Chapter Six: How Churches Help to Raise Spiritual Champions

Transforming Children Into Spiritual Champions
Chapter Six: How Churches Help to Raise Spiritual Champions

This was a magnificent chapter – one of the most challenging to me as a Pastor.

I really liked how Barna differentiated between change and transformation in the lives of people. While he addressed this to children, it could be applied to all people. “Change is a shift that may or may not last, tends to happen at a discrete and identifiable moment in time and is often incremental in nature – almost imperceptible in many cases. Transformation, however, is an enduring process in which the person is radically reformed and does not revert to his or her precious condition. The distinction is monumental, because transformation is Spirit driven which change is program driven. Transformation is facilitated but unpredictable, and change is caused and inevitable under the right conditions and stimuli. The most effective churches recognize that the goal is to facilitate transformation, yet they understand they cannot engineer it no matter how sincere, professional, comprehensive and biblical their approach may be. Only God brings about lasting transformation in a persons life.” pg 97-98

Question: Have we as believers in general accepted “change” rather than “transformation” as an indicator of a person inviting Christ into their lives?
Does “change” become “transformation” if the change is permanent?
Can “change” be the outworking of an inward “transformation?”

Most of these questions look more to adult conduct of public professions of faith rather than that of children’s ministry …. But still good questions to ask.

Barna again reiterates the importance of the church and family partnering for effective children’s ministry. “One of the key elements of that ministry philosophy is the acknowledgement that the spiritual development of children is first and foremost the responsibility of the parents and that a church is best poised to assist rather than lead in the process.” pg 98 A churches goal should be to become the greatest friend and best support a parent ever had.

Barna suggests that you can define success in a children’s ministry by three criteria:

1. There is widespread involvement of the parents in the spiritual development of the children.
2. The church is strategically equipping parents to help children develop spiritually.
3. These are transformations in children lives – not the mere recitation of facts, but lifestyle transitions that suggest a deeper renovation of the heart and spirit.

I also like Barna’s “Five Streams of Prayer Offered to God”

1. Prayer from Teachers about the youngsters
2. Teachers Praying as a Team
3. Intercessors praying for Children and Teachers
4. Entire Congregation praying for Children’s Ministry
5. Parents praying for their children and teachers.

Barna also observed the effective ministries tend to provide three important elements in balance:

1. Ministries convey important information and lessons in what the student relates to
2. Ministries are keenly responsive to the adult-child ratio in their activities.
3. Ministries balance activities done in small groups with those done in a large group setting.
   

I think this is incredible information to digest. In January we are going to be moving into a brand new children’s building. This is a great opportunity to reevaluate many area of our children’s ministry and it’s effectiveness. Especially, how the church relates to the efforts to teach and train our children.

As Pastor, I have much to ponder in this area.