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Can Church Kids Understand The Mission Of Christ?
“For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.”
The mission of Christ is straight forward, to seek and save the lost, but I find that kids
that grow up in church have little understanding of the mission of Christ.
The reason for this is two-fold.
- Kids that grow up in church communities have no understanding of how hopeless it is to live without Christ.
- Well-meaning leaders and parents instruct Christian kids to stay away from the bad kids. This can communicate an unhealthy fear of un-churched kids. Instead of seeking and saving the lost they grow up avoiding the lost.
The only way that church kids can catch a burden for the lost is by the Holy Spirit.
As leaders we need to pray that the Holy Spirit will give our kids a heart of those who are lost.
The other thing we can do is to teach on the Father’s heart for those who are lost and the mission of Christ.
Of course, it begins with us.
We need to see the lost the same way the Father does – they are the precious fruit of the Earth.
One way that I teach kids about the heart of the Father for the lost is through two parables in the Matthew, Chapter 13 – the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl of Great Price. I believe the merchantman represents Father God and the pearl and treasure represent you and me. When the world sees us they just see dirt, but Father God saw us as valuable. So much so that He sold everything He had to buy us. No greater price has ever been paid than what the Father paid for you.
There are many scriptures about Christ’s love for sinners in the New Testament.
- “Christ died for the ungodly.”
- “This man receives sinners and even eats with them.”
We need to teach on these scriptures and trust the Holy Spirit to give our church kids a heart for those who are lost.
This is exactly why the Lord instructed us to create the new curriculum, Finding God.
Finding God will do three things:
- First and foremost it will give your kids a heart for lost people.
- Teach your kids what to do when God seems far away.
- Teach your kids to hear from God and make wise choices for themselves instead of always depending on Mom and Dad.
