How important do you really think kids’ ministry is?
I wonder if, for many of us, we think about it primarily as having a future focus.
We teach children Bible stories, Christian values and knowledge about Jesus, hoping that one day, when they’re older, they’ll make the faith their own.
We do this now, but we’re expecting the real response to come later.
We even say, “They’re the future of the church.”
But what if that’s only half the picture?
What if children aren’t just the future of the church? What if they’re part of the church right now?
What if we’re underestimating what God can do in the life of a child?
When people brought children to Jesus, his disciples tried to send them away. But Jesus was indignant, he said:
“Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.”
Jesus didn’t say, “Bring them to me because one day they’ll be old enough to become my followers.”
He said, “Let them come to me.”
They can know me. They can trust me. They can follow me. And that can begin right now.
There’s a story told about D. L. Moody. After speaking at an event, his wife asked how it went.
“Two and a half converts,” he replied.
She assumed he meant two adults and a child. But Moody explained: “Two children and one adult.”
When she asked how that made two and a half, he explained that the children had their whole lives ahead of them to live for Christ, while the adult had already lived half of his.
It’s a brilliant story. And it makes a great point.
A child who comes to trust Jesus isn’t a future Christian. They are a follower of Jesus with a whole lifetime ahead of them to know him, love him, serve him and make him known.
And that changes how we think about kids’ ministry.
We’re not simply keeping children occupied while the adults do church.
We’re not simply transferring information until they’re old enough for faith to become meaningful.
We’re making disciples.
And every year at our Kids Holiday Club, children come who are hearing about Jesus for the very first time. Last year, around half weren’t from church families.
Think about that.
For some of these children, you could be the person who first opens the Bible with them. First person to pray with them. You might be the person God uses to plant a seed that grows for the rest of their lives.
That’s not babysitting. That’s gospel ministry.
So the question isn't simply, “Do we have enough people to run Medieval Mania this year?”
The question is:
Do we believe Jesus wants these children to come to him?
Because if we do, then we have an extraordinary privilege and opportunity before us.
We get to help bring them to Jesus.
So how could you play your part in bringing kids to Jesus?
Well for Medieval Mania this year we desperately are in need of people to lead, to organise craft and cooking, to help welcome, to prepare morning tea.
But more than anything, we need people who believe that children matter to Jesus and therefore they matter to us.
They’re not just the future of the church.
They are people Jesus is calling to himself today.
So if you’re keen to play your part in seeing Medieval Mania run this year, please get in contact with me this weekend. We’d love to have you join the team.
Grace and peace,
Paul