This is our vision for Kidzville.
"Our vision is for Kidzville to be a ministry in which kids regularly encounter the presence and power of God and experience the moving of His Spirit".
When people hear this they sometimes ask the question, "why is that so important?" People want to know why we focus on helping kids encounter God and experience His Spirit rather than on teaching, programs, and activities.
We have entrusted into our care an entire generation that is going through an identity crisis.
Here are the conditions that have created this crisis. Often cited is the high divorce rate in the United States. While there is disagreement on how accurate the numbers actually are, the general consensus among experts is that if current trends continue, the divorce rate will soon exceed 50%.
This high divorce rate has created an environment in which many children in our nation are now growing up in either single parent homes, or are coping with the lifestyle of being shuffled around between parents. Whats even more erratic for children is adapting to the new relationship they may have with a step parent. An fortunate effect this has on children is that now many children are growing up without a father or positive male role model in their lives.
On top of all this, children in this generation are involved in so many sports and activities all at the same time. They are forced to balance these extracirriculars with school and family. The result is that children walk through life with a performance driven mentality.
This is not to say that being involved in sports or extracurricular activities has a negative impact on children, but that when focus is performance driven children may grow up with the mindset that unless they are being the best athlete, musician, performer, student, etc, they are not truly accepted and loved by their caregivers.
When you combine all these factors with the natural physiological and psychological development of a child, the result is confusion, insecurity, low self esteem, and an identity crisis. Children walk through life not knowing who they are or who they are supposed to be.
Colossians 3:3-4NLT says, "For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory."
This verse tells us that our identity is in Christ. It is in Him that we discover who we truly are and who we are called to be. When children are going through an identity crises, an encounter with God can reveal to them who they truly are. Once they discover their Kingdom Identity and begin to embrace and walk in it, it will give them the solid foundation that they can build the rest of their life on.
In addition to helping discover, embrace and walk in the identity that God has called them too, an encounter with God provides the consistancy and stability that children need in their lives. People and environments are always changing in a child's life often with a negative impact.Christ is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. He never changes, His love is unconditional, and He has promised to never leave them nor forsake them.
At Kidzville we believe that an encounter with God is of the upmost importance. Not so that children can have an "experience" and not so that we can say that ours is a "Spirit Filled" ministry, but so that children can discover who God has called them to be in the midst of self confusion, and walk in that identity to change the world for Him.
"Our vision is for Kidzville to be a ministry in which kids regularly encounter the presence and power of God and experience the moving of His Spirit".
When people hear this they sometimes ask the question, "why is that so important?" People want to know why we focus on helping kids encounter God and experience His Spirit rather than on teaching, programs, and activities.
We have entrusted into our care an entire generation that is going through an identity crisis.
Here are the conditions that have created this crisis. Often cited is the high divorce rate in the United States. While there is disagreement on how accurate the numbers actually are, the general consensus among experts is that if current trends continue, the divorce rate will soon exceed 50%.
This high divorce rate has created an environment in which many children in our nation are now growing up in either single parent homes, or are coping with the lifestyle of being shuffled around between parents. Whats even more erratic for children is adapting to the new relationship they may have with a step parent. An fortunate effect this has on children is that now many children are growing up without a father or positive male role model in their lives.
On top of all this, children in this generation are involved in so many sports and activities all at the same time. They are forced to balance these extracirriculars with school and family. The result is that children walk through life with a performance driven mentality.
This is not to say that being involved in sports or extracurricular activities has a negative impact on children, but that when focus is performance driven children may grow up with the mindset that unless they are being the best athlete, musician, performer, student, etc, they are not truly accepted and loved by their caregivers.
When you combine all these factors with the natural physiological and psychological development of a child, the result is confusion, insecurity, low self esteem, and an identity crisis. Children walk through life not knowing who they are or who they are supposed to be.
Colossians 3:3-4NLT says, "For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory."
This verse tells us that our identity is in Christ. It is in Him that we discover who we truly are and who we are called to be. When children are going through an identity crises, an encounter with God can reveal to them who they truly are. Once they discover their Kingdom Identity and begin to embrace and walk in it, it will give them the solid foundation that they can build the rest of their life on.
In addition to helping discover, embrace and walk in the identity that God has called them too, an encounter with God provides the consistancy and stability that children need in their lives. People and environments are always changing in a child's life often with a negative impact.Christ is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. He never changes, His love is unconditional, and He has promised to never leave them nor forsake them.
At Kidzville we believe that an encounter with God is of the upmost importance. Not so that children can have an "experience" and not so that we can say that ours is a "Spirit Filled" ministry, but so that children can discover who God has called them to be in the midst of self confusion, and walk in that identity to change the world for Him.
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