Latest / The Family Teams Podcast / Ep. 176 | How Do You Take Your Littles On Mission?

Transcript

Ep. 176 | How Do You Take Your Littles On Mission? · The Family Teams Podcast

• 0:00
  Just that's one of the good blessings, I think, of our culture is we really love babies and little toddlers. Hey, guys, welcome to the 5-Minute Fatherhood podcast. I'm your co-host, Jeff Bethke, along with my friend and mentor, Jeremy Pryor. Join us Monday through Friday as we chat about quick tips, skills, and ways to help equip you on your journey as a father to build your multi-generational family team on mission. Stay tuned.
• 0:31
  What's up, guys? Welcome to another 5-Minute Fatherhood. So how do you take your really littles on mission? Like, are babies useful? So often, the way we talk about ministry and mission, it's like maybe when our kids get much, much older. But there's all kinds of ways that young children and even babies can be super helpful in,
• 0:53
  in certain kinds of missions. And that's why we want to encourage you guys to really figure out, are you guys in a season as a family where you should be investing in those kinds of ministries, those kinds of missions? And to me, probably the most obvious and helpful way that babies help with mission is what we like to call the baby icebreaker, which is it's really hard to start a conversation with a stranger, and it's really valuable, whether it's your neighbors, whether it's a coffee shop you go to a lot or a restaurant or just people that you run into in public that you're in a family
• 1:23
  It's really important that we get into conversations with strangers and that we have those kinds of meaningful moments where we can talk about important things, figure out who they are, invite them into relationship potentially, and invite them into relationship with Jesus. But it's really hard to get that conversation started, but it's not when you have a baby. Babies are like the perfect—
• 1:41
  a segue into a conversation with a stranger. I mean, nobody looks intimidating when they have a baby with them, right? And so it's a really, really valuable resource and way to go on mission with your kids. There might be some nuances to how to do this. So I want to, Jeff, maybe you could tease this out a little bit more.
• 2:01
  Yeah, I mean, we actually totally think strategically through this. Now, of course, there's some caveats of you maybe have a more shy child or something like that, even when they get a little older. But I know our kids are outgoing, and they love meeting people and talking to people. And then we also have, you know, a baby now as well. And so yeah, I use that to our advantage just as part of our mission, because it's natural to our DNA, where yeah, like you said, it's so non threatening to kind of like, I've like, I've literally noticed this is the pattern now how I almost encounter every single stranger when I'm with the kids, I kind of like,
• 2:26
  almost play the like kid interpreter first of like, like they're kind of looking at them or like, you know, the people are waving at them. Like you always do with babies, right? Or us saying something funny. So then I'll say, Oh, like to maybe the toddlers, like, Hey, can you say hi? Or, you know, ask them how they're doing or like that. And then after like two questions, then I kind of just turn and say, Oh, you know, how are you doing? Or what's your name? Like, it's all, it's literally like, I've noticed I literally have it as a habit now where like, I almost like talk through the kids for like one or two seconds. Yeah.
• 2:49
  Um, just because that's usually who's there, who they're engaging first anyways, right? Because the kids are, if you have those cute little kids, that's usually like you said,
• 2:57
  just that's one of the good blessings I think of our culture is we really love babies and little toddlers, right? We see them as cute and these little gems of joy. And so, yeah, so we've used that like, yeah, I'm always out in the front yard holding the baby with the kids because I think it's a really easy way to interact with neighbors and strangers. And then our kids love it too. I think it's really helpful for our kids because I really want our kids to not just be peer oriented, but also really, especially when they're older, I really want them to be able to have strong
• 3:24
  healthy, good, comfortable conversations with adults. Right. And that takes, I think, starting at this young with just like comfortability of, you know, talking of speaking. So yeah, that's what, that's what I would say, but I don't know what Jeremy, what other ones would you add?
• 3:36
  No, that's good, man. I think it's really important you guys get out there with your kids, figure out how to really engage in these kinds of things and make sure that like, and probably the last thing I'll say is when you were emphasizing sort of training your kids or talking to them about it, I think that's okay as well. As your kid's getting a little bit older, like have conversations with your kids and encourage them, hey, when you're with mommy or daddy, this is a good time for you to engage with other people. And so I think that that could
• 4:07
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