An open letter to kids church leaders: you are doing more for our children than you realise. Praise God for your ministry!

For 15 years, I’ve served in kids church or children’s ministry at different churches and denominations. During that time, I worked almost solely with 2-4 year olds. Through those years, I wondered about the impact it had on their lives – if any – apart from providing a child-free environment in which their parents could enjoy the sermon.

Now I am the mother of a 3-year-old and a 4-year-old, and I’m on the receiving end of kids church. And I’m overwhelmed.

Kids’ Faith in Action

I’m overwhelmed by what my boys get out of it, how much their faith life has grown, and how it encourages me. It is a joy hearing them sing ‘kids church’ songs around the house. I love it when they tell me the stories (somewhat disjointedly) that they’ve heard at kids church.

The other day, I was blown away when Tyson asked if he could pray for Jack’s eczema to go away and proceeded to pray out loud over his little brother.

After 15 years, I can now see, first hand, the impact we have on these little people and their families – and it is such a blessing!

Faith Like a Child

I spoke with another parent recently. She said she was nervous about her daughter going to a mainstream kindy this year. Her daughter is an amazing witness in the school yard, she told me. She prays over kids who have hurt themselves – and asks the teachers pray with her! She sings ‘My God is So Big’ in the playground. When one of the kids said he didn’t like her singing that song, she said, ‘Well, you don’t have to listen!’

This is what ‘faith like a child’ looks like and it’s such an encouragement and challenge to us adults!

I want to say to all the kids church leaders, and especially those working with the little ones: be encouraged! You are making a lifelong impact on kids, their families and their community.

Thank you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you!

Originally published at Mum Daily. Image by Yan Krukov at Unsplash.