CHILDREN'S MINISTRY



Good morning to you!
How are you this fine week? God showed me several months ago that I should not post every single day as I was for the last 600 and some odd posts. My thought was "Lord that is what you wanted me to do from day 1." But as time went on, it was harder and harder for me to do it every day. So, I started missing posts and then feeling guilty and getting stressed about it. And God told me that "that was not what I wanted you to do. I wanted you to share your heart and what I have given you to share, not in a stressed out way." So, I started posting farther apart and it has helped so much. On the days that I do share now I am not stressed and I hear when the Lord tells me to share. That is a good thing!

Now today I was reading my devotion and this is what God wanted me to share with you.

Let the Little Children Come

Read Mark 10:13-16    (click this link)

Matthew 21:16 (NRSV)
Jesus said to [the chief priests and the scribes], “Yes; have you never read, ‘Out of the mouths of infants and nursing babies you have prepared praise for yourself’?”

One night as we were going to sleep, I heard my young grandson singing in his two-year-old way one of the most difficult church hymns. Just by being present in worship, he had learned this hymn and made it part of his life.
Young children often get restless during worship. When this happens with my grandchildren, I usually take them out of the service. I worry about their disturbing others. But Jesus said to let the little children come to him and not to stop them. These words convince me that welcoming children to worship and into the family of the church is more important than hurrying them out when they squirm or make a little noise.
I know that in the world outside the church, my grandchildren will encounter many distractions that will draw their attention away from God. That’s why I feel that bringing them to God through the worship and fellowship of the church is an essential responsibility.

Elenka Angelova (Ruse, Bulgaria)

Thought for the Day: How does my church welcome and nurture its children?

Prayer: Dear God, help us to remember and take seriously our responsibility to help the children in our lives grow up knowing you and your son, Jesus. Amen.

Prayer focus: For children who are far from the church

From the Upper Room Daily Devotional
 
I really was thinking about this. I have been in many churches in my life with doing all different kinds of mission work in the last 34 years. 

Some churches have lots of children. Some churches have no children. Children are the future of the church. We have to nurture them in the Lord.

Proverbs 22:6
Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.

That is our job. If we lead them out of church every Sunday, to children's church or the nursery, how will they learn how to sit still and listen in church. Now I will agree that they need that learning and teaching of God's Word on their own level but every once in a while they should stay in the sanctuary. 

Now they will cry, or wiggle, or talk out loud sometimes, try to run around, maybe all the time. But how will they learn that they are part of the church if they are never in the service? And there will be some who will annoy or distract others. But as I said they are our future in the church. The sooner we all adults learn that the better. And I am talking mostly to those who don't want the children there in worship.

And now days, some kids who stay in church have a phone or tablet and play games. Shame on those who let them. They need to learn as in school that there is a time and a place for that, and that is not in the worship service. 

I don't mean to be on my soap box but worshiping God is foremost in church and how are kids going to learn how to worship and give their all to Jesus.

Times have changed and I agree with that. So, here is the question. How are we as the elders of the church going to teach them so that they will listen and truly love and live for the Lord Jesus? We must get on our knees and pray and let God lead us in the way we should go.
Proverbs 22:6
Train up a child in the way he should go, Even when he is old he will not depart from it.
- See more at: http://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Nurture#sthash.sRwBE4PW.dpuf

Very thought provoking but God can and will give us the answers. Trust Him!

Have a marvelous day!

Lesbear

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