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A Kingdom Perspective on Baptism

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By Robert Palmer. It is the kingdom of God exhibited both within and without the church that does so much to bring the transforming message of God’s covenant to fulfillment. This is why, if covenantal baptism means anything, it means the bringing of the church’s children under the rule of King Jesus. Scripture teaches these children are set apart for kingdom purposes. It’s a message meant to impact not only their spiritual alienation from God but also the totality of their lives.

It all begins with their baptism, because in administering this sacrament covenant children are being identified visibly as belonging to people of God. As such they are becoming part of “a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession.” Unlike other communities on earth, members of this gathering have been called of God to “proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (I Peter 2:9). It is indeed a high and holy calling.

But what happens when this called out community fails to turn their focus away from earthly ambitions and toward their ministry as God’s royal priesthood? What happens is this: Kingdom people bring discredit to their King and disgrace to themselves.

That is precisely what is pictured in Jeremiah 22. God’s prophet describes a sad situation. Jerusalem is in ruins. There is chaos everywhere. Inevitably it leads to people from many nations, passing by the city of Jerusalem, asking one another, ‘Why has the Lord dealt thus with this great city?’ It’s a sad spectacle, and we’re told why it happened. The answer comes in the form of a strong accusation from the prophet. It is “because they forsook the covenant of the Lord their God and worshipped other gods and served them” (Jer. 22:8, 9).

The reason for this sorry scene had nothing to do with such important matters as the offering of appropriate sacrifices. It had nothing to do with the fact that the people of God had been unfaithful in carrying out their many religious observances. What the prophet DOES describe is kingdom responsibilities that had not been carried out! His message is blunt. “Thus saith the Lord: Do justices, and righteousness, and deliver from the hand of the oppressor him who has been robbed. And do no wrong or violence to the resident alien, the fatherless, and the widow, nor shed innocent blood in this place” (Jer. 22:3).

The people obviously were not doing these things, and God was angry. Later in the chapter, God’s displeasure is sternly defined: “Woe to him who builds his house by unrighteousness and his upper rooms by injustice, who makes his neighbor serve him for nothing and does not give him his wages” (Jer. 22:13).

It is a message God’s people don’t expect to hear. It is also something they do not want to hear. God is saying there is a critical contradiction in their lives. The professions they make with their lips are not being matched by the actions of their lives. And that must change! They are a people who have been rescued by God in order to lift up ” . . . good works which God prepared beforehand that (they) should walk in them” (Eph. 2:10). To this very day, this whole issue of “good works” or “kingdom works” is a fundamental principle touching every aspect of the believer’s life, including what is testified to in the sacrament of baptism.

When the church’s children receive the sacramental sign and seal of identification with God’s earthly people, the covenant community is expressing both a longing and a commitment. First, they are saying they eagerly anticipate the day when this covenant child testifies to having experienced the blessing of forgiveness and reconciliation with God. Second, they are anticipating that they will be called upon to do to whatever they can to prepare this child to actively participate in carrying out God’s Kingdom work.

In other words, it’s a longing and a commitment relating to both aspects of the great commandment. First, Jesus said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” And then He added this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself (Matt. 22:37, 39).

In the sacrament of baptism, God’s people are promising to make themselves available to do whatever needs to be done in order to see this child live out the totality of kingdom concerns. They are expressing a commitment to see the child trained to do battle with the power structures of this world that proclaim false gospels and false messiahs. They are the very structures that would encourage God’s creatures to live lives with little meaning, little hope, and little value.

Members of the church community are testifying that they will do everything in their power to equip this newly baptized member of the community to “show forth the praises of Him who has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light.” They will help prepare this child to live as God’s “salt and light” before such a world. They will encourage this child to emulate the merciful model of their Savior. “When He saw the crowds, He had compassion for them because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd” (Matt. 9:36).

From the youngest to the oldest, God’s people are promising to give themselves to a lifestyle characterized by self-emptying. Wherever they see people crying out for justice, for mercy, and for demonstrations of incarnational love, they will respond. And they will do this because they recognize this is what kingdom compassion is all about!

It may be costly to serve the least and the lost, but a kingdom lifestyle calls for nothing less. “The greatest among you,” said Jesus, must “become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves” (Luke 22: 26).

