spiritual disciplines

Discipleship, Kids Ministry, Leadership, Spiritual Disciplines

May 14, 2018

4 Disciplines for a Disciple-building Kids Ministry

Over the years I have shared the “3 Ds” of a child’s spiritual journey, (Discover, Discern, Decide). As evangelical people, we’ve intentionally placed evangelism as the focus of our ministries but I’m concerned that in many of our churches we have dropped the ball with discipling past the point of conversion. It’s time we focus on a fourth D, DISCIPLESHIP.

One of my favorite books is Richard Foster’s “Celebration of Discipline.” It’s where most of my thoughts regarding spiritual disciplines have originated and continue to contemplate and grow. I want to share four of these as we think about creating a Disciple-Growing Kids Ministry.

Solitude: Spending time alone with God, meditating and focusing on His nature and His character.

“Be still and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10

Being still in a busy world and allowing that silence to increase our awareness of God’s presence and guidance is not easy. Including prayer and meditation in our very busy lives is difficult but the Bible is clear:

“Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” Philippians 4:8

Children can pray (and should) and we must teach them how. Children can say their own prayers, pray when others are praying, know the Model Prayer, pray Scripture, participate in sentence prayers, and they can create a prayer journal.

Children can get quiet and think about and listen to God (and they should). Children can identify and think about the characteristics of God. It’s been said that children can be still for one minute for every year old they are. Start there.

Bible Study: Intentionally reading, studying, and memorizing the Bible.

“If you continue in my word, you really are my disciples. You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31-32

Reading the Bible renews our minds so that we have the thoughts, beliefs, and attitudes of Christ. But we must go beyond simply reading the Bible to studying, comprehending, and understanding the Scriptures.

A fundamental way of filling our minds with what it needs is to memorize Scripture. The purpose of memorizing Bible verses should be to understand the verse in addition to reciting it. Hiding God’s Word in our hearts is the beginning of pure living.

“I have treasured your word in my heart so that I may not sin against you.” Psalm 119:11

Children can read the Bible (and should). Children can study the Bible (and should). Children can memorize age-appropriate Bible verses and phrases (and should). Kids Ministry leaders must place priority on Bible reading, meditation, and memorization as we equip kids for a successful spiritual journey.

Worship: Responding to the overtures of love from the heart of God.

“Our Lord and God, you are worthy to receive glory and honor and power, because you have created all things and by your will they exist and were created.” Revelation 4:11

Be insistent that the Object of your worship is the One True God. Jesus said:

“You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.” Matthew 4:10

Worship involves our whole being. When asked, Jesus told the scribes the greatest commandment was

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.” Mark 12:30

Children can worship (and should). Children can participate in different aspects of congregational worship. They can sing, they can pray, they can give, and they can listen and observe (and they should).

Jesus taught that if we don’t praise Him, “the very rocks will cry out” (Luke 19:40). As Kids Ministry leaders we need to be busy putting a few rocks out of business.

Service: Becoming a servant of others.

“Little Children, let us not love in word or speech, but in action and in truth.” 1 John 3:18

“But be doers of the word, not hearers only deceiving yourself.” James 1:22

True service builds humility. In his book, Celebration of Discipline Richard Foster says, “Nothing disciplines the inordinate desires of the flesh like service, and nothing transforms the desires of the flesh like serving in hiddenness.”

In choosing to be a servant, we surrender the right to decide who and when we will serve. We become available, vulnerable, and Christlike! Christ was a servant. To be Christlike, we will strive to be servants, too.

“Jesus knew that the Father had given everything into his hands, that he had come from God, and that he was going back to God. So he got up from supper, laid aside his outer clothing, took a towel, and tied it around Himself. Next, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet and to dry them with the towel tied around him.” John 13:3-5

Children can serve (and should). Children need to be less occupied with themselves and more interested in the needs of others. Children can be made aware of others needs and expected to show the love of God in their actions.

Kids ministry should be an equipping ministry, equipping kids and helping to equip families. If we’re not equipping kids with the skills to live as growing, loving, followers of Jesus Christ we’re just playing. Teaching kids spiritual practices, habits … yes, spiritual disciplines must become the core of who we are and undergird everything we do. If not, we’re just playing and not equipping.

Bill Emeott serves as Lead Ministry Specialist for Lifeway Kids. He is a graduate of Mercer University and New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and has served as a Kid’s Minister. Bill currently teaches 3rd Grade Bible study.

Encouragement, Prayer, Training

January 2, 2014

Fasting: Teaching Kids Spiritual Disciplines

By Bill Emeott

Here are some practical ways to teach kids about fasting through experience with short and intentional opportunities.

Of all the disciplines, fasting is probably the one I have personally practiced the least. For those of you who know me, that doesn’t come as a surprise. Denying myself food doesn’t come easy to me. While many of us have bought into the idea that unless we’re having three large meals (and several snacks in between) every day, we’re starving ourselves. The truth is that many of us could easily cut back and even find ourselves healthier. In Matthew 6:16 Jesus gives some instruction on fasting. Verse 16 starts with, “When you fast…” not “If you fast…” That would say to me that it’s something we are to do.

