A Challenge to Work with
Children
2nd Edition – September 2007
Page
Lesson 1 The Battle for the heart of the child 1
Lesson 2 The responsibility of the church towards the children 4
Lesson 3 The Church’s attitude towards the children 7
Lesson 4 The Church models, by Petra College for
Children’s Ministry 10
Lesson 5 God’s attitude and plan for each child 18
Lesson 6 Jesus’ attitude towards the children 21
Lesson 7 Church based children’s ministry 24
Lesson 8 Evangelism among children 27
Lesson 9 How do we as a local church meet this challenge? 30
Author:
Erling Rasmussen
Copyright © 1998 All Africa Bible College
This material is protected by international copyright laws. Permission is granted
to reproduce this book in whole or in part by any mechanical or electronic means.
However, the contents may not be changed in any way; neither may the book nor
any copy thereof be sold for gain. This permission is granted provided that All
Africa Bible College is acknowledged as the original source of the material.
SBCI, P.O. Box 324, Hillcrest 3650, South Africa
E-mail: sbci@absamail.co.za Tel. 031-7660284 Fax. 031-7660449
www.sbci.co.za
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The battle for the heart of the child
Lesson 1
A. The battlefield is intensified
1. Never before in the history of mankind has there been such an attack on our
children; through electronic means, through films, games and the general downfall
of moral standards.
2. Post-modern / new-age values are generally being accepted by secular society and
enforced in the education systems all over the world.
3. These values are often in clear contrast to Biblical / Christian values.
Some of the post-modern understanding:
a) Accept that every person’s beliefs, values, lifestyle and truth claims are
equal.
b) Wholeheartedly approve the other’s beliefs and lifestyle and praise them for
their choices.
c) Preference of sexual behaviour, value systems and beliefs are personally
determined, and should not be interfered with.
d) Freedom is being able to do anything you want to do.
e) Truth is not an absolute but, rather, what feels right and works for you.
f) God is “cosmos” and takes whatever form you want him to be, etc.
4. It is in this kind of post-modern secular value system that our children are growing
up, and that of course imposes a lot of dangers for them as well as the very real risk
of going to a lost eternity.
5. The fallen nature. The enemy even has an ally inside each child (person) which
naturally pulls away from God into sinful habits.
6. The pillar and foundation of truths: 1 Timothy 3:15.
This is one of the important names given to the church. In the midst of a decaying
society, the church is called upon to uphold Godly standards of truth, and enter this
modern battlefield to rescue people out of darkness into His marvellous light.
The earlier we begin the better, before the sinful nature breaks through into sinful
habits and even bondage.
B. The dangers facing today’s children
1. Modern toys.
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Many are clearly created to condition our children to the occult and the demonic.
Even babies are given a cute little monster instead of a teddy bear!
The video games have children controlling demon-like figures to fight and kill each
other. Many children’s books contain the occult and magic. Instead of healthy
sport, children are lead into the marshal arts that are occultic in origin.
We must create an exciting but positive alternative environment for the children in
our care and this applies to both parents and the church.
2. The danger of occultic practises.
It is a dangerous road when children, from babyhood, are fed with these types of
demonic toys and games as in the end it can lead to occultic and brutal practises.
3. The danger of drug abuse.
The peer pressure on children in schools and other institutions to experiment with
alcohol, drugs, tobacco and sex is very strong, and is now affecting much younger
age groups.
4. The danger of a destroyed family.
The sad and tragic implications of a divorcing society will probably never be fully
measured, but the impact it makes on children is catastrophic.
Today AIDS is destroying one home after the other, and in many cases children are
left to fend for themselves, especially in the third world.
The church has a God-given responsibility to raise the standard of marriage and
family life, and also to care for the widows and orphans. Hebrews 13:4; James
1:27.
5. The danger of physical and sexual abuse.
The S.A. Society for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect made a startling
revelation on the condition in South Africa. It showed that one in three girls and
one in six boys are abused during their childhood, and that these statistics seem to
be on the increase. In today’s society even small babies are abused and raped.
6. The danger of committing suicide.
The number of children becoming depressed and suicidal is growing at an alarming
rate.
The following is a poem written by a child in one of the schools in America, which strongly
illustrates the different environment the children are growing up in today.
Now I sit down in the school
where prayer is against the rule
for this great nation under God
find mention of Him very odd.
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If Scripture now the class recites
it violates the bill of rights,
and anytime my head I bow
becomes a Federal matter now.
For prayer in a public hall
might offend someone with no faith at all
in silence alone we must meditate
God’s name is prohibited by the state.
We’er allowed to cuss and dress like freaks
and pierce our noses, tongues and cheeks
they have outlawed guns, but FIRST the Bible
to quote the good Book makes me liable.
We can elect a pregnant senior “Queen”
and the “unwed daddy” our senior “King”
it’s inappropriate to teach right from wrong
we’er taught that such judgement do not belong.
We get our condoms and birth control
study witchcraft, vampires and totem poles
but the Ten Commandments are not allowed,
-- it’s scary here I must confess
when chaos reigns, the school’s a mess.
So Lord, this silent plead I make,
should I be shot, my soul please take. Amen!
C. The answer to all the terrible dangers the children are facing
The church is the only group of people who have the answer and solution to the growing
problem of the dangers facing our children.
2 Corinthians 5:17. Only Christ can change the heart of man and give him a brand new
life under His care, guidance and protection. That also applies to children who are led to
Him, the Good Shepherd.
The church has been given a special mandate to look after the children.
To a future Apostle and leader of the early church, this command was given ……
“Feed My lambs”
John 21:15
But is the Church living up to this God-given responsibility today?
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The responsibility of the church towards
the children
Lesson 2
A. Introduction
From what we have seen in the previous lesson it becomes even clearer that the church
has a great responsibility towards the children, to protect and guide them in a world of
danger and falsehood.
B. A great mission field
Mark 16:15-18
The great commission Jesus gave to His church clearly includes the children. He said:
“go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature”, so that surely includes
the children.
1. A compelling statistic.
There are about 2,5 billion children and teenagers in the world today, and 80% of
them are raised in non-Christian homes.