All of this has a direct bearing on covenantal baptism. Because it does, the parents of the child about to be baptized will take some family inventory. They will be asking questions such as: “What effect do kingdom mandates make on relationships between persons in our family? What differences do these mandates make in the way we use our time together as a family?”

A kingdom lifestyle most assuredly will demonstrate a disciplined use of time. Why? Because it is not possible to lead chaotic, unstructured, and undisciplined lives and still achieve kingdom goals. For good reasons, Scripture commands, “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil” (Eph. 5:15, 16).

There is the question of how these parents and how this family will use their time. However, they also will be asking: “What difference will kingdom mandates make in the budgeting and spending of our family income? What difference will it make in discerning those family needs that are valid?” They are not easy questions to answer, but covenant families cannot afford to be cavalier or careless when it comes to money matters. There is too much at stake.

The way they spend their family income matters to the poor whose well being may hinge on the generosity of God’s covenant people. And it matters to the corporate body of God’s people whose kingdom objectives either will be thwarted or facilitated by the giving of God’s people. Without a commitment to Biblical stewardship covenant families will not be able to nurture that depth of spiritual maturity and responsibility within the church’s children that is necessary to carry out kingdom concerns.

The church’s children will learn how to handle money from watching adults within the covenant community. They cannot help but be impacted for good as they observe daily demonstrations of adults who “honor the Lord with (their) wealth and with the first fruits of all (their) produce” (Prov. 3:9). They cannot help but be impressed when they observe the stewardship principles of Jesus being lived out in the lives of those they look up to. “Give and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you” (Luke 6:38).

And what about the exercise of kingdom stewardship in the way in which covenant families make use of their homes? When presenting their child for baptism, parents will want to ask: “What is it that we’re doing to carry out kingdom considerations with respect to this place where we live? To what use do we put our homes in ministering to others? Do we welcome strangers to the comfort of our homes?” A kingdom consciousness dictates that covenant families not hold back. It demands that they not withdraw themselves from the world.

So then, a kingdom mindset of serving others can be measured in so many practical ways. No matter how it is measured, it will always reflect that God’s called-out people model what it means to cultivate compassion. Always they will “open (their) mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute.” And always, they will “judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and the needy” (Prov. 31:8, 9). Always they will be like the virtuous woman of Proverbs 31, who “opens her hand to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy” (Prov. 31:20).

Ultimately they will do this because all of Scripture lifts up one consistent message: Kingdom living is so much more than words. It is even more than words addressed to God. It is more than people praying, “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” It is people who consistently practice what they profess. It is people who reflect kingdom values in the compassionate care they demonstrate.

And that is why when they present their covenant children for baptism, they will pause to ponder: To what extent will this child witness parents’ hearts that are broken by the things that break the heart of God?

Bottom line, it all comes down to this: It takes the Kingdom of God being exhibited both within and without the church to bring the transforming message of God’s covenant to fulfillment. It all comes down to this: If covenantal baptism means anything, it means the bringing of the church’s children under the rule of King Jesus.

Probe questions:

  1. Why is covenant baptism so extremely important in the life of the church community?
  2. What is really happening during the administration of the sacrament of baptism?
  3. The article explains how the people of God are involved in the sacrament. Explain their involvement.
  4. What is the role of the immediate family in the infant’s covenant baptism?
  5. The article refers to the family using its time, energies, and resources-how does that connect with baptism?
  6. As leaders and teachers, how do the people in your church view or understand infant baptism?

Don’t Waste Your Life

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Here are some questions for those who lead and teach high school and/or college age students. Are you looking for a book or resource that will be deeply challenging to both the students and yourself? Are you looking for a topic to discuss that covers the really big issues of living with purpose and making much of the time we have been given here by the Lord? Are you looking for material on these topics that are coming from a strong reformed and biblical point of view? Then I humbly recommend John Piper’s book Don’t Waste Your Life.

A word of warning right from the start, this will not be a quick or easy read. Piper, while aiming this book at mature high school and college age students, still writes in at an intense level that encourages the reader to dig for the richness of the thoughts being presented. This is not at all to say that’s bad. Rather, it is excellent and encourages everyone reading to stretch and grow by working through the pages and discussing these strong truths.

