As I was doing my morning devotion. I was studying the book of Ezra. I was on Ezra chapter 3 ( Rebuilding the Temple).
The Lord called my attention to something from the verses. Ezra 3: 8-9
" 8 In the second month of the second year after their arrival at the house of God in Jerusalem, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, Joshua son of Jozadak and the rest of the people (the priests and the Levites and all who had returned from the captivity to Jerusalem) began the work. THEY APPOINTED LEVITES TWENTY YEARS OLD AND OLDER TO SUPERVISE THE BUILDING OF THE HOUSE OF THE LORD. 9 Joshua and his sons and brothers and Kadmiel and his sons (descendants of Hodaviah[a]) and the sons of Henadad and their sons and brothers—all Levites—joined together in supervising those working on the house of God."
The words in capital letters caught my attention. We know how our children and youths find it uneasy and uninteresting to be in the church. Some of them only come to church to please mum and dad. From the look on their faces during praise and worship, and also during the sermon. One can conclude that they were just physically in the church, but their minds and souls are elsewhere!
As I was studying, when I got to the verse above ( those in capital letters). The words jumped out on me, like "this could be the solution to the "I am not part of this attitude of our children" thinking church activities are for adults alone!
If we get them actively involved in EVERY aspects of the church like getting them to usher, sing, cleaning and arranging chairs, teaching younger children, teaching in their classes rather than having an adult to teach them at all times. It would make them to be more interested in the "church thing" instead of leaving them on the chairs to wallow in "boredom".
As an educationist, I was taught by my lecturers and profs. That children are more active when they learn by DOING, rather than learning by ROTE (memorisation) method.
Getting them involved in the planning of their teaching methods, and giving them the opportunity to teach would get them closer to their Bibles! ( They would want to study to show themselves approved ).
The church becomes less interesting to our youths because many are idle in the church.Therefore, they did not see themselves as part of the church.
Also, we need to make the service to be interesting in some way that will not contradict the way of the lord, and yet will be interesting to our children and youths.
Educational curriculum and syllabus are being reviewed periodically, so that it will be suitable for the changing world.
Pastors, preachers, Evangelists, Sunday school teachers, Children teachers. A clarion call to you all. Review your teaching methods, let's move from the age- long methods of teaching, let's bring new innovations and ideas to our teaching methods in the church. The world is not static, it changes by the day.
Let us move with time, so that we will not lose our children to the WORLD!!!
Image- Google Image
