You may have heard the quote that says: “Children are the future of the church.” While this is true, I believe that children are not just the church of tomorrow; they are the church of today as well. Our mission at Rosedale Baptist Church is to reach the next one and connect them to Christ and His Church, and this mission is our heartbeat in our kids’ ministry as well.
There are many stories I could share of what God is doing through the ministry of Rosedale Kids, but one in particular stands out. A couple of years ago, a young family enrolled their child into Rosedale Christian Academy; then they discovered the church and started attending regularly. God began working in the heart of their son through the teaching of God’s Word in Rosedale Kids, which then sparked conversations at home and with a Rosedale Kids leader. We rejoice that their son put his faith and trust in Jesus, and he began his personal relationship with Jesus! Then something very special happened next: he and his dad got baptized on the same day! The husband and wife then started serving as leaders in Rosedale Kids, and they have the amazing opportunity to impact children regularly. Our God is good, and He receives all the glory.
Kids’ ministry is more than just childcare at church – it’s an opportunity for children to connect with God and others and an opportunity for the Church to partner with parents on the path of discipleship.
Connecting with God
In Rosedale Kids, we are passionate about helping children know God personally, grow in their faith, and show Christ’s love to others. Our Sunday morning and Wednesday night environments for kids of all ages include fun elements of games, play, and crafts, but even more importantly, intentional times of worship and diving into God’s Word through a Bible lesson. Our Christ-centered curriculum focuses on pointing every Bible story back to Jesus. In our 3-year-old environment, all the way up through our upper elementary environment, our leaders are following the same scope and sequence on Sunday mornings. What this means is that each environment is exploring the same Bible story each week at an age-appropriate level. The uniformity combined with a take-home paper about the Bible lesson provides wonderful opportunities for families to continue conversations at home throughout the week. We believe that God uses His Word to convict hearts and transform lives, even the heart and life of a child. Introducing children to Jesus and helping them grow in their walk with the Lord will continue to be our highest priority in Rosedale Kids.
Connecting with Others
Kids’ ministry is a wonderful place for children to build friendships! There is so much value in friendships that have God as the foundation. As children can be easily influenced, it’s important to create opportunities for the right kind of friendships, especially during these formative years. In Rosedale Kids, we strive to create fun and dynamic environments for children to enjoy as they cultivate these friendships. Along with our Wednesday evening and Sunday morning environments, we also provide opportunities with exciting events throughout the year! Some of the favorites are Rosedale Kids Summer Bash (our VBS-style event) in the summer, Rosedale Kids Sky Zone Event in the spring, and the Harvest Celebration at Beachmont Christian Ministries in the fall. The upper elementary kids look forward to a week of camp at High Point Camp every summer as well. Once a month in our Wednesday night environment, we create even more enthusiasm with theme nights. Children look forward to themes such as Neon Night, Superhero Night, Sports Night, etc. It brings so much joy to be a small part in helping children connect with others in fun and caring environments.
Connecting with Parents
Kids’ ministry is a partnership with parents to help in the process of discipleship. One of the simple definitions of discipleship is teaching, leading, and demonstrating to a fellow believer what it means to imitate Jesus and live like Him. We equip our Rosedale Kids leaders with resources and curriculum to help carry out this mission in our Wednesday night and Sunday morning environments. We also strive to partner with parents in Rosedale Kids through other avenues, including child and parent salvation meetings, child and parent baptism meetings, child and parent devotional books, our Child and Family Dedication event, as well as different modes of communication to keep parents informed. Our leadership team is consistently thinking through new and improved ways to help empower parents because we believe parents can have the biggest spiritual influence in their child’s life. As a parent, I feel the weight and responsibility of stewarding my own kids’ hearts towards loving God, and I’m so thankful that my husband and I are not alone on this journey. We have our church family pouring into our children, and the Rosedale Kids leaders are loving them and teaching them what it means to follow Jesus. One of the resources that has made a big impact recently for my husband and me is the book Habits of the Household by Justin Whitmel Earley. It has really opened my eyes to how God works through our habits and how our habits greatly affect our parenting. I highly recommend this book if you’re seeking guidance on how to be more intentional with discipling your children. You may be thinking, “That sounds great, but I don’t have time to sit down and read a book.” One tip that has worked well for me is to listen to the audiobook while I’m driving or folding laundry. The practicality in this book could lead to action steps that could greatly impact your family like it has for mine. The focus on parent partnership in Rosedale Kids is very important as we strive towards the goal of leading children to Jesus and showing them what it means to live like Him.
Conclusion
At Rosedale Baptist Church, we believe that children are not just the church of tomorrow – they are a vital part of the church today. Through Rosedale Kids, we have the incredible privilege of witnessing God transform young hearts and strengthen families. It’s our joy to see God at work in these young lives, and we look forward with hope, trusting that He will continue to write amazing stories through the next generation.
