Real Life Answers

About Real Life Answers and HomeWord.com

Our Mission Statement

HomeWord seeks to advance the work of God in the world by educating, equipping, and encouraging parents and churches to build God-honoring families from generation to generation.

“Train up a child in the way he should go,
even when he is old he will not depart from it.”
Proverbs 22:6

America’s Parents Have Tremendous Needs

Consider that:

1. Nuclear families have dropped to below 25% of all households.

2. The number of single dads grew 70%, and the number of households headed by single moms grew 25% in the last decade.

3. Every thirty minutes in America - 29 kids will attempt suicide, 2,795 teenage girls will become pregnant, and 22 girls will get abortions.

4. Studies reveal that 85% of the people who make a commitment to Jesus Christ make the decision by the age of 18, or they never will.

5. Churches are generally not equipped to respond to the needs of parents.

HomeWord

Encouraging Parents…Building Families

In response to the overwhelming needs of parents and families, Jim Burns founded HomeWord (formerly YouthBuilders) in 1985. HomeWord is a Christian organization designed to provide assistance to adults worldwide as they help young people make wise decisions and lead positive, vibrant, Christian lifestyles. Multiplication and Leverage: While absolutely committed to young people, HomeWord equips parents, grandparents and youth leaders; those who daily reach out to kids. By equipping adults, and leveraging those adults to reach kids, HomeWord reaches more young people more cost effectively.

Four Strategies to help adults help kids…

1. HomeWord Radio - HomeWord reaches over a million parents a day through a 30-minute daily radio program being broadcast in most of our country’s largest cities and a one-minute radio commentary that is being broadcast in over 800 cities. Offering help and hope, HomeWord Radio is our mouthpiece to the world.

2. HomeWord.com - Every month tens of thousands of parents visit HomeWord.com for advice and resources. A truly interactive web site, HomeWord.com is an on-line ministry of support for parents, grandparents and youth leaders.

3. HomeWord Resources - More than a million resources for parents, children and youth workers have been translated into 17 languages on 6 continents.

4. HomeWord Events – Parenting and marriage events educate and encourage parents, provide answers to life’s most important questions.

Values
HomeWord’s values guide the heart of our ministry.

A Commitment to Christ: We acknowledge Christ as the head of our organization and submit ourselves and all our activities to His will. (Ephesians 1:22-23)

A Commitment to the Church: We support the church as God’s primary institution for sharing the love of God and the message of Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 5: 23-24)

A Commitment to Family: We support the spiritual nurture of the family as one of God’s primary means to perpetuate the Christian faith from generation to generation. (Deuteronomy 6: 4-9; 2 Timothy 1:5)

A Commitment to Cultural Relevance: We believe our ministry should be culturally relevant without compromising biblical absolutes. (1 Corinthians 9:19-23)

A Commitment to Relationships: We are committed to cultivating deep abiding Christ-like relationships both within and outside our organization. (1 Corinthians 13)

A Commitment to Integrity: We are committed to being truthful, accountable, and forthright in all that we do. (Proverbs 2:7)

A Commitment to Ministry Excellence: We will constantly evaluate our forms and methods for ministry, seeking maximum ministry effectiveness in delivery of our mission. (Colossians 3:23)

Jim Burns, Ph.D.
HomeWord with Jim Burns

Jim Burns, parenting and family expert, says, "Life's too short to settle for fatigue, lack of intimacy, and busyness in the place of meaningful relationships with your spouse and children."

After 19 years of equipping adults to disciple today's youth, the formerly known YouthBuilders became HomeWord in September 2004, under Jim Burns' leading as President.

Real Life Answers

Over the years we have answered hundreds of questions from students, youth workers, and parents. This has given us an extensive database of Questions and Biblically-based Answers on a variety of topics.