IFC Weekly News & Notes February 11, 2024
Styles and Roles of Grandparents
Much has been written about the roles grandparents play in the lives of their grandchildren. There are also a few writings about the style of grandparenting, as to how they carry out their role(s). Our study looks at how deeply (or not) our participants are involved in the lives of their grandchildren. We are devoting a whole chapter to these concepts. It is critical that grandparents choose good roles and good styles to grandparent (we mention the not-so-good ones).
News Flash: The Journal of Aging and Society asked me to submit a paper for presentation. I just found out this week it was accepted. So Vicki and I will go to The University of Galway, Ireland in September to present there and turn the paper into a journal article. The conference planner is excited to hear about faith transmission.
Coming Up
February 27, 2024—National Christian Schools Association at Lipscomb University
March 10-17, 2024—Teaching at Anchor Bible College in Kauai, Hawaii
April 9-12, 2023—Abundant Living Retreat at Harding University
August 4-10, 2024—Missionary Kids Camp in Honduras
September 19-20, 2024 — Aging and Society Conference in Galway, Ireland.
IFC Weekly News & Notes February 4, 2024
Grandfathers
Writing about grandfathers this week has been exciting and revealing. The grandfathers in our study are pretty diverse in behaviors. Some are engaged. Some are distant. Some are pretty concerned about the relationships with their children—as in not good. Below are a few things you will see in that chapter:
We found that 90% of our grandfathers grew up in a household with both parents present. Children raised in married parent homes are more likely to finish school and go to college. They are less likely to get in trouble and they usually will have higher incomes and be married themselves. Eighty-eight percent of our grandfathers are married. When we asked them how their relationship was with their adult children, 92% of our grandfathers said they had good relationships with their children (this alone is a big reason that they have access to their grandchildren). We know that the relationship one has with their children affects their relationship with their grandchildren. Over 40% of our grandfathers agreed with that statement.
We asked the grandfathers struggling with relationships with their children, what were some of the reasons for the struggle. Here is the list of the most given answers, with several very personal reasons not listed here:
· Bad feelings from the past that are not resolved(6%)
· Different political views (3%)
· Different views on raising children (5%)
· Changes in religious views (5%)
Divorce and marriage issues affected the faith of 12% of our grandfathers, which also affects the relationships they have with their grandchildren. Several grandfathers (13%) mentioned other family issues affecting their faith and their relationships.
Sorry this is a little late. I am stuck in an airport trying to get home. Spoke at the Southwest Church of Christ in Jonesboro, AR today. Fifty years ago I taught my first Encounter class at this church—the rest is history as they say. Good people. Two former students of mine are ministers at this church.
Coming Up
February 27, 2024—National Christian Schools Association at Lipscomb University
March 10-17, 2024—Teaching at Anchor Bible College in Kauai, Hawaii
April 9-12, 2023—Abundant Living Retreat at Harding University
August 4-10, 2024—Missionary Kids Camp in Honduras
Writing/Publishing
We recieved the book contract this past week. Exciting!!
Working on a journal submission on longevity in ministry. Phase One data collection is complete.
Ongoing Projects
National Grandparent Study (Translated into Spanish for Fall 2023 data collection)
Profile of ministers that have served in the same church for 15+ years (specifically targeting youth ministers). Study is exploring burnout and longevity.
Teen Study 2024
IFC Weekly News & Notes October 29, 2023
Grandparents Weekly Highlights
For the next few weeks, I will be sharing some of the initial descriptive statistics from surveys completed:
N=1032
2% of participants are from foreign countries
Participants live in the following areas: Urban-13%; Suburban-67%; Rural-26%
Participants race: 95% white
Gender: Male-32%; Female-68%
Average age of participants: 65
Marital Status: 79% Married; 11% Divorced; 6% Widowed
(If you know of churches I could speak at on a Wednesday night, or Sunday morning Bible class, please let me know.)
