CHURCH AND CHILDREN MINISTRY

GROUND OF TRUTH BIBLE INSTITUTE

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               CHURCH AND CHILDREN MINISTRY

Before anything, we need to understand what does the CHURCH means and what is CHILDREN MINISTRY?

CHURCH

The church is the set of people that are redeem with the precious blood of Jesus Christ, those that are bought by a price and become born again.

               CHILDREN MINISTRY          

a.     Children ministry is a combination of ways the children can be brought up or taught socially, spiritually, scripturally and physically in a Christian nurture.

b.     Children ministry is also the process of building up children in godly ways so that they can stay under the protection, care and blessing of God; to maintain and retain God’s promises for believer’s life and to receive life in Jesus Christ.

Now that we know these, the question now is where really do children stand in our churches? Are they at the centre or in a corner? Or only at the point of our too much display? Is your children program highly equal with the divine purpose?

           THE NEED/WHY MINISTRY

This study is designed to help children pastor and teacher of churches in the following areas:

a.     Catch a vision of importance in our task.

b.     Learn how to minister effectively to the children.

Therefore every church that has children in their midst is advised to be in the children ministry so as to bring those children up for the future.

   REASON:

1.     God’s command Deut.1118-21.

2.       Jesus practiced it Mark.10:14; Luke.18:15-17

        AREAS TO BE CONSIDERED ABOUT

                    CHILDREN MINISTRY

There are some areas, which we need to consider from which the need for children ministry will be discovered.

a.     Area of attention to the children: Pro. 29:17 in all areas of children’s life much attention is needed. These include:

         i.      Chastisement or correction. Prov.29:17; 19:18.

       ii.      Teaching or training Prov.4:3-4; Pro.22:6.

b.     Area of neglecting the children: the most cruel thing to children life is this because neglected children will lack many things Pro.29:15; 13:24.

         i.      Divorce.

       ii.      Distance and time of working office/place.

     iii.      Inability to buy today’s precious materials for them.

      iv.      Lack of protection: Exposure to sexuality, violence etc.

   THE BIBLICAL BASICS FOR CHILDREN MINISTRY

CHILDREN MINISTRY

A.    THE INDIRECT ASPECT: Adam and Eve taught their Children, (Cain and Abel), the ways of the Lord God or God Himself might have taught them. If it were not so God would not have rejected Cain’s knew that which was good.

B.    THE DIRECT ASPECT: The direct aspect or changes in the Bible are many, but we will concentrate on those of Abraham and Moses.

1.     Abraham was directly charged with this responsibility to his household. Gen.18:17-19.

2.     Moses was instructed to teach the Children of Israel to teach their Children. At the end, it is both a family and a local church affair. Exodus.13:8.

i.      FAMILY AFFAIR: Moses instructed them that each family should teach its children. This is seen vividly in Deut.1:7; 11:9.

In Deut.6:l7 Parents are enjoined to teach their children always without ceasing. This is expressed in these things, when sitting, walking, lying and rising i.e. parent should not chose a particular time to teach their children.

Not to teach them alone but to command them to obey God Deut.32:46, which means disciplinary action. Pro.22:6; Heb.12:6.

ii.      LOCAL CHURCH AFFAIR: DEUT.31:11-13. The programme is not restricted to only the family. Every local church should take active part in the business.  The principle and practice of education are be followed. The children should hear, learn, fear, observe and do GOD’ WILL. Rom.10:9; Matt.11:29; Pro.1-7; 9:10. This is when the children are gathered together from various families for the teaching of the word of God.

iii.      PERPETUAL RESPONSIBILITY: God’s expectation concerning Israel as well as the church today is to continue children ministry both in the family and the local church. This should be an everlasting tradition Deut.4:9. God wants it’s perpetuality so that God’s blessing will from generation to generation Deut.7:8, 9, 12, 15.

JESUS AND THE APOSTLES ON CHILDREN MINISTRY

a.     Jesus loves children and prays for them and uses them as an   example of the   kingdom. Mark.10:13-16.

b.     Children should not be offended. Matt.18:5-6; Col.3:21.

c.      Parents and local church leader should be examples the children should follow always in their lives. 1Tim.3:1-9; Titus.1:6

DIVINE PURPOSE: God has never commanded us, His people to do something without a reason. The purposes of God in the children-training ministry are stated in Psalm.78.

a.     That they may “KNOW” vs. 6a.

b.     That they may “REMEMBER”.

c.      That they may “SET THEIR HOPE IN GOD” vs.7; 1Samuel 17:37.

d.     That they may “NOT WALK IN THE SINFUL WAY OF THEIR FATHERS” vs.8

THE WAY CHILDREN COULD BE OFFENDED

Children could be offended in various ways peradventures the parents and church leaders don’t take note.

1)    By lying against them.

2)    By shouting at them.

3)    Inadequate provision.

4)    Denying them of your attention (you parents).

5)    By correcting or chastising them when they know not what they have done.