In AD 2000, four hundred million out of the total population of seven hundred and
fifty million in Africa were children under the age of 16 years. That is more than
half the population.
2. Another fact is that most people receive Christ as their Lord and Saviour in the
early years of their lives. Data from a major research study in America showed that
if a person did not accept Jesus Christ as Saviour before the age of fourteen the
likelihood of ever doing so fell drastically.
C. Childhood is God’s appointed time to receive eternal life
Proverbs 22:6 “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not
depart from it”.
1. God has made little children humble, teachable and trusting for a purpose, so that
responsible adults are able to lead them to Him. It is 10 times easier to bring a child
to the Lord than an adult.
2. This is the time when the foundation for life is laid, not only practically but also
spiritually. Towards the early teens everything will be tested and personally
accepted or disregarded. That is why it is so important to introduce them to living,
vibrant Christianity during their childhood.
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D. An invitation from Jesus – even a command
Mark 10:13-14, “Then they brought little children to Him, that He might touch them, but
the disciples rebuked those who brought them. But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly
displeased and said to them; let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them,
for such is the kingdom of God”.
1. Since little children cannot find the way themselves, adults are commanded to
bring them to Jesus, and that starts from the time when they have to be “carried to
Him”. Therefore, bring the babies to Jesus and let the leadership of the church,
together with the parents, dedicate the baby to the Lord, and from then on they
should, together, bring the child up in the knowledge of the Lord.
2. Luke 18:15-17 tells us that these children were infants and Jesus tells us that the
Kingdom of God belongs to such as these, but the Word also shows us that when
their spiritual consciousness awakens they need to receive Christ for themselves.
Mark 9:42 “These little ones who believe in Me….”.
3. Jesus said “do not forbid or hinder them”. Through negligence or by withholding
the truth from them, we hinder them – whereas, instead, we should train them in
the knowledge of the Lord.
4. If we don’t bring the children to Him, Jesus would be “greatly displeased” with us,
because that is the same as hindering them.
5. The promise given in Proverbs 22 is that if we train them and show them the way
to Jesus, “They will never depart from that way”.
a) “Train” does not mean to force them to sit and be bored in the church every
Sunday because they do not understand what is going on.
b) Training must be well planned and exciting for the children, where we use all
means: hearing – seeing – participating – experiencing.
c) In training you make sure that the child can understand and follow what is
presented.
E. Research concerning the importance of training a child
Josh McDowell writes in his book “The disconnected generation” about research done on
the development of the brain using modern technology and it showed that a child
between three and eight has twice as many neurons, brain connections, (Synapses) and
brain energy as an adult.
This lavish overproduction of raw material is designed so that the child’s brain can adapt
to any set of conditions.
The research also showed that when children enter adolescence they undergo a process
called pruning, the unused connections are ruthlessly pruned by thousands per second.
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Only those, which are reinforced by personal experience, will survive. That proves the
importance of training the child in all that is positive and right.
F. A serious responsibility
Matthew 18:6
“But who ever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better
for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of
the sea”.
1. From the context of verse 8 we can see that Jesus speaks about causing a child to
go to hell.
2. Today, as we have seen in lesson one, there is a satanic onslaught on children. As
we look at the toys, the videos, the books and magazines offered to children today,
we understand that so much of it is conditioning them for the occult.
Satan knows that it is very important to start when the children are still small, that
is why they try to replace the teddy bear with “a cute little monster”, etc.
3. Jesus warns that it is adults who cause children to be lost. That could be by
deliberately leading them astray but it could also be by neglecting to show them the
right way, and that is where the church sometimes also falls short.
Jesus also warns of severe punishment for those who cause the children to be lost.
Verse 6: “it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and
he were drowned in the depth of the sea”.
4. The Pastor and the leadership team are responsible for the whole flock and must
give an account to God for each of them. Hebrews 13:17. In the natural, the
shepherd will not only care for the adult animals but will, in fact, take even more
care of the little lambs because they cannot fend for themselves – should it not be
the same in the Church of God?
5. The text in Matthew 18:10 continues …“Take heed that you do not despise one of
these little ones…”. Then comes the story of the lost sheep, where everything is
done to find it, and Jesus ends by saying: “even so, it is not the will of your Father
who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish”.
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The Church’s attitude towards the
children
Lesson 3
A. Introduction
A church without children is a poor church. It is like a childless village. There is a much
quoted phrase; “today’s children is tomorrow’s church”. Well …. yes and no! It is true
that children under proper guidance will develop into mature strong Christians and
leaders of tomorrow, but it is also true that,” today’s children are today’s church!” –
unless we wish to disagree with Jesus’ declaration that “the Kingdom of God belongs to
such as these”. We need to give the children the very same status and prominence as we
give to the adults in our churches. Mark.10:14.
If we take Jesus’ warning seriously, “whoever does not receive the Kingdom of God like
a child will never enter it” – then we have some important learning to do from the
children. That cannot happen unless adults and children meet, mix and worship together.
Mark.10:15.
It is therefore very important that each church takes a serious look at its attitude towards
the children, and integrates them as a very important part of the church.
B. What is the general attitude in the church towards children?
(Of course it is different from church to church, but the following attitudes are common
and should be corrected.)
1. The attitude: “To work with children is a secondary ministry in the church”.
a) If a church has 40 families as members it will actually mean at least 120
children “members” but, usually, that major part of the church gets the
smallest funding, the least attention from the church leadership, and it is often
left to a group of untrained people to care for them.
b) A suggestion was made that the following questions should be looked at by
church leaders:
i) How much has been spent on children’s ministry as a percentage of the
church budget?
ii) Does the children’s work have adequate leadership and equipment?
iii) What effort is being put into training and equipping people for
children’s ministry?
iv) How much involvement does the church leadership have with this
ministry?
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c) If a negative result is shown after answering these four questions, it is time
for change in a positive direction.
