1982
A lot of life had happened, my children were now in Jr High School and elementary school. God opened the first door for me to serve on a church staff. (I tell the story in Refiner’s Fire, a Sojourner’s Walk with the Triune God, A Door Opens)
I had been hired by a new church in Orange County, California. As I began to build the children’s ministry the passion of the first two bricks, Excellence and Children’s Need, drove me.
- Everything we did had to be what would honor the Lord of lords and the King of kings.
- Creation of ministries had to be what children really NEEDED and not what made adults feel good or comfortable.
The Children’s ministry was growing beyond anything I had imagined.
This prayer list found in my journal from 1982 gives a view of how the vision was developing into specific ministry gatherings.
- Sunday Morning – birth through 6thgrade – how do we meet the needs of children who stay for more than one service?
- 600 Volunteers needed next year.
- Preparing For Adolescence classes – parents and kids
- Creative Teaching Seminar
- Intro To Teaching Seminar
- Monday night teachers’ meeting
- All Church Picnic – need volunteers (picture is from pie eating contest)
- Musical preparation
- Teacher’s Recognition Night
- Recruitment for summer – then for fall
- Easter
- Family Retreat
- Summer Planning – VBS, Play Days, Day Camps, Preschool days
- Divorce Recovery
I had never imagined the variety of tasks that fall under the Children’s Ministry umbrella.
It began to hit me –
if we were going to give children what they really needed
to walk with the Triune God into eternity
AND we were going to do it with excellence
it was going to require EVERY adult in the church to be involved.
My cry to the Triune God,
Father, give every adult in the church
a desire to play a role in the discipleship of the children.”
Vision Brick Three
EVERY adult in the church involved in the
discipleship of the children.
An old adage: Aim for the sun and you will hit some stars. So yes! This is aiming for the sun. With a lot of prayer and setting a vision you will be amazed at how many “stars” join your team.
Stay tuned, I will be laying out how this looks.
Vision Brick 1: EXCELLENCE
Vision Brick 2: WHAT CHILDREN NEED
DISCIPLERS AND SPECIALISTS makes it possible for a local Family of God to provide a ministry to children that meets each child’s individual needs.
Vision Brick 4: Train Each Child According to God’s Design
