At a recent school assembly while teaching ‘Why Jesus Came’, a little girl shouted out from the front row in amazement, “I did not know that. I have never heard that before.” There are many children just like this little girl throughout the island of Ireland and indeed the world. Children waiting to hear the Gospel for the first time or explained in a way that they can understand.
As a local worker I have the privilege of teaching boys and girls daily from God’s Word. Nothing compares to seeing that look on a child’s face when they have grasped a particular Bible truth for the first time. And while I would love to be able to teach every single boy and girl in South Belfast, it is an impossible task for one person. That’s why I am so thankful to the Lord for the volunteers who help me in the area. Ordinary people with a burden to reach boys and girls in the area where they live.
But there are still so many children who need to hear a clear explanation of the Gospel. What can be done? One important way is the training and equipping of others. What an encouragement it has been to hold a Teaching Children Effectively™ Level 1 course in Belfast over the last few months. To spend time with a small group of adults each with a burden and desire to reach children effectively with the Gospel. Just as soldiers are equipped for battle with appropriate weapons and techniques, even more so as believers we need to be prepared and equipped for the spiritual battle that children’s ministry involves. This is the objective of the TCE™ 1 course.
A number of topics were covered. Together we looked at a number of Bible doctrines recognising that to teach the children well we must clearly understand what we are teaching. We also looked at techniques to teach Bible lessons, memory verses and counselling children for salvation and there was opportunity to put what was taught into practice. Our prayer is that each of the students would have much opportunity to use what they have learnt in reaching many children. Perhaps a TCE 1 course is something you would consider doing to be better equipped for teaching children from God’s Word. There are children in your streets and neighbourhoods waiting to hear the Gospel message and it’s ordinary people like us that God uses in this wonderful task.
This article first appeared in our Spring 2019 National Newsletter.
