Currey Creek,
One of our greatest desires and responsibilities is to raise up the next generation of believers to be the church. This responsibility is felt first in our own homes. As fathers and mothers, we are called to teach God’s Word diligently to our children (Dt. 6:7) and instruct them in the way of the Lord (Pr. 1). Corporately, we are called to instruct children all over our community in the Word of God. The secular world has sought for decades to win the culture of tomorrow by influencing the coming generations through schools, Hollywood and more. It is in this climate that the church MUST shine forth as a beacon of truth to the glory of God.
We do not just need warm bodies in children’s ministry. We need leaders who are committed to God’s Word in their private life. We need leaders who are steeped in Biblical truth. We need leaders who love kids deeply and have the ability to communicate the gospel on a level they understand. Children matter. They are not lesser people. They are valuable, loved by God and they are the future culture shapers and leaders of our world, who will drastically impact the generation after them. From the earliest age, we want children to know that Jesus’ church is a place where they belong and are loved.
1 Peter 4:10 reminds us that EACH of us is a steward of God’s grace, having been given gifts to use to serve others. You have been entrusted with a gift to build up the body. What is your gift? Maybe this is a ministry you are called to serve in. Even if it is something you have never done before, you won’t know until you try. Children’s ministry is where foundations are laid that will often bear fruit years down the line. Our call is to labor in faith, looking not to what is seen, but to what is unseen. We work prayerfully, in the power of the Spirit, under the command of the Word of God to instruct children in his way. We are confident by his power that Jesus will be exalted in the lives of these precious children that we have been entrusted with.