2. The Attitude: “Children are too immature for normal church activities”.
1 Corinthians 13:11 (this scripture is used to back this attitude).
a) The “real” church is where the adults gather. The activities they are involved
in is real church business and often adults can hardly wait until Sunday
School starts so that they can get rid of the children as they see them as such
a disturbing factor. In some places children do not even enter the church
building but are led off to another place to be entertained while the adults
worship God.
b) In other places the children are forced to sit still and endure the whole adult
service, without understanding much of what is going on, with the rule:
“children should be seen and not heard!”
c) This is a completely wrong attitude. Children should be integrated as much as
possible and church gatherings should be lively, welcoming and Spirit filled,
so that everyone will feel …. “It is good to be here”.
The preaching of the Word could be the part of the service where the children
need to have it presented in a different way.
d) Jesus certainly seemed to be able to catch the attention of them all … a little
boy even asked his mother for a lunch box so that he could spend the whole
day with Jesus! So it could be that our Pastors should learn some homiletics
from Jesus!
3. The attitude: “Children can get nothing out of being in the ‘adult’ service”.
a) The argument is that if they are bored they will grow up with an anti feeling
towards church.
b) That is true – if our church gatherings are boring – but if they are lively,
warm, welcoming and Spirit filled, it will make a strong impression on even
a small child.
4. The attitude: “Let the children be trained in their own environment”.
a) Of course it is good and right to train children in groups according to their
age and development, but children should only go into their own groups
when it is needed for understanding.
b) A certain church, which was very proud of their “excellent” system, had
signs put up in the entrance hall which divided people into different venues
according to ages. Only the adults were allowed into the “real church” and
the family only met again when the whole service was over.
c) The danger of that kind of system is that the children grow up with a feeling
of not belonging to the “real church” and soon they will feel too old for the
children’s church, but too young for the “adult church”.
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d) The world divides the family up throughout the week, as so often even small
children spend most of the day in institutions, and families have very little
quality time together.
e) The church should never follow this trend. The family should be able to look
forward to a wonderful and exciting time together in the house of God.
f) In Ephesians 2:19 the church is called “the household of God”, or “the
family of God”. That certainly indicates a feeling of fellowship and coming
to church should mean experiencing a warm loving relationship for the whole
family.
5. Please evaluate your church’s attitude towards the children and, if needed,
change – so that it becomes children and family friendly – and a wonderful
mission field will soon be ripe for harvest.
J. Malherbe tells about his friend’s children:
“Recently my friend Sandy told me how her grandchildren react when they are
arriving at church. “Yeah! We are going to praise Jesus!” These are kids who
enjoy Jesus and love church because it is a joyful family event – not a “sit still, be
quiet and bored kind of service”. They love the banners they get to wave during
worship, participating helps them to feel involved. Then after praise and worship
they go to their own age-based classes to learn from God’s Word”.
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The Church models, by Petra College for
Children’s Ministry
Lesson 4
Introduction: Four basic models
Model 1: Adult church Model 2: Children's church
Ignore them! Separate them
Worship service despite children Worship service for children
Model 4: Church for all Model 3: Family church
Integrate them Relate with them
Worship service for all Worship Service with children
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Model 1: Adult church (Ignore the children!)
Description:
This is a worship service that focuses only on the adults. Although
children may attend, the service does not give any attention to their
needs, nor does it involve them in any way.
A. Arguments used to defend this position
1. "The church is not a circus!" (argument for order).
2. "When we were children ... " (argument for tradition).
3. "They will have their turn" ("church of tomorrow
argument).
4. "They learn even though they do not understand" (passive learning argument).
5. "When they grow up to understand" (spiritual evolution argument).
6. "The Bible and faith are complicated issues" (deeper knowledge argument).
7. "They have nothing to offer" (benefits argument).
8. "Children are not my department" (shifting responsibility).
9. "Nobody taught me " (insufficient training argument).
10. "1 want to, but I do not know how " (ignorance argument).
B. Reasons for rejecting this position
1. It is unbiblical.
Exodus 12:3 Passover – children participate in a family service.
Deuteronomy 12:7 Families go to Jerusalem for the important feasts.
Nehemiah 8:3 (10:28) Children participate in a service of repentance and
rededication.
2 Chronicles 20:13 Children participate in a service in a time of despair
and rejoicing.
Psalm 8:3 The power of infant worship.
Joel 2:28 Sons and daughters will prophesy.
Matthew 18:1-14 Become like children, welcome them, do not cause
them to stumble.
Matthew 19:14 Leaders commanded to let the children come to
Jesus.
Children in ministry: 1 Samuel 3; 2 Kings 5:2-3; 2 Chronicles 31:16;
Isaiah 8:18; Daniel 1; Acts 12:13
2. Children need the church.
There are so many things about God and Christian living that they can only
understand when they experience it in the church. See John 17:23.
3. The church needs children.
Unique contribution of children: humility, trust, joy, energy, simplicity (see
Matthew 18:1-14).
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For its future – "The church is always one generation short of extinction" (see
Psalm 78:1-8).
4. We run the risk of losing the next generation.
All over the world children are beginning to dance to the beat of a different drum.
They are very directly influenced by mass media, especially through television,
music, videos, movies and toys. This new culture gives them what they want and
often lures them away from the Lord Jesus Christ and the life He opened for us.
The church cannot afford to lose this generation!
Model 2: Children's church (Separate the children!)
Description:
These are worship services for children. It takes into account the
needs and understanding of children. Sometimes all children are put
together in one children's church. In other cases children are
divided into specific age groups, with separate services for each
group.
A. Goals
1. To reach children within their own idiom and according to their
needs.
2. To give children a pleasant experience of church.
3. To accompany children towards the realisation of their full
potential in Christ.
4. To employ educational principles and methods.
B. Biblical foundation
1. "Each in his own language" (Acts 2:8).
2. "A Jew for the Jews" (1 Corinthians 9:20).
3. Jesus became a human being (Philippians 2:6-8).
C. Advantages
1. Children experience and understand more.
2. Uses peer group dynamics.
3. Lively, joyful atmosphere.
4. More freedom in style and structure.
5. Greater participation of children.
D. Disadvantages, potential dangers
1. Splits up the family.
2. No experience of unity in the congregation.
3. Distance from main/adult church.
4. Difficult task that requires hard work.
5. Need for strict discipline.
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6. Can be influenced too much by popular beliefs about what is "in" and what is "out"
7. The depth of Bible teaching can be watered down.
When is a children's meeting also a worship service?
