A Call to Faith-filled Children’s Ministry

A Call to Faith-filled Children’s Ministry

Far and wide I believe God is raising up children’s ministers, teachers, and anyone He can, who will invest in the next generation with faith; faith that can only be birthed by the power of the Holy Spirit. However, many of us don’t see the need to change what we are doing with our kids in church. We are satisfied with how we are serving in kids ministry and content to simply check Sunday school teaching off of our “good works” to-do-list.

I believe God is calling us to rise up in faith for our kids and intentionally grab a hold of all that He has for them; and then to speak and declare it into our children with faith. When we work in our own strength or out of complacency, we come up dry, empty, and faithless. But when we’re operating in His power and calling in our lives, we are filled with faith.

I believe God wants to remove the blinders off of our eyes so that we can see kids ministry from His perspective. We need to remove the mindset children’s ministry is simply caring for the kids so that the adults can have a service. He is calling us to intentionally invest in the children’s spiritual growth, knowing that it is sowing seeds in their hearts that will benefit them for the rest of their lives.  

“So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.” (1 Corinthians 15:58 NLT, emphasis added)

Working enthusiastically in children’s ministry takes creativity, energy, and vision. We must see what God is calling us to do and walk in it faithfully, knowing that what we do is never useless. He is calling us out of childcare on Sunday mornings and into intentionally discipling the next generation in the ways of the Lord. However, if we think it doesn’t really make a difference we will not be filled with faith or the energy to invest in our kids. So how do we walk in faith?

 Walking in Faith

1. Ask God to Show you His Heart for this Generation: When we partner with God, we are filled with faith because we are walking in what’s right. We must first ask God for His heart and then we must act upon it. We must value the children in our care by creating an atmosphere where we can “let the little children come to Him.” As you see what God can do when you create an atmosphere where children can openly run into His arms each week, you will be filled with so much faith!
2. See your Students as God’s Army NOW: We hear it all the time, but there really is no junior Holy Spirit. The children in your classroom are active members of the body of Christ right now, not just when they are older. To walk in faith, you must know that you are raising up an army who can and will effectively go out and minister to their communities AS A CHILD. Statistics show the highest percent of people accept Christ as a child. Knowing this, you will be filled with faith to release your little ambassadors into their schools, homes, and communities and you will see the value in training them in sharing the gospel, the Holy Spirit, and other deep truths.
3. Actively Call out What you See in Your Students: This will not only bless your students, it will solidify what God is speaking to you about your students and it will grow your faith. When you bless others with your words, it calls them out to walk in a place they might not have stepped into before. This is especially true with children. They take what parents, mentors, and teachers say about them as truth. Bless your children; bless them every chance you get in the name of Jesus. Your faith will grow as you see them stepping into all you speak over them by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Remember, more than anything this generation is starving for what is genuine. Children are very intuitive and can tell if you’re being fake. Be real. Faith is not something you can conjure up. Nor can you be one person in the classroom and another person at home and expect to be making a difference in the lives of your students. But a genuine walk with God, heart for the kids, and investment in their lives will bear great fruit.

We don’t just need “Sunday school teachers.” We need spiritual mothers and fathers who will rise up to invest in the next generation. We must be willing to lay down our lives, invest our time and energy, and take up the high call to meet the needs of our students.

God bless you my fellow children’s workers. NOTHING you do for the Lord is EVER useless. Let that build your faith today!