It was not until recently that I attended a Christ In Youth (CIY) conference, but I went with two of my teenage sons. I cannot describe well enough just how much this event impacted me and how I felt watching my sons grow in their personal relationship with God. My involvement with them and shared experience gave us a common platform to engage with one another about Jesus. That is incredibly important for any Christian parent as we prepare our children for independence.
Last week, as we were doing our weekly Facebook update, I was reminded of that experience and how important it is for parents to be actively involved with their kids in ministry. The number of beneficial reasons would make this article extremely long, so I’ll just stick with a few.
Kids ministry changes lives
Osage does not offer a type of “childcare” so parents can do something they enjoy. We minister to your kids and teach them life-changing truths. Instilling truth into our youth helps solidify an unshakeable foundation in Christ. If their course is set to know and love Jesus, when the time comes, they will be launched into the world well-prepared to engage others with Christ’s love in revolutionary ways. Parents have opportunity to be equipped to help their child in this way as well. When you think of kids’ ministry, think of how you can participate in shaping the hearts of children toward God. We are changing lives!
Spiritual growth happens and examples are set
There may be many of us who feel completely incapable or unqualified to give spiritual advice or teach on biblical topics. These fears tend to prevent involvement and provide an excuse to remove ourselves. But this is not a truth from God, this is a lie. When our children see our spiritual growth because of our involvement, they are encouraged in their faith to grow as well. We have an opportunity to experience God together and move toward Him together. This gives a much-needed example of endurance necessary to grow in relationship with God amidst a culture interested in cultivating convenience and ease. The more they experience your growth, the more they realize that pursuing the Lord is worth it and will be more willing to pursue God as well.
Take a moment to think about how you can partner with Osage Kid’s and Osage Student Ministries. God has so much to show us as we invest in the lives of our kids and minister to them. If you have any questions about how you can get involved, connect with Ryan or myself and let’s talk about it.
Also, if you have a story about how your act of service in this ministry has impacted you, I’d love to hear it. Leave a comment below or send me an email.
Share This Story, Choose Your Platform!
About the Author: Nate Stephan
It helped me when you said how youth who are taught the truth will have a firm foundation in Christ. This will be beneficial for my sister who’s planning to let her daughter join a Christian youth conference this coming Sunday. I’m grateful for your advice about your article, thank you for sharing!