Jesus Loves The Little Children
Throughout scripture, we notice how Jesus loves children. He values them and counts them as worthy of being discipled. In fact, in Mark 19:14 he said “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven”. At Stonebridge, we also love and value children and are burdened for them to be followers of Christ. When we say “Disciple-making is for Everyone” we mean EVERYONE, including the little children. Classes on Sunday and Wednesday nights and our annual Kids Camp aren’t just a means of occupying kids (although we do have a lot of fun), they are times set aside where intentional discipleship occurs.
Discipleship happens in such a sweet way during Kids Camp each summer. Last week, the church building was full of energetic kids, and lots of noise and laughter. From the moment the first kids arrived on Monday until the close of the program on Friday night; the building was filled with joy.
The mornings would begin with everyone gathered in the worship center for songs and a fun object lesson. A group of teenagers would lead the songs with motions on stage and as the week went on all the kids would join in singing and dancing together. One of the teens who led worship time said that by the end of the week, the energy and joy that the preschool kids had is what kept them (and everyone else) going even though they were tired.
It was so encouraging to see the adult and student volunteers helping each day. The way they connected with the kids was such a beautiful glimpse of older generations discipling younger generations. The lessons learned at Kids Camp didn’t end when the kids walked out of the doors each day. The kids were even part of the discipling process as they went home and shared what they learned with others! One of the parent volunteers shared that each day their kids wanted to go home and try the different object lessons from the day. A Grandparent mentioned that at the request of their grandchild, they found themselves learning the actions and words of the songs once they got home.
The joy spilled over into the Friday night program. Through an art gallery display, sports demonstration, and a musical performance the children were able to publicly share what they had learned throughout the week. By the end, it seemed everyone (including the audience) was sharing in the JOY that was the fruit of a fun-filled week learning about ‘The God of WOW’.
As we reflect on the last week, may we all be reminded of the essential role children play in the life of the Church. They are valuable and worthy of our time and attention. Let us follow the pattern Jesus set before us and continue to disciple the younger generation.