Before I became involved in children’s ministries, I never associated kids with revival. However, now that my life is “all things kids,” I clearly see the need for fanning the flames of a child’s faith. Like their adult counterparts, kids get distracted by life and can fall into complacency.
It’s easy to go through the motions, especially if church attendance was your parents’ idea to begin with. A revival of faith encourages children to remember God and turn towards Him. So how do you get there?
Waiting for a sovereign move of God is one plan of action but revival also requires something from the leader or leadership. One sure fact is that God holds the pastor, even the kids’ pastor, responsible for the sheep he or she leads. Prepare your children for revival by building their expectations and laying the spiritual ground work.
First, you must pray. Before you call others to pray, enter the prayer closet yourself. Allow God to “move the furniture of your heart.” Submit to His spiritual examination and confess your own sins to Him. Work with God on a heart change. Revival fires start in the heart of the leader!
Ask your volunteers and leaders to pray independently. Explain that you will meet on a certain day for corporate prayer but you need them to begin praying at home. Tell them specifically you are praying for revival amongst the children and adults associated with kids’ church.
Hold your corporate prayer meeting and then finish the meeting by giving dates for children’s revival services. You can hold the revival services during regular kids’ ministry time.
Invite an anointed speaker to your revival service. You could hold a revival program yourself but it’s good to expose kids to other speakers and teaching styles.
Select 2 to 3 songs about revival to introduce to kids for the revival service. Revival songs for kids like “We Want to See Jesus Lifted High,” I Am A C,” or “Give Me Oil in My Lamp.” Start a few weeks in advance to help kids feel comfortable singing the songs. Sing them at the revival service.
Prepare kids for revival by talking about it. Explain kids that revival simply means becoming a red-hot flame for God. Tell them how they can love God more by praying and reading the Bible. Challenge kids to seek God at home too.
When seeking a church-wide heart change, remember it takes time. Seeking a renewed love for God is an honorable endeavor that He will surely bless. Be patient with people and have faith in God!
Read more from Mimi by visiting her blog, “Encouragement for Christians.”
How to Have a Children’s Church Revival
