Our church family has an opportunity to continue the legacy Jesus left concerning children. We can love the little children; welcome them with love and acceptance. We can teach them about God the Father and our Lord Jesus while we still have the opportunity. We do some of that each week. When you might ask, when do we ever do that? When you provide for children’s ministries like Awana, Sunday Connection Groups (Sunday School), Vacation Bible School, children’s camps, etc. I see every one of these children’s ministries as Jesus opening His arms to welcome them and to love them.
We have had the privilege of baptizing quite a few children over this past month or two. To me, baptizing children is the ultimate example of mixed emotions. I am thrilled when any child and their parent announce the great news “My child has made a profession of faith!” And now they inquire about baptism. We do all we can to make sure children are ready for believers baptism. We hear from the parent, the Sunday School teacher and our children’s staff member. We also give them a first step disciple children’s workbook. We want to do all we can to encourage them as followers of Jesus. We also want to have the attitude of Jesus when he said “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the Kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”
I have this thought in the back of my head: if the fallen broken world can come after our children to teach them all kinds of evil, then we need to go after them to teach them about Jesus. Let’s reach them before we have to rescue them. After all….Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world!
By the way, the next baptism is scheduled for Sunday, September 17.
See you Sunday, good Lord willing!
Pastor Tom
