My turn in the nursery

Serving God in a nursery is so much more than baby-sitting. Many churches feel that they don't need to staff a nursery because they don't have babies. Could it be that families stay away for that very reason. Would someone in your church invite a young family knowing there is no nursery?

Ministering to young children serves both the children and the parents, who may be new to the faith. Putting a young family on the right path could help prevent many wrong turns in the future.

A church that wants to make families with young children welcome needs to plan ahead with a clean nursery staffed with friendly care-givers. Jesus said "let the little ones come unto me."

I ran across the poem many years ago. I believe it says it best.

MY TURN IN THE NURSERY

Last Sunday was my turn in the nursery to work.

My heart wasn't in it; my feelings were hurt.

A child from its mother did not want to part

And it cried a lot with its broken heart.

I prayed that soon the hour would end

That I could relax - no more children to tend.

Soon the hour was over; it felt good to be free.

I said, "Once a month was too much for me!"

That very next Sunday I sat in a pew

A very good sermon, but visitors were few.

But down came a woman and her soul was saved.

She was the mother of that crying babe!

Then it dawned on me that I had been a part

Of one being saved - giving God her heart.

From that day on I would never dread

Working in the nursery while souls are fed.

Author Unknown

Bus Ministry is Still an Effective Church Growth Tool

In the 1970's bus ministry was used by churches across the nation to reach children for Jesus. The largest Sunday school in America, FBC Hammond, Indiana, had a bus ministry that had 1,000 workers using 230 buses to bring as many as 10,000 people to church every Sunday.

Baptist Temple's bus ministry was launched with the purchase of a 1970 blue Chevrolet van to pick up Sunday school students from East Terrace and Victoria Courts. In 1971 a used Dodge school bus was added to the fleet followed by a used Chevrolet school bus in 1972. This soul-winning ministry resulted in a record 151 baptisms in 1972. The previous high mark was 121 in 1933. A record number of new members was also set in 1972.

The first drivers were Jimmy Walker, Ed Flynn, David Evans and Arland Ames. Walker drove for 35 years and participated in many aspects of the ministry including evangelistic visitation, phone calls, follow-up and training.

Steve Grinnell became part of the bus ministry in the 1980s. During those years two buses picked up student as far south as Military Dr., north to MLK, east to WW White and west to Roosevelt. Grinnell remembers a big operation involving phone calls and visitation.

Ernest Dominguez was one of the children who rode the van to Baptist Temple Sunday School. As he got older he strayed away from church but, when God began to speak to his heart, he returned to the place where he first heard the gospel. Dominguez was baptized on Easter Sunday 2013.

Bus ministry is still used as an evangelistic tool by many churches today. In 2001, FBC Hammond still had a fleet of over 200 buses in operation.

Outreach to children is a vital ministry for a soul-wining church. Most Christians become followers of Christ as children. Furthermore, the fastest way to reach families is by ministering to children.

Check out this resource: The Bus Ministry Manual

Then the master told his servant,

"Go out to the roads and country lanes

and compel them to come in,

so that my house will be full."

Luke 14:23 (NIV)

Generation to Generation

Guest blog by Devra Thomas

In many ways, Baptist Temple is my second home. My mom first brought my brothers and I to Baptist Temple when I was seven.

As a child and a young adult I remember always being involved. I remember attending Sunday School, Sunday evening worship and activities, Wednesday services, children’s choir and youth choir, performing musicals and at choir festivals, caroling at nursing homes, children’s camp, youth camp, Pre-Easter retreats, mission trip, lock-ins, Vacation Bible School, Fall Festivals and much, much more. Just about every weekend was filled with something to do at church. I guess you could say our church was alive very much the way it still is today and the way we need to ensure that it continues to be for generations to come.

So many people that helped teach me are still here today. This is the kind of dedication that really touches my heart. This is the kind of dedication I hope to show not only my children and grandchildren but, also, to your children and grandchildren. This is the dedication that I hope my children and grandchildren will show their children and grandchildren and so on and so on. But how are they to know if they only hear us talk about being committed to Christ? We need to be God’s people of action and not just words. SHOW God’s love and not just tell about it. In II Corinthians, Paul said that we prove our love for Him by our giving. How can we say we love Christ if we are not giving to meet the needs of His church? Because this building is HIS.

As someone who works quite a bit with our children, I see the hope that we instill in them and, through sharing God’s love, we fuel their desire to want to be more like Him. Our children are really motivated in learning to have hearts for Christ and in that same way, we should also be Heartstrong for CHRIST! Haggai 1:8 says “Go to the mountains, bring wood & rebuild the temple that I may be pleased with it & be glorified.”

I’ve heard several stories from other parents, and have a few of my own, where our kids have reminded us of what God says and what God wants from us. Our children get really excited about wanting to please God and SO SHOULD WE. We need to get excited about what the future holds for this building....Excited

I am still praying about what God would ultimately have me give and about things I don’t necessarily need and can do without. But, within my means, and the same holds true for you, no matter whether my amount matches up to be smaller or greater than yours, if we put God first and we are true to Him, He will put all of our amounts together to serve his purpose here.