Children’s Ministry

The Greatest Commandment

Matthew 22: 34-40

Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.‘ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

Deuteronomy 6 – Don’t Forget!

4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. 5 Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.

10 When the LORD your God brings you into the land he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you—a land with large, flourishing cities you did not build, 11 houses filled with all kinds of good things you did not provide, wells you did not dig, and vineyards and olive groves you did not plant—then when you eat and are satisfied, 12 be careful that you do not forget the LORD, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

Deuteronomy 6 – Don’t Forget!

13 Fear the LORD your God, serve him only and take your

oaths in his name. 14 Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you; 15 for the LORD your God, who is among you, is a jealous God and his anger will burn against you, and he will destroy you from the face of the land. 16 Do not test the LORD your God as you did at Massah. 17 Be sure to keep the commands of the LORD your God and the stipulations and decrees he has given you. 18 Do what is right and good in the LORD's sight, so that it may go well with you and you may go in and take over the good land that the LORD promised on oath to your forefathers, 19 thrusting out all your enemies before you, as the LORD said.

Deuteronomy 6 – Tell Him!

20 In the future, when your son asks you, "What is the meaning of the stipulations, decrees and laws the LORD our God has commanded you?" 21 TELL HIM: "We were slaves of Pharaoh in Egypt, but the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand. 22 Before our eyes the LORD sent miraculous signs and wonders—great and terrible—upon Egypt and Pharaoh and his whole household.

Deuteronomy 6 – Tell Him!

23 But he brought us out from there to bring us in and give us the land that he promised on oath to our forefathers. 24 The LORD commanded us to obey all these decrees and to fear the LORD our God, so that we might always prosper and be kept alive, as is the case today. 25 And if we are careful to obey all this law before the LORD our God, as he has commanded us, that will be our righteousness."

“Tell him”

Multi-generational Issue1930’s-1945 – The Silent Generation1946-1959 – The Boomers1960-1974 – The Busters/Gen X1974- late 90s – Gen Y/The Millennial GenerationLate 90s/2000 – Gen Z/The New Silent Generation

- It’s been 4 or 5 generations since we have had a communal knowledge of God and the Bible.

* From: Faith at Home Seminar, Mark Holmen, May 1, 2010.

The Question of Influence

Order of Spiritual Influence

Mom Dad Pastor Grandparents Church“Significant Religious Influences Survey”. Early Childhood Education study, Search Institute, Minneapolis, MN.

Deuteronomy 6 – Talk about them

4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.

5 Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

Daily Reminders

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act,

but a habit.” – Aristotle

“Talk about them at home”

Churched Youth:

Who have experienced either family devotions, prayer, or Bible reading in the home? 27%

Who have talked with Mom about faith? 28%

Who have talked with Dad about faith? 13%

“Significant Religious Influences Survey”. Early Childhood Education study, Search Institute, Minneapolis, MN.

Dropping the Torch

61% of today's young adults had been churched at one point during their teen years but they are now spiritually disengaged (i.e., not actively attending church, reading the Bible, or praying). In a report to the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee, 70% of teenagers involved in church youth groups stop attending church within two years of their high school graduation.The Southern Baptist Council on Family Life reported an even more staggering statistic — that 88% of the children in evangelical homes leave church at the age of 18.

Age range % who experience salvation within that age range5 to 13 years 32%14 to 18 years 4%over 19 years 6%

"Teens and adults have little chance of accepting Christ as

their savior," Barna Research press release, 15 Nov 1999.

Deuteronomy 6

1 These are the commands, decrees and laws the LORD your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, 2 so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the LORD your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life. 3 Hear, O Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the LORD, the God of your fathers, promised you.

Why us?

The Responsibility

The Blessing - enjoy long life - eternal life

The Role of the Church

To reach the lost generations nowTo partner with parents, grandparents, families, to teach the childrenTo role model God’s love and support to these children as they grow spirituallyTo develop church programs that reach, impact, and support the spiritual training at home

Mission of VOX Children’s Ministry

GatherTo create a safe, fun environment for children of all agesTo demonstrate God’s love through our volunteers

GrowTo offer Bible-based programs that help children grow spirituallyTo partner with parents, equipping them to disciple their children

GoTo serve and reach the children in the community around VOX Church

Process for Volunteers

Because safety of the children is our first priority, volunteers will go through this process:

• Application• Reference check• Background check (covered by VOX Church)• Observation • Training session• Orientation• Serving

Safety

Principles

Safe and secure environment Nurturing spacesOur reputation in ChesterfieldWe must limit liability

* Safe Place: Guidelines for Creating an Abuse-Free Environment, edited by Marv Parker, Christian Publications, Inc. 2002.

Prevention

Two adults Open door policyUnrelated volunteersSafe ratiosMinimum volunteer ageSupervision of roomsNo diaper changing or potty time

Volunteer Expectations

Vibrant, growing personal relationship with JesusLove for childrenDesire to reach children with the Good NewsPassion to disciple children as they grow in their relationship with JesusCommitment to intentionally develop trustworthy, long-term relationships with the children you teach

Children’s Ministry Director

Provide vision Review and choose curriculum Develop systems Provide programs and resources Plan outreach events and service projects Schedule volunteers Oversee gathering times or delegate this to the

Point Person

Point Person

When the Director of the Children’s Ministry is not present during programs, there will be a Point Person to oversee the rooms.

The Point Person will:Oversee volunteers in the roomsNotify parents when they are needed for diaper changes, potty time, or crying.Bring questions and concerns to the director as needed.

Programs and Family Events

The age specific programs will: Be developmentally appropriate Be Bible basedFocus on a growing relationship Equip parents

Family Events willGive children an opportunityProvide an opportunityEquip parents

Theme by Age Group

From birth through graduation, we want to guide the children of VOX Church from being amazed by God to discovering who God says they are to developing a passion for playing their part in God’s Kingdom

• Infants, Toddlers, and PreschoolersGod made me (wonder)God loves me (wonder)Jesus wants to be my friend forever (wonder)

• GradeschoolersI can trust God no matter what (wonder)I need to make the wise choice (discovery)I should treat others the way I want to be treated (passion)

• Jr. and Sr. High StudentsI am created to pursue an authentic relationship with God (wonder)I belong to Jesus Christ and define who I am by what He says (discovery)I exist every day to demonstrate God’s love to a broken world (passion)Joiner, R. Think Orange. David C. Cook, 2009, 154.

Community Service and Outreach

Community Service - Developing a compassionate spirit - Incorporate children and teenagers into family service projects - Partner with parents

Outreach

- Children planning outreach events

Classroom Expectations

To decrease disciplinary issues, prevention will be emphasized…

The discipline process isReward positive behaviorRemind child of the rules Redirect the child’s behaviorRemove the child from the groupReturn the child to the parent

Safe Place: Guidelines for Creating an Abuse-Free Environment, edited by Marv Parker, Christian Publications, Inc. 2002.

“Christianity is always onegeneration from extinction.”

- H. Richard Niebuhr

John 15:5-8I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man

remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

Passing on the Torch of Faith

Starts in our personal lives Builds in the home Fills our church Expands to reach the world

* From: Faith at Home Seminar, Mark Holmen, May 1, 2010.