Titus2Talk: Training our Children for Ministry – Part 2

Cobe & Scarlett with their seven children

Welcome back for Part 2 of our interview with Scarlett on including your children in ministry and missions!
For Part 1, visit here.

4. Do you have any resource recommendations along these lines?

Several resources that I recommend are:

From Akebu to Zapotec – A Book of Bibleless Peoples by June Hathersmith

YWAM books -Christian Heroes: Then & Now by Janet & Geoff Benge

Parenting from the Heart by Marilyn Boyer

HomeEducating with Babies and Toddlers… and loving it! by Marilyn Boyer

Getting it All Done by Marilyn Boyer

Fun Projects For Hands On Character Building by Rick and Marilyn Boyer

Don’t Make Me Count to Three by Ginger Plowman

Reading and praying through “Window on the World” by Daphne Spraggett with Jill Johnstone

The Voice of the Martyrs Kids of Courage magazine

5. How have you worked to train your children to sit quietly during the Sunday service?

We have the littlest ones sit on our laps and make them sit still, we don’t let them get away or get distracted by their stuff. Normally, we don’t let them have food or toys, only on occasion (although sometimes for the 1 1/2 year old I’ll bring krispy almonds). We let the older children do sermon art but with only 1 colored pencil and they can’t switch colors. Sometimes, we let the older girls knit or crochet but they can loose that privilege if it gets out of control or yarn or needles keep dropping. We don’t want it to become a distraction, but some children listen better with some handwork. We discourage them from talking to each other. We have them sit up not lounge around on the pews/chairs. We have them stand at the appropriate times- singing, reading of God’s Word.

We try to take our time with them during the service to make it special by more physical affection – we put our arms around them, hug them, stroke their hair. We want them to feel loved during our time together learning about God. We don’t want it to be a stressful, angry time or a time of frustration. If discipline is needed, one of us will take the child out, go to a quiet, private place and discipline the child and then bring them back to the service. Sometimes, it has to be done several times. Thats OK, this is also a training time. Try not to let it steal your joy, we want our children worshiping with us! I love that they see their Dad raising his hands to God worshiping Him! I love when then see us cry in repentance. This is beautiful and not to be missed!

We teach them to be quiet, sometimes that requires constant correction. My husband has done most of the training with the little ones at church. I usually hold the nursing babies, but he deals with the young toddlers. He holds them on his lap and they sit still for Daddy. I do best with the babies who I nurse and the older children who just need some reminders. The ones that are young and that require more attention, my husband takes care of. This has made Sunday more peaceful and also reinforces that Daddy requires obedience. Even during shared meal or visiting time for the afternoon, my husband takes care of the young toddlers. This again is time for training and time with Daddy. It also helps me to be more peaceful and enjoy the day even more.

Training at home: Obedience game and Training sessions from the Boyers book “Fun Projects For Hands On Character Building.”

Also, there are two great missionary articles and 1 book list about instilling a heart for missions in your children in “Above Rubies” Magazines # 64 called, “World Missions at my Table” and #65 “Raising Missionaries” and “Fill Your Home with Inspiring Missionary Stories”. The “Raising Missionaries” really influenced me!

God bless you! Love, Scarlett