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Oct 1
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Oh, the places you’ll go! posted by John Sorensen on Oct 01, 2018

Do you remember the book by Dr. Seuss called, Oh, the Places You’ll Go!

“Congratulations!

Today is your day.

You’re off to Great Places!

You’re off and away!”

I like the book for its optimism and expansive potential vision for children’s lives.  It was that kind of hope, optimism, and vision that helped birth what became Kids’ EE.  But, truthfully, not everyone thought it was a good idea in the beginning.

I remember one day I was called before a group of elders at a particular church, who were concerned with the idea of teaching children to share their faith.  What if someone responded badly?  What if they got in trouble? There were legitimate concerns for their safety as they shared the Gospel. But as we talked the issue through, something hit me profoundly.  These children were not the future of the church, they were full-fledged members of the current church, with all rights and responsibilities.  Who were we to tell them that they should disobey God? So, instead of trying to stop them, we committed to helping them.

John Piper preached a message on September 22, 1980, entitled “The Children, The Church, and the Chosen.”  In the message he basically said two things regarding children in the church. We need to help them and be like them. Now, the best way to help them is to train them.

The Bible says in Deut. 6, verses 6 and 7, “These words which I command you this day shall be upon your heart; and you shall teach them diligently to your children and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by that way, and when you lie down and when you rise.”

So, we’re not only to train them, but we’re to train them constantly. So, here’s the question, how can we best train children to be ministers for Jesus Christ? Well, that is what we set out to do in Kids EE. We use skits, songs, crafts, cadences, games, slime, and yes, even on-the-job training, to effectively train children to be confident witnesses for Jesus.

Perhaps you’re wondering if it’s really possible for children to share the Gospel, I can tell you from experience with Kids EE that children can share the Gospel and, dare I say, even better than some adults.

In South Africa, 11-year-old Ophelia was learning to share her faith, and so she’d shared with her mom and grandmother what she was learning.  It wasn’t long before they both received the free gift of eternal life.  And today, all three are active members of the church.  Then there’s Pamela from Honduras. She learned how to share her faith and then went straight to prison.  You see, she was on a mission to share what she had learned with her uncle. And she did!  And her uncle accepted Jesus!  The stories are endless because children really do make wonderful missionaries.

John Piper’s second point was that we, as adults, need to be like them. In Matthew 18:1-4 Jesus said, “Truly I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child, he is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.”

Children have an amazing sense of faith; a willingness to believe Jesus and do what He says.  In truth, we need to be more like that! This our topic this week at Evangelism Explosion.  Please pray as we encourage children to be faithful witnesses for Jesus Christ, by equipping children’s workers to be great trainers for these children!

We’ve set up a webinar just for children’s workers that you can participate in this week. Just go to ShareLife.Today and look for the information regarding the webinar, and then help get the children’s workers in your church on the webinar, and equipped to make a huge difference in the lives of children all over the world.

May God bless you richly as you do!

 

Notes on John Piper quote:

SEPTEMBER 22, 1980

The Children, The Church, and the Chosen

Sunday Evening Message

By John Piper

https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/the-children-the-church-and-the-chosen



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