Before I go in to the lies the
church believe I want to clarify that this is not every church, but a majority of
the churches. I have talked to many different people from many different churches, and I have also been in children’s ministry for about 9-10 years now. I don’t claim
to be an expert, but I am just sharing my experience.
Children's Ministry Isn't Important
Some may say that children's
ministry isn't important because they're just children after all. And you’re just
an adult after all. This reminds me of a saying from Horton Hears a Who by
Dr.Suess. “A person's a person no matter how small.” God sees us all the same, as
his creation, that he loves with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3). It doesn't
matter if you are as good as mother Teresa, as bad as Hitler, as young as the
newborn, or as old as the oldest person you know, he loves us all the same with
a love we can't understand. So to say that one of God's creations are not
important really is not a good argument.
Children are innocent in the eyes of God
Children are innocent in the eyes
of God. Any parent should be able to tell you otherwise. Romans 3:23 applies
to everyone (for ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God). The punishment
for sin is separation from God forever. It seems like a terrible thing to say
that our children are separated from God because of their sin, but to say otherwise would be a lie. All the more reason to teach our children from a young age
about the savior, Jesus Christ, who can save them from their sin.
Children don’t or can’t understand salvation
Continuing with the last one, some
say they don’t or can’t understand salvation or other concepts about the bible.
Matthew 18:1-5 “At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the
greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” And calling to him a child, he put him in
the midst of them and said, 'Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become
like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles
himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever
receives one such child in my name receives me.” Jesus himself said that it is a
child who can best understand. Children are much smarter than people give them
credit for. Children are sponges-they take in everything. All the good things, and bad things. It's also said in Proverbs 22:6 “Train up a child in the way he
should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.”
Children don’t play a part in the church
Children don’t play a part in the
church. Every person in the church plays a part. Sure they can't run a program, but they can sure help sometimes. They are some of the best helpers. 1 Corinthians
12:14-20 14 “For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the
foot should say, 'Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,' that
would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, 'Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,' that would not make it any
less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the
sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of
smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as
he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there
are many parts, yet one body.” Yes, children
do have their own spiritual gifts that can benefit the church, if only they
have someone to help them understand and give them opportunities to use their
gifts.
Children’s problems aren't as big as our adult problems.
We can wait until the children are older to teach them so they can really understand
This one goes along with the one
that says they cannot understand salvation. Some say we can wait until they are
older to teach them so they can really understand. Romans 10:14 “How then will
they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in
him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone
preaching?” How can they understand if we don’t tell them and we already know
they can understand because Jesus said so in Matthew 18. Also, if we wait we may
lose them. More than half of those who accept Jesus as their lord and savior
will do so before the age of 12. Less than 6% of people will accept Christ after
the age of 12. It is vitally important that we teach them at a young age.
Children’s ministry is just Games, stories, crafts, and snacks
Last but not least, some say Children’s
ministry is just Games, stories, crafts, and snacks. Children’s ministry is so
much more than that. You are forming children in to who they are going to be
and how they will respond to the world around them. You may be teaching a
future president, pastor, teacher, cop, mother, doctor, garbage man, secretary,
and so on. Each with the possibility of changing lives. All you have to do is
say I am willing to treat these children like real people and love them for who
they are. You don’t have to work every week, you don’t even have to teach. Children's
ministry needs people to sign children in. People who can sit with the kids. People to
provide snacks people, to help with crafts and games, and so on. You can be a
part of changing our world one child at a time.
