I read a recent Blog on http://uptownkids.tv/wordpress about Should kids bring their Bible’s to church. it prompted me to think about why we get our children to bring their bibles to church and whether what we are doing in encouraging them to learn more about who Christ is through the use of their Bible or if we are encouraging them to “Act as Christan’s” by bringing their bible.

 

It is amazing what Children really think about the Bible.  They know that it is full of stories about people like Noah, Daniel etc but our children found it hard to think that the Bible was their Guide in a recent series we did.

 

We had the children do an activity where they wrote emails to God and one of the girls age 7 really hit me and made an impact here is what she wrote…

 

Dear God

I hope you are having a good time in heaven. 
Please help me to believe in you.  I have got a new bible and I like it so much. Can you help me understand the Bible.

I really want to learn about you…

 

See children are trying to get closer to God just like we do.  Makes you have to see whether we are aiding in this happening or hindering them finding God for themselves through the programmes we are running.

See children what to hear from God in many ways through his word, through his voice, through what others share with them about him.

Here is what one of our other children age 8 said…

 

Dear God

Thank you for being faithful to me. 

Can you communicate more.

Thank you

I think some times we miss what children are getting they understand that God is faithful to them.  Do we???

Are we teaching them to communicate with God and seek him for themselves?

What ways are you achieving this? Or are you just having fun?

Tell me what you think

So how often have you heard a pastor or preacher say that our children are our future.

Recently I preached at our children’s service this was a morning where the children had the chance to lead the church during the service.  They lead the praise and worship time, shared about communion, shared a song, read the notices, and served in many ways throughout the service.

I was able to share and challage our church to think about our children as our present.  Everyone seemed to respond to this well but I think that for some it was the first time that they had heard of our children as being able to serve us now and not just in the future.

 

This is a different way of thinking.  Understanding that children do not have to be “grown up” to serve within the church.  We have been able to develop this understanding of serving the the local church kingdom with ou children and we are starting to see them take responsibility.

 

Are you enabling your children to be a present generation not just a future generation.

 

I challenge you to think about how you can grow them to seek God and serve him.

 

I will post some of my sermon at a later date

Found this article and thought it was great.

It was published in 1981.

A Child’s tem commandments to parents

1. My hands are small; please don’t expect perfection whenever I make a bed, draw a picture or throw a ball.  My legs are short; please slow down so that I can keep up with you.

2. My eyes have not seen the world as yours have; please let me explore safely.  Don’t restrict me unnecessarily.

3. Housework will always be there.  I’m only little for a short time – please take time to explan things to me about this wonderful world, and do so willingly

4. My feelings are tender; please be sensitive to my needs.  Don’t nag me all day long (you wouldn’t want to be nagged for your inquisitiveness) Treat me as you would like to be treated.

5. I am a special gift from God: please treasure me as God intended you to do, holding me accountable for my actions, giving me guidelines to live by and disciplining me in a loving manner.

6. I need your encouragement to grow.  Please go easy on the criticism: remember you can criticize the things I do without criticizing me.

7. Please give me the freedom to make decisions concerning myself.  Permit me to fail, so that I can learn from my mistakes.  Then someday I’ll be prepared to make the kinds of decisions life required of me.

8. Please don’t do things over for me.  Somehow that makes me feel that my efforts didn’t quite measure up to your expectations.  I know it’s hard but please don’t try and compare me with my brother or sister.

9. Please don’t be afraid to leave for a weekend together. Kids need vacations from parents.  Just as parents need vacations from Kids.  Besides it’s a great way to show us kids that your marriage is very special.

10. Please take me to sunday school and church reguarly, setting a good example for me to follow.  I enjoy learning more about God.

Dr Kevin Leman wrote this article

This statement makes me think every Sunday when we start our morning programme.
Some weeks there are about 30 children and then others there are only 10 but I have to remember that every one of those children count.  What we are doing that morning is for them not the ones that we could have got there but for the 10 that are.

We have to make it the best time that they have ever had.  Who knows what the effort that we put in this week will produce next week.  Its not about that morning but about building the kingdom of God.

How important is it to remember that children talk to their friends.  They say about the fun things they did on the weekend or the group that they go to.

Are we producing the kind of Children’s Ministry that we have our children talking to their friends about or are we forgetting to let the “kids count”.

I know some weeks i forget about the 10 children that we have in our programme and think I have done all this work for nothing.  Yet I have a chance to change the lives of the children that are there and make a difference in their life.

Next time you only have a few children or even 1 child turn up to something you are running think about how you can make them count.

For starters let me say that anything contained within this site is my views and not a reflection of the views of  Paraparaumu Family Church.

Now that is covered here’s a bit about who I am and what I do

I grew up in the Church from a very young age and went through Sunday school and youth group.  I was about 15 when i first started to be a Sunday school teacher working with others my age to lead the children within our church.  However we did not really know what we were doing. 

At age 17 I walked away from the church and experienced life in the secular world.  I experienced things that no one should have to while getting my self involved with Guys, Alcohol Drugs and Clubbing.  My world all came crashing down when I was raped.  This changed my thoughts on life and I thought that there would be no was back to knowing God as I felt he would not take me back.

 When starting Teaching College I decided that it was time to move out of home.  I was fortunate to move into a Christian Flat with some great flatmates.  I started going to church with them and God got me and changed my world.  Things were never the same again. 

I started leading a small group with a University Ministry.

Move foward two years and I meet my now Husband.  I was working in a Christian University Hostel at the time. We got married and moved from my home town of Hamilton to Paraparaumu. 

We strated leading the Youth Group together and I felt that I was in the Ministry area that God had called me to.  I had not thought that things would change.  However God had other thoughts.

I December 2006 I started feeling that God was calling me to work with Children.  After applying for a Job at one of our local christian camps and not getting the Job I realised that maybe God had something else for me.

About a week later my Senior Pastor approached me about coming on staff as the Children’s Ministry Director. I took some time to pray and seek God about this role and in January 2007 started in my new role.

And I am still there enjoying everyday working with the Children of our church and our community. 

 

I recently read  samluce.wordpress.com post on “what does it take to be a children’s pastor” and it got me thinking about what I think that it takes.

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.

With this in mind we should be children’s pastors who create environments where the children feel that they can come no matter what their background of knowledge of what Jesus has done for them.

 To be a children’s pastor I think you need the following

• A passions for serving children and helping them learn about the Kingdom of God
• You have to have no shame – and be really outgoing
• Need to be able to relate to Adults and Children
• Should be working to build the Kingdom and not just their ministry
• Have to be flexible to cope with unexpected situations
• have good management skills – to deal with behaviour and any other situations that might arise
• Have a passion for God

Let me know if you have other thoughts about what you might need.

 

 

 

 

Thought that it would be good to have some where to share my thoughts about Children’s Ministry with others and encourage others also.

Enjoy.