:: AIP#42 - FAQ's: What Will Kids' Ministry Look Like? ::

[Part 1 of 10 in answering some FAQ's about The City Church]

Two weeks ago, we had a group of parents, teachers, nannies, church children's ministers, and other great folks over to our house to dream up the foundation of "Kid City." An incredible, encouraging evening, we started with the question, "regardless of 'models' and what we're used to, how can our kids ministry best reflect the gospel, and what we see about kids in the Bible?"

Here are some of the answers we came up with:

• Kids should be part of outreach/mission
• The church body should become an "extended family" for kids
• We must do everything we can to instill parental responsibility for their kids' spiritual lives; we must promote the gospel call of pareting
• We should expect that kids will influence their culture, just as adults will influence theirs
• We must call kids to "step up" instead of "watering down" concepts, while at the same time keeping vocabulary, etc. simple
  
• Find balance of family worship and age-specific times at church gatherings
• Kids are an integral part of the body - they're not the "next generation"; they're part of the family NOW!
• And more...

Great concepts; great conversation. So how will this look practically? As of now, the plan is for Kid City to develop in three initial phases:

• Pre-launch (this fall's Village): Kids will join in on weekly gatherings, and we will all eat and talk about life together. Then each week, approved and background-checked folks who are part of our core group will rotate through taking the kids into a different room for "intentional childcare" - playing and maybe a few simple spiritual questions.
• Our "launch" (beginning January 2010, multiple Villages): We will ultimately leave the decision up each Village for how they want to handle childcare, but our hope and goal is that they will follow the pattern we start this fall: everyone is together for the meal and conversation, then people in each Village [Village people?] will rotate through ministering to their Village's kids each week. The main difference is that we're working over the fall to develop simple-to-lead, Jesus-centered, kid-friendly, and fun "lessons" for the 2010 Villages, so there's intentional kids ministry happening each week.
• When All-Church Gatherings begin (sometime in 2010): When we settle into the normal rhythm of "City life," parents will bring children to Kid City on Sundays where they a safe, fun, Jesus-centered ministry awaits them, while parents celebrate God together for the majority of our All-Church Gathering time. Toward the end of our time together, parents are welcome to bring their kids into the Gathering for closing songs and communion as a family. As another option, parents are of course welcome to bring their kids into the Gathering with them, for family worship.
  
  Either way, parents will be sent home with follow-up questions (answers included!) and activities to do with their kids each week, and will provide the basis for kids' discussion in your Village, continuing the same model as above. And the weeks we don't gather, but worship through serving our city and loving our neighbors, the goal is for kids to be right alongside the rest of the Village, doing their part to redeem the city!
  

There's the foundation, and the first step of Kid City. And since we're still in "theory stage," it will likely change some as we build it out. But it will take many of us working together for the glory of God and the good of our kiddos to see this unfold into the best kids ministry we can create. If you have questions, thoughts, or feedback, or want to be involved in developing Kid City, post below or email Ben.

Tomorrow's FAQ: What Will Student/College Ministry Look Like?