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'Let the Children Come to Me'

 When parents brought their children to Jesus that He might lay hands on them and pray, his disciples thought that this was inappropriate.  When they began to prevent the parents from doing this, Jesus said, 'Let the little children come to me and do not prevent them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven' (Matthew 19.14, ESV).

In our day--if not always--the weight of human sinfulness falls on the little children in crushing ways: abortion, divorce, abuse, abandonment, drugs, gender dysphoria, gender ideology, homosexuality, transgenderism, sexualisation of young children, drag queens, genital mutilation and operations, hormone drugs, violence, gangs, fears ('climate change' as an 'existential threat'), moral waywardness, indoctrination, and isolation (social media; Covid restrictions).  Children are not growing up in a neutral environment in which they might learn without pressure and choose rightly for themselves, as some imagine.  They are growing up in a cauldron of sin and being formed in ways against nature and against God.  The Church must be proactively engaged in bringing children to Jesus.

One dimension of letting the children come to Jesus is education, though it is not the only one. Godly education was not a new idea--it was firm conviction already stated in the Old Testament.  As Psalm 78 (ESV) says,

Give ear, O my people, to my teaching;
    incline your ears to the words of my mouth!
2   I will open my mouth in a parable;
    I will utter dark sayings from of old,
3   things that we have heard and known,
    that our fathers have told us.
4   We will not hide them from their children,
    but tell to the coming generation
  the glorious deeds of the LORD, and his might,
    and the wonders that he has done.
5   He established a testimony in Jacob
    and appointed a law in Israel,
  which he commanded our fathers
    to teach to their children,
6   that the next generation might know them,
    the children yet unborn,
  and arise and tell them to their children,
7     so that they should set their hope in God
  and not forget the works of God,
    but keep his commandments;
8   and that they should not be like their fathers,
    a stubborn and rebellious generation,
  a generation whose heart was not steadfast,
    whose spirit was not faithful to God.

Also, in Deuteronomy 6 we read:

“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. 5 You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise (vv. 4-7).

What are ways, educational and other, that your church might find help in bringing the children to Jesus?  As this is not my area of ministry, I offer the following examples of children's ministries more as categories than as recommendations.  Be sure to research each of these in great detail, therefore.  My main interest was in listing categories of ways in which to help our children grow up in Christ.  With this disclaimer, here is my list:

Children’s Resources

*Sunday School/Catechesis: https://www.cgsusa.org/ (recommended)

*Church Teaching Resources: (see resources available through) https://www.christianbook.com/page/sunday-school-curriculum

*Anglican Network in Canada: ‘God’s Big Story’: https://www.anglicannetwork.ca/gods-big-story

*Alternatives to Boy/Girl Scouts (faith based): (1) Trail Life--https://www.traillifeusa.com/ and American Heritage Girls--https://americanheritagegirls.org/ [Note: I've had one person raise concerns about this as blurring the lines between Christian and nationalist, which I would not support]; 2) Assemblies of God: Royal Rangers: https://royalrangers.com/home; National Girls Ministries--https://ngm.ag.org/.  (I do not recommend Young Life or Outward Bound.)  Helpful overview articles: For girls: https://wehavekids.com/youth-programs/Girl-Scout-Alternatives; For boys: https://wehavekids.com/youth-programs/Conservative-Boy-Scout-Alternatives. 

*Christian Camps: (many options)

*Family: (Focus on the Family) https://www.focusonthefamily.com/

*Family Conferences: https://keswickministries.org/kids-youth-families/

*Vacation Bible School (USA), Holiday Clubs: https://vbs.lifeway.com/;

*Child Evangelism: https://www.cefonline.com/; https://www.letthelittlechildrencome.com/; https://www.namb.net/evangelism/for-children/; https://www.namb.net/

*Sports Ministry: https://www.simusa.org/skills-interests/sports-ministry/

*Publishing: https://www.christianbook.com/page/kids?search=children&search_term=children&ps_exit=RETURN|legacy

*School Materials: (see suggested resources at) https://www.crosswalk.com/family/homeschool/the-best-resources-for-christian-homeschool-curriculum.html

*Christian schools: https://www.acsi.org/ (association of Christian schools international)

*Children’s Aid: https://www.samaritanspurse.org/our-ministry/childrens-heart-project/

*Persecuted Christian Children: https://www.barnabasaid.org/us/resources/children/

*Children and Christian Missions: (Operation World’s ‘Window on the World’) https://www.ivpress.com/window-on-the-world-ebook

*Christian Adoption: (Baptist) https://www.christianadopt.org/our-adoption-programs

*Christian Orphanage: (Negative article at https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2022/march/covid-19-orphans-aids-family-care.html)

*Christian Counselling: (none recommended here; but beware of 'counsellors' who do not give Biblical direction to children but merely want them to be true to themselves)

*Child Evangelism: E.g., Child Evangelism Fellowship (www.cefonline.com)

*Child Discipleship: E.g., Awana (Child discipleship resources for church and home, www.awana.org)

*Children’s Ministry Resources: E.g., 'Hands On' Bible curriculum for Vacation Bible School and Sunday School.  Also Children’s Resources, Youth Resources, Women’s and Adult Resources, Ministry Training, Books, Bibles, and Media (www.group.com/childrens-ministry)

*Christian History for Children and Adults: The Christian History Institute has produced a number of magazines, videos (animation, movies), etc. on Church history and theology.  Rooting children in the faith through our stories is important, and this institute's work is excellent (https://christianhistoryinstitute.org). 

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