Game plan

by Julie Weslake

I am proud to be a New Zealander. I'm sure you will understand when I say the "All Blacks" are the best rugby team in the world. I love to watch them play, especially when they win games.

All sports teams make a commitment to put in long hours of hard training. They have a purpose for their playing. They don't train just because it is enjoyable to be together and play. They train because they want to score tries, kick goals and win games.

The All Blacks' coach is responsible for leading the team, analysing and assessing skills, and helping each player grow and explore new possibilities. The coach also develops an action plan for the team and holds each player accountable.

In a similar way, God has plans for all His children. He wants them to be His disciples, to serve Him and honour Him. Our primary goal should be to teach our children of the loving God we know and understand. As coaches, we need to seek God in prayer so we can work hand-inhand with the Master Coach.

In Deuteronomy 6:4-7, Moses challenges parents to be disciples of Jesus, to love God with all their hearts, with all their souls and with all their strength. Therefore, making disciples of children should be the primary focus of every family.

In his book Think Orange, Reggie Joiner comments on Moses' words and says that families have to be more intentional about discipling their children. They need to be "more conscious about creating a rhythm that transfers an everyday faith, more deliberate about establishing visual reminders of God's power and presence, and more innovative about how and when they tell God's story."

Joiner states that there is danger of a "compartmentalised faith." There is the tendency "to segment God into an isolated category instead of viewing Him as the integrating force that influences all life."

Parents have a far greater influence than any church program. The highest place of impact on faith development in children is not the big memory event or church camp. It's the people they spend the most time with-their immediate family.

Children come to know God by experiencing love, trust and forgiveness from people they live with. They're always watching and know whether we trust God, communicate with Him through prayer, read the Bible, and serve Him with joy and passion. Children develop faith by watching our actions, attitudes and behaviours.

The church needs to support families and empower them as disciple makers of children by providing a spiritual community. The local church needs to be a safe place where children feel accepted, loved and welcomed. Our church needs to be a place where strategic discipleship happens-where children are involved in ministry, worship and mission.

In September, the Solomon Islands Mission ran a Children's expo for 1000 delegates. Under the leadership of Janette Kingston, delegates were taught how to "let the children come" to Jesus. The delegates determined to have a "game plan" for their children. They planned to make children their priority by putting them first in their homes and churches.

On the Sabbath, Pastor Bevan Craig made a call to parents to have their children dedicated and rededicated to Jesus. Hundreds of parents came forward with their children in their arms and standing by their sides. We prayed that God would bless the children, their parents and our churches as we disciple them.

In the Book of Acts we come across the persecution of Stephen. The apostles travelled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, preaching only to the Jews. But some of them spoke to the Hellenists, preaching the Lord Jesus. Inspired by the story, Mrs Kingston challenged the delegates at the Children's expo. I make the same challenge to you: "Many people went and spoke only to adults. I challenge you to go to the four corners of the Solomon Islands and South Pacific to speak to children." That's a game plan for success.

My prayer is that the Holy Spirit will help you initiate a "game plan" to empower this present generation to be disciples of Jesus now!

17 October 2009 is Children's Ministries Emphasis Day.

Julie Weslake is the director of Children's Ministries for the South Pacific Division of the Seventh-day Adventist Church

This was an editorial from Record, September 26, 2009

Back to Opinions.