Children's Ministry, Worth the Effort?

MARK 10:1316 Children’s Ministry – Worth the Effort JESUS’ RESPONSE TO CHILDREN A Few Observations: • Someone had to bring the kids to Jesus – kids go where you take them. • Easy for well-meaning people to view kids as a nuisance. • Jesus didn’t view the kids as a nuisance, but rather welcomed them. • Jesus was angry that the disciples turned the kids away. • Jesus doesn’t just tolerate the kids. He welcomes them. • Kids can have a relationship with Jesus. • Kids illustrate a healthy relationship to Christ– blind, wholehearted faith. • Jesus goes beyond what the people bringing the kids originally SO WHAT? 1. Bring your Children 2. Welcome Children 3. Teach Children 4. Show Love to Children WORTH THE EFFORT? • 2 Chronicles 34:1-3 • An 8-year-old can seek God. • An 8-year-old can influence others. • A pattern of right living starts at a young age and can continue well into adulthood. • It’s never too early to do right. WORTH THE EFFORT? Judges 2:10-12 – “…generation arose after them who did not know the LORD nor the work which He had done for Israel…Then the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served the Baals…” WORTH THE EFFORT? Deuteronomy 6:7-9 - You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. WELCOME, TEACH, AND LOVE THE CHILDREN OF OUR CHURCH APPLICATION • For Our Church: • We will invest time, money, and energy into teaching children about God. • Consider helping with the Children’s Ministry APPLICATION • For Your Family: • Evaluate how you are teaching your children about God. • Pick two ways you are going to teach your children about God. • Work on the monthly memory verse. • Sing the songs they are singing in Children’s Church. • Have your kids listen through the Bible as they go to sleep. • Ask your kids what they learned at church during lunch. • Get involved in a service opportunity at church with APPLICATION • Evaluate Your Response to Children: • For parents: easy to compare your children to others: at least my kid doesn’t… • Love other’s children even if they aren’t acting the way you think they should. • For those without kids: easy to be annoyed at kids or just simply overlook their significance in the Church. • Consider Christ’s response to children and reconsider how you respond to the children of our Church? WELCOME, TEACH, AND LOVE THE CHILDREN OF OUR CHURCH