Each week, I’ll be sharing a little bit about my role and ministry in our church plant. This past Sunday, we had a leadership breakfast and I was asked to share about the vision we have for our kid’s ministry. I also shared a similar message to a few hundred faith based weekday preschool teachers in August. Feel free to share with those volunteers in your ministry.

Dear Sunday School Teacher,

A few weeks ago my husband, Kyle, decided to mow the front yard before it started to rain. When he walked outside to get the mower, it looked like there were weeds sprouting all over one section of the yard. It was really weird, because we had just pulled weeds a few days before. So we took a closer look. They weren’t weeds at all. They were bean sprouts. All in one big clump in the backyard. What in the world!? But then it hit me. About a month before, we hosted Club 345, a preschool backyard Bible club and had a sensory bin. A sensory bin filled with beans. The kids loved it. Well, that week has come and gone and I had forgotten about the beans. Then, out of the blue, they all sprang up!

I started thinking about those beans and how they are a testimony to those three days at my house. I had three days of loving on young children for Jesus. Three days to minister to the neighbors in my community. And those days came and went and I may never fully see the impact of what God did on those three days, but it’s there. Some day, those spiritual seeds that were planted, if they get water and sunlight, could turn into sprouts of faith, and eventually a full grown walk with God.

We get to be seed sowers. However, we don’t always get to see the impact of the seeds that we’ve planted. It reminds me of the parable from Matthew 13:

“That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. 2 And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach. 3 And he told them many things in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. 5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, 6 but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. 7 Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. 8 Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”

Jesus later goes on to explain what happened to each seed that was planted, but I started thinking about the environments He talked about. There was the path, the rocky place, the thorns, and then the good soil. Which place did the seed grow the best? The good soil. Now think of this in the terms of a child. A child doesn’t get to choose what home, what family, what environment they are placed in. But when they walk through our church’s doors, what soil do they have to grow? Good soil.

It’s our responsibility, as a body of believers, to have a positive environment for children to grow. The church is a place where we can take those seeds, those babies, preschoolers and elementary kiddos and plant them in rich, good soil. A place where they are loved, accepted and understood. A place where they can begin to understand who the person of Jesus Christ is.

It is my prayer that you are all serving with children because you see the importance of loving on children and you want God to do big things in our community and big things in the lives of these kids.

Children today are in need of tender love and care. They need a solid foundation surrounded by adults who love them. Each Sunday, we are blessed with the opportunity to make a difference in a child’s life. We cannot take that gift for granted. We are seed sowers,  planting seeds for God’s kingdom; we are impacting the next generation.

This journey is not without struggles. On earth, we do not always get to see the fruition of the seeds we plant.  It can be hard to muster up the stamina to change another poopy diaper or attempt to soothe another crying baby or try to get a fourth grader to act like a leader. Sometimes it can be a struggle to just get to church on a Sunday morning. But does that mean we stop?  Galatians 6:9 says, “ Let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.” Let us not grow weary. What you are doing makes a difference.

You’ve probably heard of D.L. Moody, the famous evangelist, but have you heard of Edward Kimball? He was D.L Moody’s Sunday school teacher, he actually led Moody to the Lord. If Edward Kimball had been disobedient to the calling to tell Moody about Jesus, think of all those who may not have been impacted for the gospel, all the lives not pointed toward Christ.

Sunday School teachers like Edward Kimball tend to be the no-names of the Bible. They are the people in the stories that go unnamed, but play vital roles. They are the four friends that helped the paralyzed man be lowered down through the roof to see Jesus, they are the child that had 5 loaves and 2 fish, and the centurion who had faith to heal his servant. These are people that are “unknown” but “well known” because of the impact they made.

Unfortunately, most young children will not remember their sweet sunday school teacher that loved them and showed them Jesus, but we know developmentally those memories and that foundation will remain. From the volunteer who rocks babies and sings “Jesus Loves Me”, to the preschool teacher who leads little ones in prayer each Sunday. Older children will remember some things, more importantly they will take note of your kindness, your joy for the Lord, and the consistent role you play in their life. Ms. Ladene was my Sunday school teacher and she filled my Sunday school days with joy. I knew she would always be there. Remember, YOU are making a lasting impact, YOU are sowing seeds for eternity.

I believe we all desire to see our children bear fruit, to grow into individuals that love Jesus, serve others and do good. With so many challenges in our world to stay on the right path, let’s give these kids the best biblical foundation possible. God will do amazing things in our ministry IF you are willing to be a seed sower. So strap on your spiritual overalls and grab your spiritual spade and start digging. Start planting seeds in the hopes that one day you’ll get to see them grow.

Thanks for letting me share,