The kids ministry at Almond Vineyard has been growing in leaps and bounds over the years. This does not happen by accident. It's the result of hours of planning, preparation and prayer by the leaders of the groups and the overseers.
On Sunday 23rd January we had an All Age Service. We've been dong these once a month for a while now, lead my Phil and Jude Merriweather. This week we crossed a threshold. For years the volunteers have been training the children in the ministry of the Holy Spirit. They are at the point now where they freely and easily pray for healing, recieve words and pictures from God and encourage each other in the spirit. The tables turned on a traditional view of sunday school this week. We invited the children to pray for the adults at the end of the service. Tradition would say - children should be seen and not heard. The Bible disagrees. Tradition may say - sunday school is something we put kids through to make sure they turn out okay. Jesus would disagree. Tradition would say - What do kids know? The Bible says we must become like them to inherit the kingdom.
As the team of children crowded round each adult, sitting on a chair they were blessed by their powerful, faithful and simple prayers. Surely the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these.
I'm new to Vineyard Kids, but not that new to Kids. I always feared that Sunday School was about brainwashing children before they even have a chance to think for themselves. Now I can see that if I am turly to get to know Jesus better I have a LOT to learn from these young people.
Chatting to some 8 year olds recently we reasoned together:
"How old are you?"
"8"
"How old do you think I am?"
"30...14...25..."
"I'm 28. So I'm 20 years older than you. How old is God?"
"Older than anything, because he always was."
"Right so compared to God....you and I are pretty much the same age."
"Good point."
We are all God's children. Some of us are taller and wrinklier than others, but we are all Vkids in his eyes.
During the worship time some of the smaller people and taller people painted some pictures of things to do with God and life with Him.
On Sunday 23rd January we had an All Age Service. We've been dong these once a month for a while now, lead my Phil and Jude Merriweather. This week we crossed a threshold. For years the volunteers have been training the children in the ministry of the Holy Spirit. They are at the point now where they freely and easily pray for healing, recieve words and pictures from God and encourage each other in the spirit. The tables turned on a traditional view of sunday school this week. We invited the children to pray for the adults at the end of the service. Tradition would say - children should be seen and not heard. The Bible disagrees. Tradition may say - sunday school is something we put kids through to make sure they turn out okay. Jesus would disagree. Tradition would say - What do kids know? The Bible says we must become like them to inherit the kingdom.
As the team of children crowded round each adult, sitting on a chair they were blessed by their powerful, faithful and simple prayers. Surely the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these.
I'm new to Vineyard Kids, but not that new to Kids. I always feared that Sunday School was about brainwashing children before they even have a chance to think for themselves. Now I can see that if I am turly to get to know Jesus better I have a LOT to learn from these young people.
Chatting to some 8 year olds recently we reasoned together:
"How old are you?"
"8"
"How old do you think I am?"
"30...14...25..."
"I'm 28. So I'm 20 years older than you. How old is God?"
"Older than anything, because he always was."
"Right so compared to God....you and I are pretty much the same age."
"Good point."
We are all God's children. Some of us are taller and wrinklier than others, but we are all Vkids in his eyes.
During the worship time some of the smaller people and taller people painted some pictures of things to do with God and life with Him.
Conor Hull
Vkids helper
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