Piper gives plenty of stories from his personal journey to find the God-honoring purpose in life. If you have read other books by John Piper you will notice familiar phrases throughout the book, (“God is most glorified when we are most satisfied in Him”, “The Cross of Christ, the blazing center of the glory of God”, “Gladly making others glad in God”, etc.). However, these are presented in the context of communicating them to the rising generation of disciples. The book is quite solid overall, yet the chapters, “Living to Prove He Is More Precious Than Life” and “Making Much of Christ from 8 to 5” are truly outstanding.

Piper closes the book with a seven-page prayer that I appreciate very much. Regarding sin, Piper prays, “Not only did it rob our souls of that one joy that you designed to satisfy us for eternity [worth], but worse, it robbed you of your honored place as Treasure of our lives.” On the purpose of writing and speaking truth, “But I have tried to probe your written Word and say what you have said. That is my only claim to truth-that I have echoed what you wrote.” And of the church he prayerfully writes, “Let love flow from your saints, and may it, Lord, be this: that even if it costs our lives, the people will be glad in God…Take your honored place, O Christ, as the all-satisfying Treasure of the world.”

While I do not agree with how much emphasis he places on some things, this is an exceptional book that the Lord can use to cause growth to happen in the lives of all who read and discuss it. Buy the book.

Deacon is a Verb

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By George Fuller. Jack graduates from college, or even receives his MBA. He finds a job with a company in their home office. The building is large and shaped like a pyramid. Each level has a number and the top floor is Level 1. Of course, in the pyramid the lowest level is the largest, and that’s where most people begin. But Jack did passing work in school and his uncle works on an upper level, so he does not have to begin at the ground level.

His workspace is a modular unit in the middle of the level. He cannot even see a window from his cubicle. But he finds satisfaction in the fact that the people on the levels under him serve him; they are clerks and cleaning people. Even in the beginning, Jack has career goals. He wants to move to a cubicle closer to a window, as people with those more cherished locations die, are fired or move up. Eventually, he wants to move to a wall unit, hopefully with a window. His most lofty dream is to move along the wall to a corner office, maybe even one with windows on two sides.

From time to time, employees move up to the next level allowing Jack to move up as well. The process begins again as he works his way from the middle of the floor, to the edge, to the corner window. The ultimate goal – so ultimate that perhaps no one really achieves it – is to be at the pinnacle, at the very top floor, one office, windows all around; you report to no one, and everyone reports to you. If Jack is asked, “how many people work for you?” he says, “everyone.” “Whom do you serve?” “No one (other than myself).”

Jack will probably never get close to that pinnacle. He’ll retire, be retired, be fired or reach some kind of ceiling. His initial level may have been too low.

The pyramid scheme is deeply entrenched. It assumes that at the top are happiness and success, at the bottom are misery, drudgery and a kind of slavery. The world’s cultures, from ancient Greece to modern America, do not place high value on or dignify menial service. It is considered infinitely better to receive it than give it. The pyramid principles may apply in the home office of a large company. They may also describe some teachers, farmers, truck drivers, mothers-at-home or ministers who believe the goal in life is to get ahead, move up, be served.

Jesus turned the pyramid upside down. He revolutionized the world’s scheme. Success is found in working your way to the bottom. The issue is never “service received” but is always “service given.” It is never “how many people report to me?” but always, “can I serve others better or more?”In an extreme but proper sense Jesus alone occupies the point at the bottom of the new pyramid. He is the Ultimate Servant. Self-giving to the point of death itself, He took upon Himself the form of a servant, becoming obedient even unto death.

Seeking to have the mind of Jesus in them, the servants of Jesus prayerfully and humbly work their way down the new pyramid, becoming more like Him. Increasingly they are known by their humble and quiet service to people in need and to Jesus Himself. They receive gratefully the important support of other Christians, but they rejoice all the more in opportunity to offer service to others.

