What Do We Do With Our Children?
by Daphne Kirk
The presence of children and young people announces
the arrival of the next generation. It is up to us, the adults, to
change their destinies and be the springboards that send them into their
futures with fire and passion for Jesus to fulfil the great commission.
Ralph Neighbour says, "There is no further excuse
for delaying the equipping of every saint for the work of the
ministry." "Every saint" includes the children and young
people. Now is the time to equip them to go and minister.
"Among our children and young people are workers
we have prayed for, don't let them pass you by. Put the world in their
hearts, and the weapons in their hands, protect them as they go and see
the nations change, your nation, every nation" (Reconnecting the
Generations).
Many people are confused about what resources they
need to help them develop cell groups that will minister to the
children. This article is designed to lead you to the right materials as
you ask questions relating to What Shall We Do With the Children?.
Many of the books can be of help in other situations, but it is hoped
that these simple highlighted questions will lead you to the right
resources for your answer.
Where do we begin as we take a fresh look at the
place of children in families and in the church?
Reconnecting the Generations
This book is essential reading for everyone, as it takes a radical,
Biblical look at the place of children and young people in the Body of
Christ. It is a wake up call challenging us to see our personal
responsibility for the next generation. There are practical suggestions,
thoroughly grounded in Scripture that will revolutionise our
relationships with the younger generations and release them to have a
passion for Jesus.
 | It will give pastors preaching material that can
change the culture of their church so that the hearts of the fathers
are turned to the children and the children to their fathers
(Malachi 4.5-6)
| It can be used as a first step to start the process
of changing values and getting a new vision
| Start here! |
| |
We want our children to be discipled. How can we go
about this?
Hand in Hand
This is essential reading for pastors, cell leaders and everyone who
wants to disciple or equip others to disciple a child. A cell can use it
to prepare parents for this their most important ministry, either in a
one-on-one situation or in a small group context. Wherever there are
parents, whether in homogenous or intergenerational cells, this book
will help them to understand their roles and the equipping track they
can use with their children.
It gives:
| Biblical foundations with essential practical steps
to take
| An understanding of the Living With Jesus
series, how to use it, and how to answer questions that may arise |
|
Tell me about the Living With Jesus
discipling materials.
Living With Jesus (8 books)
These are the materials that simply and clearly take a child and an
adult mentor through a weekly discipling time together.
They have the following components:
| They open the way for communication and
relationship between adult and child
| They bring issues to light that can be resolved
through the discipling relationship
| They can be integrated into the existing church
discipling system
| They have Biblical foundations and change values
| They are designed to challenge both the adult and
child
| The contents are for any age but the presentation
is for children
| They mirror the equipping track of Ralph Neighbour
so that the adult and child are taken through the same process. |
| | | | | |
Have you any seminar or small group training that
will encourage parents to disciple their children?
What Shall We Do with the Children? Module 9
This module is a complete training session that will inspire and
help with the discipleship of children, it is particularly useful in
encouraging parents in this role, and is complimentary to Hand in Hand.
This inspiring seminar could be built into the church calendar
gradually, encouraging and enabling all parents to attend.
I am not in a cell church but would like to
disciple my child. Can you help?
Lets Grow!
This book is a compiled adaptation of Living With Jesus,
suitable for discipling children in any church setting.
We want to transition our children ministry into
children's cells/small groups. How do I do it and how can I train my
workers?
What Shall We Do with the Children? Module 10
This module gives simple training for all those in children's ministry.
It also shows how, with a simple model, children's cells/small groups
can be implemented in most settings Brainstorms, group work and
overheads are all included. Those training can be provided with material
from the Trainee's handbook.
| The training can be given to all existing workers
after which a colleague who has already gone through it himself or
herself can take new workers through the training. |
Module 3 of What Shall We Do with the Children?
will help children's ministry workers understand a child's perspective
of church, the place of parents and how they perceive God.
What material can I use in the children's cell
meeting?
Resources for the Cell Meeting
| The materials for the Kid's Slot in this book will
provide 35 weeks of material
| It tells you how you can implement prayer with
children in an exciting yet meaningful way
| The ideal answer is that the children hear a short
word on the same theme as the adults. If the Senior pastor can give
the children's minister:
1. The main Scripture (e.g., John 3 :16)
2. The title of the sermon (e.g., God Loves the World)
3. What he wants people to go away challenged by (e.g., Do you love
the world as God does?)
