Transformed by a question
On the second episode of The Child in Our Midst, Dr. Scottie May tells us a story about taking a guest through the children’s ministry at her church. After seeing the various kids’ ministry spaces and Sunday school activities, the visitor looked at Scottie and said, “Your children have a great time here, but when do they meet God?” Scottie shares how this experience shaped her ministry with children and the rest of her life. Reading this story in the book Children Matter was profoundly transformative in my own ministry as well.
Ministry to, for, with, by children
Over the years, there have been shifts in the church’s posture towards children’s ministry. Dr. May writes and speaks about these using prepositions: ministry to children, ministry for children, ministry with children, and ministry by children. Rather than pitting these approaches against each other, May suggests that the ministry leader looks at them and integrates them to provide holistic ministry experiences with children in mind. Throughout, she reminds us that children have the capacity for a relationship with God, just as they are now, and that we must honor that.
The most important point here is that God is interested in children now, as children, not as mini-adults. Our ministry with children should keep in mind that children are able not just to learn about God and his word but to experience God and to respond to him. Any ministry with children must leave space for them to meet with God, must help them see themselves as disciples (or invited to be) of Jesus Christ, and must help them to see that their life with God is already happening, not something reserved for them when they are older. Both implicit and explicit messages we send children in the church can help or harm a child’s need to experience and react.
Glossary
Explicit messages: things we directly say or teach
Glossary
Implicit messages: things that are taught indirectly by the way we do things
Children encountering God
Here are some questions to help you consider whether your ministry makes space for children to engage with the community of faith and with God:
- Do the messages we send children tell them that they belong and that they are a beloved part of our church?
- What do our lessons and the things we fill our time with say about what we think about the Bible?
- What kind of experiences do we provide children–are they accessible to the different types of children in our church?
- What reactions do we value and which ones do we pass over or give a negative response to?
- Do children have an opportunity to engage with the Scripture, songs, and practices?
- Are they given the opportunity to meaningfully contribute to the church’s life together in some way?
Creating space to experience and respond to God will bear fruit for everyone in your church. Worship services can tend to be spectator events, where we watch other people encounter God and listen to other people talk about God. However, worship ought to be a conversation between God and his people. Whether children in your church worship as a part of the larger congregation or in age-specific groups, make room for them to experience God and to respond to him.
Think about it!
What is one step you can take to make space for children to experience and react to God as he is revealed in his Word?
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Glossary
Explicit messages: things we directly say or teach
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Glossary
Implicit messages: things that are taught indirectly by the way we do things