Children and the Holy Spirit

[Dave and Sheri Gidney]

HI have a read of this attatchment ... it appeared in January in Evangel, and I posted it on the training group ... but it rightly belongs here

any comments?

[Dave Sunman]

One thing I've done a few times in the children's group I've been running is to make space for the children to stop and listen to God. They each have paper and pens/pencils and can write or draw anything that comes into their minds. We explaing each time that God may speak to them for them, he may speak to them for the group/church and that they may not hear anything at all. Usually every child ends up with something on the paper. Often a few Of the things the children have brought have been very profound (and often very simple too). Many others end up with pictures of the cross or a sense of how much God loves us. These may or may not be "prophetic", but even if not it is good to meditate on God's love and how he has expressed it.

Some of the children have gone on to have pictures or prophecies in other circumstances and without prompting from any adult. This is just what I hoped would come out of using time in this way; to make the use of spiritual gifts seem natural and part of day to day life rather than something for a super spiritual elite. I'd still love to see them move in this way while together with the adults in worship.

[Ali Campbell]

I am surprised by the response to my story from the two boys praying for leaders - the point I was making wasn't about the ongoing response (or impact) on people being prayed for by children . . . I am not sure we as a nation are sending thousands of people to China as missionaries, so maybe the Holy Spirit isn't at work . . . the point I was trying to make through giving a concrete example of something that took place was this. I belive, through prayerful discernement, that God was speaking to these two boys. I believe the Holy Spirit enabled them to pray for 45 minutes and stay focused on praying for others for that length of time, and I believe that people received from God through thr faithfulness of these two boys doing what they belived God had asked them to do . . . most adults I know are struggling to live the fruit of the Spirit (including myself) never mind use the spiritual gifts wisely and proportionally . . . it is a skill to encourage children rather than manipulate them and as Ruth mentions, the power of suggestion can be a difficult thing to avoid.

There is a difference between (fruit) which is about character and (gifts) which are God's tool kit for us to use . . . they need different approaches, both with adults and children. John 15 is a good place to start, though it is a challenge to teach about this as abiding in Christ can seem fairly abstract as a concept - yet this is where our character, the fruit gets developed, we become like those we spend time with - so for fruit of the Spirit, the question is "how do we enable our children to spend time in God's presence?" If the only time the Church models that is in an approach that is going after the gifts, "Let's wait on the Lord and see what he wants to do", we are missing the point.

[Dave and Sheri Gidney]

OK ... lets summarise here
We all agree that this is something that we should be pushing the church to consider, and acvtively encourage somehow.
We have mentioned how susceptible to suggestion kids are, and the need to be sensitive in the way we approach this
We have described a 'listening to God' route, which I have also used Dave, though it limits to a particular type of gift
We have also mentioned that is is a shame that kids cannot seem to express this in a whole church context, but rather in the small childrens group
We have also highlighted the difference between gift and fruit.

I think we need to address some following issues

1. How can we encourage the children / whole church to grow in fruit more? Does current church thinking prioritise this?

2. How can we encourage our children in the wider gifts, and recognise and facillitate gifts when they appear?

3. What about the benefirts and deangers of whole church participation in this process?

anything else?

[Ali Campbell]

Generally, the issue of discipleship is a challenge for the Church - we focus on evangelism and reaching out - often with a revolving door as people just as readily leave as join. Children may often be ahead of us in being willing and open to the prompting of the Holy Spirit, but are we then nurturing their relationship with God - that is our responsibility - yes, a transformed life is a mark of abiding presence and activity - but unless we model this for our children, we will not see it in them.

[Dave and Sheri Gidney]

absolutely.

Perhaps that word 'model' is one we need to pick upon too ...

We need to model ... and train others ... especially parents /church leaders to model this whole Holy Spirit thing, which doe, as you say include Discipleship in so far as showing fruits would be.

[Catherine Montgomery]

I believe that God is no respecter of persons. I know many quite young children who are filled with the Spirit and speak in tongues, prophesy and lead worship in the Spirit. However, they do it only amongst themselves, including their adult leaders but not the whole church. Neither the church as a whole nor even the children themselves seem to be able to see everyone coming together.

[Dave and Sheri Gidney]

That sounds great, but quite sad too !

Are there ways your church needs to celebrate the unity of the family more together?



Dave

[Catherine Montgomery]

Yes. there is a big need for coming together. But one of the things that I think is significant is that it is not just the adults that do not see the children as being fully a part but the children feel embarrased in the adult service but free on their own. There is work to do on both sides so that there are not two sides.

[Dave and Sheri Gidney]

Sounds like a new forum is needed where old can worship comfortably, and so can young ... in the same space ... praise parties ?? all age stuff ?