Coming Up
November 2-5—Heritage Christian University for M2Y youth ministers conference
December 13—Chisholm Trail Church of Christ in Duncan, OK
National Conference on Youth Ministries on January 3, 2024
National Christian Schools Association at Lipscomb University February 2024
Abundant Living Retreat, Harding University, April 9-12, 2023
Crossways at Pepperdine University July 19-27, 2024
Missionary Kids Camp in Honduras, Aug 4-10, 2024
Writing/Publishing
Working on a journal submission on longevity in ministry. Phase One data collection is complete. Analysis has begun for presentation at NCYM January
Phase Two has been suggested by the folks at Harrison Assessment. This phase will select participants that went into youth ministry and quit after 1, 2, 3, years, and took up another career.
Website Is Up and Running!!!! (www.oc.edu/ifc)
Ongoing Projects
National Grandparent Study (Translated into Spanish for Fall 2023 data collection)
Profile of ministers that have served in the same church for 15+ years (specifically targeting youth ministers). Study is exploring burnout and longevity.
IFC Weekly News & Notes October 22, 2023
Grandparents Update
The goal to get 1,000 or more surveys completed has been reached. We will start crunching the data this week. Exciting!!!!
(If you know of churches I could speak at on a Wednesday night, or Sunday morning Bible class, please let me know.)
Coming Up
Headed to Heritage Christian University for M2Y youth ministers conference November 2-5, 2023.
National Conference on Youth Ministries on January 3, 2024
National Christian Schools Association at Lipscomb University February 2024
Abundant Living Retreat, Harding University, April 9-12, 2023
Crossways at Pepperdine University July 19-27, 2024
Missionary Kids Camp in Honduras, Aug 4-10, 2024
Consultation
- Worked with a YM last week that was thinking about quitting. Hasn’t had a raise in 8 years. Loves teens and families. Having problems with the preacher that has been at this church 35 years. Suggested two weeks ago that he should meet with his elders and have a conversation about finances and work load. He has met with them once and feels like it went well. (He never felt empowered enough to feel like he could have a sit down talk with the elders.)
- Zoomed with a YM that left paid ministry this past year. He is doing a secular job, but still wants to help families. He heard about the Grandparent project and set up the zoom. He has three generations living in his house. Loving that his parents are discipling his kids (their grandkids). He has asked me to review a book he is writing for very young parents and parents-to-be. He wants to teach parents that they should begin teaching at conception so that it is a normal way of life to do daily Bible reading and prayer in the home. I sent him the following link to a deal that me and another dad at our church did last year about Homecourt Advantage https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/u01fkb9ac7q2tf1u15yvg/Homecourt-Advantage.mov?rlkey=i078ed4js5zamrhdl6bf1c618&dl=0
Writing/Publishing
Working on a journal submission on longevity in ministry. Phase One data collection is complete. Analysis has begun for presentation at NCYM January
Phase Two has been suggested by the folks at Harrison Assessment. This phase will select participants that went into youth ministry and quit after 1, 2, 3, years, and took up another career.
Website Is Up and Running!!!! (www.oc.edu/ifc)
Thanks so much to Jacob Sullivan for getting me up to speed. I have began posting some resources that have been asked for, as well as past presentations that have been done.
Ongoing Projects
National Grandparent Study (Translated into Spanish for Fall 2023 data collection)
Profile of ministers that have served in the same church for 15+ years (specifically targeting youth ministers). Study is exploring burnout and longevity.
IFC Weekly News & Notes October 15, 2023
Grandparents Make a Difference!
A sister (Marina) from Ukraine who attended Harding’s Abundant Living weekend took my survey. She connected with me this week to tell me about how her grandmother taught her about God and the church. Her Russian grandmother was not allowed to teach her own children about God. By the time this sister’s mother and father were bering brought up, religion had been banned by Communist Russia. All churches had been shut down. However her grandmother kept a sacred space in her home to pray. She also would tell Bible stories and sing songs about Jesus and the church to her children and grandchildren. This sister credits the faith of her grandmother and her love for God as to why she is a believer today. Say a prayer for Marina today. Her children and grandchildren are in Ukraine. Marina is over here in the states traveling around raising money to help the church and Eastern European Missions (EEM) while the war is still going on.
Great Story about “babushkas” (grandmothers in Russia)!!!!
(If you know of churches I could speak at on a Wednesday night, or Sunday morning Bible class, please let me know.)
Coming Up
Invited this week to present at the Harding University Lectures Fall 2024 on the two current projects in process.
