It was a cold Sunday morning when we gather for worship last Sunday. We gathered to thank God for the blessings of a warm homes, the ability to gather freely and desire to be part of something bigger than ourselves. Our focus last Sunday was on Putting First Things First in our lives. One of our greatest mission fields is our own children. If we ignore them, if we fail to teach them or adequately provide for their spiritual life, then we have failed to be the church.
They say you can tell a lot about a church and what it truly values by how it reaches out and embraces their children as part of their own story of faith. Last Sunday we Celebrated Children as part of God's family.
Unfortunately we had competition. Next door to the church, there was a wrestling match at the high school and the parking lot was packed. On a snowy, very cold day, people turned out in droves to let their children compete for a trophy, recognition or the right to say "I'm better than you!" What few were willing to do, however, was come and hear the Creator of Life itself say, "I have a plan for you," "I believe in you", or "You never have to prove yourself to me." But they didn't. All of life then becomes a competition for love, meaning and significance. How tiresome.
We love our children and want what's best for them, not us. We believe in our children and see the best in them waiting to be discovered. We have a gift to give them that will warm their hearts, inspire their minds and shape their future.Guiding Principles of Children's Ministry 1. It’s a God thing. “The most important thing is not the work I do for God. The most important thing is to make God the most important thing. The impact God has planned for us doesn’t occur when we’re pursuing impact. It occurs when we’re pursuing God.” 2. Our Focus is on the Gospel. It is all too easy to get caught up in elaborate plans, dramatic scenery, curriculum, relationships, etc. Are all those important? They are absolutely critical!! But if they don’t ultimately lead to a focus on the Gospel, none of them really mean a whole lot. 3. Alignment matters. Children’s ministry is carefully & intentionally aligned with the church’s vision of Intentional Christian Discipleship. We are an integral part of the overall strategy and team. 4. Stories tell the vision. Ally Evans once said, "There are 2 Steps to Growing Your Kid min: Create a culture of invitation & share stories all the time." This is why we take pictures, create videos and celebrate accomplishments. They are part of our story of faith. 5. Families are engaged. Practical equipping is the rule. Service opportunities are offered. Spiritual formation is primarily about what parents are and do, not what happens at church. Communication is critical and ongoing. 6. Calendars are clipped. Our success is NOT measured on the number of activities we can crunch into the children’s ministry calendar. Overextended and exhaustion among our families is an epidemic. In the case of Children’s Ministry, less is more. We’re doing less, focusing more and driving commitment in a few rather than guilt over the many. If you have ideas or suggestions to make our ministry stronger, more effective and more engaging, PLEASE let us know. We can always use new ideas. Sermon Notes 01.26.14 Children's Ministry Children's Ministry 01.26.14 Audio: FTF Children's Ministry 1.26.14E
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