A worship service should be characterized by 4 basic aspects:

Fellowship of believers

Worship of God

Hearing the Word of God

Practical response through service and witness
These basic aspects can be represented in a simple formula of 4 W's:

Welcome (fellowship)

Worship (praise, prayers, worship)

Word (Bible – preaching, admonition, encouragement, teaching)

Witness (Servitceea cahnidn gw)itness)
The ideal is to let all four aspects focus on the same basic theme
or central truth, as is shown in the diagram. This structure is very
suitable for children, but it can also be used in other forms of
ministry and worship, including the traditional worship service.
Here we will illustrate its use with a whole programme of music.
Music is an integral part of childhood. Children have lots of
energy, they like movement and playing, they are very eager to
learn, they have little inhibitions and they normally have a good
memory. These factors almost guarantee that they will enjoy
music – of course if they are led in the right way. It would be
foolish not to use this wonderful opportunity.
Music can easily be used to welcome children. When the right tunes or songs
are played in the background, they normally respond spontaneously. Action
songs and silly songs can also be used as icebreakers or just for fun. In this
way music helps to put the children at ease and to build the unity in the group.
Worship is the one element in this programme, which can hardly be
done without music. From biblical times to the present music, in a wide
variety, has accompanied the praises of God's people. It should be the
same with children's ministry.
Music is also very useful in the ministry of the Word. Through the ages there
has grown a very rich store of songs that reflect in some way or another some
passage or truth from the Bible. These songs have helped God's people
understand and remember His Word
The same music that helped bring God's Word into the hearts of His
people, has normally also been the way in which God's truth has been
passed on as a witness to others. Thousands of hearts – many of them totally hardened towards
other forms of testimony – have been drawn to God through music. Through music children
can help carry God's truth to people who might otherwise not have heard.
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Model 3: Family church (Relate with the children!)
Description:
The name family church refers to worship services that seek to accommodate and build
families, and also to create a family atmosphere in the services, where even people who are not
family can feel at home.
A. Goals
1. To worship God in a more modern and informal
idiom.
2. To build families – the basis of church life.
3. Participation of all participants, which helps growth.
4. Build relationships among church members.
5. Accommodate people from broken families.
6. Attract people from outside the church.
7. Challenge families for practical ministry and witness.
B. Biblical basis
1. Equipping in the family (Deuteronomy 6:6-9).
"Me and my household" (Joshua 24:15).
2. Church in the home (Romans 16:5, 23; 1 Corinthians 16:19).
C. Advantages
1. Reach people in their primary relationships.
2. Build families.
3. Exposure to other role models (usually more leadership involvement).
4. Develop the congregation as a family.
5. Informal atmosphere may attract outsiders.
D. Disadvantages, potential dangers
1. Emphasis on family can exclude some.
2. Too much emphasis on informal atmosphere; pleasant experience.
3. The Bible not always central.
4. Can lack spiritual depth, discipline.
5. Church can be inward-looking, not focused on outside needs.
6. Where this type of church is not supported and attended by the whole congregation
it can polarize and divide the church.
Model 4: Church for all (Integrate the children!)
Description:
This is a worship service where people of all ages worship God together and are equipped to
take His Word into the world. This service differs from Children's Church and Family church
in one important respect, namely that children are not the focus. They take their rightful place
with all other members, participating together in all aspects of church life.
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A. Goals
1. To focus on worshipping God.
2. To be equipped for service and witness.
3. To get involved in practical service and ministry aimed at those outside the church.
4. To be an illustration to the world of unity and love.
B. Biblical basis
1. Children fully participated in the festivals and worship services of Old Testament
times (e.g. Exodus 12:3; Deuteronomy 12:7; Nehemiah 8:3; 2 Chronicles 20:13;
Psalms 8:2).
2. God's special care for the weak or destitute (Deuteronomy 24:17-21; 26:12-13;
Matthew 18:5, 6, 10, 14).
3. Sons and daughters will prophesy (Joel 2:28).
4. Children in ministry (1 Samuel 3; 2 Kings 5:2, 3; 2 Chronicles 31:16; Isaiah 8:18;
Daniel 1; Acts 12:13).
5. The unity of the church (Ephesians 2).
6. The church as one body with many members (1 Corinthians 12).
7. No longer slave or freed, man or woman ... (Galatians 3:28, see Colossians 3:11).
C. Advantages
1. From a young age children can be part of the church.
2. The congregation focuses on worshipping God and reaching the world.
3. The diversity within the congregation can be used better.
D. Disadvantages, potential dangers
1. Children can again be ignored.
2. The congregation can become too big and impersonal – children feel lost.
3. Members can disappear within the crowd.
4. Too much emphasis on key leadership.
5. The church can become too open – lose its clear focus and depth if everyone has to
be included.
Summary:
1. Model 1 (Ignore the children!) should be avoided. Matthew 19:13-15.
When we look at the biblical evidence, as well as the needs of children in our time, it is
very clear that we should not follow Model l, where the children are ignored. Most adults
are at times tempted to ignore children or to treat them as junior members in God's
kingdom and we see this in the example of Jesus' disciples (Matthew 19). In the previous
chapter Jesus' clear teaching on the importance and the place of children is recorded and
yet here they try to keep the children away from Jesus. He strongly rebuked them and
clearly stated that they should let the little ones come to Him
2. Each of the other three models can be good and effective.
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It has been shown that there are good biblical foundations for each of the other three
models (children's church, family church and church for all). Each has good goals, and
may have good advantages. Of course there are also potential dangers in each. These
three models should not be evaluated in terms of good or bad. They should rather be seen
as responses to the specific needs and contexts.
