Let the Little Children Come!

Joseph and I have been blessed to be members of First Baptist for more than 20 years. Today, you will find just the two of us walking through the doors of our great church. But if the walls could talk, they would tell you of the days of seeing us making our way in and out of the children’s area as we delivered our four children to their classrooms. There, they were being taught the stories of the Bible and singing “This Little Light of Mine.” Those classrooms were places where we knew beyond doubt that they were being loved and where their minds and hearts were being directed toward Jesus. I remember the letter our youngest received from her Sunday school teacher when her grandfather died. I remember the hearty laughter of one of our son’s teachers when he told us something funny our son had said that morning. I remember the Bible drill days for our oldest daughters, and yes, I remember how they complained about going. I remember thinking I had never seen or heard anything so beautiful as the sights and sounds of our children wearing tiny choir robes with red bows at their necks. In other words, I remember the children’s ministry of our church as our family’s greatest partner in attempting to root our children in the love and knowledge of Jesus Christ. I noticed long ago, however, that our church’s children’s areas were dated and deteriorating. When I visited other churches, I noticed the cheery colors and play areas that greeted the families in those churches. I wondered how our church could attract young families when our facilities were so antiquated and lacking. In my mind, our children’s ministry was at risk of becoming buried treasure, a light under a bushel. GENERATIONS offered the possibility of unearthing that treasure, of removing any and every stumbling block that would prevent young families from finding the love and truth being shared and sung in those classrooms. Joseph and I thank God that we can play a small part in helping the outside of our children’s ministry match the inside. It’s now spectacular- inside and out! “Let the little children come!”
Cathy and Joseph Hicks