“Tell ye your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children another generation.” — Joel 1:3

In this simple way, by God’s grace, a living testimony for truth is always to be kept alive in the land—the beloved of the Lord are to hand down their witness for the gospel, and the covenant to their heirs, and these again to their next descendants. This is our first duty, we are to begin at the family hearth: he is a bad preacher who does not commence his ministry at home. The heathen are to be sought by all means, and the highways and hedges are to be searched, but home has a prior claim, and woe unto those who reverse the order of the Lord’s arrangements. To teach our children is a personal duty; we cannot delegate it to Sunday school teachers, or other friendly aids; these can assist us, but cannot deliver us from the sacred obligation; proxies and sponsors are wicked devices in this case: mothers and fathers must, like Abraham, command their households in the fear of God, and talk with their offspring concerning the wondrous works of the Most High. Parental teaching is a natural duty—who so fit to look to the child’s well-being as those who are the authors of his actual being? To neglect the instruction of our offspring is worse than brutish. Family religion is necessary for the nation, for the family itself, and for the church of God. By a thousand plots “secularism” is covertly advancing in our land, and one of the most effectual means for resisting its inroads is left almost neglected, namely, the instruction of children in the faith. Would that parents would awaken to a sense of the importance of this matter. It is a pleasant duty to talk of Jesus to our sons and daughters, and the more so because it has often proved to be an accepted work, for God has saved the children through the parents’ prayers and admonitions. May every house into which this volume shall come honour the Lord and receive his smile. (Taken from Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening).

Over the past few months Pastor Tim has been encouraging our adults to bring someone to church. He has challenged us all to bring “one person who sticks”. It is a great challenge and is certainly in line with Jesus’ sentiment and words found in Matthew 9:35-38.

“And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.'”

Jesus looked upon the crowds and had compassion. He saw their lives, unconnected to His life and power, as harassed and helpless. Those words depict a sheep that has been neglected, and thus is mangled and thrown down for lack of care. Jesus was moved by such a sight and asked his disciples to pray that God would send out laborers to bring them in to God’s fold.

That is the essence of our pastor’s challenge to us. All around us are people who are like sheep without a shepherd. They need someone to come to them and point them to the Great Shepherd of the Sheep. They need someone to answer the call for laborers so that they might find the life that Jesus came to give. Have you answered the call? Are you praying that the Lord will help you take our pastor’s challenge and “bring one in”? That would be a good first personal application, but there is something more for us to consider as parents. Continue reading Each One Bring One →

Earlier this Fall 45-50 Children’s Ministry teachers and helpers gathered for a full morning for our annual TNT (Teacher eNrichment Time). This training was designed to inspire and instruct our workers for the vital and eternally significant work they do with our children.

The morning began with a word from our elder, Bill Eaton, who shared not only his appreciation for the ministry to children, but also urged those in attendance to faithfulness in this important work. A time of worship followed that brought us to remember the vastness of the power and love of the God whom we serve.

I led our General Session walking through our statement of mission, values and vision. How important it is for us never to lose sight of why we do what we do and what we are hoping God to accomplish through us to His glory and for the eternal good of our children.

After the General Session we were treated to an interview. Amanda Perkins, our Director of Preschool Discipleship, interviewed Megan Holm who shared how the ministry at CBC was formative in her life, equipping her both for her role as a parent and now as a teacher in Children’s Ministry. It was wonderful to see a living example of the impact we would hope for in all our children’s lives.

Our time concluded with the attendance of various seminars. Susie Baldwin led a much appreciated session on Classroom Management. Rachael White helped our teachers know how to better prepare and present a lesson. Ruth Elwardt got our creative juices going in her session on effective methods of teaching memory verses. I also led a session on the importance of application, helping our teachers understand what a Christ-focused application of Scripture looks like.

Now it might be asked why we call out a group of nearly 50 people to spend a whole morning attending a conference like this. The answer is simple…the work that we do with children matters. We weekly present to them the Word of God which has the power to lead them to salvation and life in Christ. We want to do this well. We must do this well. So, we unashamedly gather our teachers and workers to inspire and equip them for this work among our children that truly matters.