If you want to know where a family’s priorities lie, just look at their calendar. Between work, school, sports, and extracurriculars, families today are busier than ever. And in the middle of all that noise, church can often get pushed to the sidelines.
But here’s the truth: Families who engage with the church grow stronger together. When parents and kids experience faith as something that happens both on Sunday and throughout the week, their connection to God deepens — and their connection to each other grows.
So, how do you help families not just attend church, but engage with it? It’s not about adding more to their already full schedules. It’s about creating opportunities where families can grow in faith together.
If you want to foster real family engagement in your church, here are five practical ways to make it happen.
1. Equip Parents to Lead Spiritually at Home
Here’s a hard truth: Parents are the primary spiritual influencers in their kids’ lives. It’s not the pastor. It’s not the youth leader. It’s not the Sunday school teacher. It’s mom and dad.
The problem is, many parents feel completely unprepared for that role. They want to lead their kids spiritually, but they don’t know where to start. They feel intimidated by tough questions or uncertain about how to have meaningful faith conversations at home. That’s where the church comes in.
When you equip parents to lead spiritually at home, you’re helping them embrace their God-given role as the primary disciple-makers in their families. Give them the tools they need — whether it’s simple conversation starters, family devotionals, or even prompts to talk about Sunday’s message during the week. When parents feel empowered to lead, faith moves from something that happens at church to something that happens every day.
2. Create Opportunities for Families to Serve Together
If you want to engage families, give them something to do together. When families serve together, something powerful happens. They’re not just talking about their faith — they’re living it out in a way that creates shared experiences and lasting memories. Serving together helps families see that they can be part of something bigger than themselves.
Service projects that allow families to work side by side build stronger connections with each other — and with the church. These experiences give parents and kids a chance to witness how faith leads to action. Whether it’s assembling care packages for a local shelter, volunteering at a food pantry, or participating in a community clean-up, families that serve together often grow together. When families engage in service, they develop a deeper understanding of God’s heart for others while also strengthening their own relationships.
3. Make Worship a Multi-Generational Experience
Here’s something to think about: Kids don’t just learn from hearing. They learn by watching. If all they ever see is church being something that happens for kids while the adults go to their own thing, they’ll grow up thinking that’s what faith is supposed to look like — separate and compartmentalized.
But when families worship together, kids get to see what it looks like for mom and dad to pray, to sing, and to engage with God’s Word. They witness faith in action — and that leaves a lasting impression. Hosting family services where parents and kids worship together allows children to experience church as a family event rather than an isolated experience. Moments like participating in communion, joining in prayer, or watching parents engage with the message help children internalize faith as something that permeates every part of life, not just Sunday school.
4. Create Fun, Engaging Family Events
If you want families to stay engaged in church, create environments they want to be part of. Fun family events aren’t just about filling the calendar. They’re about creating moments where faith and fun collide — where parents and kids can laugh, play, and build relationships with others in the church. These moments break down walls and make families feel more connected to the church community.
Family events that combine faith and fun provide a space where kids and parents alike can experience joy together. Game nights, movie nights, or seasonal celebrations like Trunk or Treat and Easter egg hunts create opportunities for families to enjoy themselves while being surrounded by a faith-filled environment. Events like these not only strengthen the bond between families and the church but also reinforce that being part of a faith community is something to look forward to, not just something to check off the list.
5. Celebrate Milestones and Faith Moments
Faith isn’t just taught. It’s caught. One of the most powerful ways to help families grow in their faith is by celebrating key moments in their spiritual journey. Whether it’s a baby dedication, a child’s baptism, a student’s decision to follow Christ, or even a family committing to serve together, these milestones create powerful memories that reinforce the importance of faith.
When churches create intentional moments to mark spiritual growth, they give families a tangible way to remember God’s faithfulness. Celebrating milestones like first communions, Bible presentations, or the decision to serve as a family strengthens the bond between the church and the home. These celebrations act as reminders that God is always at work, growing and shaping the hearts of both parents and children alike.
Building a Culture of Family Engagement
Fostering family engagement isn’t about programs. It’s about culture. When families know that the church values their time, equips them to grow spiritually, and provides meaningful opportunities to connect and serve, engagement naturally follows.
Here’s the thing — a family that’s engaged with the church is more likely to stay engaged with each other. When parents and kids grow in their faith together, it strengthens not just their connection with God but also their relationship with each other.
When you intentionally create a culture where families are engaged, you’re not just impacting this generation. You’re shaping the next. Families who are fully engaged with their faith become the kind of families who pass their faith down to their children and grandchildren.And that’s how you change the world. One family at a time.
