come ye children...

i know i have talked about this book before, but a recent conversation with a friend this week brought it to mind again.  i LOVE this book. it is by far the most encouraging book for children's ministry and parenting that i have read.  it is a short and powerful read.  this book will challenge the way you think about children's ministry and encourage you all at the same time.

spurgeon reminds us that value of a soul is not determined by its age.  we are all guilty (yes even children's ministers) of putting more energy and emphasis in caring for adults and pointing them to jesus, but their soul is no more valuable than a little one's. we often teach the gospel to kids as if they are not really going to be saved until they are older anyway - like our god can't save them as a child.

spurgeon also challenges us to teach the hard doctrines to kids.  just as they are important for you and i to know and understand god, they are are important to the kids.  he pushes back on the idea that things are too hard fro children to understand. he says that if something is too hard for children to understand, then fault lies with the teacher.  if the teacher does not understand it well enough to explain it simply to a child, then they do not truly understand it. sure there are things that developmentally are hard for children to understand, but i think spurgeon is right.  this had driven me to study theology more than ever before.  to explain sovereignty, atonement, suffering, and grace to a child correctly, i had better know it well.  spurgeon as well as those at desiring god argue that the most theologically educated people in your church - meaning those who not just know but who understand it - need to be those in children's ministry.


he also challenges those who teach in children's ministry to teach with such care because our children do not have the choice to leave and sit under better or more theologically correct teaching.  they do not have the discernment yet to know when our teaching is incorrect.  i had never thought about it like that before.

there are many more things i love about this book, but i want you to read it, so i will stop now.  trust me, if you are a parent or in children's ministry, you need this book.

setting their hope in god...

i recently came across this book as i was blog hopping looking for new children's resources.  i have not read all of it, but what i have read, i love.

it is a book of prayers, similar to the valley of vision, but they are prayers of a parent for their children.  there is nothing magical or more powerful about these prayers, but they are great resource of what and how to pray for your children (and great prayers for yourself -  or maybe that is just me)

if you are a parent, you are going to want this book.  if you know someone who is becoming a parent, you will want to give them this book.  if you work with children, you will want to pray through these for your kiddos.  just to give it more credibility, on the back it has recommendations from russell moore (author of adopted for life), sally lloyd-jones (author the jesus storybook bible), david and sally michael (pastors at children desiring god) and others.

here is a sample prayer:

god,
blessed are those who fear you, who greatly delight in your commandments! please continue to mold my children into such men and women. 

make light dawn in the darkness for them; you are gracious, merciful, and righteous. grant that they deal generously and lend, conducting their affairs with justice. let them never be moved, remember them forever. 

may they not be afraid of bad news, but make their hearts firm, trusting in you. give them steady hearts, so that from the rising of the sun to its setting they will praise your glorious name. 

my children, trust in the lord! he is your help and your shield. i admonish you a again my children, trust in the lord! he is your help and your shield. you who fear the lord, trust in him! he is your help and your shield. may you be blessed by the lord who made heaven and earth! we will bless you o god, from this time forth and forevermore. praise the lord! (psalm 112, 113, 115)

and another...

our father in heaven, 
hallowed be thy name. please keep your name holy in the lives of our children. cause them to consider it reverently in their minds and hearts, treating it as sacred by their words and conduct 

may your kingdom come, and may they long for the day of your fullness far more than anything else in this life. stir their hearts to seek first your kingdom.

your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. perform your good pleasure in them - use them as vessels to magnify the beauty of your son. give them this day their daily bread, providing for their physical needs, for you are a loving  merciful father who gives good gifts to his children. teach them to trust you, being not anxious about whether they will have enough for tomorrow. 

forgive them their debts as they also forgive their debtors. forgive them when they fall short of your glory. and form in them pardoning hearts, forbearing in everything.

lead them not into temptation but deliver them from evil. rescue them from the deceitfulness of sin. but your undeserved mercy keep their hearts from being darkened and led into foolishness. for yours is the kingdom, the power and the glory forever! amen. (matthew 6)