a church for kids

3 Decisions to Become a Church for Kids

We were right in the middle of a staff meeting last week, when one of our key leaders shared a valuable insight.  It was one of those moments where I had to sink down in my chair because I realized we had been missing the mark.

Here’s the story:

As we were planning an upcoming event, we were discussing what to do with kids.  God has blessed our church with lots of little children!!  Currently about one-fourth of our church is under the age of twelve.  This is a huge blessing, but it also comes with various challenges:

  • What do the kids do when we have volunteer trainings?
  • Who watches the kids during small group?
  • While we’re setting up for worship on Sunday, where should the kids go for 2 hours prior to worship?

That’s when one of our key leaders spoke up.

She shared about how her daughter made a recent comment, “We’re on the launch team too, mommy!”

You know…

She was absolutely right!

Being on the core team of the launch of a new church in Georgetown, TX is not an exclusive club for adults only.  Children are a valuable, even necessary, part of what God is doing through our church in our city.

Sometimes we're so busy discipling other adults, we forget about discipling our own kids! Click To Tweet

We want to be a church where kids thrive.   We don’t want the next generation growing up thinking church is only for parents and grandparents. We want to be a church where kids are learning about Christ, growing in their faith, and actively serving others around them.

Yes, it’s going to get a little messy.  Kids will be kids.

BUT…

We’re making three decisions to become a church for kids at Antioch Georgetown:

 1. We let kids volunteer.

Believe it or not, there are jobs that kids can do, and do well.  Sometimes even better than adults.  Kids are great door greeters!  Especially if you can have one of those outgoing, doesn’t-meet-a-stranger type kids.  Those kids are great conversationalists and make perfect door greeters!

You probably won’t see a seven year old running our sound system, but you just might see one setting up signs or picking up trash.

2. We teach kids what we teach adults.

Just this past Sunday, the morning message was about the wise man building his house upon the rock.  Guess what our kids were learning?  Yep!  The wise man and the foolish man.

Sure, we make the teaching age appropriate.  We don’t get too technical with pre-schoolers, and we don’t let adults play with rocks and sand!

We love that when families go home they can have a conversation around the dinner table about the same topic.  Everything is in sync.  Parents, teenagers, kids, and babies! (Yes, we teach babies, but that’s another blog.)

3. We value kids because we value people.

Let’s be honest, kids take more than kids give. They require lots of energy, patience, and goldfish.

In fact, it makes more sense investing in those who you know will produce a more immediate return.

But…

Choosing to invest in kids is choosing to invest in the next generation of church leadership.  Kids are the church of today as much as they are the church of tomorrow.  Don’t look past them because of their small size. Choose to be a church that disciples kids.

Sometimes we’re so busy discipling other adults, we forget about discipling our own kids!

 

We aren’t perfect.  We’re on a journey.  We’re growing forward!