Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
There was a time during the 1970's when seventy-five percent of Americans on any given Sunday said they were in church. Today, statistics reveal that eighty percent of children in America are not in church. That’s a scary figure. We are becoming more and more like Europe –– a secular society leaving God out of our lives.
I suppose one of the worst forms of child abuse is spiritual neglect. Do you remember that occasion as recorded in the Gospels when many parents were bringing their children to Jesus for Him to place His hands on them and pray for them? His adult disciples felt this was a waste of Jesus’ time. They began rebuking those who were bringing their children. Apparently the disciples had already forgotten what Jesus said earlier about the worth of children and the seriousness of causing them to fall.
The Lord Jesus rebuked the disciples, telling them, “Let the children alone, and do not hinder them from coming to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these” (Matthew 19:14). The kingdom of heaven is not limited to adults who might be considered to be worth more than children.
Ever since I have been your pastor, the people of Community Bible Church have had a vision for children. We have, by God’s grace, not found them to be bothersome, but a blessing. We have understood what the Lord meant when He said in Matthew 18:5, “And whoever receives one such child in My name receives Me.” I pray that we never lose that vision, especially in the day we find ourselves where children are being spiritually neglected. Please be in prayer for our Vacation Bible School. I am hoping that along with our own children, we will reach out to the unchurched children of our county. Before you toss this newsletter, make a note of the VBS dates and time and post it somewhere in your home as a prayer reminder. And also, take a moment to read about CBC University coming this June and July.
Yours in Christ,
Pastor Carl