Hi Summer Teachers,

Thank you all so much for stepping up and stepping in to serve the precious kids at ACC. While some of you will move on to other areas of Children’s Ministry, others will take on other responsibilities outside of kids ministry. Regardless of where you serve, may God richly bless you, your family and the ministries where you serve. I hope you will return to serve in Children’s Ministry next year.

I want to share this message as I pray that you enjoy your walk with the Lord for all the days of your life.:

John 4: 23 – 24 (ESV)

But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.

Hebrews 12: 28 – 29 (ESV)

Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.

In Spirit – Jesus is speaking with the Samaritan woman who says that “Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.” Jesus tells her that we do not worship God in a specific physical place, but by His Holy Spirit because God is spirit.

In Truth – We can only worship the One True God who is found in scripture. We cannot worship Him if we do not know Him.

With Reverence – Showing honor and respect toward God. Do you stand or bow humbly before Him?

With Awe – Are you still in awe of God and His majesty and holiness?

After a while, especially during the difficulties in life, we feel like we are just barely getting by spiritually. You may feel like you are simply maintaining, or even surviving, each day. The thought of God during the day is fleeting and He only pops in your mind when you see the Jesus fish on the back of a car.

But, God is right there wooing us back to Him. He’s ready to remind us how important we are to Him and that He wants us to live a life full of purpose for His Glory, not just survive it. He wants us to be in wonder and awe of Him like we were when we first met Him. He wants us to worship Him as He intended for us… in spirit and truth… with reverence and awe.

He wants us to worship Him in these ways because He is worthy, because He rescued us from our sins, and so that the children we teach and the people we see on a daily basis can see that our God is worthy of praise and honor and glory.

Enjoy your last Summer Sunday with your class. May God use you to magnify Him this week.

Thanks!!

Teacher Francisco

This month, I want to focus on the statement that Jesus made to his disciples when they rebuked the people and the children that were brought to Jesus to be touched and prayed over.

Matthew 19:14 (ESV)

but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.”

When we spend time with God in studying His Word, praying, singing praises, etc., we become more like Christ and bear the fruits of His Spirit. When the disciples rebuked the children, Jesus reminded them that the kingdom of heaven belongs to the little ones.

I’ve met a lot of people in my life who didn’t know what to do with little children… how to communicate, play, or interact with them. They didn’t even try. Some are even professed Christians who have no ability to connect with kids. I understand that not all have the gift to work with children, but like the disciples, they really didn’t want anything to do with them. 

To be fair, there’s no explanation as to why the disciples rebuked the children. Jesus had been teaching and the disciples may have wanted to learn more from their Rabbi. Maybe they needed to move on to another place and it was getting late. After all, they had to walk everywhere they went.

However, Jesus took the time to show how important children are to Him. He even went on to say in the book of Mark that children are the key to showing us how to enter God’s Kingdom.

Mark 10:15 (ESV)

Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it. 

I honestly believe that someone who has no experience with kids can still learn to love children and interact with them. They need to allow themselves to be transformed by God through spending time with Him. Jesus never rejected a child and neither should we if we are Christ-like.

To everyone of you, I am thankful that you have not rejected the kids, but have embraced them by teaching them God’s Word each Sunday and praying for them. You are precious in God’s eyes because you let the children come to you.

Love you all. Have a blessed weekend with the kids!!

Teacher Francisco