Preaching to Kids

Melissa Minter is the children’s pastor at Central Community Church in Chatsworth, Georgia. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Math and Science from Lee University and a M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction from Lincoln Memorial University. Melissa and her husband Scott serve on the International Children’s Ministry Task Force. She is the proud homeschooling mom of Laura, age 8, and Leah, age 7.

- MELISSA MINTER

Often when we think of preaching, we imagine a congregation of adults sitting quietly, listening to the minister’s sermon. Children can and should experience sermon time as well. Because I am a children’s minister, most of the times when I preach, it is to children. However, there are times when I have the opportunity to preach to our entire congregation. When that happens, the children are usually present, and they are very accustomed to hearing me speak. As most ministers do, I have been known to ask what many would consider a rhetorical question during the sermon. However, there is a sweet little boy that always yells out his answer! His excitement makes many people smile. Preaching to kids is different!

I love preaching to children because they receive the message with such honesty. When presented with the gospel, you do not have to convince children that they are sinners. They know it. As adults, sometimes we try to justify our actions, our sin. Kids usually just nod when I tell them, “All have sinned.”

They get it. They have told a lie. They have been disobedient or mean. But just as easily as they accept the fact that they have sinned, they also easily accept God’s forgiveness. As adults, we too often hold onto our justifications or guilt when Jesus just wants us to come to him and deal with that sin and then move forward in his love. In fact, it was Jesus who told us that we should have faith like a child.