Look at the Last Supper again. Jesus said, “The hand of him who is going to betray me is with mine on the table” (Luke 22:21). “They began to question among themselves which of them it might be who would do this.” What happened next? Did Thomas think, “It surely is not me”? Perhaps Matthew and Peter had the same unspoken thoughts. Did they begin to compare themselves to one another? It is clear what the result was- “also a dispute arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest.”

They simply did not understand the pyramid problem. Jesus said to them, “the kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them are given the title Benefactor. But you are not like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at table? But I am among you as one who serves.”

Throughout the ages and the world, people admire the great pyramid and give their lives to the pyramid game. But it is an evil game, seducing and entrapping. Escaping from the world’s pyramid is not easy, but it is critical. How do you move from a scheme that has universal endorsement? You can begin by understanding the word “serve” in the words of Jesus; “I am among you as one who serves” (Luke 22:27).

First, know that “serve” is a verb. One related noun is translated “deacon.” Another related noun talks about the activity of deacons and is translated “service, ministry.” It refers to the “act of deaconing.” But Jesus’ word is the verb “to minister, to serve, to deacon.” You remember how verbs work: I deacon, you deacon, he or she deacons.” It’s a word of action. The reference is to something you do, or in this case something Jesus does.

Secondly, recognize that Jesus came specifically “to deacon.” If you were to say, “Jesus, why did you come?” He might respond, “in fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth.” He might say, “for the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.” But hear Jesus: “for even the Son of Man did not come to be served (to be deaconed), but to serve (deacon), and to give his life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). The verb flows through his life, even out of his death. He came to deacon, not to be deaconed. The antithetical distinction between those two expressions reveals the vast difference between the two pyramids.

He came to turn the world upside down, by demonstration and by power, even to death. Infinitely more might be said of His ministry of grace, mercy and love. We could expound on all that He accomplished in life, on the cross, in His resurrection, in His ascension, in His present and future ministry. But we focus on the startling fact that this one life had as its purpose pure service to others. He came for the specific purpose of serving, that is, “to deacon.”

Thirdly, recognize that Jesus’ disciples “deacon.” They are moved from being served to serving. Theirs is the pyramid or kingdom marked by service given. They know that God has loved them even while they were sinners. The cross is the pledge, the proof and the demonstration of that love. Paul affirmed, “but God demonstrates His own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

A disciple of Jesus knows that he or she does not deserve the love of Jesus. It is unmerited, undeserved grace and mercy. Sin and the sinner are not lovely, lovable or easy to love. But God loves the sinner anyway. He has love for the unlovely. The Christian is then possessed with that same love. John said, “no one has ever seen God; but if we love each other, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us…. We love, because he first loved us” (I John 4:12, 19). The Christian serves, out of a love that he or she first experienced at the cross. Self-giving sacrificial service originates at Calvary. So the Bible speaks of a new birth, a new life, a new heart, a new love and new service in Jesus’ name.

Finally, we all need to be reminded of this highest of all callings, to be a lowly servant of Jesus. We need encouragement, challenge and command from God’s word to be what we are-servants of Jesus.The world and the church offer immense opportunity for those with servants’ hearts. The Old Testament calls God’s people to serve widows and orphans and strangers. What kinds of people did Jesus serve? A paralytic, the blind, the deaf, the suffering, the sorrowing, the outcast and the demon possessed. He served the dying, even the dead, children especially, but old people, too.

What then needs to happen? In the first place, each Christian must prayerfully and humbly ask the Lord to display His love through him or her. No Christian is excused from the ministry of “deaconing.” Jesus is the prime Example. But elders, deacons, all members, men, women and children are called.

We must also ask the deacons of our churches to do what they are called to do. Deacons, lead all of us by good example in the ministry of mercy. Beyond that, mobilize all of us in this great high calling. Make it a goal not to deprive one Christian of the blessing of service in Jesus’ name. Help us to join with the angels (Matthew 4:11) and Peter’s mother-in-law (Matthew 8:15) and the women at the tomb (Matthew 27:55) in ministering to Jesus. We want to be included among the sheep on His right hand, who will hear Him say, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40). Deacons, help us all to be good deacons.How much we all need to learn about the life of giving service. “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus, who being in very nature God…. and being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death – even death on a cross!”

