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This article is a sidebar to—"Your Children's Facilities: Are Kids Attracted or Distracted?" "We sometimes place children in uncomfortable situations. Then we are surprised when children want to get off. A child's experience at church is just as important as an adult's-perhaps even more important when you consider..." Show me the main article...

One day as Jesus was teaching, He was interrupted by special guests. These guests immediately became the focus of His attention. Others did not see the importance of these guests, but Christ allowed them to stay and He illustrated a truth through their lives: Unless we become like a child, we will not see heaven (Luke 18:15-17). This message is the foundation for ministry to children.
Recent tragic events in America's schools should challenge the church to redouble its efforts to minister to children. Children are under attack. They are at risk, and we must see them through Christ's eyes. Children are not an interruption; they need help finding a sense of purpose only Christ can give.
Not only must we see children through Christ's eyes, but our church facilities must also welcome them. Do your Sunday school facilities say, "Welcome"? Children are attracted to bright colors. Also wall prints, posters, and bulletin boards need to be placed on their viewing level. Other child-friendly options include drinking fountains, chairs, and tables at appropriate heights.
Christ included children with adults, so should we. Look for opportunities to incorporate children into your worship services. Have a children's choir or ensemble sing. Let children give their testimonies. This gives children an opportunity to make a public statement of their faith.
We use a "Children's Ministry Month" to show the importance of our children. We develop a theme either for the month or one we can use throughout the year. Themes we have used are: "Bear Fruit That Will Last-John 15:16," and "Who Cares About Children?...We Care-Luke 9:48." During this month children participate in various church services. Each week we highlight a different age group of children.

To launch this special month, we placed pictures of each child in our church on the altar. During the Sunday morning service we asked people to take a picture and pray for that child throughout the year. This involves the whole church in ministry to children.
On the second Sunday, we focused on the cradle roll. We produced a video of the nursery and early childhood staff teaching, playing, and caring for the children. We used Ray Boltz's "Another Child To Hold" as background music to the video. During the offertory our preschool choir sang.
For the third Sunday we created a multimedia slide presentation of the entire children's ministry. We showed slides of our staff teaching and communicating with the children, along with various slides of our children. We played "Children of the World" by Amy Grant and "Arrows" by Diane and Chris Machen as background music during this presentation.
On the fourth Sunday we presented a children's musical during the morning service. Afterwards we had a spaghetti fundraising dinner so the congregation could spend time with the children.
Throughout the month we presented various opportunities to work in the children's ministry. Brief testimonies from children's workers encouraged others to join the team.

If we are going to successfully minister to children, we must see them through Christ's eyes. Children are a blessing, not an interruption. Children are the church of the future, but they are also a vital part of the church of today.

—Pam Houghton is children's pastor,
Capital Christian Center,
Sacramento, California.