Peace to you, brothers and sisters. I am Billy Lin, currently serving in the Pomegranate Zone. Our zone is made up mainly of young families. Whenever we gather, adults and children fill the room with warmth and life, and our hearts naturally overflow with thanksgiving and praise to God.
As parents, we must bring our children to Jesus. “Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him” (Psalm 127:3). Helping children know God is one of the most important responsibilities He gives parents. It should take priority over training in knowledge, music, dance, sport or other skills. Parents are called to follow biblical principles and “train up a child in the way he should go” (Proverbs 22:6).
Thanks be to the Lord, parents in the Pomegranate Zone are faithfully bringing their children to Jesus and into church. This reveals their desire for God and their commitment to their children’s spiritual formation. Every human heart needs the touch of Jesus, especially a child’s. To be touched by the Lord from an early age is a profound blessing. Children need care and protection in many areas of life, but they especially need sound spiritual guidance. Parents can bring them to Jesus, help them know and experience God personally, teach them to seek and obey Him in faith, and show them how to depend on Him. Their lives will never be the same. As Isaiah 54:13 says, “All your children will be taught by the Lord, and great will be their peace.”
One practical and effective way to bring children before the Lord is to establish a family altar at home, where children and adults read Scripture, pray and sing together. Some families in our zone read the Bible with their children in the evening, pray before meals, have Quiet Time (QT) together, and pray before bed. These are good practices that should continue. Even more important, however, is creating a home environment that draws children towards the Lord. Parents’ godly example and a loving, harmonious family atmosphere are essential. Parents should think carefully about how they themselves can draw nearer to God and model spiritual life, rather than merely demanding that their children do so. At the very least, we must consider how not to become a stumbling block. When parents live out the life of Christ at home, children often absorb that faith naturally without constant pressure.
Jesus delights in children coming to Him. He said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these” (Matthew 19:14). This is a privilege given to children: they may approach the throne of grace with confidence and receive God’s abundant grace. Jesus knows the simple, genuine and pure heart of a child, and He welcomes such people. He also said that unless we turn and become like little children, we will never enter the kingdom of heaven, and that whoever humbles himself like a child is greatest in the kingdom (Matthew 18:3–4). Children depend wholeheartedly on their parents because they do not imagine that they are self-sufficient. This is a picture of humility and obedience, and the Lord delights in people who come to Him in this way.
I thank the church for investing so much energy and financial support in children’s and youth ministry. God has been very gracious to EFCCA, especially to the English congregation, where the number of young people continues to grow. Through these ministries, more children can be brought to Jesus, receive His blessing and live lives marked by love. As parents, may we give our children what is best, live out the likeness of Christ before them, and come together with them to Jesus. Thanks be to the Lord. Amen.
