Making It Personal: Jesus Loves Me!
by Mindy Stoms
posted 7/13/2007
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This article is fourth in a series that answers the question "What are we doing?" You can read
Yes, Jesus Loves Me
to understand the big picture.
One simple phrase causes a child to fill with joy: You're Invited!
Maybe to a birthday bash. A pool party. A summer sleepover. Whatever the occasion, kids love an invitation. Why? Two reasons seem most likely. First, kids love feel excited with anticipation for what will happen as part of the celebration. Whatever the reason for the party, kids love to celebrate. In fact, when you open an invitation you can almost hear the revelry begin. Okay, you might not be able to—but a child can in their joy-stoked imagination.
The other reason kids love an invitation is because it's personal. They've been selected. They've been included. Somebody wants them. They've heard about how amazing a party can be, and now the real person planning all this wonderful stuff has said, "This includes you."
Let's press pause on the party for a moment, and bring this concept into children's ministry.
As children grow and develop through early childhood, the foundation is laid for children to understand that Jesus is a real person and the Bible is full of stories about the amazing things Jesus said and did. Preschoolers can fully understand that Jesus loves everyone, and he showed his love in many different ways; he healed blind men, made people walk and spent time with people no one else wanted to. Yes, Jesus becomes someone they want to know about.
And it gets even better when an invitation arrives.
As children enter Kindergarten and first grade (ages five to seven), the time has arrived for Jesus to be more than just someone they can know about; he becomes someone they can know personally. In our ministry, this is the age level when we first invite kids to enter a personal relationship with Jesus. For many kids, this is a very natural step in their spiritual journey. When they hear that the same Jesus they have learned so much about now wants to be their forever friend, wants to take the punishment for the sin that they have, and wants to help them through all the things they face in their life, and wants to eventually live with them forever in heaven, it's no surprise that many say "YES!"
In Promiseland, we are very careful in how we craft and communicate the salvation message. Kindergarten and first grade kids are still in the early stages of their development emotionally, intellectually, and spiritually; so it's important for us to communicate this message in a clear, concrete, and age-appropriate way—while remaining biblically sound.
We start by teaching the concept that Jesus can be someone's forever friend. Friendship is something kids at this age understand and it is a relevant way to explain a relationship with Jesus to a six-year old. We explain that Jesus isn't just someone you only read about in the Bible—he is real and wants to be your friend. His love isn't meant only for the people in the Bible stories they've heard; it's also meant for us today, meaning it's personal. And not just for moms or dads, either. He loves you and he loves me.
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