Book: Redefining Children’s Ministry in the 21st Century
Author: Becky Fischer
Chapter 11: Children Hearing God’s Voice

Premise of the Book: We have a crisis in the modern and postmodern church concerning ministry to children. According to George Barna, 70% of the children we have raised in church will leave the church as young adults.

Chapter 11 – Children Hearing God’s Voice
Becky Fischer suggests that there are three essential things in our walk with God: 1. Salvation. 2. Baptism of the Holy Spirit. 3. Hearing God’s Voice. In order to do anything effective for the Kingdom, you need to know how to hear and follow him. We need to teach them regularly, repeatedly, deliberately, and thoroughly.

The remainder of this chapter is devoted to about a dozen stories of children who acted on the voice of God. In some Christian circles this is known as a “word of knowledge” or a “prophetic word”. Children may not know how to interpret the words or pictures they see, but with the help of an experienced adult to interpret, you might be surprised to see how well children can minister to adults.

There were stories of children who heard God’s voice and:
1. it kept them safe from demonic influence from their peers at school;
2. gave pinpoint prophetic words to adults;
3. identified a woman who was demonized (and with the help of adults, delivered that person from that evil spirit);
4. heard healing words from God about past hurts in their life;
5. identified married couples who were having affairs (confirmed) and were encouraged to pray for healing,
6. identified people who had mental illnesses that needed healing;
7. received powerful word pictures of situations involving sin which resulted in prayer for healing.

Our job as parents and children’s minister are to train and release them while providing them a safe environment in which to operate.

Book: Redefining Children’s Ministry in the 21st Century
Author: Becky Fischer
Chapter 10: Practical Guidelines in Leading Children into the Baptism

Premise of the Book: We have a crisis in the modern and postmodern church concerning ministry to children. According to George Barna, 70% of the children we have raised in church will leave the church as young adults.

Chapter 10 – Practical Guidelines in Leading Children into the Baptism
This chapter is devoted to Becky Fischer’s praxis for leading children into the baptism of the Holy Spirit (speaking in tongues). She shares the methods that have been most helpful and even shares methods that have backfired. I won’t get into all of the details except to point out that one should never “teach” a child how speak in tongues. She encourages us to teach why we speak in tongues, or teach how we can receive the gift (God likes to give good gifts to those who ask), or build a hunger or expectation for the supernatural. But, never tell a child, “Repeat after me…”

Book: Redefining Children’s Ministry in the 21st Century
Author: Becky Fischer
Chapter 9: Children & the Holy Spirit

Premise of the Book: We have a crisis in the modern and postmodern church concerning ministry to children. According to George Barna, 70% of the children we have raised in church will leave the church as young adults.

Chapter 9 – Children & the Holy Spirit
Becky Fischer asserts “it is imperative that the baptism of the Holy Spirit goes to the very top of the list of things needing to be changed in the way we currently minister to children.” From my [Brian] point of view, this is an incredibly bold statement. Becky demonstrates, from her perspective, the fundamental need of being filled and speaking in tongues and why it’s essential for the supernatural lifestyle.

She suggests that preschool is the best time to introduce being filled in the Holy Spirit. This is assuming, of course, you have given these children ample opportunity to receive Jesus as Lord.

She has noticed that when you wait too long to introduce being filled by the Holy Spirit, it becomes very challenging. There are three points surrounding the issue: 1. For so many years they have watched others do it without figuring out how or why they do it. 2. They see it primarily as an adult activity and have gotten used to the idea that it’s not for them. 3. There has been no priority on it in their children’s services.

Book: Redefining Children’s Ministry in the 21st Century
Author: Becky Fischer
Chapter 7: Musicians & Children’s Ministry

Premise of the Book: We have a crisis in the modern and postmodern church concerning ministry to children. According to George Barna, 70% of the children we have raised in church will leave the church as young adults.

Chapter 7: Musicians & Children’s Ministry
In this chapter Becky emphasizes the power of worship music to bring children to the throne of God, as well as, making an appeal to those gifted with music to consider the call to Children’s Ministry.

Becky has facilitated worship times during Children’s Church that have been very powerful. When children have been taught how to worship and why we do it, it’s not uncommon to see children get lost in the presence of God. When we show them the meaning behind certain physical positions, such as kneeling or bowing, waving flags, dancing, and raising our hands, worship becomes a prophetic expression or spiritual warfare.

Becky has noticed that letting children experience adult worship is good, but it’s it only takes them so far. When the worship songs get redone with fewer lyrics and more repetition, the song becomes easier, familiar, and children can be taken into God’s presence with less resistance. We need not make the songs babyish in our attempts to make it more accessible.

Book: Redefining Children’s Ministry in the 21st Century
Author: Becky Fischer
Chapter 6: The Role of Parents in Discipling Children

Premise of the Book: We have a crisis in the modern and postmodern church concerning ministry to children. According to George Barna, 70% of the children we have raised in church will leave the church as young adults.

Chapter 6: The Role of Parents in Discipling Children
Over the years, many parents have abdicated their responsibility to be the primary discipler of their children. According to recent Barna polls, a great children’s ministry is one of the number one things parents will look for when selecting a church. As a result, churches feel pressured to take on that responsibility.

Becky suggests that Jewish model of parents training and discipling their children deserves more attention. The Bible is full of instructions for parents to take on this responsibility. However, many parents feel inadequate to fulfill this responsibility so it puts children’s minister is the awkward position of helping guide the parents.

The Barna polls reveal that the inadequacy is quite obvious. Even though 85% of parents recognize their responsibility as spiritual leader, more than 66% place that responsibility on the church. In a typical week, less than 10% of parents who regularly attend church: 1. read the Bible together, 2. pray together, or 3. participate in an act of service as a family. And, less than 5% have any worship experience together in a given month (outside of church).

Becky believes that parents who intentionally have a stronger devotional life and a desire to seek God for themselves will be more likely to do the same thing with their children. The thought is that the priorities and practices of the parents will become the priorities and practices of our children. Therefore, an effective children’s ministry will do their best to help equip parents with the tools, confidence, and understanding to nurture the spiritual lives of our children at home.