When I was growing up, kids pretty much tagged along with adults doing what they wanted. Except for such special occasions as birthdays, I don't remember my parents ever asking, "Where would you like to go for supper?" Families revolved around parents' desires and directions.
That isn't the case today. Families are oriented around children. Soccer schedules and other youthful activities dominate after-school hours. Parents cart the kids around like taxi drivers as their needs, wishes and desires tend to take a back seat.
I don't intend to discuss the relative merits of this trend or explore why it developed. Still, it is worth pointing out that many churches are leveraging it to advance the cause of Christ.
Do not prevent them
Jesus said, "Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them." (Matt. 19:14, NASB.) It is easy to brush off this statement. No one actually prevents children from coming to Christ, do they?
Actually, churches do it all the time, mainly by making church boring for kids.
We frustrate them if we do not teach to their level, such as asking questions that are either too difficult or too easy. We sometimes do not give them the dignity of treating them like human beings and including them in what is happening.
There are three levels of desire among kids:
* Those who don't want to go.
At the lowest level come kids who don't want to go to church. They resist by complaining about going, asking if they can sleep in or do something else. Or, they voice phony complaints about being sick.
More compliant children may smile and put on a happy face when they get there.
While they may look fashionable dressed in their "Sunday best," don't let their smiles fool you. They do not want to be there. This is more common than most Christian parents recognize.
* Kids who don't care whether they go.
At this level, kids don't resist going, but if you ever gave them a choice, they
would cut out. They are not opposed to going, but they don't particularly want to either. They are neutral, apathetic or bored.
* Those who look forward to going to church. If necessary, they will drag their parents along.
There is a movement among churches to reach this top level. It is not that hard
to get there and it pays huge dividends. Bill Hybels, pastor of Willow Creek Community Church, is fond of saying, "Even unchurched, irreligious parents will take their kids where the kids want to go."
They take them to Chuck E Cheese, McDonalds and Disneyland, not because they want to go, but because the kids do. Likewise, if the kids want to go to church, the parents will take them. This approach is the theme of the book, Making Sunday the Best Day.
The #1 trend I see
People often ask me, "What are you seeing out there? What is new? What are progressive churches doing to reach people for Christ?"
Clearly, the cutting-edge trend I see is churches that are building Northpoint- inspired, Nickelodian-style, Disney-class spaces for their kids.
Churches are building spaces that make kids exclaim, "Wow!" They are building big, attractive stages with lots of bells, whistles, colors, characters and Plasma-screen TVs. We have seen all kinds of themed spaces for kids:
·
Spaces that look like caves and are complimented with rock-climbing walls. · Spaces that look like a jungle. · Noah's ark/water/ocean themes.· Kid Bible stories illustrated.
· Space spaces, which look like rocket ships, with stars, galaxies and planets.
· One church had a slide from the second (or was it third?) story to the ground floor. It was huge, and kids thought it was really cool. Can't picture it? See this web page.
The majority of people who come to faith in Christ will do so before or during their teenage years. It makes sense to go after society's most reachable segment: kids.
Of course, effective children's ministry is not just about attractive spaces. Calling a first-rate children's minister is a huge undertaking. So is training. Everything matters. .
However, it is ultimately not about theme, decorations, slides or plasma TVs. It is about Jesus and teaching kids about our Lord. The slides and stuff are just a hook to get them in the door so they can hear about Jesus.
This is one way every church can make the gospel attractive (Titus 2:10.)
Josh Hunt is the author of You Can Double Your Class in Two Years or Less and speaks nationally on church growth and adult education. You can contact him at http://www.joshhunt.com.
