Childlike Faith
Serving in King’s World, we sometimes feel that we are viewed as a well-organized “daycare”. Parents can attend worship, and King’s World will watch your kids for you. This is definitely not the general consensus, but it has been heard from time to time. So, this story was especially encouraging to our staff and volunteers.
One Sunday, a husband and wife asked if I had a few minutes to speak with them. They had just come from praying with a Pastor in the Fireside Room, and they were anxious to announce that they were my newest Brother and Sister in Christ! There were tears still lingering in their eyes, but their faces glowed with joy. Here is how they got to this precious moment in time…
They had been invited to attend a ParentBaby Dedication in support of some friends. They came reluctantly due to their upbringing and how that resulted in a view of God as a harsh, punishing Judge. “Church” was not a place they would choose to go, no matter what denomination, but they chose to support their friends and watch as they dedicated their newborn baby. Along for the ride, were their 3 children, 2 of which were in Elementary school and the youngest was in Pre-K. The parents endured the service and assumed that they would never return.
"There were tears still lingering in their eyes, but their faces glowed with joy."
That afternoon, their children told them story after story about what fun they had experienced while in King’s World. They sang fun music, they saw a cool story about somebody really old, and they got to meet new friends while playing games. Throughout the week, their children’s enthusiasm continued, resulting in an unexpected request to go back to King’s World on Sunday. The elementary age children were diligent in their requests, so much so, that Mom and Dad reluctantly agreed to take them back for just one more visit.
Well, that Sunday turned into months of weekly Sunday mornings, joyfully rising from bed, quickly getting dressed in anticipation of seeing what fun was awaiting them in King’s World. The children were asking to pray before meals and at other random times throughout the day. They would often comment about how God loved them and how they needed to trust God. These conversations captured Mom and Dad’s attention and encouraged them to pay closer attention to the messages that were being taught in the adult services.
God finally captured this couple’s attention and penetrated their resistant hearts, moving them to make that important decision to follow Him. They were in awe of how God used their young children to draw them to Jesus. God worked in the hearts of these youngest of believers knowing that in due time, their Mom and Dad would believe, too!
On Sunday mornings in King’s World, we are diligently investing in the children who enter our doors. We trust that God will move through these children, no matter how young, to affect the entire family. Our hope is to capture the hearts of children at the very earliest of ages so that they know with confidence that Jesus wants to be their friend and that they can trust God, no matter what! As adults, we need to trust these same truths!