Pray for the Houghton Summer Celebration Program

The 2016 version of the Houghton Summer Celebration Program is about to launch at The Mission. Every weekday from now to late August scores of children from the area will be at our church. They are going to have fun, and they are going to be taught the Word of God. I encourage you to pray for them and their leaders. What happens this summer could leave an imprint on some children that will last for a lifetime and eternity.

Most of my years in ministry have been spent facilitating ministry to children. I say "facilitating" because even though I'm not really very good at working with children for some reason God clearly called me to dedicate myself to child evangelism. So I facilitated, making it possible for those who are really good at it to minister to kids. I also considered myself as an advocate for children, helping Christian adults understand why ministry to children is so important. Though I am no longer involved in children's work, I believe as strongly as ever that planting the seeds of the Gospel in the lives of children is one of, if not the most important work of the church.

In 21st century Canada the church is in a state of decline. Church attendance numbers are failing all across the country. I believe one of the reasons for that is our failure to pay adequate attention to the children. We have failed in recent decades to plant the Word of God in the hearts of people at an age when they are open and responsive. We have allowed them to grow up with no understanding of the Gospel, no Bible knowledge, no connection to church, and a totally inadequate concept of who Jesus is.

Studies, both Christian and secular, clearly show us that a person who has had no Christian teaching or influence as a child is far less likely to be responsive to Christianity in their adult years. People who were exposed to Christianity in a positive way as children, even if they never followed that up as teens or young adults, have warmer feelings and are more receptive to the Christian message when approached in their adult years. And they are far more likely to want their own children to have a Christian or church influence.

In Canada today fewer than 5% of children attend any kind of regular church program. That means 19 out of 20 children do not go to church and probably have never been in a church. Startling statistics like this are one of the reasons why a program like the Houghton Summer Celebration is crucial to the future of the church.

Our success or failure to sow Gospel seed among this generation of children will have a huge impact on the future of the Church (that's Church with a capital "C", as well as individual church congregations). God can perform miracles in anyone's life, and we see lots of examples of adults coming to the Lord in spite of never having had Christian teaching as a child. Yet statistically the chances of that happening are very low compared to those who had a positive Christian experience as a child.

What's happening this summer at The Mission must be seen as more than a summer daycare. The planners and leaders have an opportunity to bear eternal fruit. We need to get behind them in our prayers and support. We need to pray that children and families will be forever changed because they have a chance to hear the Word of God presented this summer.

Thanks to Megan and Brianna and all those who have a part in ministering to the children of Houghton this summer. May God bless you and give you fruit for your labour.