Leader Artyom Oleksin Phone (+375.17) 265.30.39

e-mail artyomoleksin@gmail.com Web-site www.jesuschurch.by

Bible speaks a lot about the importance of raising children and guiding them into the right way. «Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.» (Proverbs 22:6). We as parents and children' ministers need to learn finding balance between God's love and fear of the Lord in the matter of ministering to our children. bible is the best and perfect textbook in pedagogics. And with His Word God gave us also His Spirit who helps us to understand the psychology of children and understand children not worse than any psychologist and specialist.

may the Lord bless you in this hard yet noble work of raising and training of the next generation!

All blessings,
Children pastors Artyom and Anya Oleksins (with their son Samuel and daughter Agnessa)

HISTORY of children ministry

Children ministry was started in the church from the very beginning. It is important, because some people wouldn't be able to come to church if no one will care for their children. I minister as children pastor since 2000. Some time have passed before I realized that children ministry is not just lessons in Sunday Scholl for children once a week. Children Ministry is far more comprehensive than Sunday School, although Sunday School is actually one of the most important components that comprise children ministry. Children ministry can include Christian camps for kids and teenagers, Christian education, printing of Christian literature, work with unbelievers in various institutions for children, hosting of cultural and holiday events, training the older children and parents of Sunday School students as doers, clubs for children that work during the week and many other things. Main thing is not to bury the talents that thr Lord so generously endowed His children with, but discover these gifts and release them for God's glory.

Right now we are actively work on involving each parent of children that come to Sunday School. I belive it would help see better results of spiritual growth and strengthening of children when children ministers and parents would put their efforts together. Even more so because main responsibilty for raising children is on parents and not on the church. Also we started courses of training assistants for the Sunday School for the children of older group (10-12 years old). They are helping already in Sunday School in the group with younger children. In the closest future we plan tp involve them in working with middle group.

The work is also planned in the following areas:

• Interesting programs that would be used in other churches as well
• New ideas (surprises, unusual things) in each lesson
• New games (search and making database of games)
• Developing the creativity (handiwork, stitchwork etc.)
• Comprehensive development of each child (spiritual, intellectual, emotional, social, physical – all of them are important)
• Using modern tools and equipment in studies
• Attracting new children and those that don't visit the Sunday School on regular basis
• Making the teaching materials for children ministers

VISION of the children ministry

Of course, being a part of the local church, Children ministry participates in fulfilling the vision of our church: Revival and Reformation in Belarus and worldwide. We, children ministers, see our part in helping each child to know the Lord, love Him and serve Him.

To know the Lord is the process of our whole life. Even in eternity we will be getting to know Him.

Love the Lord with all of your heart, all of your soul, all of your might and all of your mind. More than anything in this world. Even more than oneself.

Serve Him as jesus Himself served.

All that we do during the lesson, in camp, in outdoor trip should get us closer to this goal – to know the Lord, to love Him and to serve Him.

TOPICS for children ministers and parents:

• Why ministering to children and is Children ministry necessary?
• What does it mean – to love you children?
• Working outside the boundaries of Sunday School
• Children minister and working on oneself
• Principles of children ministry
• Blessing or hindrance?
• How to raise children in fear of the Lord?
• Purposes, tasks, vision of Children ministry
• Managing the class
• Lesson's content, teaching materials

PROGRAMS for the Sunday School and for the Training of doers:

You can use our programs and materials for the Course of training assistants in your ministry to children. We would like to ask you to share also your ideas, programs, successes, experiences. May all these things serve to the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ!

• Bible programs
• Course of training for assistants
• Evangelism games
• Games to help developing relations

Tasks of the ministry for year 2009:

1. Spiritual and professional growth of children ministers
2. Training ministers and cooperation with parents;
3. Drawing older children into cooperation (10-12 years old)