Ministry Talks 3 – Church Work Children

Opening the conversation for our children and families about church work and faith life

 

Church as a Safe Place

• Developmentally children have a hard time with abstract concepts of grace, mercy, and the big ideas we want them to learn
• We teach them in many ways around the Word with words
• but primarily children understand faith and God’s work through the Word with experiences and relationships

Church can feel like a dark place at times, even though it “should” be light-filled and darkness can be scary.

• This is confusing for children
• Need to talk about it openly, address it kindly, without gossip, but gentle honesty
• 1 Peter 1:9 – God is working mercy in the places we don’t even know
• Ephesians 5:8 – he is growing us as people of Light

 

Deuteronomy Living

• 6:4-9 in Gospel
• The same God is Lord over our homes, our families, and our churches
• Helping kids see God in our homes, as well as at church
• Not knowledge that saves us
• Not our work, even church work that saves us
• Talking openly about God’s Word intentionally, so children know it’s not just our job, but our love for Christ
• Balancing home and ministry
• Let them talk about the joys and the hard stuff too

 

Questions at the table

            What is the Gospel/God doing in our family?

            What has the Gospel/God done in our family?

            What is the Gospel/God doing in our church?