Equipping Adults

How can we we expect untrained adults  to disciple children so they want to walk with Jesus into eternity?

“Many faith-based organizations have good intentions but lack professional expertise about children’s developmental and mental health.”  Statement of a researcher studying the results of the mentoring of children. This I gleaned during my time of training churches to minister to at-risk children in after school programs. I understood the researcher to be saying that this faith based mentoring was less effective than the secular programs due to lack of training.

I believe the above must be taken seriously and apply it to our overall ministry to children within the church. Research shows we are losing 70% of our church raised children. I believe that if we are intentional in the training of adults the Triune God will honor the effort we give by drawing more of our children to Him. There is no fool proof plan; however throughout the Bible we see how God responds to faithful men and women.

Prayer too is an integral part drawing the children to Him.  “The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” (ESV) James 5:16

In the process of equipping adults to disciple children they are walked through a discipling of themselves.  Parents are trained not only to serve the children of others but how to disciple their own children. One pastor told the Childrens’ Director, “Children’s ministry has done more to positively affect the spiritual condition of men in our church than any other ministry.”