First of all many of these comments are made by wonderful people but they have been out of children's ministry for long enough to get that "glossy" view of what it was like. This is similar to what happens to women in childbirth. A few days or even weeks after delivery they say there is NO way they are doing that again but as time passes those memories of pain get glossed over and a few years go by and they find themselves expecting another baby. I'll be honest, children's ministry is tough. Many times you are in very real battle over the souls and lives of those children. If Satan can derail a life in the early years then he has a much better chance of ruining their effectiveness for Christ in the future. Those who work in any shape or form with children stay on the front lines of spiritual warfare, yet they are investing their lives in one of the most fertile and rewarding ministries. Have you ever considered how many of the great leaders of Scripture were first talked about or shown when they were children? Working with children puts your hands directly into eternity. So has it changed?
Yes, children's ministry has changed. Can't this be said of almost every ministry? And why is change viewed as negative? Children's ministry has changed for several reasons:
1. Society has changed. The emphasis today is placed on oneself. Even if we try to resist it, we live in an extremely narcissistic culture. We are encouraged everywhere to talk, find ourselves, to love ourselves more. The focus has turned inward instead of upward towards Christ. James 1:19 clearly shows us how we should stop talking and start listening. I think this has affected all of us. If society as a whole become self-centered then that seeps into our churches and into our children's ministry where children are encouraged by everyone and everything else to put themselves first. Then we get them for 1 or 2 hours a week to teach them James 2:8. We fight against society to give these children doses of truth.
2. Parents have changed. There isn't an easy way to put this, but many of the parents today practice "child worship". No, they don't bow down to their children physically, but they center all of their lives and decisions around their children. Many let their children even make their decisions. In years past, families centered their lives around the church and their service to the Lord and today their lives are centered around their children and their children's many activities.
3. Media has changed. One of the biggest reasons children's ministry has changed is because of the over stimulation of children through media. Media in and of itself is not bad, in fact it is a tool that we use for the Lord in our ministry, but children are bombarded with it on all sides. When they arrive at church they are electrified from all the hours that they are influenced by media. Then we come along and unwillingly compete with the latest graphics and story lines that they are used to outside of the church. Sometimes they are so overstimulated that they struggle to sit still or to even listen to the narratives from Scripture.
What do we do about all this? We have identified 3 main changes that have occurred and so we must now change the course of ministry to reach today's children. We evaluate past methods, keeping those that are effective, yet we never change our message.
So, No children's ministry has not changed. Children are still born with a sin nature and need the free gift of salvation. Children are still precious to God and are still our most valuable treasures. Children still have a desire for the Lord that needs to be awakened in them.
How is our ministry moving forward down this path?
1. It is important to teach children the whole council of God, to teach children not only the narratives of Scripture but to also teach the parts that are often left out. We are currently teaching the kid's Wednesday night summer program through the book of James, teaching them the practical applications of the Christian life. In teaching expositoraly through Scriptures, the children see the truth about themselves and the truth about their focus.
2. We must also view our children's ministry as a family ministry. Including parents in the spiritual lives of their children. When a children's ministry is running well then parents feel comfortable leaving their children in our care and attending a worship service upstairs and plugging into a small group during the week. This is where their lives are changed and once again the focus of the family turns back to Christ. Then families come together to worship, to learn, to serve, and to play. One of the greatest things for a family to do is to serve together!
3. We must NOT try to compete with "Hollywood", or current media. The Truth of God's Word stand alone! While we must make our lessons fun and interesting for children, God's Word is living and does not return void. Sometimes the calmness of a narrative taught with flashcards are a nice break from the over the top media that the children are used to. While we use methods to make the lessons appealing and understandable, we let God's Word stand and the Holy Spirit Work.
Our ministry has a 3 fold goal: To lead children to the Savior, to equip them for ministry, and to be a light to our community and other churches.
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