Will Our Children Have Faith?

 

What a joy it is to me a grandparent:  to be with grandchildren… to witness their discovery of things in life that so often I take for granted… to  share with them about my life and to have them teach me stuff of life that I had forgotten or have never known.  

Recently, some of our grandchildren attended an event at their church that was not called Vacation Bible School, but it certainly sounded like Vacation Bible School as I knew it as a child.   For several days, our grandchildren went to their church and had fun with friends… enjoyed snacks and play time… and learned more about what it means to follow Jesus.   I was around them shortly after the event and asked them what they had been doing.   One told me how that she learned that God loves her no matter what and there is nothing that we can do that can stop God from loving her.   One of the other grandchildren told us that she had been reading the gospel of Matthew and she was learning a lot about Jesus and it was so fascinating.

As both pastor and grandparent, their experiences at this childrens event gladdened my heart and it reminded me of how important they are in the life of the church and the lives of children.   I can still remember how Vacation Bible School was in my  learning about Jesus as a child.   Though I cannot say that I gave my life to Christ at Vacation Bible School,  I can say that it was a foundation for that commitment to Christ that came a few years later.   I know from experience that it is often hard to recruit volunteers to work with children at events like Vacation Bible School.  Yet, those interactions with two of my grandchildren recently reminded me of how important it is to the spiritual health of children and of future generations.

Years ago when I was in seminary at Duke, one of the professors at Duke, John Westerhoff, wrote a book titled Will Our Children Have Faith.      Often times, their faith is formed not through what takes place in a church sanctuary, but  in a children or youth event like Vacation Bible School.   My grandchildren are worth the effort, and I believe the faith of your children and grandchildren are worth it too.  For their sake and for Christ’s sake, let us teach the children.  Have a joy-filled week.-  Pastor Randy Wall

 

PRAYER

    God, I thank you for the gift of children in my life and in my community.  Help me to tell them the stories of Jesus in word and deed that they might know you;  Through Christ our Lord.   Amen.