Children’s Small Groups:
The Aim of the Children's Ministry
The aim of the Children’s Ministry:
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To work with the senior pastor to bring about the vision and goals he has for the church
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To pray for the children and their families
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To be a resource for the Church
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To train new workers for the children's ministry and be involved in training leaders, etc.
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To give children the opportunity of living out small group values
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To empower and involve parents
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To build strong relationships with a small group of children
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To help assimilate children into small groups
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To help new small groups establish the Kids’ Slot
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To provide materials for Kids’ Slot in the small groups
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To facilitate Equipping/Encounter weekends in conjunction with the small groups
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To reach the unreached children
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To support small groups as they reach out to unsaved children
When transitioning the Children's Ministry, children's small groups are an essential part of giving all children the opportunity of experiencing small group life. They will release children into their schools, streets, and homes and can also be good preparation for taking their place in intergenerational small groups with their parents.
In children's small groups, they minister and are discipled as they love God, love each other, and love those who are lost to Jesus.
Training for, and more details about, implementing these can be found in Generational Transformation. This book gives practical ideas of how to implement small groups within the context of Sunday Children's Ministry and provides reproducible training for all those wishing to release children in this way.
Children's small groups consist of children (about a 3 year age band) who meet together to experience life with the same values and format as are found in groups where adults are a part. Although the format may be uniform, the content will vary according to the age of the children.
Whilst each group needs an adult to facilitate, the eventual aim is to raise children to lead them with adult support.
When adults are in small groups, themselves, they will have good modeling to release children to be facilitators.
Children's groups can be mobilized by parents, adults, or intergenerational small groups, and may be held anywhere children meet together.