Providing Family Community Service Opportunities to Strengthen Spiritual Growth in Parents at Calvary Church, Dunnville

Abstract

In this Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) Research Portfolio, the author explored how spiritual growth was developed in parents when they participated in community service with their children. Developing spiritual growth was the first step in discipling parents as part of a strategy to equip them to better disciple their children. The author’s three children’s ministry department heads and their spouses were the test group for this project which utilized some aspects of Participatory Action Research. Appreciative Inquiry (AI) was also used with the six participants to determine where to serve: once at Dunnville’s Salvation Army and once at Dunnville’s Youth Impact Centre. The Salvation Army opportunity allowed learning about the need for a food bank in Dunnville, and hands-on experience unloading, sorting and organizing donated food. At the Youth Impact Centre, the participants experienced cooking a community supper and then eating with the attendees. Results from surveys and interviews showed that the participating parents saw limited spiritual growth in their lives as a result of participating in community service with their families. Generally, most participants saw some spiritual growth as they gained a better sense of the needs and more compassion for those who needed help in Dunnville. Some experienced more of God’s direction in how their families could serve in the community, and through their example and family discussions, some became better spiritual mentors for their children. The author also documented her unexpected spiritual growth that resulted from studying her town, church, and ministry contexts, developing her philosophy of Christian leadership, implementing the research project and her D.Min. in Leadership journey at Tyndale University. She gained a better understanding of her ministry and community and how God called her to partner with him in mission—discipling others to be sent.