everyone needs to be on Mission…

The Center is a community focused on showing our neighbors who Jesus was/is by living life like Him. To be servants as Jesus served, to love others as Jesus loved and to be ‘sent’ as Jesus was sent. 

Our tribe is our family which includes every person.  We ALL take an active role in being sent.  Christian Discipleship is a life-long journey of living, learning, experience and sharing with others.  Children are a huge part of our family and we have a unique opportunity to raise up the next generation to truly understand what it means to live your life ‘on mission’.

So, how do we do that?  By going to the source, God’s Word.  The Bible gives us clear direction of how we train up our children.  ‘A survey of the bible’s teachings on how children were raised and trained in the community of God’s people reveal 4 overarching principles’:

1.     Parents as Primary disciplers

We will be your weekly resource for providing lessons provoking discussions with your child.  These will coincide with the worship message to open the door to further discussions as a family.  We will also provide quarterly parent meetings to share ideas and additional resources for ongoing discipleship in daily living.

2.    Children in gatherings

The children are part of our family and it is important that they are included with the ‘larger’ family and be seen and be a part of what we are doing.  Therefore, the whole ‘tribe’ with begin service together in the Sanctuary (when we meet in the building) for worship and sharing.  Before the larger message, the children (kindergarten-4th grade) will go with education leader for a 30-minute lesson expansion from what parents have been discussing at home.  We will build on what was learned and create some hands-on/applicable activity or project.  Then, the children will return for the Lord’s supper, closing worship and announcements to share as a family.  However, when we go ‘out’ as a tribe to serve and/or eat together, ALL are to take part.  And ALL are to engage with one another!

Children will also be invited to take an active part in the service at times such as: preparing for service, greeting, serving communion, collecting offering, or other use of gifts. (sing, dance, share testimonies, etc)

3.    Jesus value Children

We, as a tribe will actively engage with and seek to know each member.  Have conversations, share a meal, get involved with their projects, activities, spend time in the nursery. Share your gifts if you have similar interests.  We can learn a lot of children when we take the time to get to know them.  Listen and share!

 4.   Children can teach us about God.

When we have conversations and get to know our children, they can teach us a great deal.  First, they ask great questions!  Children have little to no inhibitions and are not afraid to speak truth.  That is a huge lesson for all of us.  They also teach us patience, acceptance, and a new/untainted perspective on life.  It’s worth a listen!         

We, at ‘The Center’ believe that the Church, our tribe, are all responsible to take part in raising up each other, including our children!

Being on mission means alerting people to who God and Jesus is through living like Jesus when He was here on earth.  That begins with us teaching/discipling one another and building each other up so that we are ALL strengthened by the Holy Spirit to ‘go out’ and be ‘sent’ to those in our neighborhood (where we work, live and play).  From the youngest to the oldest!  Hands-on learning is powerful!  Actions speak louder than words. Each member of our tribe will be involved in all the missional activities we are called to do. When we work alongside each other, we learn, we grow and we become the reflection of Jesus to those around us. 

Hear O Isreal:  The Lord our God, the Lord is one.  You shall love the LORD with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.  And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.  You shall teach them diligently to your children and shall talk with them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.

Deuteronomy 6:4-7