Parent Resources
Impact Youth Ministry meets on Tuesdays at 6:30pm at Fellowship Bible Church in Tacoma.
FAQs
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All students in 6th-12th grade are invited to join us! Whether this is their first time in church or they have walked with Jesus for years, we are excited to meet your kids!
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Once a month, we gather for a little longer on Tuesday nights for special events that we call IMPACT+. BBQs on the patio, late night volleyball, service projects, you name it! Details about these events can be found on our calendar.
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Impact is the youth ministry of Fellowship Bible Church! Learn more about our church HERE.
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Great question! You can find a statement of faith for Fellowship Bible Church HERE.
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We believe that our team partners with you, the parent, in providing opportunities for learning and growth while your student is with us at Impact on Tuesdays. We strive to share the Gospel and help provide a biblical framework to empower your students to engage with the world by studying the Bible together, helping them to learn how to think biblically, and living God’s Word alongside each other.
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Our heart behind the Impact code of conduct is to provide an environment where all students and leaders are supported, safe, and respected. We believe each person is accountable for their actions and that one way we can demonstrate love for each other is by respecting these guidelines.
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For the 2023-2024 school year, we will be studying the Gospel of Mark.
Communication @ Impact
What is the best way to know what’s happening?
We keep our CALENDAR very up to date, so this is your first point of reference for all Impact events!
You can also subscribe to our monthly newsletter, which includes event updates, blog posts, service opportunities, and additional resources for both students and parents.
Connect with our Leaders
We have a team of incredible volunteers who lead small groups, disciple students, and serve the youth ministry! They would love to chat with you and help you learn more about what we do at Impact. Head HERE to learn more about our leadership team.
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You can reach out to Makayla Guzman at (253) 359-7239 or makayla@fbctacoma.org
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You can reach out to Michael Lennox at (253) 691-5179 or michael@fbctacoma.org
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You can reach out to Emma Guzman at (253) 227-4980 or ejguzman00@gmail.com
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You can reach out to Anders Pedersen at (253) 414-2342 or andersped@yahoo.com
Additional Resources
Listed below, you’ll find a list of resources to use when faced with various issues. Whether it’s tough questions, mental health issues, disabilities, or just wanting to relate better and have more productive conversations, our goal with these is that you would feel our full support as you lead your children in the way they should go (Proverbs 22:6).
A parent holds a uniquely vital role in their child’s life. That role does not come easily and there is no perfect instruction manual. Although there may never be a perfect answer, this (ongoing) list of resources will hopefully aid you in various ways while you navigate the sea of family life raising these wonderful kids and will be updated whenever we find other resources we think may be helpful for you. We are honored to have the opportunity to serve you and your kids in this way and are here to support you however we can while you captain the ship.
If you have any questions outside of the resources listed, please reach out to Chris, Dusty, Makayla, or Michael. Note: if you have any trouble accessing these articles as some of them are a paid subscription, please reach out and we will get you a copy as soon as possible.
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“Screen Time is Changing the Way We Think, Focus, and Memorize” - A helpful article discussing the connection to screen time and how we interact with the world. My favorite section is found in the 4th to last paragraph with the mention of establishing “digital free zones” with your kids, where you can expect to just be together and power-off.
“Screens and Your Teens” - Q&A style article on the The Tech-Wise Family: balance of good and bad in using technology and smartphones, dealing with the reality of both.
Book Recommendation: The Tech-Wise Family: Everyday Steps for Putting Technology in Its Proper Place. - Written by Andy Crouch. This a great resource for discussing boundaries and using technology in helpful and productive ways, without letting it overtake your life.
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“Why Teens Drift Away from Faith” - Article focusing on transparency between parents and kids, battling the “leaving the faith” epidemic, and a brief review of the book, “Sticky Faith”
“When Christian Teens Doubt” - Article review on a few books by Sara Zarr, dealing with the idea that teens are every bit as capable of challenged as us – including facing deep, difficult questions and significant doubts due to major events, as well as being challenged to do incredible things. The article ends with a powerful question on this topic.
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“3 Ways to Help Today’s Youth Stay Optimistic, Curious, and Engaged” - Article citing numerous statistics on Gen Z behavior, encouraging the reader with certain ways to facilitate room for growth and maturity.
