Ministry is wonderful, but ministry is even more wonderful when done from the heart, with joy, and as a family.
I grew up in a ministry home as a pastor’s daughter. My parents were wonderful examples of involving their children in ministry, and by involving us, they developed in us a heart for ministry. Ministry was hard work, but it was fun because we did it together. I have done my best to bring that philosophy of family ministry into our home and life as I serve with my husband and three boys on the mission field.
While there is something to be said for protecting our children from unnecessary hurt and from seeing the ugly side of working with people before they are ready, it is still important that they are involved in real ministry. And the best way my husband and I know to do this is to involve the whole family while serving God.
Here are a few ways we have worked to involve our children in ministry:
1. Promote ministry as a privilege, not a burden.
Children pick up on their parents’ attitudes (especially mom’s). Parents who are constantly trying to “protect their children from the woes of ministry” are usually miserable, and honestly, so are their kids. Serving Jesus is a joy. When Dad and Mom are happy about reading their Bibles, going to church, going soulwinning, and investing in others, their children will be also.
Yes, there are challenging and painful situations. We have experienced some, and if you are in ministry, you surely have as well. But even aside from how it affects our kids, my husband and I want our overall focus in ministry to be gratitude that we have the privilege of serving God. And as parents, that attitude will impact our kids as well.
Our children frequently hear us echo the sentiment of Missionary David Livingstone: “It’s not a sacrifice to serve the Lord; it is a privilege.”
2. Emphasize developing a personal relationship with God above what we do for God.
As we involve our children and encourage them to serve God, we want to make sure that they are developing a personal relationship with God. Of course, this begins with salvation. Our children are not Christians because their parents are in the ministry; they must each make a personal decision of faith in Christ. After they are saved, we also want to be sure they know that we don’t serve God to earn His favor but are motivated because of His love. “For the love of Christ constraineth us” (2 Corinthians 5:14).
With this in mind, my husband and I emphasize spiritual development in our home. Our children see us reading Scripture on our own. They see us in prayer. Similarly, we teach them to read their Bibles and encourage their time in prayer. As they personally experience the Holy Spirit illuminate and apply His Word to their lives and as they see answers to prayer, their excitement in the Lord grows. In our home, we wake our children up every morning for them to have personal devotional time, and they love it.
3. Find age-appropriate ways to involve children in ministry.
Kids are amazing, and they can develop a heart to serve the Lord in greater ways than their parents anticipate.
Often the greatest challenge for moms in involving children is that it’s difficult for them. But I want to encourage you to not allow having children to keep you from serving others, but to realize that part of your ministry is modeling biblical parenting. No parent is perfect, and you certainly should not feel pressure to be the first perfect parent. But as real moms raise real kids in ministry, new Christians learn how to serve the Lord with children. They see us struggling with Sunday mornings, training children to sit in church, discipling our children, sending “I have got to go home now” messages with our eyes to our husbands, and it helps them see how families grow in grace together. As moms, we need to be faithful with our kids in going to church, soulwinning, attending activities, hosting, and serving. Sure, there is balance and there are seasons, but always be working toward personal engagement and involving your children.
Children can help in many ways. Ours have helped clean bathrooms, push the vacuum cleaner, straighten chairs, sing specials, assist in the sound booth, and hold welcome signs. And it’s not just our kids. All the kids in our church cannot wait until “Kid’s Involvement Night” when they get to run all the ministries (with help). It blesses so many hearts and convicts the adults when they see the children serve as ushers, pray for the offering, greet at the door, and sing.
Of course, there are times when that involvement is more for their development than their assistance. But it pays off. This week at a public school outreach, I got to watch my ten-year-old lead three children to the Lord. Last week, I watched my Micah (who has Down’s Syndrome) run the cameras for live-stream. Oh, how that blesses a mother’s heart! Our desire is that as they see the joy in sharing the gospel and serving others, they will want to keep doing it for the rest of their lives.
4. Involve the whole family in hospitality in your home.
While our home is our family’s haven, we also believe it should often be open to others as we aspire to be “given to hospitality” (Romans 12:13). With this in mind, we have worked to develop in our boys a joy of hosting others and making them feel like part of the family when they are in our home. Maybe it is a teen who we are reaching out to, a single intern who is encouraged by spending time with a family, or a family we are discipling or investing in. But whoever we have over, our kids are happy to help get ready, tidy, cook, fire up the BBQ, then play with the little kids, sit and talk at the table, or play UNO with the visiting family. They love it! Why? Because we love it.
Ministry with your children does not have to be perfect, but it does have to be real. Share your family with others, and you will be surprised to discover that it is you and your children who receive the greatest blessing.
