One question that people often ask me is, “Why do I do children’s ministry?” Of course I do it to get to play with the latest toys & because I never want to grow up! These are my favorite answers to give right away just so I can see the reaction on people’s face. This is a great question though. Why do I work in the children’s ministry, but I think a better question is “What are your overall goals as a children’s pastor?”
“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. 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. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. “ Deuteronomy 6:4-9
This passage has my overall goals for the children’s ministry & is the key verse for the children’s ministry at Coppell Bible Fellowship. There is so much that can be taken away from this passage, but here are my three overall goals as a children’s pastor.
1. Love God with all I am (vs. 4-5). This section of verses starts off with stating that there is one God and that I should love him with my entire being. God deserves nothing less! Look at what God has done. First off God created me! He also loves me so much that He sent Jesus to pay the penalty for all the awful stuff that I have done! As a children’s pastor & as a believer, I aim to love God with all I am. To do this, I have to constantly ask myself, “Am I all in?”
2. Meditate & apply God’s Word (vs. 6). The context of this entire section is Moses had just reminded the Israelites of the Ten Commandments in the previous chapter. Moses tells the Israelites to have God’s commandments on their heart constantly. Just Ten Commandments and they are supposed to dwell on them constantly. I think that could get a little old. The key thing is that it is not only thinking about the commandments, but living them out. The question I ask is “How am I applying God’s Word to my daily life?”
3. Pass it on by living it out (vs. 7-9). I can see that many people read the last three verses thinking, God wants me to do what to my hands & forehead & put what on my doorframes! I am not going to recommend a remodel of your house or change your doorframes (husbands, you can thank me later). The point of this section is to model for your children the two previous points to your children. As I walk through the halls on Sundays, I often hear one phrase repeated over and over again, it is “to infinity & beyond!” (I have even heard a few 5th graders mutter this phrase.) Children model & repeat what they hear at home. The key question here is “What example am I setting for others?”
My goal as a children’s pastor is to love God with all I am, read & apply God’s Word in every area of my life & pass it on by living it out. By modeling all of this, I hope that children catch it. These are my goals as a children’s pastor. If you ever see me not doing this, please let me know. Hold me accountable.
It is now my turn to ask a question to the parents, “What are your goals as a parent?” When your child goes off to college what goals do you have for them? I have the privilege to teach your children approximately 40 hours a year. That is not enough time though for me to set an example for them. Parents, outside of sleep, school & work, you get about 3,000 hours with your children. What example are you setting for your children? What are the priorities in their life right now? What do you want their priorities to be when they leave your home?