    WRONG MOTIVES ABOUT CHILDREN MINISTRY

There are motives for organizing children ministry, which can really help the family and even the church; but is a pity that good motives are not followed, therefore this make them to fall into bad/wrong motives.

Some of the wrong motives include the following:

a.     Just to keep the children busy somewhere around the church premises so as not to disturb the adult services.

b.     To study the word of God for mere annual and occasional display of knowledge without teaching into practical aspect (children anniversary that is hold annually without studying the of God way forward).

c.      Mere imitation of other churches in children ministry adequate preparation to meet the needs and challenges of the work (copy another churches without adequate preparation).

d.     Mere money-making ministry. It is used to exploit church members unduly.

CHILDREN DIVISION INTO CLASSES

According to Dictionary, the word child means the young boy and girl. In the other word, the child can be defined as immature person that start from “A DAY OLD TO FOURTEEN YEARS” of age. 14-18 Teenager, 18- adolescent age (adult/maturity stage).

Now, having known who the child is; the division into classes will be varied because of their age and understanding and also of the capability of each teacher.

  I.            From a day old up to one year of age can be left with their mothers these are suckling babies.

II.            2 years to 3/half years kindergarten (food and caring).

III.            4 year to 8 years nursery and primary school children (song rendering)

IV.            9 years to 14 years. Teaching the word of God to the extent of practicing/ applying to their lives.

Despite all the division by age, because of their character/behaviour they should not be more than at least 10 in the class (maximum). The minimum as per teacher’s capacity could be 5 or 6 in the class this may even be with 2 teacher in the class, otherwise the single teacher will be bored.

MESSAGE IN CHILDREN MINISTRY

As their classes of ages, likewise their message should like.

There are some that need just Christian’s song, some Bible story, some memory verses from the scriptures.

Notice to children teacher: all teachers would have to ask their selves some question to teach his/her class. The questions are as follows:

1.     Who am I? Under this question, such matters as the following are considered.

a.      Am I a convinced believer of the message I’m discharging to the children?

b.     Do the message hold impart for me?

c.      Are they relevant in my present day world?

2.     Who is my audience?

a.     Am I talking to the same age group?

b.     Are there age ranges in my group which i have to consider?

c.      What language can they understand? Sophisticated or simple language?

d.     How they are easily reached?

e.     What do they need most?

3.     What is my aim?

Is it simply to entertain and keep them happy and quite? Do I believe that I

 will pass on some spiritual values to them?

MATERIALS NEEDED IN CHILDREN MINISTRY

There are some materials needed in children ministry that can really help those children to conform to the will of God. Such materials are as follows:

         I.            Bible

       II.            Books

    III.            Aids: The illustration use to identify a certain lecture such as picture, drawing etc.

    IV.            Codes: concrete or solid materials they see which can also be identify.

                CHILDREN DELIQUENCY AND DISCIPLINE

If there is a child delinquency there should be a real chance for discipline! If there is no discipline the delinquent would be rampant among the children. This will lead to the study of what delinquency and discipline means concerning children.

Delinquency: The shows that “in the heart of a child abounds foolishness” therefore child delinquent means a sinner child.

Discipline: The word discipline mean discipline and in another word its means disciple that is: we should disciple our children in the way of the Lord. Eph 6:4. This discipline should be thought as follows:

a.     Guidance: This should be applied to areas of their lives for the children will want to know what is expected of them either in the society of church.

b.     Obedient: True discipline expects obedience. A child who receives orientation for correct living learner to respect the authority of guard lines laid down for him. He learns that, if this authority is not respected, the result also will be negative.

c.      Correction: Heb.12:6; Pro.23:13-14; Pro.20:11. If children are not corrected, they will form the habit breaking laws and guard lines laid down and disregard the fact that disobedient has gone deep in them.

d.     Self- discipline:  Self-discipline should be our goal as we teach our children. This is the ability to discipline one self, to say no when necessary etc.

CHILDREN MINISTRY ORGANISATION

The organisation of children ministry should be as that of adult ministry but there are some officers that are needed all to be appointed for the effectiveness of the ministry this include

a)     Secretary.

b)    Treasurers.

c)     Financials secretary.

d)    Social secretary.

These are the officers that can operate or practise in a children ministry while all teachers should form the committee of children ministry. In a large children ministry all the officers and teachers should form a committee.

 DUTIES OF THE COMMITTEE

1.       To plan annual seminar for the current teachers.

2.       To the see smooth running of the children programme.

3.       To deliberate on how to have a comprehensive training programme for prospective teachers annually.

4.       The committee should plan ahead of time for annual event.

5.       The committee should objectively their programme annually and improve on it.

Children Ministry Board

**Duties of the committee.

**Teacher: S. School.

**Chl. Bible Qz, Chl. Vacation. Programme

**Bible Training.

CHILDREN MINISTRY’S CHALLENGES IN OUR DAYS

These influences on our children in the social world today demand for urgent and crucial attention in our churches today so as to bring our children to the will of God.

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