The Mandate
The church has a mandate to take the gospel into all the world and to share the good news of Christ with every person (Mt 28:18–20; Lk 24:46–47). Therefore the motivation for our ministry children must begin with God’s command to evangelize the lost, which also includes children (Acts 2:39). Thus, Foundations Family Ministry is a practical feature of our church’s desire to obey Christ as we participate in this facet of the Great Commission.
The Mindset
We understand that a child’s greatest need is regeneration because all are born in sin and without hope of salvation (Rom 3:23). Yet, all who God draws to Himself can receive forgiveness of sins, a relationship with God, and purpose in life through trusting in Christ as Lord and Savior (Rom 10:9–13). This reality is the cornerstone of our ministry to children as their greatest need for the gospel is our greatest opportunity for eternal impact (Rom 10:14–16).
The Mission
Therefore, the target of our ministry is heart preparation as we cultivate the soil of children’s hearts through sowing the seed of the gospel. This requires biblical teaching that provides each child with an understanding of salvation as it is taught throughout God’s word. The goals we have set in ministry to children speak to our desire that all would be equipped by God’s word to understand the need for repentance from sin and faith toward Christ. Furthermore, since salvation is of the Lord, we avoid soliciting salvation professions but encourage the fruit of genuine repentance as demonstrated through a life of submission to Christ’s lordship.