Let the Children Come

1. Leading Children to Know God Jennifer C. Lowe 4/18; 5/9/2009 CBCWLA Let the Children Come

2. Today’s Schedule • 9:00-10:15 Session 1 • 10:15-10:45 Break • 10:45-12:00 Session 2

3. Your Interest? • Why do you serve in the children ministry? • I feel bad, if I don’t… • I have a child, so I better…. • I love children. • I want teach my own child. • When I was a child, I have been benefited by …. • Other brothers and sisters are doing it, I should do it too.

4. Your Interest? • Why don’t you serve in the children ministry? • I don’t know how… • I cannot handle children. • I am not qualified. (don’t know enough Bible…) • No one asked me. • I don’t have children myself. • I did many years already. It’s others turn now.

5. Ministering to Children Two criteria: • Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. • Love your neighbor (the children) as yourself (your own).

6. Introduction • How does God see children? • Biblical Teaching • How does childhood affect adulthood spiritually? • Psychological Observations • Then, how to lead children to God? • Applications of both on children and children-adult relationship

7. How does God see children? • OT: • Children symbolize blessings from God. (Gen. 1:28; 16:10; Ps. 127) • God’s commandments were passed down through children (Deut. 6:1-9) • Children were born under covenant. (Circumcision)

8. 10 This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised. 11 You are to undergo circumcision, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and you. 12 For the generations to come every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised, including those born in your household or bought with money from a foreigner-those who are not your offspring. 13 Whether born in your household or bought with your money, they must be circumcised. My covenant in your flesh is to be an everlasting covenant. (Gen. 17:10-14)

9. How does God see children? • Apostle Paul: • Acts 16:31 • Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved--you and your household. • 1 Cor. 7:12-14 Children are holy, because of their believing parent.

10. 13And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. 14 For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy. (1 Cor. 7:13-14)

11. How does Jesus see children? • Welcome children (Mark 10:13-16) • Children were brought to Jesus… • Jesus took them in his arms. • Jesus put his hands on them and blessed them.

12. 13 People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. 14 When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15 I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." 16And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them. (Mark 10:13-16)

13. How does Jesus see children? • Kingdom belongs to people like little children • Do not know law • Do not have social status • Do not have riches • Totally dependant • Total trust • Vulnerable

14. How should we treat children? • If we hinder children to come to Jesus, • Jesus was indignant to the disciples. • If we cause them (who believe in Jesus) to sin, • (Matthew 18:5-６） • If we welcome little children, • Welcome Jesus (Mark 9:37) • Whatever we do for one of the little one • We do for Jesus. (Matt. 25:40)

15. How does God see children? Summary: • For believing family • Children are already under covenant. • Children are holy. • We should welcome Children. • How we treat children shows how we love the Lord & how we love the people.

16. Let the Children Come!Break

17. How does childhood affect adult Spirituality? • “unless you are converted & become like children, you shall not enter … (Matt. 18:3) • How are we going to “train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it” (Prov. 22:6)? • How are we going to lead them to know the Lord our God?

18. How do we lead them to know the Lord our God? • If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (Rom. 10:9) • For young children they are incapable of cognitively confessing their faith, yet they might be able to confess through heart. • The age of accountability • Deut. 1:39; Isa. 7:15; Jon. 4:11 • After around 7 years old, children start gaining the ability to confess their believe. • Infant dedication as a means of God’s grace

19. How do we lead them to know the Lord our God? • How do children mature? (Luke 2:52; 1 Sam. 2:26) • Wisdom--Intellectually • Stature--Physically • In favor with God--Spiritually • In favor with men--Socially

20. How do children mature intellectually? • Piaget’s Cognitive Development Stages • Sensori-motor--newborn to 2 year old • Imaginative, intuitive -- 2 - 7 • Concrete concept-- 7-11 • Abstract concept--above 11

21. How do children mature socially? • Trust/Mistrust (0-2) • Autonomy/Shame & Doubt (2-3) • Initiative/Guilt (4-5) • Industry/Inferiority (6-11) • Identity/Role Confusion (Adolescence)

22. How do we lead them to know the Lord our God? • Welcome them • Cultivate Kingdom Spirituality • Humbleness, trust, passion, pure heart • Watch out un-biblical teaching • Knowledge? Social status? Riches? Ability? • Model Godly Being • Do what you teach. • Consistent teaching (with your coworkers and parents)

23. Summary • State what has been learned • Define ways to apply training • Request feedback of training session