What Does Your Children's Ministry Show You Believe?

Those who serve in Children's Ministries know their vision and purpose are centered around helping children know God, know He loves them, and they are able to know and love Him back. Clearly "church kids" are the center of what they do, but what about those children who are not really "church kids"? Those children who do not go to church with their parents, but instead come sometimes with a grandparent, other relative, or neighbor? Do you keep your focus on these children, too? This is a vital question, so let's ask it again: Do you keep your focus on these children, too?

If a child has been part of your ministry, then they are there for a reason. Clearly God wants your church and ministry to be part of what draws them to Him, but if you are doing any of the following things you may actually be doing the opposite - pushing them away from God. Consider the following . . .

• If you do not consistently reach out and follow up with the "non-church kids" when they are not in your ministry, you are showing them your words about helping children know God and His love for them are just that - just empty words.
• If you do not consistently reach out and follow up with the "non-church kids" when they are not in your ministry, you are showing them they are truly "non-church kids" and do not really "belong" in your church and ministry.
• If you do not consistently reach out and follow up with the "non-church kids" when they are not in your ministry, you are showing them they do not really matter to you - and it is not a far reach for them to think they do not really matter to God, either.
• If you do not intentionally design your ministry so it engages children actively, you are showing them church, and therefore the Bible, God, and Jesus are boring.
• If you do not intentionally design your ministry so it engages children actively, you are showing them the Bible is not worth their time, it is too difficult to understand, and it does not really apply to their lives.
• If you do not offer opportunities children will want to be part of all year - especially in the Summer, you are showing them church is not really something they want to be part of.
• If you do not offer opportunities children will want to be part of in the Summer, you are showing children it is okay to not be at church for three months - and therefore must not matter much if they go at all.

I know I have written about all these things for several years, but as you wrap up your school year ministry and look forward to your Fall ministries beginning, please, please take time to seriously consider these things and do not just skip over your Summer Ministry opportunities. The "non-church kids" matter. They are worth making your church a place they want to be.

And, keep in mind the "church kids" may only be there because their parents make them go - when they are old enough to decide for themselves, if they have experienced church the way so many "non-church kids" do, they will join the increasing numbers of teens and young adults who are leaving the faith they once had. It matters what we do with our Children's Ministries. It matters if we make our Children's Ministries a place where children - and this includes "non-church kids" - really want to be, because these children do matter. We need to operate our Children's Ministries as if we actually believe this - knowing what we do . . . or do not do . . . will clearly show if we do or do not believe this.

What does your Children's Ministry show you believe?