We Build Kids: Strategy for a Purpose-Driven Children’s Ministry
So many things in our culture destroy children, either by design or default. The pop heroes of the entertainment industry on television, video, radio, or CD usually do not deliver an uplifting, constructive, spiritually redemptive message. More and more we hear about children who have been exploited, abused, or neglected. Alarm fills our hearts. Who cares? Who will do something to stem this devastating and demoralizing cultural drift?
The church can and must accept this challenge. The local church must provide a counter culture committed to building children. Motivated by love, empowered by the Holy Spirit, and commissioned by God, it must reach out to children with the gospel, lead them to put their trust in Christ, and help them become His devoted followers. If the church will do this, children can be rescued from the destructive power of sin, be transformed by God’s power, and become all He created them to be. The local church, as God’s redemptive agency in the world, must accept the responsibility of developing ministries that build the lives of children.
We Build People was developed as a total-church approach to disciple-making within the Assemblies of God. It involves everything the church does to reach people for Christ and help them become maturing, obedient followers of Jesus. We Build People is not just for adults–it’s for everyone in the church, including children. Consequently, the local church needs to develop people-building children’s ministries–We Build Kids.
How can the local church accomplish this? How can the church develop children’s ministries that truly build young lives?
EMBRACE VALUES TO DRIVE MINISTRIES THAT BUILD CHILDREN
We Build People has developed and advocated some nonnegotiable biblical values designed to serve as motivators and guides for effective disciple-making in the local church. The overarching value that serves as an umbrella for all the others is, "Every person is valued and is the focus of our ministry." Four other nonnegotiable values are recommended:
- Every person has the right to a presentation of the gospel at his or her level of understanding.
- Every person needs a biblical moral compass to guide and protect him or her throughout life.
- Every believer has unique gifts to be discovered, developed, and used to strengthen the church.
- Every believer has a purpose in advancing the global mission of Christ and the Church.
These nonnegotiable values not only apply to children’s ministries–they provide the inspiration and basis for building an effective children’s ministry in the local church.
DEPEND ON THE HOLY SPIRIT
How can we truly see transformation in the lives of children? How can we be assured that the inner resources to resist temptation and overcome sin abide in their lives? Only through the power of the Holy Spirit.
In the Old Testament, after the devastating forces of sin had led to the destruction of Jerusalem and the bondage of God’s people in Babylon, only one dynamic was considered adequate to sustain the rebuilding of their lives, their culture, and their worship–the power of the Holy Spirit (Zechariah 4, especially verse 6).
Nothing has changed–children’s ministry that transforms lives is spiritual in nature. Only the Holy Spirit provides the dynamic for people building.
WORK THROUGH THE PROCESS OF BECOMING PURPOSE DRIVEN IN CHILDREN’S MINISTRIES
We Build People is built on five biblical purposes: evangelism, fellowship, discipleship, ministry, and worship. Effective children’s ministries in the local church intentionally develop a strategy for each purpose. Key questions a church should ask are: "How can we ensure that each of these purposes has a healthy, vibrant expression in our children’s ministry?" and, "How can we cooperate with the Holy Spirit to see each of these purposes find appropriate expression in the life of each child?"
The We Build People Pastor’s Kit (available through Gospel Publishing House, order #26DC0692) includes a section designed specifically to assist the leaders in children’s ministries in churches as they seek to develop ministries that are purpose driven and help children become devoted followers of Jesus. Sections are provided for both elementary children and early childhood. Resource lists are included. By following the process outlined in the Pastor’s Kit, the leadership of the local church is led to:
- develop a mission and vision statement for their children’s ministry and consider how each of the biblical purposes would be expressed in their children’s ministry.
- become aware of and embrace the strategies and values identified in the We Build People philosophy.
- evaluate all of their present children’s ministries in light of how effectively they fulfill the biblical purposes.
- develop their own process for building children’s lives through the ministries of their church.
INCLUDE THE KEY ASPECTS OF A PEOPLE-BUILDING CHILDREN’S MINISTRY
Each of the five purposes of We Build People will be expressed in a healthy, vibrant children’s ministry. The following questions can serve as a guide for evaluation:
Include them.
What are we doing to reach the children in our community with the gospel? What processes and procedures do we have to help each child feel included, loved, and accepted by our church? Do children feel like they belong?
Instruct them.
What is the quality of our teaching ministry for children? How effective is our Sunday school for children? Are children being exposed to the systematic teaching of God’s Word? Are they learning the foundational truths of the Bible in developmentally appropriate ways? Are they developing attitudes and habits of life that will help them live vibrant, victorious Christian lives?
Involve them.
Is our ministry to children oriented to producing spectators or participation and involvement? Are those who work with children in our church sensitized to be on the watch for giftedness in children and prepared to affirm and encourage its development? Are opportunities provided at every level to begin involving children in ministry?
Invest them.
What are we doing to engender a sense of divine purpose in the lives of children? Are we helping children who have become Christians know how to share their faith with others? Are we encouraging them to be involved in missions? What are we doing to help children begin to hear and respond to the call of God?
Inspire them.
Are we helping children desire to authentically worship God in spirit and truth (John 4:23,24)? Are we encouraging them to discover how to express their worship through their words, music, giving, and lifestyle? Are we using music they enjoy and relate to? Are they learning to pray effectively? Are they provided opportunities to worship together with other children as well as with their parents and the rest of the church in corporate worship?
We Build People has proven to be a blessing to local churches as they have sought to revitalize and revision their ministries. People have been saved and congregations have grown. God has poured out His Spirit. Lives have been changed. New dimensions of purpose and effectiveness have come to many congregations. God wants these very things to happen in children’s ministries across the country. We Build People is not just for adults–it’s for children too.