The Children’s Ministries Department exists to develop the faith of children from birth through age fourteen, leading them into union with the church. It seeks to provide multiple ministries that will lead children to Jesus and disciple them in their daily walk with Him, and as such cooperate with the Sabbath School Department and other departments to provide religious education to children.
Mission—The mission of the Children’s Ministries Department is to nurture children into a loving, serving relationship with Jesus.
The department seeks to fulfill this mission by developing:
- Grace-oriented Ministries, in which all children will experience the unconditional love of Jesus, find assurance of acceptance and forgiveness, and make a commitment to Him.
- Inclusive Ministries, in which the volunteers who minister and the children to whom they minister will be valued regardless of race, color, language, gender, age, abilities, or socioeconomic circumstances, and be involved without discrimination.
- Leadership Ministries, in which volunteers are empowered, trained, and equipped for effective ministry to children.
- Service-oriented Ministries, in which children are given opportunity for hands-on service to people in their neighborhood or city, thus establishing a pattern of outreach to others that may well continue through life.
- Cooperative Ministries, which involve working with other entities, such as Family Ministries, Sabbath School and Personal Ministries, Youth Ministries, Education, Stewardship, and other departments, to achieve shared goals.
Safe Ministries, whereby churches:
(a) choose volunteers with high spiritual and moral backgrounds;
(b) adopt safeguards to protect children from physical, emotional, sexual, and spiritual abuse, and the church from liability.
Evangelistic Ministries, in which children who are not included in the church family will be introduced to the love of Jesus through such outreach programs as: Vacation Bible Schools, children’s Branch Sabbath Schools, Neighborhood Bible Clubs, and Story Hours. Ellen G. White underscores the importance of children’s ministries when she says: “Too much importance cannot be placed on the early training of children. The lessons that the child learns during the first seven years of life have more to do with forming his character than all that it learns in future years.”—Child Guidance, p. 193.
“It is still true that children are the most susceptible to the teachings of the gospel; their hearts are open to divine influences, and strong to retain the lessons received. The little children may be Christians, having an experience in accordance with their years. They need to be educated in spiritual things, and parents should give them every advantage, that they may form characters after the similitude of the character of Christ.”—The Desire of Ages, p. 515.
“Children of eight, ten or twelve years are old enough to be addressed on the subject of personal religion. Do not teach your children with reference to some future period when they shall be old enough to repent and believe the truth. If properly instructed, very young children may have correct views of their state as sinners, and of the way of salvation through Christ.”—Testimonies, vol. 1, p. 400.
“When Jesus told the disciples not to forbid the children to come to Him, He was speaking to His followers in all ages—to officers of the church, to ministers, helpers, and all Christians. Jesus is drawing the children, and He bids us, Suffer them to come; as if He would say, They will come if you do not hinder them.”—The Desire of Ages, p. 517.
, centered in the township of Yeoville,Johannesburg, South Africa. Our altimate hope lies on the promise of our soon coming Saviour Jesus Christ.
