Connecting the Faith with Children

I have done a couple of days reading on my Commissioned Ministry project - and I'm just mulling over some stuff to see where I get. I think there are some massive challenges to the way churches currently work with children:

1. There is a challenge from the whole witness of Scripture - time and time again it is children who provide the turning point for God's people, the Bible affirms childhood, and the biblical festivals (e.g. Passover) assume the presence of children. Sending them away so that we adults can listen to a sermon (which none of us will remember or apply) seems contrary to the way children are treated in the Old and New Testaments. I think the children (and their Sunday School teacher - generally their mothers) are seriously undervalued, neglected, sidelined in our worship practices. "Children are created to praise God; they have a special role in silencing e enemies of God; they are at the heart of God's kingdom; they give unique insights into the natire of the kingdom of heaven; they are signs of God's future reign" (Keith White). How can we include and affirm children more effectively?

2. There is a challenge from the field of Child Theology - which reminds us that, in the context of a discussion of greatness in the kingdom of God, Jesus took a child, placed him/her in the centre of the gathering, and challenged His followers to become like the child. In our churches, we seem more concerned with the children growing up to be like us! How can we turn that round?

3. I have been fascinated by some of the work done on children's spirituality, and I wonder how much of the children's sunday school materials out there take it seriously. What would happen, for instance, if we all analysed our children's work according to how far it fulfils the spiritual categories of God-consciousness, people-consciousness, world-consciousness, and self-consciousness (Hay & Nye's categories). Or what about the child's need for significance, boundaries, community, and creativity (Keith White). How well do you think we do?

4. There are many challenges from the emerging churches, who are doing very bodld, creative things that are inclusive of children. "Messy Church" is one example. Do you know any others?