For Kids
Programs for Children:
- AWANA - Children flock to the church building for a exciting time of games, Bible training, and crafts. Meets on Tuesdays, 6:00-7:15 p.m.
- Sunday School (”Wonders!”) - Every Sunday teachers partner with parents to help kids know and love God using “Children Desiring God” curriculum and their own materials.
- Good News Club - Held at Madison Elementary School, this Club introduces kids to the Gospel of Jesus Christ in a fun, engaging way. Meets on Mondays after school.
- Mommy-n-Me - Specially geared for kids five years old and under, this “play group with a purpose” provides an opportunity for moms (or other caregivers) and their children to connect. Meets on Wednesday mornings, 9:30-11:00 a.m. at the church building during the school year and in local parks during the summer.
Vision for Children
We want the children of our church and beyond to become mighty men and women of faith who:
- treasure the Word of God and live by it (Psalm 78:5, Psalm 119:10-11, 33-37, 97, Psalm 1:2)
- have a big view of God who rules the universe and upholds it by the Word of his power (Psalm 78:4, Colossians 1:16,17, Psalm 22:27-28)
- have a faith that will be able to stand even in hard times (Psalm 78:7-10, 1 Corinthians 16:13, 2 Timothy 4:5-7, Phil. 1:20-21)
- are radically sold out to Jesus Christ and joyfully invested in the cause of the kingdom(Psalm 78:6-7, Romans 12:1-2, 2 Tim. 4:5-7)
- become parents who know how to lead their children to God and declare his fame to them (Psalm 78:6, Psalm 96:3, Deut. 11:18-20)
- have a God-centered, Christ-exalting, Bible-saturated view of themselves and of the world that surrounds them (Psalm 78:8-10, 1 Samuel 16:7, Matthew 10:16, Ephesians 5:17)
In the hope that they will:
- belong wholly to the Lord (Romans 14:8)
- serve Him with all their might (Luke 4:8, Deuteronomy 10:12)
- glorify Him in everything that they do (I Corinthians 10:31)
- spread that glory to future generations (Psalm 78:6)
- and together with all the saints one day stand before the throne and enjoy the Lord forever and ever (Psalm 1:5, Colossians 1:28)
Values for Children’s Ministry
These are values that our church has identified as being important to us in all our ministries. This list shows how these values are applied to children’s ministry. For the teachers and leaders, this list serves to guide us in deciding how to carry out our vision for children. We use these values to answer specific questions like “what do we look for when choosing curriculum?” or “which event would be more effective to do?” Note: This is still a work in progress!
“We will not hide them from their children; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, his power, and the wonders he has done…..that they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands” (Psalm 78:4, 7).
1. God-entranced
1.1 We will give careful attention to putting God at the center of our ministry, encouraging and equipping all leaders and volunteers to see his supremacy in everything (Colossians 1:18).
1.2 We will give careful attention to selecting curriculum and materials such as coloring pages and books that make God the goal, source, and main character of all our teaching. We will use curriculum that is true to the intent of the Scripture in showing that God’s ultimate purpose in everything is His glory rather than curriculum that has the aim of merely producing good behavior in children or hides God by emphasizing lesser truths over greater truths.
1.3 We will depend on God through prayer to shape and uphold our ministry to parents and children, recognizing that apart from him we can do nothing (John 15:5).
2. Bible-grounded
2.1 By God’s grace we will spread a church-wide passion and emphasis on Bible memory for adults and children because the Word memorized is an ever-present counselor for our children, providing them with truth in any situation. It is also a weapon, “sharper than any two-edged sword” to combat the attacks of the enemy and the foolishness of the “wisdom” of this age.
2.2 We will encourage children to bring and use their Bibles in “Big Church” and Sunday school and will equip them with Bible skills.
3. Love-saturated
3.1 We want to encourage our church family to minister to each other in relationships of love. Intergenerational gatherings such as C-groups and Family nights will be encouraged for the benefit of all ages.
