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Exams are over! Joy for children and relief for parents. The end of exams heralds the beginning of the summer season. And summer at New Life A. G. means Children’s Summer Outreach, Kid’s Konvention and Youth Alive’s Summer for Jesus. We take our ministry to children and youth very seriously at NLAG. We hire extra help in the office just to prepare for these summer ministries. We have been working for over a month getting material ready for our outreach programs. We already have five children’s outreach programs scheduled for this coming week.

This year we are equipping our brightest and best workers—our children! We are delighted to partner with Child Evangelism Fellowship of India’s program “Children Reaching Children.” Representatives from CEF are in our Sunday school today to train our children to be evangelists. Each child from Primary throughTeens classes will be given their own copy of the Wordless Book and taught how to use it as a tool to witness for Jesus. Parents, please encourage your little evangelists!

Can a child minister? Samuel did. As a very young child his mother Hannah gave Samuel back to God and His service. From that young age, and for his entire life, he served the Lord faithfully. Sometimes we feel that children have little to offer. That was the disciples’ response: “There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish; but how far will they go among so many?” (John 6:9) Basically they were saying, “He is only a child. What he has is not significant.” However, the lad’s lunch, yielded to the Master, was a blessing to thousands. A child can be an effective witness to his friends.

Jesus valued the ministry of children. When the chief priests and scribes were indignant at the worship of children in the temple, Jesus reminded them that the Old Testament declared that “from the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise” (Matthew 21:15-16). Children should be involved in ministry. Too often we wait for them to become adults before permitting them to use their God-given desire and talents. We make them spectators in the stands instead of participants in church life. Then when we want them to become involved, we discover that they have been trained to be spectators.

Parents, involve your children in leading family devotions. Devotion is not something done to a child, it is something he does. Allow him or her to choose the Scripture reading and guide the family in worshipping God. Sunday school teacher, allow your children to present a portion of the lesson through role play, drama or puppets. This active involvement builds a child’s positive self-image. It has a great impact on a child when the teacher thanks him for his contribution to the class.

Carecell leaders, if you have not yet planned your Summer Children’s Outreach, please contact the office right away. Make use of the opportunity to reach the children in your neighbourhoods.

Jesus considered children of great worth. “He took a little child and had him stand among them. ‘Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.’” (Mark 9:36-37) Jesus has not changed. As we reach out to these little ones today, we receive Christ—His nature, His love, His concern, His attitudes.