How to Kill Children’s Ministry? – Step 1

“Kids! Please sit down, fold your hands, close your eyes and if anyone moves they will be put on timeout. Jesus loves when we focus on him and not ourselves or each other. We pray on Sunday because it is the most important day of the week.” Is this a gospel or religious statement? At first cursory glance, the statement from the teacher to the children seems honest, accurate, caring and gospel oriented. Inevitably statements like this spring from either gospel-teachable ignorance or a religious heart. Are we here to kill children’s ministry or to bring life to their young hearts through the gospel?

“Kids! Please sit down, fold your hands, close your eyes and if anyone moves they will be put on timeout. Jesus loves when we focus on him and not ourselves or each other. We pray on Sunday because it is the most important day of the week.” Is this a gospel or religious statement? At first cursory glance, the statement from the teacher to the children seems honest, accurate, caring and gospel oriented. Inevitably statements like this spring from either gospel-teachable ignorance or a religious heart. Are we here to kill children’s ministry or to bring life to their young hearts through the gospel?

From the scenario, the kids walk away understanding that in order to pray, they must have their hands folded, eyes closed, only on Sunday and fear punishment rather than enjoy God. They hear the fearful rule, rather than believe in God. They are wrongfully setup to please the teacher rather than God through faith in him producing works. Sunday is an important day, but God is more important. Prayer is an expression of faith in Jesus because Jesus took our punishment.

The posture of prayer is flexible, therefore, allow the kids to raise their hands to the sky. Teach them to pray with eyes open just as mush as eyes closed. Teach them real life discernment, rather than an isolated monk stuck in a yoga position believing God’s pleased with him through his ascetism. From God’s perspective, he hears prayers all day long from different postures. He accepts prayers beyond the day, at any time, and based on faith in Jesus – who he is pleased (Mark 1:11).

Jesus dealt with a similar but distinct situation in Mark 2:18-3:6 as the religious leaders rebuked Jesus and his disciples for working on the Sabbath. God created the law, which made the Sabbath day of the week holy – separate for God’s use (Exodus 20:11). In context, the Sabbath reflects the same day and process just as the last day of Creation (Genesis 2:2-3). As God rested, so does man. As God rested on the Sabbath (seventh day of the week) so does man. The Sabbath was for God, created by God, enjoyed by God, commanded by God and declared good by God.

The religious leaders made the Sabbath as a new law for themselves, worshipped the law rather than the Creator of the law. The religious leaders turned the good day into a bad day, filled with bitter, unhappy, judgmental, accusing men acting as Sherlock Holmes investigating the wrong crime. Jesus explained (made a defense – 1 Peter 3:15) to say that the Sabbath was a law for the betterment of mankind not the unhealthy abuse of legalist. Man was to use the Sabbath not the Sabbath be used against man – especially since Jesus is lord of the Sabbath (Mark 2:27-28).

Therefore, we want to ensure our children know, understand and believe in Jesus the good news (Mark 1:1). In that, how and what we speak matters in ensuring Jesus is revealed to be this good news, rather than them growing up with a religious idea of following Jesus in creating their own law for themselves to believe and obey.

To be continued …

Further Reading:

Vintage Church: Timeless Truths and Timely Methods

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This is part of the blog posts series from Missional Education on the gospel in children’s ministry.