Not the Church of Tomorrow! Inviting Kids Into Ministry

By Kylah Walker

Imagine you have been appointed chair of the decorating committee at your church. You have been fundraising and vision-casting for months. You have worked tirelessly to collect carpet samples and paint swatches, and you know how important it is for the building to leave a good first impression on visitors. You are ecstatic to begin this project. Then, you meet your co-chair, an enthusiastic, curly-headed six-year-old.

While this example might seem a bit absurd, it was once a reality, and I was the curly-headed co-chair.

My family had just moved to Grand Junction, Colorado, to plant a church, and my dad wanted our children’s area to attract kids. What better person to design this area than a kid herself? I easily decided on a carpet that most resembled Chuck E. Cheese’s. As for the paint, why choose one color when you can have them all?

By including me in the process, my dad did much more than design a children’s church room; he cultivated a sense of pride and ownership for the church within me. He let me know, even as a six-year-old, I was a vital and valued member of the Body of Christ.

Working together means viewing children and young people as co-laborers in Christ and giving them meaningful opportunities to serve. Through these opportunities, they develop ownership and belonging that strengthens the Church and leads to lifelong commitment to it.

Someone recently asked my older sister when she knew she wanted to be in ministry. Kinsley responded, “I never decided I wanted to be a part of ministry. From a young age, my parents included me in their ministry. So, by the time I became an adult, it was already a part of who I was. Ministry is not something I chose to do but rather is something I would have to choose to leave.”

Other parents might argue they do not want to force their kids to do anything, and yet, they do it all the time. Very few kids want to brush their teeth, eat vegetables, or honor their bedtime, but parents strictly enforce these routines because they know their benefits. How much greater is the benefit of having your children serve in ministry alongside you?

In Kinsley’s statement, she never once described feeling forced to do something. Rather, it was an honor to be invited into ministry with our parents. We all know the limits of “do as I say, not as I do.” Likewise, if you want your children to serve, it must begin with you. When service to Christ and His church becomes a natural routine of your family, it is no longer a task to complete but a foundation that anchors your faith.

Growing up in a church plant, you learn to wear many ministerial hats. Before I turned 18, I had served on donut duty, taught preschool, painted faces, greeted visitors, and played the cajon. I did not love all these jobs — particularly the ones that required musical abilities — but these opportunities taught me where the Lord had gifted me. I quickly discovered a heart for children’s ministry and served alongside my mom teaching a preschool Sunday School class.

If you want your kids to enjoy serving, help them find opportunities that capitalize on their gifts as well as their interests. One of Kinsley’s jobs as an elementary student was to drain the baptistry. She rejoiced to see every new believer. Sure, it meant she gained a brother or sister in Christ, but it also meant she could go for a “swim” in the baptistry.

Not all jobs in the church are mundane. We need to find ways to make serving enjoyable for children. Mom did this when we served on donut duty by letting me select one specialty donut each week. As silly as it may sound, that chocolate frosted donut with peanuts was one of the highlights of every Sunday. I believe my parents’ intentionality in making service both joyful and meaningful is why I still serve as a preschool Sunday School teacher today.

If you were to visit my parents at their home in Amory, Mississippi, it is likely you would be greeted with a wave, a smile, and a “Welcome to the neighborhood,” from their elementary-aged neighbor. The first time I heard of this little girl’s friendliness, I thought, “You need her to greet at your church.” I did not think, “She would be a great asset to your church in ten years.”

Too often we think and speak of children in the future tense: “One day he or she will do big things for Christ.” Yet, if we truly believe children are valuable members of the Body of Christ, we must stop postponing their contribution.

James 1:22 says, “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” We teach this verse to kids, yet far too often, we fail to give them opportunities to be doers of the Word. My dad has often said one of the reasons kids leave the church is because they were never actually part of the church. If we want children to feel part of the church, we must embrace them as present partners in the gospel.

Whether we hand them the carpet samples, donut boxes, or preschool lesson plans, we are not simply assigning a task; we are giving them a place to belong. Through intentional invitation and meaningful opportunity, children discover their spiritual gifts, take ownership in their church, and grow into lifelong co-laborers in Christ.

They are becoming the church of tomorrow as they serve Christ today!

About the Writer: As the daughter of church planters, Kylah Walker lived in five states before age 18 and helped plant three churches. She and her husband, Hunter, live in Nashville, Tennessee, where Kylah serves on the North American Ministries office staff.