Are You a Kids Pastor?

Go through the Bible, look up all the scriptures for pastors, shepherds, and elders, and do what they say – but do it for the kids.

“Feed the flock of God which is among you.” 1 Peter 5:2

The first thing Peter tells pastors to do is to “feed the flock.” This is the primary responsibility of a pastor. Feeding the lambs was important to Peter because it was important to Jesus.

“When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “You know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” John 21:15

One of the first things that the Lord Jesus asked Peter to do was to ‘Feed My Lambs’.

There is a specific calling to feed the lambs. What you do is very important to the Lord. It’s not that feeding the lambs is more important than feeding the sheep, but it is more critical. Kids under the age of eight cannot feed themselves so they are dependent on someone more mature to feed them.

The preaching that you do on Sunday morning is the only meal that some of your kids are getting. This is why what you do is precious to the Lord.

Take a look at what Charles Haddon Spurgeon said about the Lord’s instructions to Peter.

“It is very remarkable that the word used here for “feed My lambs” is very different from the word employed in the precept, “feed My sheep.” I will not trouble you with Greek words, but the second “feed” means exercise the office of a shepherd, rule, regulate, lead, manage them, do all that a shepherd has to do towards a flock; but this first feed does not include all that it means distinctly feed, and it directs teachers to a duty which they may, perhaps, neglect—namely, that of instructing children in the faith.

Christian children mainly need to be taught the doctrine and life of the gospel: they require Divine truth put before them clearly and forcibly. Why should the higher doctrines, the doctrines of grace, be kept back from them?

Teach the little ones the whole truth and nothing but the truth; for instruction is the great want of the child’s nature. A child has not only to live as you and I have, but also to grow; hence he has double need of food.”

I agree with Spurgeon.

Kids don’t need less of God’s Word; they need more.

Give them a double portion.

Don’t just play a video of a Bible Story and then ask questions. That’s not preaching, and that’s not what Jesus was talking about when he said, “Feed my lambs.”

Read the Bible. Study God’s Word. Meditate on it. Pray for your service and then minister out of your overflow. Ask God to show up in your classroom, and he will.