Multiplying
ministries to kids
providing loving environments where the Spirit
multiplies young disciplemaking followers of Jesus
What?
Our mission is to walk with Jesus in our world:
pursuing his
Great Commission
to make disciples…
winning the lost
building the believers
equipping the workers
multiplying the leaders
Why?
Our passion for Jesus’
Great Commission
is fueled by Jesus’
Great
Commandment
love for God
and for people
GC2 =
Great Commandment
Great Commission
ministry lifestyle
Who?
The probability of a faith
commitment to Christ is
32% at age 5 to 13
4% at age 14 to 18
6% at age 19+
75-85% of today’s American Christians made
their initial faith commitment before age 15.
The opportunity and responsibility
to minister to kids is very great!
A challenge
and
experience
It’s about
Jesus
“You
may be thinking,
I’d like to see emerging
generations reached, but
how the heck can I ever
keep up with all the waves
of cultural change? Amid
our anxiety, remember
that although ministry methodology, church,
and culture change, Jesus NEVER does.”
-Dan Kimball-Emerging Church
Provide
environments
Our primary goal is not to
provide complex
structures and glitzy
programs, but to
provide environments
where the Spirit moves
freely to help kids
consistently experience
Jesus’ life-changing love
Hearts first
We must touch their
hearts before we can
reach their minds
Build
community
To kids, love looks like free pizza. That’s where
we might start—but our goal is to help them
experience the love of biblical community.
The key for building
this type of community
is leadership that is
love-expressing,
intentional & visionary.
Include
parents
“The goal of children’s
ministry needs to be to
find ways to help parents
talk about spiritual things
with their children, helping
families prioritize and
center their lives on
God’s presence.”
-Ivy Beckwith, PostModern Children’s Ministry
Kids reach
parents
“Every year, tens of thousands of parents are
brought to faith in Christ because one of their
children was so changed by his or her own
relationship with the Lord that the parent could
not ignore the power of Christ any longer.”
-George Barna
Communicate
God’s love
“The degree to which we are
effective in communicating
God’s love is the degree to
which we will see kid’s lives
changed.”
-Dann Spader
So how do we get God’s
love flowing?
It’s about
relationships
Provide places where
love is actively
experienced and
expressed:
 With believing kids
 With pre-believing kids
It’s a lifestyle, not a program
but get organized—
be intentional
Here’s what
to do:
• Provide opportunities for
loving interaction
• Provide affirmation &
belonging
• Provide genuine spiritual
fellowship
• Get the kids involved in
expressing God’s love to
others through ministry
More ideas
• Advertise the ministry to community parents
and grandparents
• Emphasize a values-based approach
• Encourage kids to bring friends
• Provide transportation (van/carpooling)
• Encourage kids to wear cool t-shirts
advertising your ministry at school
• Sponsor a community event that is
kid-oriented
More ideas
• Ask unchurched parents to help out in the
program alongside churched parents
• Plan a parent/child or family/child event
• Involve the kids actively in the ‘big-church’
worship service
• Provide a nursery for pre-schoolers
Generations
workshops
To schedule day-long
workshops that more fully
explore disciplemaking ministry
to kids, contact
Ted Johnston, Generations
Ministries director at:
[email protected]