3. Most congregations vary the models for accommodating children.
This can be done by using different models in different worship services. A specific
service can be arranged as a children's church. Even though adults will also attend, the
whole style and structure will be tuned to the needs and abilities of children. The next
service can be a general one, or focus on adults, or married couples, or unemployed
people. Even in congregations where children normally have separate worship services
there will inevitably also be joint services (e.g. on Sunday evenings or during holidays
when less people attend, or during special services e.g. church feasts, sacraments or
weddings and funerals). Sometimes pastors who normally prefer integrated services are
invited to address children’s groups (e.g. at school, camp or crusade). Here they need the
skills to minister effectively to children.
4. Some congregations combine different models in the same worship
service.
In some cases all share in the welcome and worship aspects, but then divide for the Word
and Witness parts. There are pastors who include a slot for children in the course of the
normal worship service. They might even call the children to the front and then minister
God's Word specifically to them. Thereafter they can return to their parents, or just listen
to the rest of the service, which is for adults as well.
5. It is especially in ministering the Word of God that pastors find it more
difficult to include children.
The elements of Welcome, Worship and Witness are generally much more attractive to
children. With some extra arrangements children can easily be included in these. With
preaching, pastors often change to a style of communication that excludes children (at
times also most of the adults!). Training and experience are needed to grow in a style that
includes children as well. The use of stories, illustrations, visuals, dramas and direct
involvement of the congregation can all help to involve children.
6. What is required is a willingness to change and become like children.
Matthew 18:2-5.
Jesus wants us to become smaller in our own eyes and submit ourselves before God. This
will bring us on the same level as children. The kingdom of God is meant for children!
7. Effective children's ministry depends on good relationships with
children.
Jesus shared God's Word with the people around Him – His close circle of disciples and
others who followed Him for some time. It is impossible to bring God's Word effectively
to children if we never get close to them, get to know their world, their needs and their
concerns.
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God’s attitude and plan for each child
Lesson 5
A. Introduction
Right throughout the Bible we see God’s heart and attitude towards the children.
Through Moses, David, Solomon, Jesus and the Apostles we have been instructed how to
raise the children in the knowledge of the Lord.
B. Children are a gift from God
1. Genesis 4:1, Eve said: “I have received a child from the Lord”.
1 Samuel 1:27, Hannah said: “for this child I prayed, and the Lord answered my
prayer”.
Psalm 127:3, “Children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb are a
reward from Him”.
2. Throughout the Bible it is clear that a child is a great gift from God – one of the
greatest and most precious we can receive and, if treated right, will have the
potential of being one of the greatest blessings.
3. David sings further: “Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are children in one’s
youth, happy the man who has his quiver full of them”. Psalm 127:4-5.
An arrow is made to hit the target, but will only do so if it is shaped straight.
Sometimes they are shaped so crooked that they turn around and hit the heart of
the person who shaped it. What a challenge to the parents and the ones who work
with children.
C. In the Old Testament Children were regarded as belonging to God
(That should surely be the same today?)
1. They are given to us for proper stewardship so that we can lead them into deep
fellowship with the Lord.
2. According to God’s law given through Moses, a child should be presented to God
when it was eight days old and then given back in trust to the parents. Luke 2:22.
3. God even assigns a protecting angel to each child. Matthew 18:10.
D. Children are supposed to be part of the worship and service to God
1. Right throughout the Old Testament, in God’s dealing with His people, the children
play an important role:
a) Deuteronomy 6:6-7: “And these words which I command you this day, shall
be in your heart, and you shall teach them diligently to your children…..”
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God even explains how they should teach them to the children – do it
diligently, let them see it in your lifestyle, let it be shown in all we do – “bind
them to your hands” – “what we keep before our eyes” – “write them on the
doorpost of your house”. In other words, use all means to teach them, let
them hear it, see it, feel it, experience it.
It cannot be said much stronger than that!
b) 2 Chronicles 20:13: “And all Judah stood before the Lord, with their little
ones, their wives, and their children”.
Here the children, even the little ones, were deeply involved and experienced
God’s miracle working power, which must have made a lasting impression
on their lives.
c) Psalm 34:11: “Come, you children, listen to me, I will teach you the fear of
the Lord”.
It is David, the greatest king in Israel’s history, who wants to share with the
children his own wonderful experiences of fearing the Lord. For him it was
not just about teaching doctrine. No! … he lived it and, therefore, his words
became much more powerful. The same must go for us when dealing with the
children.
Psalm 78:1-4: “Incline your ears to the word of my mouth, …. we will not
hide them from our children”.
The psalmist tells us not to hide the Word and the wonderful works of God
from our children.
d) Isaiah 28:9: “Whom shall he teach knowledge? And whom shall he make
understand doctrine? Them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from
the breast”.
Here God encourages us to teach knowledge and doctrine to even small
children – of course it must be done in a way that they can perceive and
understand, as God also told them to do in Deuteronomy 6:6-7.
e) Joel 2:15-17. God called the whole congregation before Him, for a sacred
assembly, and God wanted to make sure that they did not leave the children
behind: “…gather the children and nursing babes”. It is here that God gives
the promise that He is going to pour out His Spirit over the young ones also,
and give them gifts for ministry. Joel 2:28.
f) Nehemiah 12:43: “That day they offered great sacrifices, and rejoiced; for
God had made them rejoice with great joy, their wives also and their children
rejoiced, so that the joy of Jerusalem could be heard afar off”.
What a day of rejoicing! Can you imagine what that did for these children –
to rejoice like that before the Lord! Their coming together before the Lord
was not a boring affair for the children.
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g) Deuteronomy 16:13-14. God instructed that the children were to take part in
all the feasts of the people of Israel … these feasts were exciting dramas,
which illustrated God’s wonderful works among them.
The children built huts together with their parents --- They gathered in the
first-fruits --- They walked together up to the temple to bring their sacrifice,
etc.
h) The children were a part of many other great events in Israel’s history:
They witnessed the wonderful miracles in King Jehoshaphat’s days – how
God sent an ambush and defeated the mighty enemy. They were part of the
great repentance in the days of the prophet Joel, where God promised to
pour out His Spirit even over the children, “I will pour out My Spirit over all
flesh, your sons and your daughters shall prophesy”. They fell on their face
with their parents as the glory of the Lord came down at the dedication of the
temple in Solomon’s days, etc.
i) All that must have made a great impression on, and strongly appealed to, the
children. God wants His people today to involve the children in a similar
exciting and appealing way, so that they learn to trust and obey Him from
early childhood
2. We can see from all these scriptures that God desires that the children be drawn in
as an integrated part of our worship and service to Him. God even commands,
again and again, that the children must be present, down to the infants and nursing
babies.
