Missio Dei Communities

We started Missio Dei two years ago with a kids ministry of 3.  And all 3 had the same last name... Gonzalez.  Two years later we have an increasing number of people toddling around the back of Thew on a Sunday morning.  And that is not to mention the 5 Missio Dei Babies in the oven!

Last night’s MD:Kids meeting was really encouraging for me.  For one, I was shocked to realize that close to a third of our adults help disciple kids on Sunday mornings!  Also, I loved how dedicated all these volunteers are to loving and discipling the kids.  This isn’t just babysitting!

Here are 5 core convictions we have at Missio Dei about children’s ministry:

1. The Great Commission mandate to make disciples applies directly to children as well as adults.

2. Parents, not youth workeres, are the primary disciplers (Deut 6).  The Gospel Community is the secondary disciplers.  Anything we do on Sunday morning, should serve to enable the parents and Gospel Community to disciple the kids.

3. We will actively battle against the Religion/Moralism Lens every opportunity we have.  I recently heard someone say, “The moment the gospel is assumed, it is lost.”  This is so true!  How wonderful would it be if the children in our church grew up so soaked and surrounded by grace, that it becomes their default lens!

4. We are more concerned that children learn the story and stories of Scripture than that they learn moral truths. The moral truths will come, to be sure. But if you had to choose, would you rather have a 3-year old who can recite the 10 Commandments (good thing)?  Or would you rather her know the story of the Great God who rescued His helpless people out of slavery and redeemed them from slavery and brought them to a mountain in freedom where He met with them face to face?

5. Wherever possible, we want the teaching to strategically utilize language common to MDC (Identities, Rhythms, True Story).  We don’t think this is the only biblical language to use.  However, we do think it is wise and strategic to use a specific set of verbiage in the disciple-making process that can instill a transferrable DNA into people and communities.

Which of these 5 convictions resonates with you the most.  Why?