Headed to Heritage Christian University for M2Y youth ministers conference November 2-5, 2023.
National Conference on Youth Ministries on January 3, 2024
National Christian Schools Association (February 2024)
Abundant Living Retreat, Harding University, April 9-12, 2023
Pepperdine University—Crossways, July 19-27, 2024
Missionary Kids Camp in Honduras, Aug 4-10, 2024
Writing/Publishing
Working on a journal submission on longevity in ministry.
Website Coming Soon
Working on the website. Jacob is working on some technical difficulties. You can see it live at www.oc.edu/ifc
Ongoing Projects
National Grandparent Study (Translated into Spanish for Fall 2023 data collection)
Profile of ministers that have served in the same church for 15+ years (specifically targeting youth ministers). Study is exploring burnout and longevity.
IFC Weekly News & Notes October 8, 2023
Speaking/Teaching on Faith Transmission and Grandparents
Spoke at Broadway church of Christ this past Wednesday night and to the Ladies Bible class that morning. (Have received over 40 new surveys from this outing.)
Taught three Youth Ministry classes and two children’s ministry classes at Lubbock Christian University this past week. Discussed the current projects ongoing at IFC.
Fed the Lubbock area youth and children’s ministers on Tuesday this past week and discussed the two research projects of the IFC.
(If you know of churches I could speak at on a Wednesday night, or Sunday morning Bible class, please let me know.)
Coming Up
Good News!!! Partnered with the Abundant Living Conference hosted by Harding University last week. They have asked me to do their Spring Retreat and present the Grandparent research. (This is the same group that does the Abundant Living Retreat in Branson, MO each year.)
National Conference on Youth Ministries on January 3, 2024
National Christian Schools Association (February 2024)
Abundant Living Retreat, Harding University, April 9-12, 2023
Pepperdine University—Crossways, July 19-27, 2024
Missionary Kids Camp in Honduras, Aug 4-10, 2024
Writing/Publishing
Working on a journal submission on longevity in ministry. (See our new website on updates to this study—coming soon)
Website Coming Soon
Site will include pages with resources, projects, archives, and IFC Dialogues (Should be live this week).
Ongoing Projects
National Grandparent Study (Translated into Spanish for Fall 2023 data collection)
Profile of ministers that have served in the same church for 15+ years (specifically targeting youth ministers). Study is exploring burnout and longevity
IFC Weekly News & Notes October 1, 2023
Speaking/Teaching on Faith Transmission and Grandparents
Spoke at Holly Hills Church of Christ, Florida on Sept 27, 2023
Coming Up
Teaching at Lubbock Christian University — Youth Ministry and Children’s Ministry Classes this week Oct 2-5, 2023
Teaching at Broadway Church of Christ twice on October 4, 2023
National Conference on Youth Ministries on January 3, 2024
National Christian Schools Association (February 2024)
Pepperdine University—Crossways, July 19-27, 2024
Missionary Kids Camp in Honduras, Aug 4-10, 2024
Writing/Publishing
Working on a journal submission on longevity in ministry. (See our new website on updates to this study—coming soon)
Website Coming Soon
Site will include pages with resources, projects, archives, and IFC Dialogues (Getting very close to opening day).
Ongoing Projects
National Grandparent Study (Translated into Spanish for Fall 2023 data collection)
Profile of ministers that have served in the same church for 15+ years (specifically targeting youth ministers). Study is exploring burnout and longevity.
IFC Weekly News & Notes September 24, 2023
Speaking/Teaching on Faith Transmission and Grandparents
Holly Hills Church of Christ, Florida on Sept 27, 6:30 PM EST (streaming on YT)
Coming Up
Lubbock Christian University — Youth Ministry and Children’s Ministry Classes
Broadway Church of Christ
National Christian Schools Association (February 2024)
Writing/Publishing
Working on a journal submission on longevity in ministry
Website Coming Soon
Site will include pages with resources, projects, archives, and IFC Dialogues
Ongoing Projects
National Grandparent Study (Translated into Spanish for Fall 2023 data collection)
Profile of ministers that have served in the same church for 15+ years (specifically targeting youth ministers). Study is exploring burnout and longevity.
