Children’s Ministry or Entertainment?

Over the years we have seen new ideas incorporated into children’s ministry such as; games, multi media, and technology at the expense of watering down the gospel message.

We use most of these methods during our Jubilee Gang events. However, the purpose of our events are not to just entertain and wow the children, but to lay a firm foundation from the word of God that they can build upon to strengthen their faith in Jesus.

Our Goal as the Jubilee Gang is to see as many men, woman, boys, and girls make a legitimate decision to be born again. To many time we have seen people herded to the altar to be saved without fully understanding what is happening to them.

True faith comes from the word of God, The Bible. Without teaching the bible in a way that people can understand they will not have faith to receive what is being offered to them.

If we play games for an hour, wow our audiences with multiple special effects and shout a few scriptures, then how do we expect them to be able to make a legitimate decision to follow Jesus?

We encourage people to use all these methods to teach, but the message cannot get lost in the methods. The word of God needs to always come first in everything we do and all these methods are used to reinforce the message.

By all means use all the new methods the world has to offer to make your lessons the more exciting. Make your Children’s Church the most exciting, spectacular, experience possible for children but, don’t replace sound biblical teaching and anointing with all fun and games. Ask yourself, do I want to have a service or a circus?

Children can get entertained by the world, play video games and hang out with their friends 166 hours per week. Why do we feel we need to duplicate that at church for the 2 hours per week we have them. We as the church have something different to give them. We have the thing they are lacking all week. lets give them more of God, help them grow in the word of God, help them to encounter God, and become more like God.

I’m not against using technology and modern methods of teaching & worship. I use them all. However its all about God. not about the lighting, media & fun and games. we use all that to re enforce what we are teaching. its not the main attraction. God is! If we strip all the stuff away are we left with anything of substance. I can take away all the stuff from our Jubilee Gang programs and still have a message that is relative and challenging to all ages and see life’s changed by God and people encountering God.

We must stay relevant to reach this generation. The message never changes, but the method must change. Games, multi media, lighting effects, and video are all very effective ways to get the message across. But if they replace sound biblical teaching and anointing we will produce a generation of fluffy Christians with no spiritual backbone.

By
Jerry Moyer
The Jubilee Gang
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