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Jesus’ attitude towards the children
Lesson 6
A. Introduction
In His extremely busy ministry, Jesus frequently interacted with children. He ministered
to them and even used them in His ministry. When He spoke and taught it was mainly in
parables and illustrations, so that even the children could get the message.
B. Jesus has a big heart for the children
1. Matthew 18:1-14. Jesus praises the faith and simplicity of the children.
Children are so wonderfully uncomplicated in their faith and trust. There is no
shadow of doubt in their mind that if their father promises something then, surely,
it will be so. Jesus uses this as an example for His adult listeners; that kind of
attitude is what God wants everyone to have towards Him.
2. It is profound when Jesus says in verse 5:
“whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me”.
How do we receive or welcome the children in our churches?
a) By creating an environment where they feel welcome and important.
b) By looking after their special needs.
c) When Jesus commissioned Peter, He did not just say, Feed My sheep”. No,
the first commission was, “feed My lambs” John 21:15-17.
If we do this right, Jesus says that we receive and welcome Him in our midst.
3. The Lord encourages children’s ministry.
Matthew 18:10 – “See that you don’t look down on these little ones…”, “Feed My
lambs”.
Many churches consider ministry to children as of secondary importance – it is the
adults that count and are important … here is a warning from Jesus never to do that
… we should rather welcome them and care for them in the best possible way.
a) God does! He has even assigned special angels to look after each one of
them; angels who are sent from the presence of God.
b) In the same way God expects us, the church, to assign the very best and most
gifted people we have to this most important task of raising the children in
the knowledge of God. We should not have the attitude: “if you cannot do
anything else in the church, you can be involved in the children’s ministry!”
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C. Children in the ministry of Jesus
1. John 6:1-5. In the great miracle of Jesus feeding the 5000 a little boy played a
central role; he willingly gave his lunch box to Jesus – what an impact that must
have had on that boy, standing there next to Jesus and seeing Him multiply his
little lunch box to feed the multitude!
Even today the children could be part of the ministry to feed the hungry multitude,
and that can be both literally and spiritually.
2. Matthew 21:14-16. Here Jesus accepts the praise and worship of the children. The
adults try to trap Him and find fault with Him but the children spontaneously break
forth into praise when they see His wonderful miracles.
a) Jesus even refers to the prophecy of David in Psalm 8:2 where he tells us
“God has ordained the children to praise Him”.
b) So perhaps it would be right for the church today to find ways of involving
the children in the praise and worship of the Lord.
3. Matthew 18:2-5. Jesus uses a child as an important illustration in His message.
a) “Then Jesus called a little child to Himself, set him in the midst and said ….”
And Jesus started to teach about the different value system in the Kingdom of
God.
i) Adult-ness implies independence, ambitions, drive, individualism and
strength, amongst other qualities. These adult qualities are the values of
the world and not of the Kingdom.
ii) Child-ness implies total dependence, trust, vulnerability, weakness,
humility and belonging, amongst other qualities. These child qualities
are the values of the Kingdom and not of the world.
b) That is why it is much easier to lead a child into the Kingdom of God, so let
us take advantage of that before the world puts its stamp on them.
4. Luke 10:1-3. When Jesus sent out the 70, two by two, there were probably young
ones among them since He said: “I send you as lambs among wolves” – not sheep.
They went out in a wonderful powerful ministry for Jesus.
a) Could you imagine if ministry teams today also included the very young
people and even children?
b) Neither John, Mark nor Timothy were very old when they joined the Apostle
Paul’s team on his mission journeys.
5. Jesus ministered powerfully to Children.
a) Jesus called three dead people back to life; an adult, a child and a youth:
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Luke 8:41-56. A wonderful example of how Jesus even goes out of His way
to follow the father home to raise his daughter from the dead. The way in
which the gospel writers portray this happening allows you to feel the love
and concern Jesus had for the child: He took her by the hand and called,
saying “little girl arise”.
Luke 7:11-15. This is the account of the son of the widow of Nain. Here we
see the wonderful compassion Jesus had for the mother and her son.
b) Jesus healed several children:
Matthew 17:14-18. Here a father came and knelt before Jesus and said:
“Have mercy on my son he is an epileptic and suffers severely” and Jesus
reacted immediately.
Matthew 15:21-28. Probably the only heathen person that Jesus healed was
this little girl – verse 24 – Jesus said: “I was not sent except to the lost sheep
of the house of Israel”.
John 4:49-54. Jesus healed the son of a government official by His Word,
from Cana to Capernaum, a distance of about 25 kilometres.
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Church based children’s ministry
Lesson 7
A. Introduction
From the Bible it is clear that children should be an integrated part of normal church life.
Let us see where the children fit into the four foundational aspects of the church:
Namely – worship, fellowship, the proclamation of God’s Word and service / ministry.
B. Worship
Psalm 2:8: “From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of
Your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger”.
1. It is worthwhile noticing that it is God who planned and ordained that children
should be part of praise and worship.
2. It is difficult to understand how the praise of children and infants can have such an
impact on God’s enemies, but obviously something happens in the spiritual realm
when the pure praise of children rises up to God.
3. How can children be a part of the praise and worship in the church? Well – if we
return to the Biblical way of praise and worship then many possibilities are open to
the children.
a) King David is the great teacher of praise and worship. He encouraged song
Psalm 149:1; shouting Psalm 95:1-2; clapping Psalm 47:1-2; lifting of our
hands Psalm 63:4; dancing Psalm 149:3; kneeling and bowing down Psalm
95:6-7; the use of instruments Psalm 150:1-6 and also simple instruments the
children can manage, like cymbals and drums, etc.
b) David even said: “make a joyful noise before the Lord”. The waving of
banners and all the celebration God encourages through David is something
children can take part in with great excitement and pure hearts, without the
shy, self-consciousness which prevents most adults from praising like that!
c) Even when it comes to deep spiritual worship of the Lord, children can learn
and grow into it when the right environment is created by the church.
