“We will not hide them from their descendants;
we will tell the next generation
the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord,
his power, and the wonders he has done.”
Psalm 78:4

Children’s ministry is more than an activity to fill time—it’s discipleship. It moves from being just activity to becoming discipleship when we help our kids know God’s truths, apply those truths, and live a life demonstrating those truths.

Most of our kids are concrete learners by elementary school, so the activities, illustrations, games, and crafts help. But we can’t see the activities as the sole purpose of our ministry. I want to share three steps that I hope will be an encouragement to keep discipleship as the heart of our children’s ministries.

Children’s ministry is not just an activity;
it is discipleship.

1. Teach God’s Word

This almost goes without saying, but it’s still a good reminder: children need to hear and know God’s Word.

Teaching God’s Word and Bible literacy, encouraging kids to memorize his Word, and helping them understand it truly makes a difference. It sticks, and those truths will “be in [their] hearts” and they can “talk about them when [they] sit in [their] house and when [they] walk along the road, when [they] lie down and when [they] get up” (Deut. 6:6-7). From infancy infant to elementary school, we can teach God’s Word to our kids so they know his truths and learn to walk in them.

Matthew 6:9–13 comes to my mind often, and I know I learned it in children’s ministry. It started as a memorization, then moved into a passage I would repeat for comfort. As I have grown in my faith, though, Matthew 6 has become a study of surrender, trust, forgiveness, and purpose that comes to mind often.

What started as an act of memorization in children’s ministry has grown into a lifelong way of learning about and walking with God. My understanding of the verse grew as I have grown in my faith, and the seeds of memorization bore fruit.

When they are young, our kids are like sponges and can take in so much information. Memorizing Scripture comes more naturally. As they grow they begin to process and synthesize that information. So, they may not grasp John 3:16 in all its beauty and depth at 6 years old, but they can hide it in their heart and as they grow their understanding of it can as well.

We must make sure that the time our kids spend in children’s ministry gets them into Scripture! Those seeds can take root and flourish as we disciple them in God’s Word.

2. Answer Their Questions

As our kids learn more about God’s Word, we need to help them understand how God’s truth applies to life and answers some of the biggest questions they and the world are asking.

These questions and applications will look different depending on their ages. Regardless of how old they are or what kind of questions they are asking, listen and lead them to the gospel every time. This is part of how they learn that Scripture applies to their life.

Sometimes their questions are very specific. Many of us can probably remember times as children when we asked questions about what is good or bad, why sad things happen, or where we come from. The answers to questions like these make up what we call worldview. Worldview is how we interpret the world, and it influences our decisions in life.

As we disciple our children to know who God is, how he has ordered the world, what his purposes are, and what our role is in his plan, we are helping them shape their worldview through God’s lens.

Research by Barna states that a child’s worldview grows increasingly established by the time they are 13 years old. That’s before they finish middle school!

Consequently, discipleship during the years kids are in children’s ministry is critical to helping them understand the answers to some of the most important questions in life.

So whether we are serving in the nursery, the two-year-old class, or with 4th graders, the Bible stories, the songs, and the truths of God are already helping our kids see the world through a biblical worldview. Discipling our kids at every age makes such a difference!

Listen to their questions and watch for intentional moments to help our kids apply the gospel as they grow and learn from God’s Word.

3. Live It

Finally, as we seek to disciple through our children’s ministries, we want children to live what they learn. We want them to practice memorizing Scripture and reading God’s Word. We want their lives to reflect the convictions of God’s answers to their questions.

Our kids are in all different stages of learning, but we can still support them by encouraging them as they grow. We can also support the families in our children’s ministries as they continue to disciple at home.

Ultimately, though, one of the greatest roles we may hold in helping our children live what they learn is through our own witness. Our kids must see the fruit of the gospel in our lives as leaders. We must consistently practice what we teach in order to model its importance and the life-changing nature of the gospel.

Do we memorize Scripture and know the difference it makes in our lives? Does our attitude reflect contentment in God’s good plan? Does our love reflect the truth that each person is made in God’s image? Does our commitment reflect our belief that we have been purposefully called by God?

As we seek to disciple in our children’s ministries, we must also actively be living as disciples of Christ so that others see the goodness and strength of God displayed in our own lives. Then, we can encourage our kids to live and walk in that same goodness and strength.

Children’s ministry is not just an activity; it is discipleship. The opportunity we have in children’s ministry matters. Our kids are learning so much and are asking so many good questions.

May we remember that it is our privilege to “tell a future generation the praiseworthy acts of the Lord, his might, and the wondrous works he has performed.” May we demonstrate the life-changing difference the gospel makes in our lives as we disciple the next generation.

Rachel Woodard works in editing and serves alongside her husband, Ben, who is pastor to children and young families at their church in Georgia. She grew up on the mission field and holds a Master’s in Intercultural Studies. Rachel loves using writing to encourage the church and discuss missions.

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