Throughout our NextGen Ministries, we believe that Spiritual Leadership is made up of these three things:
- Hosting the Presence of God,
- Taking Spiritual Risks, and
- Participating in Corporate Worship!
The leaders of Kidz Connect, and all the way up to Mount Hope Young Adults, are taught how to help others become aware of the Holy Spirit’s presence, take spiritual risks, and make worship a priority. I want to give you some easy ways that as parents you can also help lead your children to do these things!
Hosting the Presence of God
Hosting the presence of God, simply put, is teaching your child to constantly be aware of the presence of God! In Kidz Connect almost weekly, we carve out time for your children to listen for the voice of the Holy Spirit and tell others what He is saying! Don’t be afraid to create these moments at home, too! In the mornings, put on worship music for even just 5-10 minutes. This could be during breakfast or the car ride to daycare/school. Tell your child that together you will listen to the Holy Spirit. Then ask your child what He spoke, and be amazed at how easily your child can sense the presence of God and hear His voice!
Taking Spiritual Risks
Children are filled with boldness! Help them take risks for Jesus! If they felt Holy Spirit one morning tell them to share Jesus with their friends, encourage them to do so, and then follow up later that day asking how it went! If your child wants to invite a friend to church, take the lead, and invite their whole family! They are watching you. If you take risks for Jesus, so will they! When you feel prompted to give a prophetic word or pray for someone, bring them with you! Tell them at the dinner table when you shared your faith at work. Bring them with you to a community outreach. Let their childlike faith inspire you to keeping taking risks for Jesus—it’s one of the surest ways their faith will grow!
Participating in Corporate Worship
Lastly, to spiritually lead your child means to constantly put them in an environment where they are being led in worship! Make sure that bringing them to Kidz Connect is a priority so they can worship Jesus with their peers in an environment appropriate for their age. But don’t stop there; take some Wednesday nights and have them join you in the Prayer Gathering! Let them see you kneel, cry, dance, and lift your hands to Jesus! Some things are taught, but others are caught. Show them the importance of lifting up Jesus’ name and their spiritual lives will be rich even as a child!
