Goals & Components

Goal of Children's Ministries At SBCC

Believing that it is the primary responsibility of parents to raise children in the knowledge and nurture of the Lord, we seek to provide resources and training as support for this home-based discipleship of children at SBCC.

The cornerstone of our ministry is found in Deuteronomy 6:1-9. We are commanded to love the Lord with all our heart, soul and strength and to impress this upon our children. We also believe the children are to be a vital part of church body life and therefore are included in church discipleship.

Several principles drive our ministry:

1. We seek to be God-centered, knowing that it is He who will draw the children to Himself, not our own efforts.
(Ephesians 2:4,8-9)

• We depend entirely on the work of God's Spirit to produce fruit in the lives of all people at church, including the children. Therefore, we emphasize prayer as a pillar for the ministry.
(I Corinthians 2:13-16)

• We seek workers who love God and are pursuing spiritual growth individually and in a home-group.

• We use God-centered Biblical materials in teaching.
(Deut. 8:3)

2. We promote the use of our resources in the home, believing that the Sunday program is but the tip of the ice berg in the children's Christian education.
(Deut. 6:7-9)

3. We seek to provide training and resources for parenting to the glory of God.

4. We desire to involve the children in the life of the church as a valued part of the body of Christ.
(I Corinthians 12:12-31)

Components of Children's Ministries At SBCC

I. SUNDAY PROGRAMS

Ministers involved in the Sunday program will seek to reflect their own relationship with Jesus Christ as they prepare age-appropriate activities or lessons that help children grow in their knowledge of God and His church.

Parents will seek to make use of the materials and resources for at-home Christian education.

Homegroup childcare is part of the church's function as the Body of Christ by:

• providing children opportunities to interact with adults other than their parents who love the Lord

• providing opportunities for childcare helpers to see God at work in other venues besides the adult worship service

• providing opportunities for helpers to serve the ones Jesus called to Himself (Matthew 18:5)

Children's Church:

The children's church program is to be a graduated experience of learning which has the goal of helping children understand worship and participation in church life in age-appropriate forms.

Sunday school:

Sunday school is to provide teaching of the Bible as a supplement for at home learning. It is to be a resource for parents to utilize in their children's Biblical instruction. Through the course of the preschool-6th grade Sunday school program, the children will be taught the "whole counsel of God" from Creation to Christ (See 'Scope and Sequence' Material for details of the curriculum)

Integration of the two:
Sunday school and children's church are united through the overarching goal of Children's Ministries (see above) as well as practically through scripture memory, seasonal themes (Advent, Christmas,) and creativity.

Teachers and children's church leaders are encouraged to support one another's work with the children by bringing crossover activities into their venues.

II. PARENTING ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES

• Children bring home materials for parents to incorporate into their discipleship plan for their children.

• Parents are encouraged to teach, aid or serve as children's church leaders actively participating in their child's Sunday experience and education. (This also allows parents to use the curriculum more effectively at home).

• Meetings are held periodically of a topical nature to provide education and encouragement to parents.

• Seasonal activities for in home devotional use are provided during Advent and Easter Week.

• Articles of parenting information and encouragement are printed in the church newsletter. Books are brought to parents' attention and provided for sale in church.

• In the near future we hope to provide service opportunities for families to support this part of their spiritual nurture.