October Newsletter

Hello Friends!

October is one of my favorite months – I love seeing the trees change and the crisp autumn air. I hope it has been enjoyable for each of you as well!

At the beginning of this month the Children’s Equipping Center hosted 300 children’s ministry leaders and families for our National Malachi 4:6 Summit, where they came to be equipped and refreshed here at IHOP-KC. This was my first time being selected as the event coordinator, and though I was pretty nervous, it went really well!

Despite the fact that I was running around making sure everything was running smoothly or troubleshooting problems I didn’t foresee, I did get to talk with a couple of our guests and was so encouraged to hear how God is moving across the churches and families of our nation. Children are growing in the knowledge of God and are hungry to learn more!

One of the most impacting messages I felt was taught throughout the Summit was the reality that children who have accepted Jesus as their Savior are the Church. It sounds so simple, but sometimes we forget that they are the body, our brothers and sisters in Christ (that means even your son or daughter is your “brother” or “sister” in Christ!). God has given to this young generation wisdom and knowledge that you and I need – the whole body needs – in order to walk in the fullness that God has for His people.

“If the whole body were an eye where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as he pleased. And if they were all one member, where would the body be? But now indeed there are many members, yet one body.” 1 Cor 12:17-20

So often we try to “entertain” children at church, or not bring them into our services because we don’t think they will “get” it. Yet we have to remember they have the same Holy Spirit you and I do, who is able to teach and give understanding in all things. The same Spirit that spoke in the burning bush, who dwelt between the cherubim on the Ark of the Covenant, is the same Holy Spirit that lives in the 6 year olds I teach every week!

How humbling it is to ask children to teach you about the mysteries of God! It may not be filled with doctrine and theology, but it will be filled with a childlike faith that the Lord loves and asks us all to have.

“Out of the mouths of babes and nursing infants you have ordained strength (or praise)” Psalm 8:2

My prayer is that church would no longer be boring to this young generation – that children would be fascinated with Jesus, and no longer with television, fashion, sports, or video games. What would happen if a whole generation was filled with the fear of the Lord (or awe struck worship of God) instead of being couch potatoes on Saturdays? May God continue to give us (adults) a revelation of what God says about children, how important they are to the heart of God, and give us humility to led God teach us through 6 year olds.

Thank you again for praying and supporting me! Please let me know if there is anything I can pray for for you, your family, your ministry or church! Have a wonderful and blessed month!

Grace and Peace,

Rebecca

Photo courtesy of Shelley Paulson