#KINGDOM FULLY COMMITTED FULL#

“‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord” Isaiah 55:8.

That is, children are more disconnected from Jesus and His Story than their parents, grandparents or great-grandparents.īut there’s good news: What’s impossible for us is possible with God. Tragically, despite the efforts of thoughtful Christian parents, good Christian schools, and dedicated children’s workers, there are significantly fewer children (in the Western world) embracing Christ as Lord and Saviour than in previous generations. Let’s get serious: If we continue doing what we’ve done before, we’ll continue getting the same results as we’ve had before! It’s saying, “Well, this is the way everyone else is doing it.” And the great enemy of the future of children’s ministry is popular acceptance. Unbridled all-out faith in Jesus is rare. Lukewarm Christianity seems to be the norm.

#KINGDOM FULLY COMMITTED FULL#

Presently, the Western world is full of half-hearted double-minded Christians. And to be more than what it's been, it must be delivered from a captive state.

Children's ministry must and can be far more than what it's been. And to be more than what it’s been, it must be delivered from a captive state. Children’s ministry must and can be far more than what it’s been. For years I’ve felt like God’s been saying, “Let my * go!” ( Exodus 5:1) *my insert. God’s expectations are always more than we can envisage. Yet another reason, in the words of Keith White, Chair of the Child Theology Movement, “What if we have misheard or neglected God’s revealed teaching about children and childhood?” Another reason may be that we’ve failed to offer them a faith that is really meaningful and worthwhile. One reason why Christian children love the world more than they love Jesus is what they’ve mainly known or seen at home or in the church is a diluted, tamed, domesticated, or limited form of Christian faith. Even Christian children (saved, committed, born-again, believers) seem to identify more with the world than with Jesus. order their thinking, decisions, values and actions in line with popular culture. Most children give their allegiance to the world, i.e.

Children’s ministry, rightly conceived, should be life-changing and earth-shaking.īut I’m getting ahead of myself. The approach to children’s ministry should never be one of low-stakes or low expectations. With hesitation, because many children’s ministry purpose statements emphasize evangelism, discipleship, and/or spiritual formation, yet don’t stress the importance of children truly loving Jesus to the point of abandoning their lives to Him. When I typed the above purpose statement, I did so with hesitation. Children's ministry exists for children to be exclusively devoted to Jesus and fully committed citizens in His kingdom. Children’s ministry exists for children to be exclusively devoted to Jesus and fully committed citizens in His kingdom.

Kingdom fully committed