I spent Saturday speaking at a Kingdom-engaging event. Allow me to explain.
“Saturday,” of course, needs no explanation. “Speaking” requires only slightly more. A children’s ministry team in Fort Worth, Texas, hosts an event each February. These folks know that I’ll enthusiastically leave the cold, arctic-like Michigan winter weather to deliver a session or two.
In fact, as I write this column from the Dallas/Fort Worth airport, I sit at a table facing a Starbucks and the sun shining through floor-to-ceiling windows. Oh, how I’d love to open one of the secured exit doors, feel the warm rays on my face, and breathe in the delicious seventy-five degree air. Not worth the prison sentence for breaching airport security, though.
Back to the explanation.
Quite a claim; a “Kingdom-engaging event.” Here’s why I chose those words. Years ago, Saturday’s conference began as a children’s ministry volunteer gathering. Kathy, the host church’s children’s pastor, decided to invite other children’s ministries—and people came. This year they also encouraged directors, mentors, and prayer partners to attend from KIDS HOPE USA programs across Texas. With such a broad guest list, this event attracted a few educators and area parents.
A diverse group, for sure; a variety of churches, professions, ages, races, perspectives, ministry strategies, program sizes, and opinions about Kara, the newest American Idol judge. (Okay, I made up the last item.) This eclectic group, hundreds strong, invested a precious and gorgeous Saturday because each felt attracted by the conference theme: “What Kids Really Need.” While I tried my best to deliver a talk focused on the topic, I believe the experience itself addressed the subject much better than I.
Today’s Children’s Ministry, this web site and our newsletter, plans to do the same.
Here’s what I mean. Try to answer the question: What do kids really need? If a child attends church in your ministry, you likely strategize about this topic often. Additional conversations happen when picturing a child with family at home. For those of us extending love to at risk kids attending schools but unlikely attending church, other discussions take place. Neighborhood outreach programs chime in with yet another perspective. As do missions efforts to children on the street here and abroad.
So, what’s the answer? Us. That’s right; us. A broad, diverse collection of people committed to reaching today’s children—at church, at home, in schools, in neighborhoods, or on the streets.
After speaking today, I interacted with church staff and volunteers, children’s ministry and Sunday school workers, a school principal and kindergarten teacher, mentors and prayer partners, two men fact-finding about reaching at risk kids, a guy who loves motorcycles and helps churches start missions, a variety of existing outreach program leaders, a mother who recently adopted an Ethiopian girl, an attorney who specializes in child safety, a grandfather who volunteers at church and school, a new worship leader with a big heart for kids, a high school girl who wants to make a difference, and a pastor named Harry with a way-cool baritone voice, and a barista named Gil who upgraded me from tall to grande just a few moments ago.
Because kids need us to reach them where they are—and they are so scattered about this world—we need all these people to reach kids. (Okay, Gil’s a stretch; but we’ll likely need plenty of java to rise to this Kingdom-sized challenge.)
So at Christianity Today we plan to expand this web site/newsletter’s scope to serve as a resource, encouragement, and gathering place for a broad, diverse collection of people committed to reaching today’s children—at church, at home, in schools, in neighborhoods, or on the streets. No matter your Kingdom assignment, might the possibility exist that you can learn from the experience of a different Kingdom effort, when kids’ hearts and futures occupy our focus? You’ll find out right here over the weeks, months, and years ahead.
Why create such collaboration? Jesus’ words articulate the rationale best: “In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost.” (Matthew 18:14)
Count me in on this, so expect this column to visit a variety of ideas that somehow relate to reaching children. I welcome your input and observations from whatever Kingdom corner God placed you in; I’ll even ask questions intended for you to answer. Simply respond to the email address below.
Together, let’s open whatever doors of possibility exist to reach kids.
Although I still don’t think it’s a good idea for me to open the door across the concourse from me to the warm, sunny tarmac. Instead, I need a refill—where’s Gil?
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David Staal, senior editor of Today’s Children’s Ministry, serves as the president of Kids Hope USA, a national non-profit organization that partners local churches with elementary schools to provide mentors for at-risk students. Prior to this assignment, David led Promiseland, the children’s ministry at Willow Creek Community Church in Barrington, Illinois. David is the author of Words Kids Need to Hear (2008) and lives in Grand Haven, MI, with his wife Becky, son Scott, and daughter Erin.
©2009, David Staal
