MINISTRY TO CHILDREN
INTRODUCTION:
To be enduring and strong, a person must have proper foundation. To be a better human, the foundation also
must be built ion a strong foundation, from his/her beginning. This paper deals with the subject of the
ministry to the children and its importance today.
What is ministry?
Ministry is essentially a transactional process involving everyone with one another. The root concept of both
Hebrew and Greek terms for ministry speaks of “being of service of any kind to someone” 1. Therefore the
ministry to children means serving the children, as Jesus treated the children.
REASONS FOR MINISTERING TO CHILDREN TODAY
The child’s personality grows out of all the relationships that touch his life. Children learn what they exposed
to.2They are influenced by all the situations. Though the experience a child gets from the family, the training
one gets from the parents, relatives, education specialists are in informal ways. So the responsibility in
bringing up the children in a right direction, is upon the church and the Christian ministers. The children are
influenced by all medias and means today and the possibility to go astray is very big. Here the church must
think once again in fulfilling God’s call in the ministry. It must give the seriousness to the children’s ministry,
which will bring a big difference in all ways. Bronfenbrenner tells that the modern technological society has
conspired to cut the children off from the adults. They are isolated from the society and others, by stratifying
the lonely nuclear family, where each member living virtually to himself and associating only with peers. 3 In
this generation, where the value of relationship is declining, ministry to these children by the church has an
important role to be played in building up a strong society in this age.
A BIBLICAL VIEW
The Bible too gives various references to the importance of the ministry to the children. Childhood education
is the primary and most important way of the ministry to the children. The Bible has reference both in the OT
and the NT about the importance of the childhood education.
OT view:
In the OT time, there were no separate institutions for the nurturing of the children. Instead they assumed that
children would grow up as participating members of the community. But the children were taken to all the
worships and festivals that they would understand their religious set up. They were taught the laws at home.
Deuteronomy 11.5, so that the new generation would come to know, to love, to obey the Lord of their parents.
They were taught the laws that the Lord had given to the people. Proverbs reflects clearly the vital concepts of
nurture. It is intended to lead a child to a personal commitment to practical holiness. The responsibility is for
the parents4.
NT view:
1 ?
Lawrence Richards ,A Theology of Christian Education (Michigan:Zonderva Publishing House, 1975), 229.
2 ?
Roy B, Zuck and Robert E. Clark. eds., Childhood Education in the Church (Chicago: Moody Press,1975), 30.
3 ?
Lawrence. O. Richards, A Theology of Children’s Ministry (Michingan: Ministry Resource Library, 1983), 229.
4 ?
Ibid.,28
1
In the letter of Paul; to Timothy, reflects on the importance of the childhood education and the training given
at the home. II Timothy.3: 15. Our role model Jesus showed the importance of the children through his
teaching, during his ministry. Mt.20: 28; Mk.10: 45.
THE GOALS:
The main goal of the children’s ministry is the personal acceptance of Jesus Christ as Savior and the Lord.
Then, mature decision-making and behavior reflecting the internalized Christian values.
THE ROLE OF THE FAMILY
In the ministry to the children and in their developmental stage, the quality of the relationship between the
parents and the children is the critical factor.5Deuteronomy prescription points to parents as the starting point
in ministry with the children. Parent’s participation in the church, life, and relationships influences the
children.6The home as viewed as the primary educational agency and parents, the teachers. Parents are
obviously the most effective teacher, a child will ever have, and parents have the first claim and responsibility
for their children. In Deut.6:49; Eph.6:14, the responsibility of the parents is clearly depicted. 7 A child’s
character becomes almost direct reproduction of the way his parents treat him. Using the family devotional
times and encouraging children to participate in the church’s activities, parents can promote their career and
build them up in a strong foundation. Thus parents can be engaged in the ministry to the children in a family
setting itself. The young child is dependent upon his parents for almost everything he learns. There is no
influence so profound or so enduring as that of the parents.8There is no place in the child’s experience, which
is no endowed with potential for learning about God as his home. 9 In the ministry to the children, starting
from the home, there would be some difficulties, which can be solve by the help of the pastor of their church
especially relating the Scriptural teachings. For this primarily, parents have to have training from the church.
