Children and young people today are more open to faith than previous generations. But if your church is not yet seeing a surge in numbers, here’s a story to encourage you from Stockton.
‘We’d started an online group for our church children during Covid lockdowns,’ says Faith Guide Lydia. ‘We called it Rooted Kids Club as we initially used SU’s Rooted resources. Later, that group became two: we kept an online group for Bible study (now called Kids Life Group) at the children’s request and Rooted became an after-school club based at our church. But numbers dwindled as the children grew up and moved into other church groups, to the point where some weeks nobody came.
So we prayed into the situation – and our prayers were dramatically answered!’
‘The very next week, 17 new children with no connection to our church turned up at Rooted saying “We hear you run a club – can we join?” Some have brought their friends, one mum brings a carload of kids, and there’s a dad who walks here, gathering up children from across the estate on the way.
CREATING A SAFE SPACE
‘Rooted is a safe space where the children can relax, have fun and choose what activities they want to do, such as crafts, football or reading. The main challenge is how to introduce them to Jesus, given that they range in age from 5 to 12 and mostly have no church background. But my SU Mission Enabler Neil Jackson is helping us work that through. For now, we pray with the children at the end of sessions as that can include them all.’
Lydia’s church already has some pathways in place for when the children are ready to go deeper in exploring and responding to faith.
‘Some have already joined our Boys’ Brigade and Girls’ Brigade groups. We’ll invite children from all our groups to our annual church weekend residential. Any Rooted children who aren’t ready for that level of worship and Bible study can come on SU’s Launchpad holiday which is aimed more at children without church backgrounds and is led by Neil who they all know because he comes to Rooted occasionally.’
HELPING CHILDREN GO DEEPER
But, as Lydia discovered, children with no church background may jump right in to exploring faith!
‘One mum found us through social media – she said her 9-year-old was interested in the Bible and could she join the online Bible study group? So, her daughter came to Rooted where we gave her a Bible, and she’s at our online Kids Life Group, the only child not from a church family. She prays and asks great questions. She’s stopped coming to Rooted as she’s moved away, but she’s continuing the online group. And, because I’m part of SU’s north region Faith Guide network, in time I should be able to link her to another church near her new home.’
Lydia and other Faith Guides around Stockton already meet up regularly and support one another.
‘It’s so encouraging, knowing you’re not on your own!’ she says. ‘When we get together, the ideas really flow.’
The group of Faith Guides, along with those from several other Tees Valley churches, also unite in summer for a programme of holiday club outreach facilitated by Neil from SU, reaching out to reveal Jesus to many more local children and young people who may be ready to hear about faith.