“Youth Ministry’s Family Blind Spot” - An article affirming the incredibly important role of a parent – specifically mothers – of pouring into your mission field: your children. This article emphasizes the role and opportunity you have as a parent to disciple and minister to your kids, as their primary role model.
“Facing the Lions of Fatherhood” - Excellent piece discussing the weight of the role of a father with several Scripture references and a few great application points at the end.
“Fatherhood’s Call to Duty” - Article on the importance and weight of the role of a father, emphasizing fulfilling your duty in that role to love and serve your family.
“The unique FOMO of Motherhood” - Here, the author discusses the battle of desires between career goals and the role of a mother. She does an excellent job expressing the very real “fear of missing out” while fulfilling her duties as a mom and a wife, while challenging the reader to view this battle from a different perspective.
“God Understands Hard, Thankless Parenting” -Article focused on motherhood, but applicable to both. The author speaks to several difficult circumstances of grief and difficulty, finding encouragement and rest in the Lord
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“True Love Consents: Why Teach Christian Youth About Boundaries” - Good discussion on handling “the talk” with a focus on incorporating an understanding of consent with your kids, relating consent to various areas of relationships. This article also acts as a type of review of the book, “Facing ‘The Talk’: Conversations with My Four Daughters about Sex” which is a helpful reference.
“6 Ways Watching Pornography Affects Your Mental Health” - Article by Brad Hambrick, detailing the real life, internal and external effects of watching pornography. Within the discussion of these signs, we see several things to be on the look-out for as warning signs of someone who has fallen into this trap.
“5 Questions I Wished My Accountability Partner Would Ask Me” - Brad Hambrick’s article with some truly excellent ways to approach the subject of accountability in a new light.
“19 Possible Motive-Triggers for Pornography” - Great article explaining some common triggers for someone to look at pornography. These observations can lead to being mindful of ways to guard yourself and your teens from falling into this area of sin.
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“50 Good Mental Health Habits” - Very practical guide on activities to do to facilitate a healthy mental wellbeing, that you can use yourself and encourage your teens to follow suit.
“18 Questions about Faith and Mental Illness” - List of questions you may have or have had about the tricky line of mental illness and a sinful soul in a Christian. Helpful analysis in each question to understand a bit more on how to walk this line in grace.
“7 Factors that Contribute to the Impact of Depression – Anxiety” - List of influential things that we can be aware of when dealing with someone who struggles with these things (or growing in these struggles ourselves).
“6 Changes in Lifestyle that Add to the Impact of Depression – Anxiety” - Similar to the previous listing, this article outlines significant, external influences that can cause or make worse depressive or anxious minds.
“12 Ways Depression – Anxiety Impacts Family and Relationships” - Another helpful list of ways that these struggles could affect dynamics in families and friendships.
“10 Types of Thinking that Undergird Depression – Anxiety” - Helpful read for addressing some thought patterns that can make one prone to depression or anxiety. This is particularly helpful to keep some of these things in mind when keeping an eye out for your kids or others that may be struggling with these issues.
“10 Patterns of Thinking that Undergird an Unhealth Relationship with Food” - Similar to the one above, this article lists some thought patterns/things to look out for when trying to find the deeper causes for this issue.
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“Let the Children Play: Their Lives Depend on it” - Article on “wandering and wayfinding” imaginative activities, important to development in youth that are less common today.
“Teens Are Not the Church of Tomorrow” - Short clip of a sermon by Derwin Grey, encouraging his congregation that teens were used in incredible ways by God throughout Scripture, and they can be used by God just the same, today. This clip also focuses on the idea that young people are already – in their young age – an integral part of the church community already.
“Teaching Teenagers to Manage Invisible Money” - Very helpful resource with several practical steps to take in handling the topic of budgeting, giving, and spending money in our virtual culture of consumerism.
“How to Stay Married When You’re Stuck Between Needy Teens and Aging Parents” - Very informative and helpful article with practical steps to take when battling being pulled in two important directions. The author explains from personal experience the hardship of trying to fill two needy roles at once with grace and humility.
“21 Essential Parenting Resources” - List of helpful recourses on parenting, put together by Christianity Today in various forms. Note: Not all these individual resources have been fully vetted or read, so as always – use discernment and read with God’s word as your foundation.