{"id":4282,"date":"2021-02-10T15:26:39","date_gmt":"2021-02-10T21:26:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/onehopecanada.ca\/?p=4282"},"modified":"2021-02-12T11:50:34","modified_gmt":"2021-02-12T17:50:34","slug":"the-number-one-reason-for-childrens-ministry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/onehopecanada.ca\/fr\/the-number-one-reason-for-childrens-ministry\/","title":{"rendered":"The Number One Reason for Children’s Ministry"},"content":{"rendered":"
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I should have walked out or cried out, but I stayed where I was and stewed with frustration. The cause of my agitation was the content of a plenary message at a children\u2019s ministry conference. The thesis was that children, in and of themselves, are the raison d\u2019\u00eatre<\/em> for children\u2019s ministry.<\/p>

It was grueling. Jesus was only mentioned once, a few scriptures were quoted out of context as proof texts, and there was a big dose of child psychology to support the contention that children are the sole cause, justification, and focus for children\u2019s ministry.<\/p>

Children are not and should not be the raison d\u2019\u00eatre<\/em> for children\u2019s ministry. The reason why children\u2019s ministry exists is Jesus.<\/strong><\/p>

Jesus is the inspiration, motivation, and justification for children\u2019s ministry. Eliminate Jesus, and you eradicate the source, content, and purpose of children\u2019s ministry. Sideline or negate Jesus, and you\u2019re left with no one to inform, direct, or empower children\u2019s ministry.<\/p>

Setting our sights higher<\/h4>

Now I know, there\u2019d be no children\u2019s ministry if there were no children. But children are not the primary reason for children\u2019s ministry.<\/p>

That\u2019s because everything ensues, not from children, but from Jesus. As it says in\u00a0Colossians 1:16<\/a>, \u201cFor in him all things were created:\u00a0things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities;\u00a0all things have been created through him and for him.\u201d<\/em><\/p>

Note the phrase \u201c<\/em>created through him and for him.\u201d Everything, including children\u2019s ministry<\/em>, got started in Jesus and discovers its purpose in Him. And that\u2019s why children\u2019s ministry needs to aim higher, not lower. The target must always be Jesus.<\/strong> We need to set our sights on Him and help children set their sights on Him too.<\/p>

We can\u2019t have it both ways. Children\u2019s ministry can\u2019t aim to be child-centred and Jesus-centred at the same time. There\u2019s only one bull\u2019s eye in a target.<\/p>

Jesus makes it crystal clear that He\u2019s the bull\u2019s eye when He says, \u201cLet the little children come to me \u2026<\/em>\u00a0\u00bb Matthew 19:14<\/a>. Note the phrase \u201ccome to me.\u201d Jesus must be the message, the mediator, and the One who gives meaning to children\u2019s ministry.<\/p>

Putting it into practice<\/h4>

In practice, this means that children\u2019s ministry should be more about children loving Jesus than us loving children.<\/strong><\/p>

It should be more about children coming to Jesus than children coming to church.<\/p>

It should be more about children encountering the character of Jesus than children learning about characters in the Bible.<\/p>

And it should be more about children serving Jesus than children being served.<\/p>

Aiming higher isn\u2019t an option, it\u2019s essential. If we don\u2019t aim higher, mission drift occurs. Mission drift happens when we meander away or compromise the core purpose of children\u2019s ministry<\/b> (keeping Jesus at the center of it all).<\/p>

Ten signs of mission drift<\/h4>

Tragically, mission drift happens all the time. Here are ten signs of mission drift:<\/p>