The principal at a high school in the Florida Panhandle asked a friend to say the blessing at a luncheon. It was a school event involving former booster club members, not students. The principal attends a large well-known church in Pensacola and said, “My faith is who I am. I am a Christian. I am a believer. I am not ashamed of my faith.” He asked someone to say the blessing before lunch because “it is just something you are used to doing.”

Yay! for this principal for standing up for his God beliefs and blessing the food for lunch: a simple way to say thanks to God.

Here is the latest Children’s Ministry Think Tank question:

How should children’s ministry offer an urgent Gospel invitation without emotionally manipulating children? When does child evangelism cross the line and become abuse? What principles guide you in this area?
Child evangelism must be age appropriate. We must think and speak in ways in which children can understand and comprehend. If they best understand the ABC’s, then use the A-Admit, B-Believe, C-Choose model for sharing Christ with them. If they live in a region where there is a bridge that crosses over a river or lake, then explain the bridge metaphor of how water flows in the river, picking up pollutants (sin) along the riverbanks and from the ships but Jesus offers a bridge to cross over that sin to get to the other side.
The important aspect to remember when choosing a technique or method for child evangelism is to remember to be age-appropriate. And let the children take the first steps toward asking questions. If they begin asking the questions, then generally that shows they have been thinking and pondering the concept and are ready to move further in the discussions and decisions.
In my experiences in CM, I have not offered an “invitation” in children’s worship sessions. Children are too likely to follow their friends and do what they do. Things work out better if each child is discipled on a one-to-one basis. It is preferred when CM leaders observe children and through relationships with each child they have knowledge of when the Holy Spirit may be working in the heart of that child.
When I was in the 5th grade, my church showed a church-wide video on the second coming of Christ. The video was not age-appropriate for every member of the family so the church offered a young children’s class; however, it was more of a babysitting group so I didn’t want to go in there. I opted to stay in the video room with one of my best friends. After all, we were 5th graders; that’s almost youth age.
I don’t remember much about the video, except there was one scene where a young boy was holding a red balloon, then a guillotine come down, then the red balloon floated up in the air. Yikes! Now that’s abuse…scaring people into choosing Christ.
Choosing Jesus’ way should not come out of guilt or manipulation. It should come from children having a full understanding of Jesus’ involvement in their lives and Him drawing them into a personal relationship. We must reach others as Jesus reach them, including children. We must teach that Jesus is the Way. He’s the only way. He’s the gentle way. We must teach Jesus as He taught people. He was gentle. He was kind. Scriptural examples of Jesus interacting with children show Him loving, playing, and relating to them on their levels, not pressuring or manipulating them.

Here’s the link to responses from other Children’s Ministers.

Keep doing and going where God guides; it’s worth it after all and God will train you. Read on for encouragement…

From Psalm 66:

Didn’t he set us on the road to life? Didn’t he keep us out of the ditch? He trained us first, passed us like silver through refining fires, brought us into hardscrabble country, pushed us to our very limit, road-tested us inside and out, took us to hell and back; finally he brought us to this well-watered place.

I called out to him with me mouth, my tongue shaped the sounds of music. If I had been cozy with evil, the Lord would never have listened. But he most surely did listen, he came on the double when he heard my prayer. Blessed be God: he didn’t turn a deaf ear, he stayed with me, loyal in his love.

I received this prayer request from some family friends (Ken and Pat) who are missionaries in Taiwan:

Please pray for Taiwan just now as we are experiencing heavy rains from a tropical typhoon, Morakot. We are experiencing the second day of typhoon Marakot. They are predicting that we could experience about another 24-48 hours of rain! One report we heard said that some places in central Taiwan have gotten up to 40 inches in the last 36 hours with at least much yet to come!! Praise the Lord we live on the 4th floor!

There is wide-spread flooding in the Northern and Central parts of Taiwan. We could begin experiencing flooding in the Southern area before the day is over since we are getting very heavy rains at this time. Mud slides are already being experienced up island and we expect that here soon.

Pray for those who are in harms way and those rescue workers trying to get to them.