Philosophy of Children’s Ministry by Bleard
At Covenant Presbyterian Church, we view all children as a blessing. Throughout the scriptures, children are most often referred to in terms of blessing (Psalm 128:1-4), and Jesus himself not only takes great delight in children, be regards them with honor and dignity (Matthew 19:13-15). At CPC we hope to guide children towards maturity in Christ of their whole person (in knowledge, heart, and activity).
Because children are people, and people are made in God’s image, we view children as image bearer’s of God, created by God to be in relationship with Him, with others, and with creation. Because sin entered the world, our relationships with all three have been broken and corrupted, no longer reflecting God’s original plan for us. Through the saving grace of Christ’s death and resurrection, God has provided the way for all three broken relationships to be restored and redeemed.
Our goal for Children’s Ministry at Covenant Presbyterian Church is to promote growth in grace and the reconciliation of each child to a relationship with God, relationship with others, and relationship with God’s world.
We hold to the following presuppositions in our ministry with children at Covenant Presbyterian Church (adapted from PCA2 developed by Donald Guthrie, and the RUF Philosophy of Ministry):
The Bible
The Bible is God’s revealed Word to His people and the authority under which we operate. The bible tells the story in which God is the hero and we see the big story of redemption: Creation, Rebellion, Redemption, and Restoration.
Demographics
We at Covenant Presbyterian Church are a particular group of people who live in a specific place and time. We care about who we are as a church, and seek to live faithfully as the specific group God has called us to be in this particular context. We also care about what kind of environment we create within the children’s ministry – we strive to be welcoming to all, invitational, and incarnational in all aspects of ministry life.
The Individual
In the children’s ministry, we recognize that children are individuals, who are each made uniquely by God. We also realize that children have age-specific developmental challenges when it comes to how they learn and understand concepts, respond to stimuli, and view the world. Because of this, we strive to account for all kinds of learning styles and modalities. We are committed to creating a developmentally appropriate learning climate for all participants.
The Church
The children’s ministry at Covenant Presbyterian church is committed to not becoming a silo, operating apart from the rest of the church body. We are committed to working closely with all other ministries of the church to develop a climate within the larger church body that welcomes and has a meaningful place for children. We are committed to the nurture of children as well as their parents and families
The Learning Process
Because learning is a process, we are committed to coming alongside all children, wherever they may be in their faith journey. Our goal is maturity in Christ in knowledge, heart, and activity. We want our children to experience God’s love for them, and be transformed in mind, heart, and soul.
God is at Work
The children’s ministry at Covenant Presbyterian Church recognizes the reality of God being at work among his people, including children. The Holy Spirit works in the hearts of children of any age to bring them to saving faith. We realize that God has his own set of curriculum for each child, and that all faith journeys will not look alike. We are committed to praying for the children and families in our ministry, and seeking what God would have us do in all things.
At Covenant Presbyterian Church, we take great responsibility for the growth and nurture of children. The Lord calls us to teach our children about Himself and what He has done (Deut. 6). We hope to share the love of God with every child.
