The Greek word translated "child" in Second Timothy 3:15 is "brephos," which literally means infant. It is clear from the Scriptures that we are to teach the children, building a foundation in them that will make them wise unto salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, so they can be thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
To help you develop a successful children's ministry in your church, the following topics will be discussed:
- Why teach a child?
- Goals for the children's program
- The cost of a children's ministry
- How to teach children
- Teaching methods
- Children's department organization
Why Teach a Child
Why is it so important to teach a child about the things of God? First, a child has a great capacity to learn.
Many adults confuse a child's lack of knowledge with a lack of intelligence. Nothing could be further from the truth. Children are extremely intelligent, and they are rapid learners. When it comes to the ability to learn raw facts, the average child will far surpass the average adult.
For instance, suppose a five-year-old child and fifteen adults whose native tongue is English were left in a remote Chinese village for one year. At the end of the year, the child would more than likely be speaking Chinese fluently without a trace of an English accent. However, most of the adults would probably still be trying to figure out how to say basic Chinese phrases. And even if the lived in the village another twenty years, many of the adults would still retain their native accent!
Second, the godly training of a child will not only influence him for the rest of his life, but many other people as well.
It is important to remember that each child represents an entire lifetime of contact with people you will never personally meet. Each child will meet thousands of people during his or her lifetime, and the truths you impart to the child will in some way affect each of these relationships. Therefore, when you minister to a child, enlarge your perspective to also see the people God has ordained that this child will someday meet. You are indirectly ministering to them as well.
Third, it is difficult to "unteach" the first principles taught to a child when young.
If you were to soak a new, thick sponge in orange paint, wring it out, soak it in blue paint, wring it out, and then cut it in half, you would find that the center of the sponge is still orange. It's hard to remove the first paint that soaked into a sponge.
In the same way, it is difficult to remove the first "truths" that are taught a child when he is young. For example, if a child grows up hearing that he is not wanted, or that he is stupid or ugly, he usually believes these "truths" in a deep and profound way.
Jesus talked about this principle when He said, "... If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!" (Matt 6:23). The darkness Jesus was referring to was false teachings that a person might embrace as truth in their lives.
When a person grows up believing a lie, many times it takes a great effort to "flush" this lie out of him. Even after people hear the truth of the gospel and get born again, they often continue to struggle to maintain victory in areas of their lives where they have believed wrongly for a long time.
This same principle applies on the positive side. If a person is raised on God's Word, it is equally difficult for that person to deny these truths in later in life. Tis is why it is so important that the light of God's Word is established in a child's heart before he is exposed to the darkness of the world.
Fourth, Parents want to attend a church where their children can be taught well.
Parents consistently rate a quality children's program as one of the top factors in choosing a church. The days of crowding the children of the church downstairs in a dark, unattractive basement room are past. If your church doesn't have a quality children's program, responsible parents may be inclined to find another church.
Therefore, another good reason to teach children well is that parents who care about their children will be much more likely to become committed members of your church if they know you'll provide quality ministry for their children and teach them well in the things of God.
Goals for the Children's Program
If the pastor hasn't set a goal for the children's program in the church, the children's leader cannot know what the pastor wants or where to begin in setting up the children's program.
A church reflects what is in the pastor's heart, and so should the main focus for the children's department. Therefore, the pastor's goals for each aspect of the church will help the children's leader determine his goals for the children.
For example, does the pastor want the children's program to be evangelistic? Does he foresee a bus ministry, an apartment-complex outreach, and evangelistic crusades as part of his goals? Or is his main goal to minister to children who currently attend the church, as well as to the children of any new families that visit the church?
The main goal of any children's department should be to provide children with a balanced foundation of God's Word. What a wonderful opportunity it is to teach children the basics of God's Word, to instill in them a desire to be used by God to minister salvation to people, and to help them develop a heart for missions and a love for the people of the world!
When the focus of the children's program and how it can be achieved has been determined, write the goals down. These goals will be extremely valuable in implementing the pastor's vision for the Children's ministry.
The Cost of a Children's Ministry
It takes both money and physical space to teach children. Adults enjoy lecture-style teaching and preaching, but children do not. Children cannot sit still for long periods of time. In order for them to be happy, children have to be actively doing something. This is why resources must be provided for the children. And resources cost money.
A percentage of the church budget should be designated to children's facilities, such as bulletin boards, chalk boards, tables and chairs. In addition to the money set aside for facilities, it would be reasonable for a church to spend approximately $1.50 per child per week on consumables, such as curriculum, paper, glue, crayons and markers.
If the church cannot afford these consumables, the parents or other members of the congregation could request to periodically donate various items. This is a common practice in the public-school system, and most parents are glad to help.
Excerpt permission granted by Faith Library Publications
Kenneth W. Hagin, President of Kenneth Hagin Ministries and pastor of RHEMA Bible Church, ministers around the world. Known for calling the Body of Christ to steadfast faith, he seizes every ministry opportunity to impart an attitude of “I cannot be defeated, and I will not quit.”