C. The Fellowship of the believers
Matthew 18:5. We have already seen that Jesus wants us to welcome the children into
our midst as a very important part of church fellowship.
1. Children should be fully included in the fellowship of the believers even if it
requires major changes in the way the church functions.
2. Like a natural home is formed and shaped around the whole family, from the
youngest to the oldest, so should it be in the church.
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3. In a natural home, as the children grow and mature, they are given more and more
responsibilities and opportunities to take part in the running of the home. It should
not be different in the spiritual home; the church.
D. The Word of God
The Word holds the central place when the church gathers, but what about the children in
this connection?
1. This is probably the time when the children have to be taught in separate groups,
and in such a way that they can receive and understand the message.
2. It would surely be right if the church regularly had services which could be enjoyed
and understood by everyone, so that the families do not need to be split up.
a) Now and then have a family service and when the time comes to share the
Word use other means like: drama, puppets or electronic means like videos,
films, etc.
b) Have a special children’s service, where they are involved in planning and
running the meeting.
c) A special Missions service, with focus on a particular nation, could also be
set up so that it appeals to the whole family.
d) During a mighty move of the Spirit, where many wonderful things are
happening, like healings and other miracles, do not send the children out to
their different groups as they will get much more by remaining in the
presence of God.
E. Service / Ministry
1. This is another important function of the church where we should not neglect the
children, but use them according to their age and maturity.
2. Psalm 139:13-16. The Bible shows us how God is involved and concerned about
each person, even in the very early stage when we are being formed in our
mother’s womb. Verse 16 tells us that God planned all our days before even one of
them came.
3. Ephesians 2:1-10. As unbelievers we are called: (“Children of disobedience” verse
2). Only in salvation do we step into the wonderful plan God has for our lives,
verse 10.
4. That is why it is so important that we get children started on that exciting plan as
soon as possible, before they waste their time in the world.
a) 1 Samuel 3:10-11. Samuel was just a little child when God called him to
speak for Him. From there he developed into one of the greatest prophets in
history.
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b) Jeremiah 1:5-9. God planned Jeremiah’s ministry before he was born and,
when God called him, Jeremiah said: “I can’t speak, I am still a child”. But
God touched his mouth and said: “I have put My words in your mouth”.
Surely God can also use children in remarkable ways today, if we would just
create a safe, loving atmosphere for them to develop in.
c) 2 Timothy 1:5 and 3:14-15. Timothy was groomed from early childhood for
the ministry God had for him.
5. How can children serve / minister in the Church?
a) Let it start in small ways: by greeting other children at the door; by helping
an adult in different practical matters; by singing in the worship choir; by
waving banners during worship, etc.
b) When they become more mature: by reading scriptures; praying; even sharing
a testimony and words from God, etc.
c) Let children be a part of mission outreaches; giving out tracts to their friends;
hospital visits and praying, together with adults, for sick people; visiting the
old people and perhaps taking flowers and tapes to them from the Sunday
service. From the age of 12 and up they could even be a part of outreaches
into other towns and nations, etc.
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Evangelism among children
Lesson 8
A. Introduction
It is not enough to give the children a good feeling and experience of church life and to
teach from the Bible – the ultimate goal is to lead each one of them to a personal
experience of being born again. John 3:3.
B. What is evangelisation?
Matthew 28:19-20
1. The goal for evangelism.
Is to spread the good news concerning Jesus Christ, to make people realise their
sinful lost state, to lead them to repentance and acceptance of Jesus Christ as Lord
and Saviour.
To make sure that they get truly born again, and to disciple them and bring them
into the fellowship of the believers in a local church.
2. The methods used in evangelism.
By persuasive words and confrontational methods to persuade, sometimes even
pressurise people to repent and to take a stand for Jesus, either by raising their
hands, coming forward for prayer or signing a decision card.
After that they are embraced and welcomed into the Kingdom of God and advised
what to do next.
C. Child evangelism is a complex issue.
1. Children are not “little adults”.
In some places the methods just described under point A are used to bring even
little children to salvation.
The problem here is that many adults fail to see children in a process of gradual
development. They treat them as “little adults” and expect them to respond to the
gospel as an adult would do.
2. Children are on a journey.
Children are not small adults. They are on a journey to becoming mature adults but,
wherever they are on the road of development, they are uniquely children and
require to be treated as such.
In this process of development the consciousness and understanding of spiritual
things gradually develop, and that can differ from child to child, according to their
nature and upbringing.
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We can say with Jesus that the very small child belongs to the Kingdom – it must
be because of his innocence that the blood of Jesus covers him – but somewhere on
the road of development, probably with gradual revelation, he needs to personally
commit his life to the Lord.
D. In child evangelism there is the danger of being pressurised too early.
1. Children respond easily.
a) Children will easily respond to an emotional appeal from an adult they love
and respect.
b) When children are emotionally persuaded to make some sort of physical
response to Christ, (lifting of hands, coming forward for prayer, etc.) they
can easily confuse the outward response with the real thing, which can only
be brought about by the Holy Spirit.
c) Sometimes, out of genuine concern for their spiritual welfare, people put
children under strong emotional pressure to receive Christ. They do not
realise that, in many cases, they drive them away from Christ in the long run
because the child is not ready to receive and will, therefore, only make an
outward response and think that this is all they need in order to receive what
is promised.
2. The result of such a superficial commitment can be very damaging.
a) No Spiritual power becomes available to the child in the battle of life because
he has never really come into vital contact with Christ, the only source of
power. The probability is that disillusionment will set in and that he will give
up the unequal struggle for all time.
b) It could develop into an antagonism towards Christianity because the whole
experience is seen to be a hoax, which they were led into unfairly. It would
be very difficult to get such a person to listen to the gospel later in life.
c) When nothing in particular happens, the danger is that the whole of
Christianity is seen as not working, and the result will be that they discard the
whole thing when they reach their teens.