Scripture refers to fasting as abstaining from food for spiritual purposes. Normally fasting includes abstaining from all food, solid or liquid, but not water. Occasionally, we find what has been called an “absolute fast.” or an abstaining from both food and water. That appears to be for desperate measures to meet dire emergencies. For the purposes of this post (and when dealing with kids), I want us to consider a partial fast or a restriction of one’s diet but not a total abstention. Daniel talks a little about this in chapter 10.

Here are some practical ways to fast with kids:

Make different choices. For a period of time, choose healthy foods for snacking. Instead of cookies, choose carrots. Instead of soda choose water. Instead of fast food, choose nutritious meals.
Abstain from sweets. Lead kids to not eat sugar-based foods (candy, cake, pastries) for a designated time.
A digital fast. As a family, decide to fast from technology. This could be as simple as not using the DVD player in the minivan to complete abstinence for a week or month.
Grow from short to more intensive fasts. Don’t start with a 40 day, “no (fill in the blank)” fast that will be difficult to achieve. Start small and build on success.

Be intentional about helping kids understand why you’re fasting:

Fasting must center on God. If you fast for any reason other than to center on Him; His will and His desire, it will be in vain.
Fasting reminds us that God is our provider of every good and perfect gift. Help kids find this reality.
Fasting helps us focus. The point of a fast is to focus on a particular issue, need, concern, or desire. Determine the point and be very intentional to share and help kids understand.
Fasting is a discipline not a punishment. Don’t use the biblical discipline of fasting to ease your guilt or need to punish poor behavior.
Model biblical fasting. Kids learn more from what they see than what they simply hear. When teaching the discipline of fasting, know that you can’t lead kids to do something that you’re not willing to do yourself.
Don’t sell kids short. While the practice and understanding of biblical fasting will be best suited for older kids, teaching and allowing kids to participate in age-appropriate ways will lay foundations for deeper and more meaningful experiences in the future.

This inwardly expressed discipline (not publicly shared but a private matter between the individual and God) in its traditional sense should be approached with a lot of thought and care. For us to ignore this discipline would be a blatant disregard of Old and New Testament practice as well as Christ’s expectation shared in the Gospels.

Obviously, there are physical issues and limitations to consider and, quite frankly, fasting may not be for everyone — especially kids. You may want to check with a doctor before beginning a fast from food. But ultimately, I cannot think of a reason why we would ignore teaching about fasting and at some level help kids understand, through experience, short and intentional opportunities to practice what Jesus (and many Bible heroes) practiced.

What do you think?

We’ve been sharing ideas on how to teach kids spiritual disciplines over the past few weeks on this blog. I’ve become very challenged on this subject. While understanding the value of spiritual disciplines in my own life, I’ve really never purposefully considered helping kids develop and practice them. Please take a moment to go back and revisit some of the other posts on Spiritual Disciplines. I’ve found them very interesting and helpful.

Since 2003 Bill Emeott has served as a Kids Ministry Specialist for Lifeway. His passions include childhood ministry leadership training and development, leading children’s Bible Study, and being an Uncle! Bill has been teaching children at First Baptist Nashville for ten years.

Bibles, Training

November 27, 2013

Bible Reading: Teaching Kids Spiritual Disciplines

By Klista Storts

Bible reading can help cement the most important decision a child will ever make.

When I was six years old and our church was in a week-long revival, my dad, seeing me crying one night after a service, and believing I was under conviction, immediately whisked me in to talk with the evangelist. Kneeling at a metal folding chair, I repeated the words he told me.

Here’s where it’s fuzzy…I don’t remember a word of what he said…before, during, or after I knelt.

So, I tried it again at age 14. This time, though, I remember more. I came to the realization that I needed Christ as my Savior and Lord. It wasn’t enough just to love Him. I needed forgiveness. I needed His Lordship. So, I prayed “the prayer” I’d heard all my life. I prayed it with all my heart and I do believe that I was saved that day.

However… I don’t remember much after that. And in fact, to some degree doubted my salvation for many years. Why? I mean, I was in church every Sunday morning, Sunday night, and Wednesday night. I had fantastic parents who I know love the Lord. So why would this happen to someone like me?

What I needed was someone to come beside me and disciple me along the way. Someone to educate me in what it means to let Jesus be Lord of my life and not just a Saviour. That’s why it is so important that we encourage kids to become consistent in a quiet time of devotion, Bible reading and prayer each day; helping a child to cement the most important decision he’ll ever make in his life so that he never forgets how he felt that very first day.

This is what helps a good kid become a godly kid. This is what helps keep a young teen connected when the world around him says it’s not “cool.” This is what helps a college kid who’s away from home continue on his spiritual journey. And ultimately, what will help an adult whose memory can be a little fuzzy sometimes remember the greatest thing that ever happened to her.

One way to invest in the lives of kids daily is with these Devotions for kids.

Read these other posts:

Klista Storts serves as the Childhood Ministry Specialist. She is married to Gary and the mother of Brett and Blake… oh yea, and Mimi to her grand-daughter, Mia! Klista is passionate about laying foundations for conversion in the lives of preschoolers. Klista loves to ask the hard questions, so look out for her!