This is an interesting article by Childrensministry.com click here to view it.
Because millennials are wanting more home-cooked meals and less fast food and wanting to stay home more, what does this mean to our churches? More small groups? House churches? Less major events at the church facilities?
Hmmm…What do you think?
Today David and I celebrate 13 years of marriage. The past years have been a fun ride and I’m looking forward to many more years.
Happy anniversary, David. I love you.
I have been invited to participate with other Children’s ministers by answering important questions about children-family ministry.
The first question asked of the group was the following: “An 8 year old boy says, ‘I don’t want to go to hell. How can I be saved?’” Here is my response:
There are some missing factors with this question. Who has been bringing Jon to church? Is he attending with a parent? Is he attending with a friend? Is he attending by a bus ministry? Or is he simply walking to church by himself?
Since Jon has been attending church for several weeks, then a relationship should have begun between him and the CM leaders. From at least week 2 of a child’s attendance, leaders in the ministry should begin to talk to each child in the group to find out their interests, activities, education, and family, anything to gain more knowledge into his life to know how to plan each week’s lessons to meet needs.
The CM leader needs to sit down with Jon and the person responsible for bringing him to church. A relationship should have begun with the parent; therefore, he/she is familiar with the leader and feels comfortable talking to him/her. Tell the parent about Jon’s question. Go through the ABC plan of salvation with both of them:
Emphasize the fact that Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life to Heaven. Emphasize the benefits and good points of having a relationship with Jesus and that Heaven is the end result. Instead of scaring him out of Hell, we want him to enjoy Jesus and Heaven.
If Jon has been attending with a friend, the CM leader needs to talk with the friend’s parent about Jon’s family. How receptive are they to his spiritual relationship? Plan to visit Jon’s family with the friend’s parent and let them know about Jon’s inquiry.
If Jon has been attending via bus ministry, the CM leader needs to inform the bus captain of Jon’s question. Ask from where he is picked up and plan a visit to the family with the bus captain.
If Jon has been attending by walking to church on his own, the CM leader should have already found some information about him and from where he comes and lives. When Jon asks this important question, the leader needs to sit down and talk to him about the benefits and good points of Heaven and explain the ABC’s of salvation. Then plan a visit to Jon’s home; although, since he has been attending church for several weeks, he should have already attempted to contact the family.
Overall, relationships should have already begun with each person involved in Jon’s attendance at church since he has been attending for several weeks. The more CM leaders know about a child’s life, interests, activities, and family will help them to minister in appropriate ways and meet needs. Children and families are more comfortable when leaders have shown an interest in their lives.
Additionally, the CM leader should not be the only person involved in leading Jon. There are other leaders as well: small group leader, parents of friends. Since Jon has been attending for several weeks, each person can have an impact on his spiritual journey and can be involved in the discussion.
Here is the link to some other responses from participating group members … click here.
It is common to see families struggling with rambunctious children. There are various reasons and factors involved with those children; they’re hungry, tired, sad. And there are various reasons and factors involved with the families as well; they’re tired from working all day, have too many things to do. The lists are long for both the adults and the children.
FOXNews featured OneKindWord Organization to help with struggling families. Here is their mission:
The mission of OneKindWord is to raise awareness about parent-child conflicts in public and empower people to step in helpfully when they see a stressed parent or a child who is unsafe.
As churches, children’s ministers, teachers, and friends, we can help families by just saying One kind Word …or giving One Hello …or Holding a door open …or helping in any small way.
We can’t do things the same way anymore. Children’s ministry in the 21st Century can’t be done the same way it was 20 years ago or even 10 years ago or sometimes even 5 years ago. Technology is moving quickly and kids are experiencing things in much different ways. See this article on Technologies about to go extinct.
In my children’s ministry group and in my early childhood classroom, kids don’t know what many of these things are.
1 Samuel 12, The Message:
“God, simply because of who he is, is not going to walk off and leave his people. God took delight in making you into his very own people.”
We always have a friend close by our sides, helping us all along the way.
Matthew 28:20:Â Jesus didn’t say Good-bye; He said, “I will be with you always.”
Here is a link to “That’s My King” video on www.ministry-to-children.com. Nice video!
Today is Maundy Thursday. The day before Good Friday, Jesus’ day of death. Resurrection day is coming. Today is the historical day when Jesus washed his disciples feet. We don’t have much call these days to literally wash peoples’ feet, but we can bless them in other ways, like a kind word of encouragement or cards. Happy Maundy Thursday.
Maundy Thursday (also known as Holy Thursday or Great and Holy Thursday), is the Christian feast or holy day falling on the Thursday before Easter that commemorates the Last Supper of Jesus Christ with the Apostles. It is the fifth day of Holy Week, and is preceded by Holy Wednesday and followed by Good Friday. In 2009, Maundy Thursday will occur on April 9 for Western Christian traditions including Roman Catholicism and on April 16th for Eastern Christian traditions including most Orthodox Churches.
On this day four events are commemorated: the washing of the Disciples’ Feet by Jesus Christ, the institution of the Mystery of the Holy Eucharist at the Last Supper, the agony of Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane, and the betrayal of Christ by Judas Iscariot.
1 Samuel 2, The Message…
“Nothing and no one is holy like God, no rock mountain like our God…For God knows what’s going on. He takes the measure of everything that happens.”
God, may we stand firm in Your faith and trust You with everything. You know the way.