3. Let it be a true work of the Spirit of God.
In John 6:44, Jesus says: “No-one can come to Me unless the Father draws him”.
a) The children need to hear the gospel in all its fullness and when they are ripe
the Holy Spirit will draw them to Jesus.
b) The people who work with children need to be open and sensitive so that they
co-operate with the Spirit of God.
E. “Let the children come to Me”
The goal for child evangelism:
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1. To bring each child in our care into a true experience of salvation should be the
greatest concern for parents and church leaders but, as we have seen in this lesson,
it takes great wisdom and skill so that the whole church experience does not
become a vaccination against Christianity.
2. The Scripture Union International in a conference came up with the following
conclusion after dealing with the challenges around child evangelisation.
a) Also in the spiritual realm a child goes through a process of development.
He becomes increasingly capable of understanding right and wrong as God’s
Word is presented to him, and this may lead to an increasing awareness of the
work of sin in his own life.
b) Parallel to this is an increasing ability to grasp the saving Word of God, and
particularly the meaning of God’s gift of Jesus Christ. At the same time the
child’s capability for response to God’s Word is developing, and his
acceptance or rejection of what he knows of Christ becomes steadily more
meaningful.
c) In the light of this, we doubt whether there is any point at which a child
suddenly becomes responsible for his actions or for his attitude towards the
Lord. He is becoming more and more responsible for his life and choices as
the years pass, until he attains the fuller responsibility that goes with
adulthood.
d) We therefore reject the errors to be found in two extremes:
i) That of expecting or requiring of children a level of understanding and
response which is proper for an adult – the error of demanding too
much.
ii) That of putting off any challenge to respond to Christ until the child has
attained years of full responsibility, whenever that might be – the error
of expecting too little.
e) We believe that a child should be presented with the Christian message at any
age in a way which is in keeping with his current development, that he may
be expected to respond, and that God will then act with His saving grace in
his life while he is still a child.
-------------- oOOo --------------
My personal testimony: At the age of 6 I gave my life to Jesus with my
limited understanding and I am sure that Jesus accepted me but still, every
year in the same children’s camp, I felt the need to do it over and over again
until I reached 14, when the Holy Spirit did a wonderful transforming work
in my life. This was not under pressure but a natural development until the
full light broke through.
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How do we as a local church meet this
challenge?
Lesson 9
A. Introduction
To work and evangelise amongst children is not a choice but a tremendous challenge for
any local church, and should have a very high priority amongst the leadership. The
present situation should be assessed, plans and visions for the future should be created
and finance and quality people provided for this important ministry.
B. Assess your present situation
1. In order to assess the situation it would be right to ask the following questions:
a) How many children up to the age of 13 are related to the church through their
family … and how many are actually attending church regularly?
b) What are we, as a church, doing to evangelise the many children in the
neighbourhood around the church?
c) Do we also consider children’s needs and interests when we plan our services
and other activities?
d) Does the church leadership regularly visit the children’s groups? Children
will be far more inclined to listen to the pastor, elders, music leaders and
other leaders if they have interacted with them.
e) Are the children also greeted by name and welcomed when they arrive at
church?
f) Are at least some parts of our service child friendly?
g) Can children be part of the praise and worship team, or any other ministry in
the church, according to their development?
h) Do you have proper facilities, equipment and personnel in the church for the
children’s ministry?
i) How much is allocated on the church budget for the children’s ministry?
2. Discuss and answer these questions honestly, and you will have an
understanding where you are at, and where you need to improve.
C. How can we get started (in some cases improve on) in this important
ministry?
1. Get a clear vision and plan: Habakkuk 2:2.
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a) Have a leadership conference in the church around this matter and seek
God’s face for direction.
b) Let there be input from parents, and other members who work with children
(like teachers, psychologists, etc.) from mature children, and children’s
workers from other churches where the children’s ministry works well.
Let different gifted people give short challenging talks around this matter and
after each discussion divide into workshop groups so that everyone can
participate, even the children who are part of the conference.
After each workshop let an appointed person from each group bring the
conclusion to the whole conference group before listening to the next
speaker, and so on.
c) After consideration and prayer, the leadership should then write the vision
down and present it to the whole church.
2. Implement the vision: “run with it!”
a) Invite the right people to be part of the children’s ministry, inspire them with
the words of Jesus for this important ministry.
Arrange training for them in: Puppet ministry, creativity, song and music,
telling a story, etc.
b) Arrange facilities so that the children can meet in age groups and acquire the
necessary equipment needed for the training of the children.
c) Have printed material ready to give to the parents about the new Children’s
ministry, and a more colourful invitation to the children.
d) Start the new ministry with a “BANG”– balloons, posters, all the children on
the platform, etc., so that everyone understands that it is something new and
important which is starting up.
e) Also plan that in the future the services will be more child friendly, so that
the time that they are together with the adults will be a joyful time.
f) Let some children be a part of the welcoming team at the door, to especially
welcome the children.
3. Teaching material for children.
A lot of good material has been developed for the purpose of teaching children and
here let me mention an excellent one which was created by a teacher at All Africa
Bible College, Barbara Ronaldson, called “Circuit Teaching for Children”.
This material takes the children right through the Bible in three years but on three
different levels, in that way covering nine years of teaching, that is, the full period
a child will attend children’s church.
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To obtain this material please contact:
Circuit Teaching International, P.O. Box 774, Hillcrest 3650, South Africa.
D. Be aware of the gap
A natural transition.
1. It is important that there is a natural and exciting transition between the children’s
ministry and the youth work and then into full church activities so that no child
drops through the gap and disappears into the world for years to come.
2. Right through the development let the children, the youth and the rest of the church
fellowship mix as much as possible, in services, ministries, family days, family
camps, etc.
3. In that way they will grow close, come to know and appreciate each other, and the
generation gaps will be eliminated and the children will naturally flow from the one
group to the other.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: Petra College for Children’s Ministry, Private Bag X9906,
White River 1240, South Africa.