• Celebrate the Child
In the late 1990’s there was a group of national children’s ministries leaders that gathered four times a year at the Billy Graham Center on the campus of Wheaton College, Wheaton, IL. I was privileged to be a part of this group that worked hard to create an national initiative called Celebrate the Child. One of the many contributions that this diverse group made was a set of five sound statements about children’s ministry that could be universally adapted by most denominations and Para-church agencies.
Therefore, for the years 1997-1998 we launched a national campaign around these declarations to heighten the awareness of the importance of children. We tried to affirm the value of children as taught by the Lord Jesus Christ. We sought to enlist hundreds of ministries, organizations and denominations to join together in a spirit of collaboration to encourage Christians everywhere to make ministry with children a priority. The focus was on evangelizing, discipling and integrating children into Christian communities.
Below are the five resultant declarations that we felt all Children’s Ministries could all agree upon. We spent a lot of time word-smithing these declarations. I offer them here to affirm that they are still useful for framing a philosophy of ministry today. Each declaration contains a seminal truth that is indispensable for a significant ministry to children. Of course, one could build upon these declarations with paradigms and programs.
1. Ministry with children is equally as important as ministry with youth and adults.
2. The task of ministry with children must include evangelism and discipleship.
3. Any viable ministry with children must involve the family.
4. Children must be integrated into the nurturing community of believers.
5. The gifts of children themselves must be celebrated and expressed.
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