Beware, children's leaders at work!Martyn Payne |
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Maybe children's workers have always been like this? Maybe the very nature of their calling makes it unavoidable? But whichever I look at it, it seems to me that those who work with children can be a subversive lot! And I for one am very glad they are! Working with children in the church means working 'from the underside' of that great edifice that is the people of God. If you do this work for any length time and with genuine commitment, you can't help but become an advocate for the child in the midst of this great living building. And indeed, it's not long before many of us begin to feel the frustrations of the children as they are asked to engage with worship that uses words they can neither understand nor read; others among us begin to feel the resistance of the children in our own hearts as they are invited to enjoy styles of services which either talk down to them or ask them to imitate what adults do rather allow them be truly childlike; it is sometimes the case that I, at least, along with my little flock, sigh with a degree of relief when we are excused - or is it released? - and we leave the main worship to enjoy instead the dynamic of relational learning that happens in our Sunday group. Speaking up for the children can be painful and get us into hot water. It often feels that, on behalf of the children, we are called to be prophetic about this restlessness with the status quo and of course it is never easy being a prophet! But what else can we do, if we really care about the nurture into faith of those for whom we have taken on responsibility? No wonder so many children's leaders in their lowest moments feel like screaming and long to turn the church quite literally upside down and start all over again. I wonder if you recognize something of your own situation in this brief outline? I know I do and at times it is certainly a demanding discipline of prayer and patience just to keep going. It seems that so much in the way that we do church together makes it hard for children either to have a voice of their own or even to hear God's voice for themselves. Now let me say from the outset, if your church has got all this right and everything is running smoothly, then you need read no further - but please do write in and let us know your secret! However, I somehow suspect that even in the most progressive and child-centred church communities there will still be many frustrations of this nature. Indeed the evidence for this is there in the fact that such a large number of children regularly 'graduate' from church, however wonderfully it was organized, and (apparently) abandon the faith in their teenage and adult years. Sadly, this is the reality of the situation and the very reason why our concerns and insights as children's leaders demand a hearing. Furthermore, what we have to say, I believe, has important consequences for the future mission, discipleship and worship of the church. Working 'from the underside' isn't easy. Our engagement with children - real encounters with the pains and the wonder of the lives of these little ones - pushes us into new thinking about so many things that are important to us as Christians. Let me unpack this in four areas in particular: So beware, children's leaders can be dangerous! They may begin radically to alter a church's thinking about the way in which we are spiritual beings; they may reshape ideas about the way people learn most effectively; they may open up debate about the nature of the sin that can lead to a deepened understanding of the cross and resurrection; they may well have important insights into what really matters when it comes to drawing close to God in worship. No wonder children's workers can be a subversive lot - and, for the future of the church, I am really glad they are. Aren't you? |
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