Oceans 2003: Why does United Faith Church teach about the importance of a child establishing a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ at an early age?
United Faith Church: God expresses His immense love and concern for children in His Word and commands that children should be taught His promises, instructed in the Word, and raised in His love. United Faith Church trusts that God desires good things for His children and wants a relationship with them to bestow His promises upon them, equip them to do His will and to demonstrate His glory and power in their lives. When children develop a relationship with God early on, they learn to know and trust Him, make choices in accordance with His Word, and grow to be confident of His love for them.
United Faith Church in Barnegat believes this training is crucial in developing children into godly adults. By nourishing the relationship between children and God, United Faith Church trusts they are establishing a firm foundation for their futures. United Faith Church is confident that our children are called to live abundant lives in Christ and to do amazing things for God even at a young age.
Oceans 2003: What are the benefits of raising a child in Christ?
United Faith Church: Raising a child in Christ teaches them to know who God is and who they are in Him. United Faith Church embraces the biblical principal that if you “train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6). Children raised in Christ develop their identity in Him, never needing to look to the world to define them or to tell them who they are; they know they belong to the Lord Jesus Christ.
United Faith Church acknowledges that children who are raised with Jesus as part of their daily lives experience the powerful works of God and grow up understanding that there is nothing God cannot do. These children learn that God cannot be limited, but with Him all things are possible. Most importantly, United Faith Church trusts that the children are firmly established in the love of Jesus Christ. Where the world will always be looking for love, United Faith Church believes that children raised in Christ have a strong foundation, secured by a love that will never fail, fade, or change but will endure forever.
Oceans 2003: How can a parent teach his or her child to love the Lord Jesus Christ?
United Faith Church: The most effective way to teach is by example. United Faith Church believes that children learn from what they see; therefore, the love of Christ must be evident in what you do and how you live. The Word of God commands that we are to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, and strength and that this is to be demonstrated in all we say and do.
United Faith Church upholds that children learn how to love the Lord when they see this love being acted out in the lives of others. When Jesus is incorporated as an actual member of family, children grow up seeing Him as an integral part of their lives. This means that Jesus’ heart is considered in every decision that is made, He is praised and acknowledged continuously as Lord, and His presence is sought after in the home as well as in everyday life. United Faith Church trusts that when children see the Word of God being lived out and others who do not compromise the Word but stand for the Lord, they see a love that is worth living for.
Oceans 2003: How can raising children to love the Lord Jesus Christ with all their heart, soul, and strength influence those around them?
United Faith Church: In a world where children are pulled in many directions, mastered by self-centeredness, seeking after material things and consumed by the need to be accepted by their peers, those that choose to love the Lord stand against today’s culture and demonstrate that the love of Christ can change lives. United Faith Church believes that children who love the Lord with all their heart, soul, and strength can be used as powerful and effective instruments for His glory.
At United Faith Church, we have seen the power of God transform the lives of our children. United Faith Church has seen multiple children, overjoyed by the love of God and changed through the power of the Gospel, bring Him home with them to affect the lives of their parents, family and friends. These children have brought Him into their schools, their community sports teams, and everywhere else they have gone. As a result, other children have wanted to join in and learn about this love that stands out from the love of the world. United Faith Church has witnessed parents drawn to the Lord as a result of seeing the transformation of their children’s lives.
United Faith Church believes that God has given children a unique opportunity to be an example “in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.” (1 Timothy 4:12) As they are transformed by the love of Christ, they are walking examples of the power of God and of a greater love to all they encounter.
Oceans 2003: How can parents equip children to put God first when it’s not the popular choice?
United Faith Church: For those who have put their trust in Christ, church is not just a daily activity or something that they do, it is who they are. The children and families at United Faith Church take great joy in coming together, where the evidence of God’s presence is apparent and irreplaceable. United Faith Church in Barnegat teaches, in accordance with the Word, that there is a great reward for those who choose Jesus above all else. Children learn that the benefits of Christ far outweigh the benefits of the world and that God honors those who honor Him. Church is not a dull, ritualistic obligation to the children, but it is alive, full of joy, laughter and excitement of what the Lord has for them. Children at United Faith Church are taught that God wants to meet with them, speak to them and demonstrate his power through them. United Faith Church has many children who are a part of school and community sports, who excel in their academics and who are involved in the community in various ways, but have chosen to put God first, and God has honored that by blessing them with more of his presence. As the Word teaches to seek first the kingdom of God, so the children are taught that God must be put first and that the great reward for doing so is Jesus Christ. Though the world may not recognize or honor God, United Faith Church upholds that the church always will.
To learn more about the children’s ministry at United Faith Church in Barnegat, visit unitedfaithchurch.org.