3.2 Because we love our children and desire to see them “set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love…”, we will take care in instructing children in righteousness by setting a tone for respect and self-control at church functions which we hope will be reinforced at home. We will impart to the children respect for authority, courtesy, modesty, wholesome speech, self control, kindness, etc. Parents and teachers will be given tools for effective training in righteousness and correction of inappropriate behavior.
4. Culturally-sensitive
4.1 We will minister to parents and children in a way that is relevant, appropriate, and applicable to their real-life situations.
5. Believer-equipping
5.1 We will seek to engage children and parents in faith-stretching experiences, knowing that the “testing of [their] faith produces perseverance” (James 1:3) and that for God to become real to children, they must see Him respond in faithfulness. Encouraging children and parents to take risks for God will not only strengthen their faith, but also combat the lie that we are to seek comfort above spiritual growth.
5.2 We will trust God to raise up and empower gifted leaders, teachers, and servants with essential gifts for use in children’s ministry. We will give serious attention to training them to be effective in their handling of the Word and in their understanding of how to teach children. We will also strive to equip them with a solid understanding of age group needs, curricula, goals and classroom discipline. All workers will be carefully screened before entrusted with our children and will be encouraged to nurture diligently their own faith so that they will be godly examples to our children.
6. Family-supportive
6.1 Our ministry will place high priority on equipping parents. We will encourage parents to take their God-given responsibility seriously and train them to be effective in their instruction of their children. Significant attention will be given to strengthen families. Over-committed, over-involved, over-stressed families will be encouraged and sometimes admonished to pull back, even from some other ministry posts in order to adequately carry out their family responsibilities. Parental input and involvement in ministry to children will be encouraged.
6.2 Ministry to parents and children will make an effort to inspire fathers to set God-centered goals for their children and lead their families. While we stress the importance of mother and father working as a team in nurturing the faith of their children, we will emphasize the father’s unique responsibility before God to nurture the faith of his children and provide spiritual leadership in the home.
6.3 High standards will be pursued for parental involvement in the spiritual education of their children.
6.4 We will aim to sincerely welcome children with special needs and their families into our community. We will work to creatively equip them spiritually and provide appropriate opportunities for them to express their gifts in service to the community alongside their peers and their parents for their joy and the building-up of the church.
6.5 Serious effort will be given to weaving children into the life of the church. We want to acknowledge them as integral members of the body. We recognize that because of their immaturity of faith, we need to be careful how we encourage the involvement of children in church life. We will aim to recognize gifts in them which can be released in appropriate ways for the good of the body and for the enhancement of their faith. Parents and teachers will be encouraged to help children discover their gifts and to seek places where those gifts can be appropriately employed inside and outside of the body.
7. Elder-led
7.1 The leaders & volunteers in our ministry will be teachable servants and will submit to the authority of the elders that God has placed above us.
8. Mission-driven
8.1 We will seek to meet the needs of the children and parents outside the walls of our church and especially those outside the faith. Our ministry will extend beyond the walls of the church building to include unreached parents and children of our neighborhoods and of the world.
9. Team-based
9.1 The leaders of children’s ministry will work as a team. Coordinators of one-time events and ongoing ministry programs will be encouraged to partner with at least one or two others.
10. Theology-deepened
10.1 We will strive to give children purposeful, intentional, formal instruction in the Word of God. If we use a “hit or miss” approach to teaching the Word of God, there will be gaps in their knowledge. This will limit their faith in God; or there will be a misunderstanding of God because of in complete picture of who He is. We will strive for accurate, God-centered, complete, formal curriculum which acquaints young disciples with the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27).
10.2 All materials such as videos, books, CDs, coloring books, toys, and posters will be selected carefully to ensure that an accurate picture of God is being communicated to our children through these media. We must take care that even prizes and awards are glorifying to God.
* References: 1) “Children’s Ministry Goals: Sept. 2004-May 2005,” developed by the Children’s Ministry Leadership Team of Community Church in August 2004. 2) “Foundations for God-Centered Children’s Ministry,” David and Sally Michael at the Children’s Ministry Leaders Conference 2005 hosted by Children Desiring God and Bethlehem Baptist Church, Minneapolis, Minnesota.