June 5, 2000
Church preschool ministries
growing, outpacing seminary grads
___By Linda Lawson
___LifeWay Christian Resources
___NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--The disintegration of the traditional family structure and other societal changes are forcing churches to rethink the ways they minister to preschoolers and children. But the needs of the children remain the same, a seminar leader said.
___"Children need to be reached and taught because they are created in God's image and are precious in his sight," said Bill Young, retired manager of children's discipleship ministry at LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. He spoke in a session on trends in preschool-children's ministry during a National Preschool-Children's Convention attended by more than 700 leaders.
"Children need to be reached and taught because they are created in God's image and are precious in his sight."
Bill Young, retired manager of children's discipleship ministry at LifeWay Christian Resources
___Young, who also is a member of the board of directors of the International Network of Children's Ministry, cited changes that have occurred in preschool-children's ministry in the last 40 years.
___"We are seeing more attention given to preschool-children's ministry in churches," he said, noting that more churches are seeking people to fill professional ministry positions than are graduating from Southern Baptist seminaries. As a result, "churches are looking to teachers and others working in the field of childhood education for staff positions."
___Even staff titles are changing, Young said, noting that a title growing in popularity is "minister of family life and children."
___Also, more men are involved in preschool-children's ministry today, something he sees as a positive development. However, fears about child abuse sometimes raise suspicions about the involvement of men, he lamented.
___"Societal changes are impacting the way we do church," Young said. As a children's discipleship training department director, he now makes home visits only when accompanied by his wife or another teacher.
___The growing trend to year-round schools also impacts church ministries, Young said. Now, camps and other activities must be planned for non-traditional times when school is out.
___"We need to think beyond the traditional church program organizations of Sunday School, discipleship training, music and missions education," Young said. He advocated an integrated approach to meet life needs.
___Preschool-children's leaders must know what activities and studies are appropriate for each age.
___He urged church leaders to develop written standards for what they expect children to know and articulate at each age. "I have only commendation for any church that does this," he said.
___While technology such as computers has not traditionally been part of church ministries with preschoolers and children, it is a must for the future, he said.
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