8/10/2019 Why Minister to Children Especially to Children at Risk

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Why Minister to Children Especially to Children at Risk

1. They are so many.

The world population has grown tremendously over the past two thousand years. In 1999, the worldpopulation has passed the six billion mark. Latest official current world population estimate for 2014 is7.156 billion people.

Children population 2.3 billion; 1 billion living in poverty

Philippines 96 million (2012 figures); estimated 43% are children or 40.4 million

Children and young people age 15-29 are half the harvest. Almost one- third (33%) of the worldspopulation that is 2.3 billion people is under the age of fifteen. An additional 26 percent are youngpeople (aged 15-29).

2. They suffer.The overriding reason for focus on children is that, more than any other segment of humanity, childrensuffer. Today more than 37 percent of the children in the world live in absolute poverty a total of 674million children. The state of the Filipino Children statistics attests to this fact.

3. They are strategic.

Children are strategic because the clay is still soft. The shaping of the adult life takes place inchildhood. Our brains are 90 percent formed before we reach the age of three, and 85 percent of ouradult personality is formed by the time we reach six ye ars of age. The Bible states, train a child in the

way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.

In Gods hands, this enormous and largely ignored and suffering people group can become agents oftransformational mission under the headship of Jesus Christ.

Children are strategic to motivate local congregations for holistic ministry. Since 1974 the church hasbeen committed to taking the whole gospel to the whole world and there is little question that holismtoday provides the church with a key challenge. Small congregations struggle to engage withtransformation and socio economic reconstruction or policymaking. But congregations CAN engage withchildren who are hungry, neglected and abused on their doorsteps.

Children are strategic in fostering unity . Christians need to demonstrate practical and visible unityacross the spectrum of our faith. Helping children is an extensive 24 hours/7 days undertaking and fewgroups can go it alone. We need each other to build a comprehensive and credible response to theneeds of our communities.

Children are strategic to church growth . Parents and local authorities almost always welcome churches thatwork with children in compassionate ways. Parents troubled over the fate of their child will respect whoever seeksto help them. The key word here is love: sincere love that demands nothing fosters relationships of integrity.

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4. For God, children are a priority. They are at the center of Gods purpose and are key tofulfilling them.

See that you do not look down on one of these little ones, (Matthew 18:10a) Jesus warned, for Theirangels in heaven always see the face of my father (Matthew 18:10b). Psalm 65:8 and Job 29 describeGod as the father of the fatherless. James1:27 claims that true religion is to look after orphans.

In Scripture those who angered Jesus were not just the Pharisees and the vendors in the temple, butalso the disciples. On one occasion Jesus became indignant when they considered children toounimportant to warrant his attention. (Matthew 19:13-15; Mark 10:13-16; Luke 18:15-17)

Children are not just adults in the making but full human beings. They are more than just recipients ofour care. They are also valuable co-workers worthy of respect and attention. The biblical account is fullof children serving God in remarkable ways. Jesus the child advocate of child advocates was clearabout the value of children in the kingdom: Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them,

for the kingdom of hea ven belongs to such as these. Children have huge capacity to be channels as well

as recipients of Gods power. If we do not look at what is happening with children, we may miss what God is doing.

I would like to ask each one of us this afternoon to do several things: 1) Reflect on our attitude & view ofchildren. How we treat the children is anchored on how we view and value them. 2) Take the time tostudy the Scriptures and discover how God values children. Then compare our view and Gods view. 3) Ifthe views dont jibe, lets repent and ask God to forgive us for not valuing the children as He does. 4)Commit to change and let it be reflected in our ministries first in our families, in the church and in thecommunity.

A generation is waiting, wondering if we are for real or if we only talk and sing about love. Who willshow these children that life is worth living, that it is full of adventure, beauty and wonder? Who will

show them hope and purpose? Who will help them know Christ in their lives?