The Value of Children

Shelley Campagnola has a business degree. She's a Mennonite pastor and Chair of the Children's Ministry forum with the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada. She's working on her doctorate.

After looking at select Old and New Testament passages and ways that God gave value to children in Hebrew culture in ways that the surrounding cultures didn't, she looks at the child that Jesus pointed to when they asked Him who was the greatest in the Kingdom of God and she says,
"The child is... not included in the inner circle of those who think they have the way to God . . .
The child is ... not considered eligible for recognition or participation and thus does not seek those.
The child is powerless, voiceless, defenseless, claimless, forgotten and forsaken.
The child is the one who is brought to Jesus, not one who assumes access.
The child is the one pulled out of the gutter by a hand that says he does not belong there even when everyone else says he does. . ."
Then she says, "The disciples were called to become as little children..." (Ratcliff, Donald ed. Children's Spirituality. Cascade Books, Eugene OR: 2004, p 86-87)

The disciples were called to become like these little children... which leaves me asking new questions...

People working with children in children's ministry are focused on children in ways that other people aren't. We look at all these great things that people share about kids and faith and say, "Of course!" All of this talk about Jesus and children and priorities make perfect sense to us and we get excited!

I'm working with wonderfully supportive young leaders who want their children and all the children who pass through Artisan to be involved in community worship and community life as much as possible, yet just like the rest of the church there always seem to be things that are "more important." More so, because they're starting a new church. Despite our willingness, we have the same battles to fight as any other church. We fight the same battles at home to give kids the time and attention they need and deserve.

Staying Christ-centered as opposed to being "child-centered" has it's own battles.

People who get excited about children and what Jesus says about children are doing children's ministry. But are we sent to walk out that vision with children or share and impart that same vision to every disciple in the faith community? And if so, how do we do that? Was Jesus calling children's ministers or using children as examples to the church. If so, what does that mean for "children's ministry"?

Do we as a faith community apprehend all the things Jesus said about children through children's programs that churches and parents and kids rave about, programs for parents and families to learn how to love, care for, and instruct one another, multi-generational services a couple of times a year? Summer camps and conferences? (Respectfully, many of these are wonderful ministries!)

Are we closer to apprehending the things that Jesus was saying to His disciples, by looking for ways to include children in our community in as many ways as possible?

Is it about clearing the debris out of the road, enabling children to come to Jesus or seeing and hearing the things that Jesus wants us to see and understand through the children around us? Probably both are true and there's probably more. I wonder . . .