What makes our children ministers passionate about serving? What life lessons can we learn as we read their interviews? Ps Jenny Lee (JL) from Risen Christian Assembly and Bro Darius Foo (DF) from Bethel AG shares their hearts in this interview.
Describe your vision of a vibrant children ministry.
JL: A vibrant children ministry is where children are nurtured and grow in their spiritual journey with God, laying a solid foundation in their faith and preparing them to transition to their adolescent years. The Word of God is not diluted; teaching is grounded in biblical truths, and principles are age-appropriate, fostering an understanding of faith and growing in their relationship with God. Children grow to be authentic worshipers, loving God deeply.
They are sensitive to the move of the Holy Spirit and experience divine exchange regularly. The children boldly declare the good news of Jesus Christ and learn to give of their time, talent, and treasures from a young age.
DF: A vibrant children ministry should be one that is a winning formula for everyone. Children will feel the love of Jesus from interacting with the teachers and the church at large. It would be a place that they love to come to and be proud of to invite their non-believer friends and family members to.
The environment should be one that is, (1) conducive for them to study and learn from the Bible; (2) enjoyable and uses interactive fun for them to learn and (3) encouraging and enables them to make life-long friendships amongst other children and teachers. Children will learn how to praise and worship the Lord and enjoy His presence, also to pray and speak to God.
A vibrant children ministry continuously trains (upgrades skill sets) and enables their helpers and teachers to grow spiritually as they serve the LORD through the ministry. The church and the broader community around would also benefit from a vibrant ministry as children can serve in the broader context (special events etc) and when they outgrow children ministry and head into the youth, they will benefit the other services and ministries too.
What is one principle you adhere to when you serve in this ministry and why?
JL: I adhere to the principle: ‘If the church doesn’t teach our children to follow Christ, the world will teach them not to.’ There is an urgent need for the Church to prioritize the spiritual growth of our children. Proverbs 22:6 (NIV) says, “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old, he will not depart from it.” This biblical mandate underscores the responsibility of the Church to guide and educate children in the teachings of Christ. In today’s world, moral values and ethical norms are continually shifting. The media, peer influence, and societal trends can lead children to adopt secular perspectives. Without a solid foundation in their faith, they may be easily swayed by conflicting ideologies that challenge or deny the teachings of Christianity. Childhood and adolescence are critical periods of development, shaping an individual’s character and worldview. The beliefs and values instilled during these formative years often influence decisions and actions throughout adulthood. The Church’s role in teaching children to follow Christ is paramount in ensuring a solid spiritual foundation for their lifelong journey.
DF: Keep it real and applicable. Children “know” the Bible events and will hear of them many times over throughout their time in children ministry. My desire is not to give them head knowledge but to teach them the main principle behind the events and show to them how it is practical and relevant to their everyday life.
You have been serving in the children ministry for years. How do you keep your passion burning?
JL: The love for God and the children keeps my passion burning. Walking closely with God in personal devotion is critical to growing my love for God. As I seek God’s presence and guidance daily to renew my passion, I am assured constantly of the call to serve in the Children Ministry. Spending quality time with the children builds strong relationships with the young ones, and the vision of how I can impact their lives fuels my passion for the ministry. Recognizing the children’s growth in the ministry encourages me to push on. Celebrating small victories of a child reciting a Bible verse and seeing a child making a personal commitment to faith reminds me of the purpose of my ministry. I love and treat all the children as my biological children; this is where my love for them grows.
DF: Firstly, I try to envisage the children through the eyes of the LORD. Yes they may be noisy/naughty – but who amongst us has never been? Just as God saw Fishers of Man in his disciples, I want to have a greater vision of the children that God has placed in my care.
Secondly, I want to be that worker in 2 Timothy 2:15 that can present himself to God as one approved. I want to give my best and all to the children because they deserve the best of me (as a teacher).
Lastly, my mentor Ps Nicholas Choo once told me when I similarly asked him this question many years ago. His answer – “Learn three new things every year and put that to use in the ministry. It can be three new songs, games, ways to tell a story, Gospel Illusion etc. Just keep learning.” This helps greatly as it forces me as a teacher, to keep on improving and learning new things to always be relevant to the era of children that I am teaching. As such, children ministry will never be boring!
As I am now a Sunday school “Grandfather” – i.e. my early batches of Sunday school children have now grown up, married and have kids who are back in my class – I feel an immense sense of awe that in serving the Lord, I have been gifted this privilege to experience this. Children ministry is not about instantaneous gratification, it’s truly like an investment that you see the fruits of your labor years later.
What do you think is one most important quality of a children minister?
JL: A children minister’s most important quality is resilience, a never-give-up spirit. Resilience equips a children’s minister to face various challenges that inevitably arise in ministry. Working with children often presents unique and unforeseen obstacles. A resilient spirit ensures that the minister pursues their mission of nurturing and guiding the children in their faith despite these challenges. Ministry can be demanding and sometimes discouraging. Children’s ministers often encounter situations where they may not see immediate results or face resistance. A “never give up” spirit helps them persevere through difficult seasons, enabling them to continue sowing seeds of faith and love, trusting in God’s timing and plan.
DF: He/she must first love God – that goes without saying. In the love for God, one will then pursue the things of the Lord and that is when you start to exercise your faith and rely on the strength of the Lord for everything! Work, family, friends etc – God will provide and God will lead the way. Juggling children ministry with one’s life is not easy, but through the Lord, He makes all the things that seem impossible – very much possible.
But if I may add another quality, keep on learning. COVID-19 demonstrated that there will always be a danger that something will change the status quo of how we do things. So keep on learning (below is a photograph of how I livestreamed my lessons) so that you can find new ways to make your lessons and interaction with the children, more real and enjoyable.
