Vision of Children’s Ministry

Someone told me recently, “I learn more from watching [named 3 people] than from reading and listening to Scripture.” This is not only true for that individual, but we think it applies to most, if not all, people…especially kids.

In God’s Word, He tells us that parents have the primary responsibility for their children. As it relates to spiritual training God tells us:

These commandments that I give to you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. Deuteronomy 6:6-9

This passage tells us that spiritual training begins with parents passing along to their children the things that are a part of their own lives. It’s another way of saying “as we go, make disciples” of our children. And that is what we want to do at Grace, make disciples who will make disciples, etc…

With this in mind, our vision for Children’s Ministry at Grace is to cultivate the hearts of children (1Cor. 3:6) so they can discover and follow Jesus. We do this as we:

  1. Reveal God to the children He brings to Grace by the way we live.

    • (John 17 - this is what Jesus did with His disciples)

  2. Remind parents we are their partners (encouraging, equipping and empowering).

    • We don’t replace parents in their child’s spiritual training, but we come alongside to help them bring their children into relationship with Jesus.

  3. Release people within the body to use their gifts whose calling is to love, serve, and point children to Jesus.

    • (Eph. 4:11-13 - Jesus equips his body to grow it to maturity).

  4. Remember they are children.

    • Who are unique creations, loved by God (Ps 139, esp. vs 14).

    • They learn in different ways, so we engage them in many different ways.

    • They need consistent boundaries, so our expectations of them are consistent (Grace Kid’s Commitments).

Partnership between home and church…the things we do here are:

  • Establish a Biblical foundation/worldview.

  • Transform lives, not just modify behavior.

  • Provide resources/tools for parents.

  • Model ”Be like Jesus”.