Children are a blessing from the Lord. With these blessings also come responsibilities. As stewards of God’s children, parents are responsible for helping children grow physically, intellectually, emotionally and spiritually. Churches have a responsibility toward children, too. We want to provide an environment in which children are safe, are taught at an age-appropriate level, and are encouraged to develop a relationship with Jesus Christ.

We minister to the spiritual needs of our children through a children’s ministry program. The need for this program is evident in that many young people reach adulthood and decide not to follow Christ. They had not been prepared to accept him as their Savior. One reason for this is that some churches do not have an effective ministry to children — do not have a program to help them receive Jesus into their lives.

If we are to have a healthy future, it is essential that we have a viable children’s ministry. The purpose of this paper is to help churches develop an effective children’s ministry. This paper will not only give a general introduction, it will also address some specific needs. The bibliography lists a variety of good resources for additional information on children’s ministries.

We will begin by discussing the purpose and goals of children’s ministry. These give an overview of what we are doing. They also give us a standard for evaluating the effectiveness of the programs we have and whether or not to add other activities.

Proverbs 22:6 King James Version (KJV)

Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”