Children’s Ministry Leadership – Importance of the Problem

Barna’s research regarding parental attitudes revealed the following, “When asked to identify the most significant or challenging issues facing their children under the age of 13… Challenges pertaining to their faith were mentioned by only 3% of parents.”  Therefore, there are two areas that need to be addressed in the contemporary context of the local church.

First is the level of conviction parents possess regarding the transfer of faith to their children.  Marcia Bunge discussed parents’ lack of conviction regarding their children’s involvement in Sunday school. Bunge stated, “Many parents do not know what their children are learning in Sunday school, let alone participate in intergenerational or family religious education programs; and parents also are not given the sense that they are primarily responsible for the faith formation for children.”  Many children follow patterns and assume the values of their parents. The local church that does not emphasize the significance of a children’s ministry will not likely mentor parents in the area of a child’s spiritual development.