Children Are Not Our Future.

Sometimes you hear people say that kids and youth are the future of the church…... I respectfully disagree. They are the now of the church. Our young people are part of the church here and now, today. They are valuable members of the body here at DAC.

“Repent and be baptised, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” (Acts 2:38) Note, who the message is for: ‘for you and your children’. Later, Paul addresses children as part of the church who would be reading his letter: "Children, obey your parents in the Lord” (Ephesians 6:1). They are not only addressed as church members, but ‘in the Lord’. We pray our kids would make their own decision to follow Christ and live for Him all their days.

As such parenting = discipling. Parents are to pray for, teach and nurture their kids in the faith. It is also true that our Kids and Youth ministry = discipling. It is not just to keep the kids busy while parents are in church. It is to grow them in Christ. It is a crucial cornerstone ministry at DAC.

Sarah Doughton is our Children's and Youth Minister, and puts it this way:

Kids and Youth ministry is vital in nurturing faith from an early age. It connects children to God, to each other as part of the church family, and to the wider world in need of Jesus. Passionate leaders and SRE teachers share the message of Christ with joy, laying strong spiritual foundations. We partner with parents, the primary disciplers, to support children in their walk with God. As they grow into youth, our focus shifts to building resilient disciples who understand God’s Word deeply and are equipped to follow Him for life. These ministries invest in the next generation of Christ-followers with purpose and hope. Praise God for the youth and kids who have made a decision to follow Jesus recently, God is growing his kingdom of all ages!!

I commend Sarah and her great teams for your regular prayers.

Grace and Peace,
Mark