Stepping Up

Volume 3 Number 3

Welcome. Each month we feature practical information that you can use in your life and family. Please feel free to contact us with feedback, questions or comments via phone at: 1-888-5INSTEP (toll free) or email: info@instepministries.com.

About InStep Ministries
We are a 501c3 faith-based nonprofit organization dedicated to providing resources, support, counsel and encouragement to singles, single-parents and stepfamilies and those who minister to them. Our passion is equipping people for life. Our mission is to provide resources and services that are practical, Biblical, relevant and affordable. To learn more about InStep, visit our website: www.instepministries.com.

Personal Moment
Thank you all for your prayers and support. We are very grateful. We have three items to share and we ask for your continued prayer.
First, we are just a few weeks away from leaving for Puerto Rico where we will be training pastors and leaders in more effectively ministering to the single-parents and stepfamilies in their congregations and communities. What an honor for this is for us.

Second, on April 19-21, we will be presenting at AMFM’s first East Coast conference, in Charlotte, North Carolina. The line-up of speakers is amazing-Norm Wright, John Trent, Tom and Beverly Rogers, Ron Deal, Linda Ransom-Jacobs, Tom and Helen Wheeler, and many others. If you live on or near the east coast and you have a passion for marriage and family ministry, then this conference is for you. We have included the AMFM promo video if you wish to learn more.

Finally, this month, we want to share with you the first chapter of our new workbook, Thirsty People Sitting at Wells. The purpose of this book is to help pastors and lay leaders develop a stepfamily ministry in their local church. As always, we are interested in your feedback about this topic, so please email us.

Thirsty People Sitting at Wells
A paradigm shift has occurred. The face of family life has changed dramatically in the last 30 years. According to the 2000 United States census, less than 25% of our current population lives in traditional nuclear families. The family of today exists in all shapes, colors and sizes—forging a new normal. These family groups include single adults, stepfamilies, single-parent families, multi-generational families, unmarried families, same-sex marriage families, grandparents raising their grandchildren, and the list goes on.

This incredible statistic has huge implications for the church, and represents a tremendous challenge and opportunity, as we attempt to minister to the people in these families. What challenges does this bring to your church? Perhaps, at the very least, you will have to re-think ministry to include the needs of these various, and varied, non-traditional family groups. Family ministry that uses the traditional nuclear family as a norm may not be as effective in speaking to the needs of the adults and children in these families.

While the complexion of family in America may be changing, the goals of family ministry have not: we must still strengthen marriages and families, help people heal, and find fellowship and their place in the Body. New models, however, must be developed. Ministry to today’s non-traditional families is incarnational at its core—meeting people where they are—at the point of their need. We must learn how to meet the needs of today’s single parents and stepfamilies. These families are unique; they are almost totally unlike nuclear families in structure and challenges. Yet they are the fastest growing family forms in the U.S. Due to the complexity of non-traditional families, like step or single-parent families, it is not surprising that many churches sidestep dealing with them altogether. Consequently, many of these families feel subtly ignored or even marginalized. Few churches have programs, groups or classes for single parents or remarried couples. Family ministries often overlook these groups. In fact, the terms “family ministry” or “family church” can be discouraging sounds to stepfamilies and single parents, because they know this does not (and never will) describe them. To read more…

Singles Moment
These are the principles you will learn in the Healthy Relationship Seminar or in the workbook, Developing Healthy Relationships.

“The goal is not to find the right person, but to be the right person and to find the right relationship.”

“Singleness is not the waiting room of life, it is real life; the life God has gifted you to live.”

“There is a direct relationship between expectation and disappointment. Much of our disappointment in relationships is not because people have actually wronged us, but because they have failed to meet our (mostly unexpressed and often unrealistic) expectations.”

Healthy Relationships Seminar
Dr. Parziale will be continuing his series, Developing Healthy Relationships. This series is sponsored by Equally Yoked Christian Singles, but is always open to the public. February’s topic is March’s topic is Dating 101; April’s topics are Sexuality and Dating Styles.

• TUCSON: Saturday, March 11 and April 8, 2006 from 10 AM to 1 PM
  Address: 5515 E Grant #210-A, Tucson, AZ
• PHOENIX: Saturday, March 4, and April 1, 2006 from 10 AM to 1 PM
  For more information, call InStep at 520-721-0800.

Upcoming Speaking Events

• March 24-26, 2006 / Judi and Jeff will be speaking on ministry to single parents and stepfamilies in Puerto Rico
• April 19-21, 2006 / Jeff and Judi will be exhibiting and presenting at the East Coast AMFM conference in Charlotte, North Carolina
• July 25-28, 2006 / Jeff and Judi will be exhibiting and presenting at the West Coast AMFM conference in Scottsdale, AZ.
• Coming this fall a training course for pastors, Preparing Couples for Remarriage (Tucson, AZ).

Get Involved!

• Join the Association of Marriage and Family Ministries (AMFM). Attend a 2006 conference. Scottsdale conference is July Website: www.amfmonline.com
• Tucson: Friday Night “Stepping Out” Singles: Pantano Christian Church-10355 E. 29th. Street. Dr. Parziale speaks on the 1st and 3rd Fridays at 7 PM. All singles welcome.
• Tucson: Stepcouple Life Group: 1st and 3rd Tuesdays at 7 PM. Hosted by Ron and Jane Lowery, 6880 E. Hawthorne. For information call: 520-290-1094. Open to anyone.
• Tucson: Single Parent Support Group at Casas Church; Tuesday nights at 7 PM. Call Evelyn Wright: 878-1101.
• Tucson: Tucson Association of Evangelicals: join pastors and leaders for fellowship on March 9, 2006 11:30 AM, Son Life Chapel; Pastor Gil Garcia. Address: 2955 W. Ironwood Hills Dr. For information call: 520-721-0800.

Growing Pains
We shared last time that God has truly blessed us. We are stretched-and stretching. Many of you have enquired as to what are needs are. We are looking for a few individuals or couples to partner with us spiritually and financially. We need to fill several part-time paid positions, including: receptionist, counselor; and a video production manager. We also need volunteers to assist with proofing and editing written and video materials. A huge need is for someone take over editing our newsletter. If you have a passion for ministering to singles, single-parents or stepfamilies, please contact us and please, keep us in your prayers.

For details and updates on InStep activities,
call 520-721-0800 or email us: InStepmin@aol.com

To order InStep resources, call 1-888-5INSTEP

If you enjoy this newsletter, please tell a friend. If you would like to start a support group or stepfamily ministry in your area, please contact us-we can help.

InStep is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit ministry. Donations are tax-deductible and always welcome. Thank you for your support. Please keep us in your prayers.