Gospel Prism

Of late, I have undergone a transformation on my thinking of ministering to children in a church context. What has impacted in my thinking has been my biography readings. As I examine the lives of people like Whitefield, Newton, McCheyne, Ryle, I am struck by how each one of these Godly men believed so strongly in the caring and loving of the souls of children. Each preached to children not as an addendum to the ministry of the church, but as if they were speaking to adults. I imagine that in a way, they did view these children as adults, future adults. So when they preached and cared and loved these kids, they saw not just children, but a next generation of believers. They took to heart God’s words in Deuteronomy 6:7 which reminded adult Israelites to teach their children about Him. Without such teaching, not only would they forget God, but so would future generations forget God’s loving mercy and grace. This was no call to children’s ministry. This was a call to raise up generations who love God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength (Deuteronomy 6:4-6). And this is why children’s ministry should never be just children’s ministry.

The problem with children’s ministry is that it’s a program rather than a vision for future adults. Children will one day grow to raise more children. They will be the believers of Christ of tomorrow. And since God knows all things (Psalm 139), He sees children in the whole context of their lives. To focus merely on the present needs of children will be short-sighted. Teaching stories about the Bible to keep the kids busy, teaching children about morality for the sake of better behavior, holding exciting kids programs to keep their attention for the sake of entertainment, will always fall short in affecting hearts that love Christ and his Gospel. Without a continual recommitment to the ‘why’ of teaching children, the ‘why’ being the love of little souls for the sake of the Gospel, children will be merely tickled (2 Tim 4:3) by Bible-sounding entertainments. It’s for this reason that I have stopped showing my children Veggietales videos on the Bible. When my children think the story of David and Goliath is about little people doing great things, and they begin to associate David as a cucumber rather than a man after God’s own heart, I know something has gone terribly wrong. Morality is trumping the Gospel and God’s salvation plan is being hidden by tickling entertainments. Somehow, we have bought into the deception that children are too young to hear Gospel messages. But then again, the church has bought into the deception that adults are too bored to hear Gospel messages as well, so we shouldn’t be surprised.

Our children do not need a great children’s ministry. Instead, they need to be reminded and taught that they have a great Savior. And we need men and women who believe this and long to see the next generation comes to believe this as well.

Robert Murray McCheyne, the 19th century Scottish pastor who loved God so deeply, had this to say about those who teach children (he’s referring to a woman who teaches young girls):

The qualifications she should possess for sewing and knitting you will understand far better than I. She should be able to keep up in her scholars the fluency of reading, and the knowledge of the Bible and Catechism which they may have already acquired. She should be able to teach them to sing the praises of God with feeling and melody. But, far above all, she should be a Christian woman, not in name only but in deed and in truth-one whose heart has been touched by the Spirit of God, and who can love the souls of little children. Any teacher who wanted this last qualification, I would look upon as a curse rather than a blessing-a centre of blasting and coldness and death, instead of a centre from which life and warmth and heavenly influence might emanate.

This last line is critical. Anyone who teaches who does not love the souls of little children cannot be a blessing to them. This is more than merely liking kids. Gospel-centered teachers of children are not looking to fix behavior. Gospel-centered teachers of children do not love the ‘good kids’ and isolate and despise the ‘bad ones.’ All children are sinners before God’s eyes, deserving of His wrath (Rom 1:18; 3:9-18, 23), both the ‘good kids’ and the bad kids.’ Gospel-centered teachers of children love the children’s souls and cry out to the Lord for their souls, knowing that behavior is only true behavior any way if the soul is fixated on Christ. Personally, I have much to repent for since I have taught children in the past without such love. And McCheyne is right, teaching children without a deep love of their souls (a longing for this child to want to love Christ) is nothing but a curse. It is a curse because I am impeding a child’s love for God by my lack of love for this child. And here Jesus’ stern warning is one all teachers of children should heed: “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea” (Mark 9:42).

I hope this warning does not frighten away teachers of children. The reality is that we are all being sanctified by His Spirit (2 Cor 4:16). Of course, we understand that we too are still sinners who love imperfectly. However, we also trust in what Christ has done for us, therefore, though we love imperfectly, we love children always in light of Christ. And as we turn to the love Christ has shown us on the cross, we love little souls. Thus, teaching children is a continual turning back to the Gospel that has saved us.

May you always know the blessings that follow a teacher of children, especially teachers who love little souls, which cannot be matched by any pleasure of this world. What are the benefits of loving little souls who will one day be adults that worship Christ?

1. You will see a life transformed in light of the Gospel.

For the teacher of children, the fruit is not immediately borne. But the promises of God remain for those who love God and love little souls. And so, as you pray and yearn for these children to trust in Him, God will answer your prayers. You will have the blessing to witness a child whose heart is broken by sin, who comes to joy in knowing Christ, who grapples with imputed righteousness. You will see the old go and the new come (2 Cor 5:17). And to see such a transformation before your eyes (though it might take time) is an unspeakable joy, perhaps a joy next to your own conversion.

2. They will be your joy and crown before your God.

Paul calls the Philippian church his “joy and crown” (Phil 4:1). These children will be your crown and joy as well before the Lord. One day, when you see your Lord face to face, they will mark your love for Christ and will reflect the desire you had to live for His glory.

3. You will have the privilege of being spiritual parents to many.

Also, when you love little souls you will become fathers and mothers of the Gospel. Paul writes to the church in Corinth: “For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel” (1 Cor 4:15). There are so many spiritual orphans in this world who need to know the Gospel. Therefore, you do not need to be physical parents to be parents of such orphans. Whether you are single, or cannot have children, or have the number of children you have, teaching children allows you to be a father or mother to many more than you could physically bear. And the impact this can have on both your physical family and your spiritual family is immeasurable.

4. Your life matters greatly to God and to yourself.

What better evidence is there of a person who has worth, value, and meaning because of the Gospel, then to see another life God has affected because of your love for Him? God has used you for His glory to touch another life. You are significant because God loves you and wants to use you to love others. Thus, you can say with Paul that you have fought the good fight and completed the race (2 Tim 4:7).

5. You have made the most of every opportunity in your life.

We have only so much time to live in this world. Paul tells us to make the most of every opportunity (Eph 5:15). Surely you can say that as you have loved little souls, prayed for their trust in Christ, taught them in light of that love, you have made the most of your time in this world fruitfully to glorify Christ.

6. You are building up Christ’s Body for future generations.

The souls that you are loving will one day be souls who will serve Christ’s Body. And as you father or mother that little soul, like Paul you can say: “For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel. 16 I urge you, then, be imitators of me” (1 Cor 4:15-16). One day, when that child becomes an adult, he will say to their next generation, “I was taught by a man/woman who loved my soul, now I teach you with that same love for the sake of the Gospel.” Even when you are home with the Lord, generations will be impacted because of your love of a little soul. That one soul could be a Luther, a Calvin, a Piper who can impact the church in ways you could never have imagined.

Loving little souls is a tremendous responsibility for the Gospel’s sake, never to be taken lightly. But the rewards of such a responsibility are so great that the whole church should desire this important task. Pastors who preach to children as ‘just another pastoral duty’ are in danger of what McCheyne calls curses. It’s a sober reminder to me in my perspective towards the children in my care. But it is also a delightful reminder that I have little souls in my care who will guide this church for His glory. What a delectable vision it is to love little souls who will one day love little souls for Christ’s glory!