REACHING THE RISING GENERATION – SHOW THEM JESUS

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By Sue Jakes. Jacob is only four years old, but his mother struggles to love him. His temperament is indifferent at best, and when he does not get his way, his tantrum is so embarrassing she is brought to tears. Even the people in her church do not like him. One Sunday the school teacher quit rather than deal with Jacob each week.

Lauren is bored with church and Sunday school. She has heard all the stories before in her Christian school. None of her best friends go to her church, so Sunday school is not only boring, but it also has no social appeal for her. Her parents will not let her stay at home and they fight about her attitude every Sunday morning.

Daniel has a learning disability. School is difficult enough for him, but now at 10 years of age, his parents have decided to go to church. He dreads the humiliation of a room full of kids every Sunday morning who know all the answers. No matter how hard he tries to understand this Jesus stuff, it makes no sense to him.

Our churches are filled with Jacobs, Laurens, and Daniels. The names may be different but these scenarios are all too common in the body of Christ today. How do we develop a children’s ministry program that will address these kinds of problems? What is the answer? More paid staff? More puppets, games and music? More programs and activities?In the end, all three of these children need to see Jesus. They need to see him in the teacher. They need to see him in the taught Word. They need to see him in the other students. They need to see him in the whole body of Christ. If we develop our children’s ministry philosophy and strategies around this simple truth…Show them Jesus…what we do in the church could radically change.

Teachers who model Christ and his covenant are a necessity. Most churches recruit teachers by placing yearly ads in the newsletter or bulletin that “beg” for anyone who will do it. A one year commitment seems to be the best we can expect from anyone these days, and many times this commitment is from a team of rotating teachers. Does this system show our children Jesus? In his name, Emmanuel, we have the covenant promise, “I will be with you.” We are trying to teach our children to believe this message while we model something entirely different. “We will be with you for a year when it is our turn to be there.” The last time I looked, the Sunday school teacher I had at four years old was still teaching four year-olds at my home church. That message speaks louder than any words I ever heard. ” I will be with you” is a message worth modeling.

This generation is crying out for mentors and leaders and friends who will understand that children are great blessings from the Lord. To love, teach, and befriend them is a life-long calling for the parents, grandparents, older siblings, and all other covenant family members. Mathew 18 shows us all a Jesus who is indignant when the disciples thought for a moment that he did not have time for the children. The tithing of our time should begin with the loving instruction of our children…as we rise up, as we sit down, as we walk along the way. (Deuteronomy 6)

At the foundation of any children’s ministry should be the prayer that God will turn the hearts of the Fathers toward the children. Pray for a ministry team who will be there, not for a year, but for a life. A congregation who desires to know, love, and serve their children is the bottom line need for any thriving children’s ministry.

What then do we teach? Mistake number two in many churches is that, after begging for “anyone” to do it, any curriculum will do. The children’s market is flooded with fun curriculum that anyone can use to plan a class on the way to church. Children are not only worth teaching, they are worth teaching well. Permeating the Sunday school mindset is the idea that volunteers should not have to put much time into this effort. Teaching the truth to the next generation deserves all the time it takes to do it well. We should not only train our children’s teachers in the Reformed faith, but also put curriculum in their hands, which is always reinforcing what our church believes. Does it matter with little children? This is the age where it matters most.

I just recently read a 3rd grade lesson on Cain and Abel. It appeared in a curriculum published by one of our nation’s largest Christian publishers. The aim of the lesson was “When you are corrected you should have a good attitude.” As reformed Christians we do not believe that the Cain and Abel story is about fostering a good attitude. Hebrews 11 tells us that Abel believed the promise and by faith, even though he is dead, he still speaks. From Genesis to Revelation, the scripture is about God’s promise to redeem his people. That redemption, the very promise that Abel believed by faith, is fulfilled in Jesus Christ. When our children are in Sunday school, Bible club, Vacation Bible school, or any other ministry of our church, this must be the message…what God has done, is doing, and will do to redeem his people through faith in Jesus Christ alone.

It is disturbing how many times I have heard testimonies of late life conversions from people reared in churches where they never heard the gospel. It is even more disturbing when I hear a teenager tell me that they just cannot “be” a Christian because it is just too hard. The idea of belonging to a covenant family through God’s choosing and electing grace has never registered in their minds. Are our children hearing the true gospel? We must be training our teachers regularly to insure that they not only study and understand God’s Word, but also correctly communicate it.

