A one off seminar, while beneficial, will not ultimately result in healthy parenting of teenagers. Eric Bryant, in his book “Peppermint-Filled Piñatas”, recognises a phenomenon common in many Western societies. Bryant has observed in the United States "since the invention of the garage door opener, neighbors across the country have slowly slipped out of each other’s lives. As men and women open their garage door with the push of a button from the front seat of their car, they can easily disappear into their homes without ever having to walk across their yard and possibly seeing another neighbor on the same trek. People could live close to other people yet never truly know them. They might know their names, but they wouldn’t know what brought them joy or sadness." As our lives continue to limit genuine relationships with other people, true community becomes more and more difficult to find. Parents who are not in true community - with other parents of teenagers, those who have succeeded in raising healthy children, and parents who have faced terrible struggles with their teenager - lack vital resources. Community can foster creative parenting techniques shared between families, a connection between teenagers and an adult mentor, and a cross-generational interaction that prepares each for their future.

In keeping with our beliefs on community, we are creating opportunities for parents to continue exploring healthy adolescent development as it applies to their teenager, in community with other parents. We lead an eight session parenting community to further explore the topics introduced by the seminar. These sessions will emphasize personal application and group interaction. Each parenting community is custom tailored to the needs of the group. Successful communities depend heavily on commitment to the group and interactive participation. We desire that the participants in these groups continue to live in community even after the course comes to an end. And, ultimately, provide a safe space for followers of Jesus to coherently communicate the truth of the Gospel.