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JESUS 4 a new gNR8n |
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Bored with religion, but hungry for God. |
by Helen Williamson, Crosslinks Youth Coordinator in Dublin
The
passage in Mark chapter 10 about Jesus and the little children is a popular
one. It makes us feel warm and fuzzy inside. We think how lovely it was that
Jesus took the little ones on his lap and blessed them. Sometimes it seems
to me that we are content to think of Jesus as an amiable Father
Christmas-type figure who bounced babies on his knee, posed for a
photograph, then sent them away without much of a second thought. There is
no doubt that Jesus cared deeply for children. Yet if we take a look at the
previous chapter, (Mark 9:33-37), we can see that his actions have a more
profound significance. By taking the child in his arms, the Son of God
receives, welcomes and thus serves a little one who would not have been
thought of as particularly important. Jesus is therefore instructing his
disciples how to serve God in a way that is kingdom-driven.
Perhaps we ought not to isolate this story in an abstract context, but think
seriously about how it should affect our attitude to the children and young
people of the Millennium generation. Jesus said, "Let the little
children come to me and do not hinder them."
"Hinder them? We would never do that," we say. "We sing one
children's hymn every Sunday! We send them out of church to Sunday school at
least once a month. We tell them nice Bible stories so that they know
exactly how many people Jesus fed with five loaves and two fish."
I worry that children are being sidelined in our churches. Furthermore, I
worry that our attitude to serving children does not demonstrate Gospel
obedience. Looking back to Jesus' words in Mark 9, many commentators agree
that the 'little children' Jesus is referring to are his disciples, now
being sent out by him in ministry: He said, "Whoever welcomes one of
these little children in my name welcomes me." The notion of giving
service to a child, then actually going like a child when sent in Jesus'
name (echoed in Mark 10:15) clearly goes against the disciples' notion of
greatness.
We must ask ourselves therefore, whether it is easier, more exotic even, and
certainly much less hassle to send money to Tanzania, rather than welcome
the children in the streets around us into our freshly painted church hall?
Is it more convenient to run concerts and sales for grown-ups, as we think
giving up an evening a week for a children's club is too time-consuming and,
may I dare to suggest, beneath us? The danger is that we can become so
absorbed with our committees, church building funds and the preservation of
our traditions and rituals, that the gap between our congregations and the
new generation is widening. "Religion is boring!" they say;
"Church is irrelevant. I only go because they make me."
We mustn't fool ourselves that we can protect our children from our
consumerist, cyber-obsessed, 'now' culture. It surrounds them and envelopes
them on every side. Our youth programmes, no matter how sophisticated,
cannot compete with the entertainment that MTV, Playstation or the latest
N-Sync album provides. It really is tempting simply not to bother and to
continue Sunday by Sunday, as we have always done, in the vain hope that one
fine day our pews will be full of well-churched young people who will join
our committees and attend the weekly Bible study.
No, left to ourselves we cannot compete with such a fast-pulse cultural
revolution, but we have a radical, outrageous, life-changing message that
can - the voice of one who simply says "Come to me." He offers the
bread of life that satisfies a desperate hunger for something real. He
brings the realisation that it doesn't matter if I don't wear the 'right'
labels, listen to the 'right' music or have the 'right' figure. He simply
says, "You are precious and honoured in my sight...and...I love
you."
There is a startling statistic that of those who do not accept Christ by the
age of 18, 85% are unlikely ever to do so. That is a rather sobering
thought. Fortunately there are many excellent youth ministry organisations
which are reaching out to the 'Millennials' (as they are now known) and a
huge number of churches who consider childrens' ministry to be a high
priority. Yet this is not a responsibility to be left to the professionals
or the full-time youth workers. Imagine the distress on Jesus' face when the
disciples told the children to go away. Are we ever guilty of that? Do we
ever cast a disapproving look when the baby in the next pew happens to let
out a cry during the prayers, or when a group of 'unsavoury' youths linger
around outside the church hall on a Saturday night, or when a rather
enthusiastic seven-year old interrupts our Bible story with a host of
apparently unrelated questions?
Jesus called children to him and took them in His arms. He still does that
today. He uses fragile jars of clay like us to point them in His direction
by taking time out with them, allowing them to be part of the church family,
listening to them and loving them.