The model and message of a child’s team of teachers needs to be constantly reinforced by the whole body of Christ. The congregation must consider the vow taken at covenant baptisms as seriously as the parents do. When that begins to happen every member of the congregation will be able to give testimony of their personal ministry to the covenant children in their local church. You do not have to teach Sunday school to know and serve the children in your church. However, if you do not know and serve them in some capacity, you need to search your heart before taking the baptismal vow again. Praying for the children and their families is a great place to begin the faithful keeping of this vow.

What kind of child are we trying to produce? What does a disciple of Christ look like? When Jesus was twelve years old, in the Jewish tradition he was taken to the temple. This happened at twelve, not because he had learned how to behave in synagogue, but because he was ready to participate in study, dialogue and worship. He had become a man. We are losing many of our covenant children between 12 and 20 because we are asking them to wait. The youth ministry mindset in many churches is that we will continue to teach them and if they are bored, we will entertain them to keep them coming. Twelve year olds want to serve. They will continue to learn, but they will learn best in the context of ministry. Our ministry needs to be showing, teaching and allowing children to serve at the youngest age possible.

One of the nation’s largest evangelical ministries published some interesting statistics a few years ago. After surveying the involvement of their membership it was found that new members need to “own” a ministry and have seven significant relationships in the body within six months of joining or they would eventually leave the church. If they did not leave they were on the peripheral edge of the membership and were very difficult to find and engage in ministry. To “own” a ministry meant to be involved in such a way that you could not miss a Sunday without being “missed”. You are needed at church. The significant relationships are not about good friends with whom you have many things in common. They are significant because they are your leaders and mentors who hold you accountable, or you are the leader or mentor holding them close.

Our children are no different. When they become young men and women, they need to own a ministry in our congregation. Helping with the nursery, children’s church, or preschool Sunday school, designing and putting up bulletin boards, singing in the choir, writing to missionaries – these are just a few of the service areas that ten to twenty-year olds can do quite well. In these kinds of ministries they also develop those significant relationships. Four-year olds in children’s church look up to them and adults on the missions committee lead them into a more active involvement as the assign special tasks to them. Our children, we must use them or lose them.

This vision for children and youth in our churches is hindered by one thing. We, the older generation, are choosing to spend our time and energy elsewhere. We do not have time to teach, mentor, or get to know the children in our own body. In the new millennium, time is considered the greatest commodity or treasure. To truly turn our hearts toward our children (Malachi 4:6, Luke 1:17), we must put our treasure, our time, into the next generation, “for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Matthew 6:21)

I find myself hoping that someone else in my congregation has time for Jacob, and Lauren, and Daniel. But as I pray for them, the Lord calls me to receive them in his name, and by doing so I have received him. Jacob needs someone to be with him every Sunday to keep him on task – a mentor, a friend. Lauren needs an older woman to take her as an assistant in Sunday school or children’s church – a mentor, a friend. Daniel needs a Christian family to include him and his family in their life as they learn what it means to follow Jesus – mentors, friends. This is true discipleship and it is the fulfillment of the Great Commission in the most precise and accurate way. “I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20) To show them Jesus is to be with them.

In a culture that is too busy to know, find and do what is eternal, Jesus has called us to go and makes disciples. It begins at birth, at baptism. The Christian Education Committee of the Presbyterian Church in America has a strategic plan to equip you and your church in making disciples. Our training and resource focus for the last four years has been to reach the millennial generation. It is a focus that we will not compromise until our Lord returns. Let us help your local church raise up a generation that will love and serve Christ – a generation who has seen Jesus.

Questions for discussion:

1. How much emphasis does our leadership place on the children’s’ ministry? Why do you say that?

2. Do we have a general plan for starting with the youngest in making disciples? What is it?

3. Because the attitude of the leadership is an example, how excited are our people regarding our church’s ministry to the younger generation?

4. Do we experience difficulty in recruiting teachers and helpers in our children and youth ministries? If so, why?

5. What specific things can we identify that our church does to demonstrate our love and care for the young people?