Children's Ministry Task Force

The mission of the Children's Ministry Task Force is to speak up for kids. Our goal is to support Vineyard Churches as they reach out to kids by creating a body of peers who can provide support, encouragement and problem solving ideas.

1st row left to right: Mary-Margaret LeRoy, Becky Olmstead, Debbie Wichman, Jean Street, Lynda Chism, Linda Heselton, Jody Kingston
2nd row left to right: Cheryl Cecchini, Connie Thieman

What makes a Vineyard Kids’ Ministry different from any other Kids’ Ministry?

by Becky Olmstead

There are tons of curriculums available today that help teach kids the Bible. How can we know that our kids in Vineyard Churches are learning anything different from what the local Evangelical Church down the street is teaching their kids? What can we do to make sure that our Vineyard kids grow up to embody our Vineyard distinctive?

That’s where our 5 Vineyard values come in! We need to fully understand our values so that we can use those values as a lens to evaluate and adapt curriculum and the way we teach kids each week. Our job as Kids’ Ministry Leaders is to teach kids the Bible through the lens of our Vineyard values.

So, here are our 5 Vineyard Core Values as they are relevant to Kids Ministry -

*Kingdom Theology and Practice

The Kingdom of God is here… and is coming. We proclaim it with our words and by our actions. By Kingdom of God we mean that God is the King of the Universe; his Kingdom is expanded as people choose to follow him in obedience. In God’s Kingdom everyone gets to play (i.e. everyone gets to proclaim it in words and deeds, no matter who they are – young or old!)

*Culturally Relevant Mission

We want to reach kids with the message of Jesus using the language they speak and the methods that appeal to their generation. We want to empower kids to reach their generation at home and around the world with the message of Jesus, too.

*Compassionate Ministry

We help the poor, the lonely, and the hurting in practical ways; so we can express Jesus’ love to them with the same attitude as if we were serving Jesus himself.

*Reconciling Community

We will seek to build friendships between kids, moving them beyond their personal preferences so that they will engage others who may be unlike themselves. In our Kids’ Communities we will actively work to break down prejudices between kids that may be caused by gender, race, culture, social class, age, or ethnicity.

*Experiencing God

God is searching for his lost children, and longs to draw them into a close, personal relationship with himself. We will welcome God’s personal presence into our Kids’ Communities, and help kids learn how to be attentive and responsive to God, while avoiding “hype” or efforts to manipulate kids’ responses.

Tip ‘O the Month:

Jean Street, the Regional Children’s Task Force Leader from the Midwest Region, has created a wonderful brochure that shows kids how to become a forever friend of God from a Kingdom of God perspective. Use the language taken from her brochure to help you share with your kids how they, too, can join God’s Kingdom as his forever friend!

A kingdom is a place where a king is in charge. God has a kingdom, but it is not just for him. He wants to share it with people.

God’s kingdom is a place where things are done God’s way. What do you think are some of the ways God likes things to be? Happy (Psalm 68:3), peaceful (Col. 3:15), a place where there is no fear (I John 4:18), a place where people know real love (I John 4:9-10), and understand true joy (John 16:23-24).

The Bible is a book that tells us about God and his Kingdom. It tells us that God made a way for us to be with him. He sent Jesus! Jesus came to earth to tell people about the good news of his Kingdom. He taught people, healed the ones who were sick, and showed people another way to live. Jesus is King! But not only that – he wants us to be friends with each of us! He’ll be a forever friend and let us always be in his Kingdom.

But we can’t just walk into God’s Kingdom. We can’t just ride bikes or skateboard there, either. In fact, the only way to get there is to ask Jesus to let us into his Kingdom.

It’s as easy as A-B-C to get into God’s Kingdom!

A - is for admit that you have done bad things (sin). Everyone does bad things.

B – is for believe that Jesus made a way for us to get into the Kingdom. Someone has to pay the price when we sin. We can either take the punishment ourselves or let Jesus.

C – is for choose to be Forever Friends with Jesus.

If you want to be in God’s Kingdom and be Forever Friends with Jesus, let’s talk with God right now.

“Dear Jesus, Thank you for dying on the cross and being punished for the bad things I’ve done. Please forgive me and be my forever friend. Thank you for your promise to be with me always. Help me to learn about life in your Kingdom. Amen.”

Congratulations! You have just made the most important decision in your life! Here are some things that you will want to do to help you learn more about the Kingdom of God:

• Talk to Jesus every day (pray)
• Read your Bible (or have someone read it to you)
• Go to church to be with others who are in God’s Kingdom
• Tell someone that Jesus is your Forever Friend!

Remember – being in God’s Kingdom means that we want to try to do things God’s way and not our own way!