Defined Part II: Serving Kids of Troubled Homes

After we knew Kevin’s story, we adjusted our dance with him. When he first arrived, we started offering him a calm time of rest. This twenty-to-thirty minutes made a world of difference! Once he awoke he was more patient and happy. In time Kevin was able to articulate his feelings in a healthy way. Years have passed now and Kevin has grown into a very jovial and loving young man who attends our after-school programs.

Empowering the local church to serve as a supplemental family to the Bluebonnet Child is my calling. Eternity-altering moments can occur at any age. I have met eight-year-old disciples who are more spiritually mature than their forty-seven-year-old Sunday school teacher. Just as there is no set age for faith to blossom, life-scarring moments can happen at any age as well.

Think of how many adults struggle with a dark time in their childhood. Think of the sad hours spent trying to undo that moment; trying to rewrite that memory. Think of the emotional triggers that won’t let one forgive. Think of how much time is wasted as adults in erasing the false images of faith that were painted for us as kids.Think of how this affects our relationships with others-our relationship with God. A big portion of my work is preventative in nature. I strive to nurture the young disciples of today on their path to becoming the spiritually healthy adults of tomorrow. A divine nudge guides me to assure that the truth of grace resounds louder than the dysfunctional tunes at home.

For years I have followed this divine nudge through the doors of Bethel Seminary, community partnerships with like-minded organizations, and nearly a decade of serving as a Director of Children and Family Ministry at a mainline church in the heartland. Families of all types and talented kidmin volunteers have spoken into this calling. With each lesson planned, Fall Teammate Training accomplished, or new faith milestone reached, the Bluebonnet child has remained at the center of my heart. How will this new initiative affect them? Will the message it portrays overshadow the message they receive (or will not receive) at home?  We are taught that the parents are the child’s primary faith nurturers, and it’s our role as children’s pastors to partner with them; but what happens when a child’s parental unit is neglectful or abusive?

Building up the local church to serve as a supplemental family to the Bluebonnet Child is not only my calling-it’s the churches too. While we cannot completely alter the home-life of a Bluebonnet Child, we are called to serve. The Children’s and Family Ministry Team of any church can serve as catalyzers, who lead the entire church in answering the call. My hope is that Children’s Pastors and their teammates will see this book as an advantages tool on the path to their holy dreams.

 I composed this book with you in mind-yes, you.  You who has a heart for meeting each kid’s unique needs. You who roots for the underdog.  You who finds it offensive when others say, “Those kids are TOO loud/TOO energetic/TOO silly”.  You who loves learning about how kids best learn. You who light up when the coolest fifth grader knows all the dance moves to a praise song and aren’t afraid to show it. You who tear up some mornings while praying for your students because the love you hold for them is too much for one little prayer journal to contain. And you whose days are beyond full, but you still aim to make them fruitful so you bought this book. This. Book. Is.For.You. It’s intentionally short, because I can only imagine how busy you are. It’s bursting at the seams with high-quality resources, because I know you have high standards.  And it contains questions to help you or a small group explore the distinct needs of your ministry, because while we are all in this together, only you and God know what’s best for your church (not me).  May this book inspire and inform you as you move forward with faith and intentionality.

Questions to Ponder

• Whose face came to mind as you read this? Who is the Bluebonnet Child in your midst? 
• How would your next interaction with a child be different if you viewed him/her as a, “young disciple of today on her path to becoming tomorrow’s spiritually healthy adult”? 
• What “vibes” does a Bluebonnet Child get as he enters your church doors?