Artists use art supplies, experience, and creativity to capture what God is doing or make their observations and comments about life. Writers use experience, keyboard, pen, pencil, paper. Musicians - experience, music, instruments, lyrics, voices.
We're searching the scriptures and using experience, comments, observations, creativity to shape the opportunities that we provide for children to encounter God, embrace people, and engage culture in the way of Jesus. Different word choice to express the things Jesus touched in what many call "the Great Commission." We are also looking to equip parents to bring their children with them as they pursue God - to encourage and nurture their faith. Add to the mix that I'm reading and reading as much as I can digest about children and faith.
You can sift through these posts to find the official Artisan philosophy of children's ministry but the short of it is this: Many of our pastors and parents at Artisan have worked in traditional children's ministry or grown up with traditional children's ministry and they don't want that for their kids. They've searched the scriptures but what they see there doesn't look like what they see in traditional children's ministry. They look at the things that feed their own faith and faith in their children and they would rather offer those things. They want to raise a congregation where younger generations are just as involved as older generations continually shaping their faith community.
So there you have the canvas and the art supplies. At least 20 people (30 if you count the kids) regularly contribute to this canvas (and there's probably a better metaphor) but "Children's Ministry" at Artisan is a work in progress. I will be the first to tell you that we don't have a finished, debugged, polished, efficient, well-oiled program. We have a brave, prayerful group of people willing to think outside the box and work together to try to figure out how to make it all work to the glory of God. We may not even all be thinking the same way at this point but that's the short version of what you're "joining" when you sign up here! And, trust me, I'm using the word "join" loosely at this point. As far as I'm concerned, all you have to do to "join" is get involved. Come and join the discussion. Come and serve with us.
oh...you might want to read most of these 109 posts or if you have questions, talk to me!
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"I will be the first to tell you that we don't have a finished, debugged, polished, efficient, well-oiled program."
ReplyDeletePlease don't ever have that! Ha ha! Actually, as one employed in Children's Ministry it is in my nature to pursue that very goal. I don't believe that program is the problem. I believe that the problem lies in the lack of relationship between volunteer and kids. That disconnection is what is the downfall of "traditional" children's ministry.
I love to read your stuff, Margie. Please don't stop posting.