Let the Children Come

This past week was our AWANA closing day and carnival.  It was so much fun seeing all these children get their hard-earned awards from the AWANA year. Then we celebrate with a bouncy house, games, candy and prizes.  It is one of my favorite events of the year.

You see, I love AWANA. I love the ministry we have for children and parents in our community. Ministering to children is so vital in our context and in our Christianity. Jesus, in Mark 10:13-16, rebukes the disciples. Some parents brought their kids to Jesus to be blessed, but the disciples wouldn't let them come. Surely Jesus has more important things to do, they thought.

But Jesus didn't. He makes it plain to the parents and the children and the disciples that he has plenty of time and resources for children. "Let the children come," he proclaims. In other words, they have value to him. He wants everyone to know that children are just as important as adults and religious teachers.

We must live that way in our own churches. As believers in Christ, we must follow the example of Jesus. We must welcome the little children and minister to them. We must provide a place for them to learn about Jesus.

Too often in churches, children and youth ministry go by the wayside when things get tough financially. When a youth or children's minister leaves, often times the church defunds the ministry or just struggles to offer anything at all. That's wrong. Jesus said we must minister to the children and to their parents. "Let the children come," he proclaims.

That's on me and you as believers in Jesus. We must financially support children's ministry. We must physically support it by showing up and volunteering. We must spiritually support it by praying for it and the leaders.

But it's more than that. We must also support children and their parents. Often these parents come from non-church backgrounds. We must be open with them. We must welcome them. We must love on them.

If Jesus is our example (and he should be), then we must let the little children come.

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