For the next few days I'm looking at my Top Five Do-Not's when it comes to Children's Ministry. Yesterday I talked about one important, Do-Not . . . Do Not bore children. Today I want to talk about another . . . - Do not communicate to children knowing and walking with Jesus is something for adults. When we "reduce" teaching children about Jesus to just telling them, "stories" and barely open our Bibles, we communicate to children the only thing they can understand or be interested in as a child is the "stories". However, the truth is children can learn to open and use their Bibles. They can learn to know and walk with Jesus as children. They can live god's Word in their everyday lives. Do not give them the impression those things are just for adults and "stories" - they have heard over and over - are for them.
So, if you are going to commit to not communicate to children knowing and walking with Jesus is for adults, what can you do to be sure you do engage them in God's Word and challenge them to live it in their lives now? Consider the following ideas . . .
- Be sure children have opportunity each time you meet to open God's Word and discover what it says.
- Help children connect their Bible adventures with their lives . . . talk about how it applies and give them projects to work on to live what they learn.
- Encourage parents/grandparents to involve children in listening to the pastor and taking notes when they are in a church service. Do not use "activity boxes". Instead have children listen and draw pictures of three things they hear the pastor talk about - or write notes as they get older - and then be sure parents/grandparents spend time talking with the children about the sermon and the notes they took.
These are just a few ideas . . . what might you do to help children discover knowing and walking with Jesus is definitely for them?
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