John Wesley and Children - thesis published

Yes - it's done. It's finished - well at least in its current form. My thesis "as a Little Child: Children in the Theology of John Wesley" is now available here. Now before you think this might be too academic or "scholarly" for you let me say check it out first then decide. Yes it's written in a way that meets the requirements of an academic work but I think it's also written in quite a conversational style. And as I say in the section "How to read this thesis"

... whilst written in the style required of an academic scholarly work it is my hope that it is also written in such a way as to be readable by anyone who has an interest in Children’s Ministry and who wants to get at least a small idea of what John Wesley, practical theologian and founder of Methodism, believed and practiced in relation to ministering to children.

It is my intention to publish a book from this work in the near future but in the meantime I offer this suggestion as to how to get the best of this thesis – read it and do it! In reading it -

• the academic / scholar will find the whole work of interest
  
• those who have little or no understanding of who John Wesley was or of his theology will find it helpful to also read the whole work in order to place the lessons I believe we can learn from him in context
  
• those who know who he was but know little of his theology will find they can read from Chapter Two and still be able to place the lessons I believe we can learn from him in context
  
• those who know who he was and feel they have a sufficient grasp of his theology will find that starting from Chapter Three will enable them to place the lessons in Chapter Five in the context of John Wesley, the man and the theologian
  
• and finally those who just want to find out the lessons for today can read the final chapter – Chapter 5 “Concluding Reflections and Potential Applications” and will find they have sufficient information to be able to implement those lessons in their ministry today.

My prayer is that everyone who reads this work , but especially those who minister to children, will learn something that they can apply in their ministry that will help them lead others into right relationship with God.

May God who knows what you do bless you abundantly beyond all you could ever imagine.

Pastor Pete

30 December 2010

Lesson Three: Know your goal

What are you trying to achieve in your Children's Ministry?
What are you trying to achieve in your lesson / activities this week?
What are you aiming to achieve from this part of your time with the kids?

These are vital questions to answer before you get in front of the kids God has entrusted to you. If you don't know where you are going you won't know when you've achieved it and worse still you probably won't achieve what you would like to.

These are all part of planning and as much as this might be the "boring" bit about ministry it's also a vital part. What can John Wesley teach us? Let's see as we look at the third lesson I identified in my thesis "as a Little Child: Children in the Theology of John Wesley"

Lesson Three: Know your goal

It is here that we learn from how Wesley ensured that the goal of education as he saw it informed his educational views and dictated their implementation. That is to say, knowing the goal enabled him to decide what needed to be done and how it needed to be done. With this goal clearly in mind he could, and did, review progress towards its achievement, and he could hold others accountable for their actions having first ensured they were aware of the goal. Knowing the goal he was able to say, near the end of his life, that it was generally being achieved.

Furthermore, with his goal clear in his mind, Wesley was able to take those actions that would maximise the chances of success. In addition he was able to ensure that actions which could thwart his attempts to achieve the aim of education were avoided. For instance, having the goal clearly in mind enabled him to be resolute in waiting to find those teachers who possessed the required level of spirituality and the right motives rather than rushing to employ some who did not.

The same is true in the twenty-first century. Those called to ministry to children need to know the goal they are trying to reach if they are to achieve it having put in place the right activities, personnel and methodology. This is particularly the case where the availability of resources, both personnel and monetary, is limited or restricted. It is even more important if the aim is seen to be similar to that Wesley’s, that is, fitting children to be in right relationship with God both in this world and the next. With this as the goal of ministry to children those in children’s ministry must be focused in ensuring that the actions taken contribute positively to, and thereby maximise the chances of, its attainment. For example, doing as Wesley did and waiting to find ministry workers with the required level of spirituality and the right motives rather than rushing in to use those who happen to be available or, worse still, those who need to be coerced to work with God in his ministry to children.

Blessings

Pastor Pete

What are we teaching our kids?

Over last weekend I was privileged to be able to take part in The Stream - the second Theological Symposium which gives those in the John Wesley family of churches including Wesleyan Methodist Church of NZ (WMCNZ), The Church of the Nazarene, The Salvation Army and the Methodist Church of NZ the opportunity to learn more about Wesleyan doctrines and distinctives.

Rev Dr. Glen O'Brien, in one of his sessions talked of how so much of Children's Ministry in the church is aimed at making children good members of society (teaching them how to behave, have good morals, how to react in the face of peer pressure etc) rather than teaching biblical truths. He also spoke of how little Wesleyan preachers call church attenders to grow in the likeness of Christ, to grow in sanctification etc as John Wesley did.

It got me thinking - Is he right? Do we teach children biblical truths? Do we actively work as a Prevenient Grace agent (a phrase borrowed from Rev Dr. Richard Waugh) working with the Holy Spirit to draw children into relationship with God through Jesus Christ and do we work with the Spirit to nurture children towards sanctification?

Many of us want to. Many of us do our best. But how do we do it? What material can we use that enables us to teach Biblical truths from a Wesleyan doctrinal viewpoint. What material can we use that enables us to encourage children along the path to entire sanctification? In particular what material works in a NZ setting.

As National Children's Ministry Coordinator for the WMCNZ many will look to me to answer those questions .... but the only answer I can give at present is I'm still looking to find it. I can say though that to my knowledge there is nothing with a distinctly Wesleyan doctrinal approach with an NZ flavour.

Hmmm - maybe there's a PhD topic in that?

Oh and by the way - John Wesley believed children of a very young age could live a sanctified life (a brief glimpse into my thesis due out soon)

So in signing off I ask you - what material do you know of that could be used to encourage children along the path of entire sanctification - in the words of John Wesley - having the mind of Christ and walking as he walked.


Pastor Pete