family discipleship often seems difficult and elusive, but these relational moments give you the collateral to speak truth into your children’s hearts and minds. Learn how simple hands-on activities make learning about God doable.