They can take this, develop it, and add some creativity for the
children. The children can then discuss it in their cells/small
groups as it applies to their own lives and minister to each other. |
| |
Others have also written very good cell lessons for
children. These include:
| Families Learning Together by Karyn Henly, a
set of four books that walks children through the life of Jesus.
| Following the Cloud by Holly Allen, material
that leads children with the Israelites as they leave Egypt.
| Wisdom from the Book of Proverbs by Angela
Minnis, 26 lessons, each highlighting a different proverb. |
| |
We want to have Intergenerational cells. Can you
help us?
Heirs Together
Chapters 2 and 3 will give you the biblical foundations and new
values to understand the impact of church and family on children and
young people. It will revolutionise the way we play our part in raising
the next generation.
Chapters 4 and 5 give practical suggestions for the
way forward.
Chapter 6 answers many of the questions that will
arise.
Do you have any training for our members and cell
leaders for intergenerational cells?
What Shall We Do with the Children? Modules
1-7(trainers manual)
These give comprehensive training for cell leaders and cell members
alike. Brainstorms, group work and overheads are all included. Those
training can be provided with material from the Trainee's handbook.
What materials can I use for the intergenerational
cell meeting?
Initially, it is good to use material that has been
tried and tested so that you get the idea of how to pitch the meeting so
that every age group is challenged.
Resources for the Intergenerational Cell Meeting.
This book will give you 35 week of materials for the cell meeting
including
| Handouts
| Kid's Slot
| How to run a prayer night together |
| |
Others have also written very good cell lessons for
children in an Intergenerational cell group. These include:
| Families Learning Together by Karyn Henly.
| Following the Cloud by Holly Allen.
| Wisdom from the Book of Proverbs by Angela Minnis. |
| |
After the initial period, I recommend using the same
material that is used in other cells, with minor changed made to
accommodate the children.
The children's department may pick up the
responsibility of writing a Kid's Slot each week, in line with the
adult's theme. This can then be circulated to all intergenerational
cells.
What Shall We Do with the Children? Module 6
gives guidelines for writing Kid's Slot material.
Do you have anything that will help us understand
about children in relation to baptism and communion?
When a Child Asks to be Baptised
This book will give the Scriptural basis for Children and Baptism and
help you understand the role of parents and the cell.
Children, Communion and Baptism
A single tape looking at the Scriptural relationship of communion and
baptism so that pastors and parents can make informed decisions about
their children's participation in both.
As a pastor, are there any particular issues I need
to address at the senior leadership level?
What Shall We Do with the Children? Module 8
This is specifically written for pastors to go through with their
senior leaders. It will help you to consider policies, vision and
strategy as you start to include the children in the transitioning
process.
We would like to have an Intergenerational
Celebration. Can you help us?
What Shall We Do with the Children? Module 12
This module will help to evaluate the way forward and give valuable
discussion points for leaders and worship leaders of an
Intergenerational celebration, with help for those preaching on such
occasions. Your leaders can be provided with discussion papers from the
Trainee's handbook.
Can you help us to pray with our children?
What Shall We Do with the Children? Module 11
This module helps evaluate the potential for praying with children
and gives ideas for making this time effective and creative.
Brainstorms, group work and overheads are all included. Those training
can be provided with material from the Trainee's handbook.
Can you tell me more about the Training Manual and
Handbook for trainees called "What Shall We Do With the
Children?"
This is comprehensive training material clearly set
out in 12 modules with brainstorms, group work, overhead materials and
teaching points.
The Trainees handbook of "What Shall We Do
with the Children?" is also available for photocopying so that
those attending the training can have the relevant section to work
through and make notes.
The manual and handbook are available with audio
tapes.
I am already using the Equipping Journey developed
by Dr. Neighbour. How can children's discipleship be integrated into it?
| At the Second Camp (The Encounter God Retreat), the
Scriptural basis for parents discipling their children should be
inspirationally given. e.g., Psalm 78 1-8, Deuteronomy 29 : 29,
Deuteronomy 6 1-9, Joel 1 :2
| The spiritual father (who should be already
discipling his own child) then takes the young man through Hand
in Hand when they meet during the following week.
| After this, the young man begins Living With
Jesus with his child while having the support and accountability
of his spiritual father. |
| |
Is this all I need to know?
No…but it will give you a good start! Later we will
be able to help you with other things like Children's Encounters.
If I still need help, what can I do?
Daphne Kirk is available to help in any way she can.
She can be contacted via email |
