After months of being unable to meet during pandemic control measures, many churches are re-opening. The guidelines recommended for re-opening in the midst of an ongoing pandemic, however, make the church experience quite different from what we knew at the beginning of March, especially for children’s programs. It’s understandable that a commitment to safety is guiding when and how children’s programs are re-opening, but how can we be equally committed to the needs and opportunities for discipleship during this transition?

Four commitments for discipling children while reopening church

1. Rebuild from a biblical vision for discipleship

• “Failure Is Not an Option”—Keeping the Goal Front and Center this Coming School Year
  Whatever the way forward for your church and family, now more than ever, it’s important to keep the ultimate goal of discipleship front and center!
• Gearing Up for Fall, Step 1—Embrace and Communicate a Compelling Vision
  Most of us are entering a type of “road construction” season with regard to children’s and youth ministry. Challenges abound. That is why it is so important to begin this journey with a clear, compelling goal in mind.
• Gearing Up for Fall, Step 2—Develop Programs for the Comprehensive Discipleship of Children and Youth
  With limited resources and/or drastically changed circumstances, what can we do to make sure we are serving our students and parents?
• Gearing Up for Fall, Step 3—Choosing Truth78 Resources for Church and Home (Questions and Answers)
  Which particular Truth78 resources will be the best fit for your church and home? See a list of answers to common questions.
• Gearing Up for Fall, Step 4—Recruiting and Equipping Volunteers for Great Kingdom Work
  Now, more than ever, children’s and youth ministry leaders need to earnestly remind the church of our sacred calling to disciple the next generation.
• Gearing Up for Fall, Step 5—Prepare Parents and Students for the Coming Year
  As we anticipate the coming Sunday school year in our churches it’s important to start off the year by clearly communicating to parents and children what the year will entail—especially highlighting any changes that may be in store due to current events.
• Embrace a biblical vision for the faith of the next generation
  An overview and application of the 1st commitment from the book Zealous: 7 Commitments for the Discipleship of the Next Generations.
• Vision for God-centered children's ministry
  In these videos, David and Sally Michael share a biblical vision for worship, biblical literacy, and faith in the next generation.
• Zealous: 7 Commitments for the Discipleship of the Next Generations
  In Zealous, long time pastor and Truth78 executive director David Michael describes a fervor and diligence born out of a passion for God and His glory and presents seven commitments that provide a vision and framework for the discipleship of the next generation...so that they might set their hope in God (Psalm 78:1-8). Read sample.
  Free PDF available | Print copies available for only $9.99 | Buy 10 or more for $4.00 each.

2. Grow in partnership between church and home

• Foster a robust partnership between church and home 
  An overview and application of the 2nd commitment from  Zealous.
• Partnering with church | Partnering with parents 
  Practical ways for the church and families to partner in discipleship (with some ways that will be more applicable after children's programs re-opened).
• Children in the Church Services 
  A vision and strategy for incorporating children into the worship service
• Children and the Worship Service
  This booklet equips parents and leaders to aid children in worshipping God as they participate in the worship service. See sample 
  Available in Print and Kindle
• My Church Notebook Vol. 1 and 2
  These notebooks guide elementary aged children to participate in the service, teaching them to listen actively to the sermon, take notes, recognize key points and ask questions.
• My First Church Notebook
  This notebook provides parents with helpful suggestions to prepare children who are 3 to 7 to understand and participate in the worship service.

3. Put a rock of truth under children

• A Rock of Truth for our Children ... and Ourselves
  In this blog post, Jill Nelson reminds us that "God’s eternal, unshakable, unchanging, almighty truth is the only sure foundation on which to stand—no matter what circumstances swirl around us or within us."
• Truth78 Curriculum Samples
  Our Truth78 curricula are designed to help children have an unshakable faith. Find free lesson samples for each curriculum as well as ten free lessons for Jesus, What a Savior (for K-1st grade) or How Majestic is Your Name (4th-6th grade).
• Coronavirus and Christ
  This book by John Piper invites readers to stand on the solid Rock, who is Jesus Christ, in whom our souls can be sustained by the sovereign God who ordains, governs, and reigns over all things to accomplish his wise and good purposes for those who trust in him.
  E-book and audiobooks available for free from DesiringGod.org.
• Teach the Breadth and Depth of the Whole Counsel of God
  An overview and application of the 3rd commitment from Zealous.
• Scripture Memorization
  Scripture memory tools including Bible memorization tips | Bible memory with children | Free weekly devotions on memory verses.
• God's Providence
  This book teaches the entire family about God's sovereignty over all things. Like the other books in the Making HIM Known series, it is based on a Truth78 curriculum (it corresponds with My Purpose Will Stand).  See sample chapter .
• Lord, Teach Us to Pray Family Kit
  The Lord, Teach Us to Pray Family Kit has been created for families to use along with teaching from the Teacher's Kit. Discussion questions, prayer cards, and activity cards aid families in their study on prayer. Learn more at "A timely study in a flexible format".  See Family Kit sample.
  Order 10 or more Family Kits to receive a discount (or 50 or more for the best discount).
  

• The Fighter Verses Discussion Guide: Set 1, Part A
  A quarterly discussion guide for parents, small group leaders, teachers, or individuals. This resource will help leaders facilitate discussion as you study each passage.
• The Fighter Verses Study Guide: Set 1, Part A
  A quarterly devotional for participants in a group or individuals. This resource guides you through questions to study and understand each passage." See sample.
• The Fighter Verses Journal: Set 1
  This journal can be used as an extension of The Fighter Verses Study or by individuals who are simply memorizing the Fighter Verses and want to incorporate it into their personal study or devotional times.
• The Fighter Verses Study: Set 1 Coloring Book
  This coloring book gives children of all ages a visual representation of each of the 52 verses in Set 1 along with a key truth statement to focus on.

4. Pray with dependence on God’s sovereign grace

• teachers who are making the effort to reach children in spite of limitations would clearly proclaim God's Word and that children would have attentive ears, minds, and hearts.
• parents would feel assisted and helped, and would be moved and equipped to actively disciple the children in their home.
• every child in our church would, by God’s sovereign grace, grow and mature into a man or woman wholly devoted to Jesus Christ.

• The Prayers of this Generation Matter to the Next
  In this excerpt from Big, Bold, Biblical Prayers for the Next Generations, David Michael explains how God’s purposes for our children and our inescapable responsibility to raise them in the faith come together in prayer. 
  Free download
• Big, Bold, Biblical Prayers for the Next Generations
  This book encourages parents, grandparents, pastors, children's ministry leaders, teachers, and all who care about the next generation to intentionally pray for the children in their family, church, and around the world.