Perimeter Pointe Church

Throughout my years in the ministry I have seen some incredible Children’s Programs.  I’ve seen some Children’s productions that make some Broadway productions look lame!  However, the lingering question for me has always been this: Is that real ministry?  Does having a great children’s church or children’s ministry really accomplish the goal of discipleship?

I think we first have to define what we mean by “discipleship.”  For a lot of us who grew up in traditional churches, that term meant meetings on a Sunday afternoon/evening.  We are commanded by Jesus in Matthew 28:18-20 to “make disciples.”  Simply put, being a disciple means being a follower.  But to disciple someone means to equip, train, and teach them to follow Jesus.  Making disciples is actually the number one job description for Christians.

But what implications does that have on parents and children?  Do we fulfill our duty of making disciples of our children by sending them to a great children’s program or ministry?  Or surely we’ve gotten this covered if they attend a Christian school, right?

Deuteronomy 6:6-9 sheds great light on this vital issue.  “These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts.  Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.  Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.  Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.”   What commands are being discussed here?  This passage follows the Ten Commandments and specifically verses 4-5 of chapter 6 that says “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.”

It is abundantly clear then, that parents bear the responsibility of teaching and training their children.  We, as parents, are to make disciples of our children.  I love the picture that is thrust into my mind when I read verses 6-9–impressing God’s truths and commands on our children as we sit at home, drive to the 2 million destinations we have each week, when we put them to bed, when we eat breakfast in the morning.  We instill these truths all the time!  There isn’t a moment beyond sleep that isn’t covered.  I call this the D669 principle.  Parents are to disciple their children.  Not the church, not a school, not the so-called “experts.”

Sadly, as I take a look around the church in America I don’t see this happening in a large way.  According to studies, over two million children are leaving the church each year.  In general, we’ve given into the cultural mind-set of “letting the experts train our children.”  I’ve seen incredible programs done in an excellent way that have almost no value in equipping children to live for Christ.  While almost all of the children, preschool, and youth directors I’ve known have given every ounce of energy to training children, it will never work.  Parents are the key to making disciples.  The responsibility of parents has to be more than “I’ll drop them off for Sunday School and Children’s Church and come back in two hours to get them.”  Parents must begin to make disciples of their children.

How does that look exactly?  I’m not sure!  I believe it starts with training parents to disciple children.  I believe it starts with pastors proclaiming this mandate from the pulpit.  I believe it means that parents and children worship together and learn together.  Does that mean that kids have to sit through a service that is boring and irrelevant to them?  Not necessarily.  What if churches created an environment where kids took their parents to worship and learn?  A place where parents were given the opportunity to teach and discuss biblical truths with their children?  I believe it can happen.  It already is in pockets around our country. I believe that a church that trains parents to disciple their children and provides opportunities to do just that will transform our culture!

At Perimeter Pointe, that’s what we are committed to.  As we pray and plan to relaunch our church, one of the things we are dedicated to is the D669 principle.  We are even waiting to re-plant the church until we find someone who is passionate about children and these very principles to lead our children’s ministry.  And we’re excited about the possibilities!