Hey there, Courtney here, and I’ve got an exciting post for you today. Not only do we have an incredible guest blogger, Tony Kummer, joining us today, but we also have a short interview with him as well!
I had the privilege of meeting Tony last week at the Kids Ministry Conference, and if you haven’t checked out his blog, well, where have you been? No, seriously, Ministry-To-Children is a great resource for Kids Ministers, and you at least need to go check out his humorous video from last week’s conference featuring our own blogger Bill Emeott. Let’s just say it involves a fog machine and a fire alarm.
Check out my interview with Tony and the social media tips he gives Kids Ministers, and his guest blog post on overchurched kids:
Using Social Media in Ministry with Tony Kummer from Lifeway Kids on Vimeo.
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How Much Church is Too Much for Kids?
That’s probably a new question for you. In children’s ministry, we’re usually more concerned with getting kids to come to church. “Un-churched” for families who have no religious background. They have an obvious need to discover the love of God through a believing community of Jesus-followers. Their lack of knowledge is a barrier to them knowing Christ.
But have you ever thought too much knowledge can become a barrier too?
Think about the most faithful families in your church. Many times, their kids attend Christian schools and benefit from family devotions in the home. These are the kind of children know the Bible stories better than some of their Sunday School teachers. They can recite the Books of the Bible and quote hundreds of verses from memory.
Here’s the problem. This religious knowledge can give those kids a sense of superiority. They start to think God is impressed with their accomplishments or that He might even own them certain blessings because they have been faithful.
Does that sound familiar?
It should, because it’s the same attitude that kept the Pharisees from following Jesus. At a certain point their exposure to religion actually worked against their faith in Christ. They were too convinced of their own righteousness to accept a Savior who demanded repentance. They would never tolerate a message that was grace alone without respect to their achievements. Being “over-churched” in this sense is just as dangerous as being “un-churched.”
Is less church the answer?
We all know that two wrongs don’t things right. So, less involvement with the people of God is certainly not the answer. What these children need is more Gospel. They need to see their own sin on the cross. They need to come face-to-face with Jesus and discover what the goods news is really all about. They need your prayers. Most of all they need God to work the miracle of new birth in their life.
If this topic has your attention, you can read more about overchurched children on my blog. I’d love to hear about your experience in reaching these kids for Christ.
Tony Kummer is a Kids Pastor from Indiana. He’s the founder of Ministry-To-Children, a free online resource for anyone serving in children’s ministry.
