Parents and serving ones from throughout Southern California and from as far away as Texas attended a Children’s Work Perfecting Conference on October 15, 2011 in Diamond Bar, California. Although the children’s work may seem only peripherally related to young working saints (since some of us are parents and/or serving ones), according to the conference messages, which were based on Lessons 10—12 of the recently published Raising Up the Next Generation for the Church Life, every saint should be involved with caring for the children.
This is part 1 of a 3-part installment on the messages given at this conference. Each post will include a brief summary followed by the link to each audio message.
Isn’t the children’s service set up just to have some designated serving ones watch my kids so that I can be in the meetings?
The children’s work is not mainly a matter of childcare but of fruit-bearing, and every believer is called by the Lord to bear remaining fruit (John 15:16). Although we may not see the results of our labor with the children as immediately as we might in shepherding a college student, who can prophesy the next day in a meeting, there is in fact no labor more profitable than caring for the children. The most uncomplicated time of people’s life is their childhood, when they are not weighed down and occupied by the cares of this life, a fully developed natural constitution, and worldly distractions. Because of children’s unparalleled receptivity and the length of time remaining in their lives, whatever is deposited in them (positively and negatively) will have a multiplied impact on them as compared to what they receive later in life.
Isn’t the children’s service carried out only by the serving ones and only on the Lord’s day? What does it have to do with me as a parent?
There should be many locations for the children’s work, because every saint should open his home and have a children’s meeting in his home. The meetings can also be held at different times according to the children’s schedule, and we can use different methods to conduct the children’s meetings. The households with children can take the initiative to open their homes and ask their children to invite other children in the neighborhood; by doing so, we will be able to contact other children’s parents and preach the gospel to them and to their relatives. This is the principle of our gospel work; the more people we contact, the better.
Audio of Message 1 (Click to play or right-click and “Save-link as…” to download)
WOW! MUST LISTEN!
“The children’s meeting is the most important thing in the church-life.”
I am deeply touched and impressed that in order to have age-turning generation, we parents and saints need to live before the Lord and before our children in our mingled spirit enjoying the Lord and living an uplifted life.
When our brother said, the children’s work is to cultivate and nurture the next generation, and when he said, “they [our children] are not only the key for our continuation but they are also the key for the Lord’s return”, I was reminded of the song “Lord, Your Return” on which, part of stanza 2 and 3 say,
2)A generation…
Lord, of them that seek Your face;
A remnant for You
Whose hearts are so true.
They’re those who just love You.
3)A generation…
With a goal to bring You back.
Their treasure is You,
You’re their future too.
They care for only You.
Lord, bless the children and bless the children’s work in all the local churches for Your return!
Amen! When we open to the Lord He puts His feeling and burden for the children within us. This is a long term service and takes patience with a slow pace. His burden gives us the endurance to continue to labor without noticing any outward change. We must labor as diligent farmers and render a continual supply of water to each one individually. We hope the Lord would bless the children and the children’s work greatly in these days. At the end of the age each day, week, month, and year for the children’s work is incredibly crucial; We sense this. “But do not let this one thing escape you, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years and a thousand years like one day”(2 Pet. 3:9). We must learn to render the Lord full cooperation knowing that He is long-suffering for His return. Dear Lord, raise up a generation that cares for Your eternal purpose and keep us faithful to the end!