Guest Blogger: Brad Merchant

Today I have asked Brad Merchant, our Intern and leader of our 3rd and 4th grade children's church to share with you. I enjoy serving alongside Brad and his wife Clarissa each week. I hope you will enjoy what Brad has to say! You can see more of Brad on his blog at libertyfamily.org.

 Children are not the future of the church

Children are not the future of the church.

That’s right. They aren’t. The reason they aren’t is because they are (huh?).

The children in our churches are in no way the ‘future’ of the church. They are the church. Jesus in no way declared that once you are redeemed that you must hit a certain age limit in order to be a part of the Messianic church. Instead the Scripture teaches that “For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and ALL (emphasis mine) members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ” (1 Cor. 12:12). Children redeemed by Christ through repentance and faith in Him are the church.

So why don’t we treat them as such?

My prayer is that Liberty Baptist Church would be so fired up about what Jesus is doing in our church (saving the lost, sanctifying His own, and building His church) and what He is doing in the lives of our children, that we would be eager to serve. Let’s pray together for God to help us realize that the children are important because the redeemed are His own and He desires to save every child that is lost. May this lead us to greater service, passion, and vision for what He has in store in The Grove at Liberty Baptist Church!