Why Does It Matter for Our Children's Ministry to Be Thankful?

I have been talking about being thankful for a couple weeks. Why? Because I absolutely believe it matters for us to be thankful if we want the children in our ministries to, first of all, remember God and secondly, become people who are thankful. It matters much if we are thankful - all year, not just at Thanksgiving. Consider the following . . . 

In Psalms 78 it tells us how the people of Israel settled in the Promised Land and initially followed and obeyed God, but then a generation arose which forgot and did not know God. This generation, and following generations, fell away from God and into sin. Eventually they turned back and asked God to help them; which He did. The people followed and obeyed God again, until another generation arose which forgot and did not know God. This cycle repeated itself again and again.

If we - and the children and families in our ministries - forget God, we will not know Him. So, how do we help children and families remember God so they will know and follow Him? One way to do this is to be thankful people. If we are focused upon thanking God for the big and small ways He blesses our lives, we will not forget Him. How could we if we are focused on looking for His blessings and upon being thankful?

Consider making a, "Wall of Remembrance & Thankfulness" in your Children's Ministry. Encourage children and families to take time each week to add something for which they are thankful to give themselves the opportunity to express their thanks and encourage others as they read the "posts".

You could also make it part of every worship time to allow children and volunteers to share what they are thankful for from the previous week. And encourage teachers to set aside time each week when they pray in class to invite each child to share one thing for which they are thankful. It is a powerful thing for children to verbalize their thanks and to hear the things others are thankful for as well.

Encourage children, parents and grandparents to be people who are thankful - and who pay attention to what God is doing in their lives, so they can be thankful. Send home journals for them to record the things for which they are thankful.

If you are thankful, are intentional about focusing on being thankful in your Children's Ministry and help families become thankful as well, you will find the children remember God. Not only will they remember God, but they will want to follow Him as well!

Be thankful! It makes a big difference!