Joanne Taylor
Our world is constantly changing – technology, the climate, our worldviews, how and where we work, and even the jobs we do. Our kids are going to be doing jobs that aren’t even around yet! We live in an increasingly anti-Christian world, where the Bible is treated as mythical nonsense, and God’s authority to choose right from wrong is challenged. It’s easy to become overwhelmed and fearful of how we will reach the next generation for Christ. But the truth of the Gospel is a timeless, unchanging anchor for the soul and clinging to it will make the task set before us clear.
In 2 Timothy 4, Paul is on death row in a very anti-Christian culture, charging Timothy to reach people for Jesus. Paul reflects on the society that Timothy will need to work in. It is self-seeking (2 Tim. 4.3), it is filled with false teachers peddling ‘attractive’ doctrine, and it plays fast and loose with truth (2 Tim. 4.4). Sound familiar? Nothing has changed except the platforms. Paul gives this instruction to Timothy: ‘Keep your head, endure hardship, do evangelism and get on with ministry – preaching’ (2 Tim. 4.2).
So, what will Children’s Ministry look like in the next year, decade, millennium etc.? It has been, is and will always be word ministry. Therefore, make sure you are equipped to do word ministry. You can use any platform that is helpful, any tech tool that lends itself to the spreading of God’s unchanging Gospel truth, any new form of communication tool that is accessible to your community but make sure it is WORD ministry.
What, then, will training look like? Be in God’s word; work hard at understanding it and at preparing to teach it well. Know the community you are serving in – their stories, their struggles and their victories, and apply God’s word to their hearts. Be ready in season and out of season, because Jesus is coming back again to judge.