 Notes from Pastor Dave
Welcome to Calvary's Children's Ministries. At Calvary, we highly value children and ministry to children. We also highly value the family and encourage parent/child interaction in children's ministry. We invite you to check out our various ministries to children. It is our goal to be a safe, caring, instructive, mentoring, and active ministry for your children. In all we do, we strive for excellence.
Most evangelical Children's Ministries would say that their Children's Ministry is based on Biblical values. Calvary is no exception. But we do consider our philosophy of ministry to children to have two distinctives you may not find elsewhere. These two distinctive Biblical philosophies which drive our Children’s Ministries here at Calvary are:
Relationship vs Behavior Oriented Teaching
Should a child’s relationship with God flow out of his or her behavior, or should a child's behavior flow out of his or her relationship with God? How you answer that may determine whether Calvary’s Children’s Ministries is for you.
At Calvary we believe relationship comes first. We teach and lead children to have strong, vibrant, intimate relationships with God through Jesus Christ. Out of a child's relationship with God, the Holy Spirit will work to convict, teach, and mold each child into the image of Christ, adjusting a child's behavior as He sees fit.
Much of the curriculum and videos from Christian publishers today focus on the behavior and values of children. Kids can grow up believing that God will love them more if they have acceptable behavior. But at Calvary, we think differently. Behavior and values are very important, but they must flow out of an intimate relationship with God. We believe this is important in teaching kids not to rely on their own strength and abilities, but on God.
At Calvary, children will receive relationship, values, and behavior instruction, but of these, relationship with Christ is paramount and must come first.
Cultural Relevance in Children's Ministry
Calvary believes in the importance of being culturally relevant in ministry to Children. The Apostle Paul wrote in I Cor. 9 that to the Jew, he became as a Jew to reach the Jews. To the Gentile he became as a Gentile to reach the Gentiles. He became all things to all men in his desire to reach them. At Calvary, we study the culture of children; their language, their interests, learning styles, and cultural icons and, without compromising the gospel, we seek to reach them where they are at. We believe "church" should be enjoyable to them and our goal is that they have a very positve impression of the church from an early age. In this enjoyable learning environment, we explore together the deep things of God and encourage eternal relationship with Him.
At Calvary, we love kids, and seek always to lead them into vibrant, wholesome, intimate relationships with God.
Dave Hammond, Pastor of Children's Ministries
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