Children's Ministry Matters . . . Today!

I saw this video clip on 2fish5bread's website and on CM Connect and wanted to share it with all of you. Take a few minutes to watch and then share it with the leaders, parents, grandparents, church leaders and other interested people in your church.

We need to ask ourselves what is most important to us. Where do we want to see our church focus it's energy, time, people and finances? In our churches our first staff hire is obviously for a senior pastor. The next hire in most churches is for a youth pastor, but really, shouldn't the next hire show we are turning our vision, passion, plan and priority to the children's ministry? In far too many churches the third hire is for someone to lead music. Don't get me wrong, I understand music can be an effective way to lead people in praising God, but when 43% of people make the decision to follow Jesus before the age of 13 how can we put music ahead of the children?

Think about it parents, grandparents, church leaders and anyone who cares about children. What matters the most? Does singing matter most or does being sure the children understand God's gift of forgiveness and how to know and walk with Him their entire lives? Does it matter the most we have opportunities for adults or that families are a priority and the church is equipping parents to raise their children to know and love God? What matters the most? Parents in 20 years will you care what the music was like or will you care more if your children were reached, discipled and your family learned how to be strong?


Where is the priority in your church? Is there a vision, passion, plan and priority on children and families which is obvious to all? Are the parents being actively equipped to be the primary disciplers of their children? Is the children's ministry a visible part of the church? Is it held up before the people as a vital and important part of the church? Does your children's ministry extend beyond Sunday morning, Wednesday night and one week in the summer? These are important questions to ask. 


Children's ministry matters and the price is too high to pay when it doesn't have the vision, passion, plan and priority in our churches that it needs to have.