Parents must be sure of their personal time they spend with their children, where they get much closer to each
other.10
ROLE OF THE CHURCH:
Children are influenced by its surroundings and relationships. This time they need to be helped matured
morally and spiritually. The child’s emerging life needs are best met in the Christian fellowship. The
secularism of our time increases the urgency of providing rich corrective in the Christian nurture and
evangelism ministries. Today, the church needs scrutiny in the ministry to the children that how much
importance is given to it.11 Church must have family education, where the training to the parents can be given.
They can be taught to train the children and the guidelines in nurturing the children in God’s way.
ROLE OF THE PASTOR:
The pastor ought to be a part of all activities that are planned for the children and encourage them. Encourage
the family Bible classes12. The pastor must take interest in training the parents in guiding the children in God’s
way aiming the child’s salvation.13
5 ?
Richards, opcit.,191.
6 ?
Ibid.,195
7 ?
Lois E Lebar, Fous on People in Church Education (New Jersey: Fleming H. Revell Company, 1968), 165.
8 ?
Cos H. Davis, Children and Christian Faith (Tennesse: Broadman Press, 1979), 15.
9 ?
Ibid.,19
10 ?
Lois.E, op. cit.,168
11 ?
Roy B.Zuck, op. cit.,9
12 ?
W.A. Criswell, Guide Book for the pastors (Tennesse: Broadman Press, 1980),258-259
13 ?
Ruth, op. cit.,164.
2
THE DIFFERENT AGENCIES IN THE MINSITRY TO THE CHILDREN:
There are different agencies, which are really focused on the ministry to the children. Some of them are
Vacation Bible
Schools: especially conducted during the vacation times, including all age groups of children. This is helpful
for all the age groups, as they are divided according to the age groups and are given the classes as they need.
It usually works for one week or more with a specific theme and the lessons are taught according to that
theme under various trained teachers.
Special worship session: This is meant for the children who will not be involved in the Sunday worship.
Here children are involved in the worship and preaching and everything according to their taste, which is very
benefited that they will be interested to be involved in the worship their own.
Weekday Bible classes: it is usually conducted in the weekends. Here the doubts regarding the Scriptural
teaching are discussed and the children are given the opportunity to talk and clear their doubts. It is helpful for
them to get better understanding of the Bible and to be nurtured according to the Scripture.
Activity clubs: here special trained people gather children to develop their skills and talents and taken care.
The children will be more interested to learn the Bible through different activities and will have a strong
relationship and fellowship with each other.
Sunday School: It is the original and primary educational agency of the church. It is also more
comprehensive. The major purpose is to teach the Word of God in order that lives may be changed.
Teachings are given according to the age group division. A good curriculum carefully graded and taught by a
trained and committed teacher helps a well-conducted class.
The other different agencies, which will help to the ministry to the children, are camps, youth retreats and the
major is the Christian home.14
Factors, which help for the success of the ministry:
Clear objectives
Good co-ordination
Good leadership and management
Good communication with the church
Committed and trained ministers15
CONCLUSION:
The ministry to the children is thus one of important ministries, which the church must given importance.
Beginning from the home, it has its own influence in one’s life. The children are very special and to be
ministered as Jesus taught. Thus the ministry to children will help to build up a strong society with a good
foundation in this generation.
Bibliography:
14 ?
Roy.B. Zuck…, Op. cit., 301.
15 ?
Ibid., 164.
3
Drushal, Mary Ellen. On Tablets of Human Heart. Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1991.
LeBar, Lois E. Focus on People in Church Education. New Jersey: Fleming H. Revell Company, 1968.
Richards, Lawrence. A Theology of Christian Education. Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1975.
________________. A Theology of children’s ministry. Michigan: Ministry Resources Library, 1983.
Zuck, Roy B and Robert E. Clark. eds. Childhood Education in the Church. Chicago: Moody Press, 1975.
