Sometimes things are not what they seem. Take Lutheran Hour Ministries' Vibrant Conversation Deck, for instance. At first look, it's an ordinary deck of playing cards. Ahh, but flip one over and you will discover their special charm: they can open doors to conversation and exciting revelations. As part of LHM's Households of Faith kit developed from research in partnership with Barna Group, the deck is one of several resources designed to make a family's time together more rewarding.
Perfect for enjoying your favorite card game, each card in the deck also poses a question for players to respond to—such as, "If you could have lunch with Jesus, what questions would you ask Him?" Or, "How many neighbors from your street can you name? Can you share one fact about them?" Or, "What is the hardest thing about being your age right now?" The prompts are fun for both kids and adults and encourage conversation participation in an easy-going manner.
The Vibrant Conversation Deck is perfect for use at home during Thanksgiving and Christmas gatherings or in church activities with kids and young people. Congregations are passing them out to families of kids in their preschools as part of their outreach ministry. Donna Einspahr, preschool director of Mountain View Lutheran Church and School in Las Vegas, Nevada, said she used grant money to purchase 85 decks for distribution.
Michaela Seeliger is the director of Christian education at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Wichita Falls, Texas. Recently, during Sunday services she has been doing a series on kids' board games and what they can teach us about God's Word. "I ordered the decks of cards as a giveaway for each family when I wrapped up the series. I love to incorporate family ministry in all I do, and this was a great way to do just that, as well as tie into the theme of games I've been teaching during the lessons," she said.
The Vibrant Conversation Deck's 52 questions center on four categories: spiritual disciplines, hospitality, spiritual conversations, and food & fun. You can get your deck as a single item for $5 or as part of LHM's Households of Faith kit for $37. The kit also includes The Spiritually Vibrant Home book authored by Don Everts, a small group study DVD, three kids-oriented booklets for parents, three illustrated children's booklets, the 30 Days of Household Devotions booklet written by Dr. Kari Vo, and the Households of Faith monograph developed in partnership with Barna Group. Visit lhm.org/households for details or to make your purchase.