Let’s be honest, there are many more of those children than there are teenagers. For a whole range of reasons, children and young people make the decision to eject themselves from church at an early opportunity. That's not to say that the small army of children's leaders around the country haven't been doing a great job - in many cases they've been miracle workers; but in general, resources have been scarce and churches have struggled to see a vision for children's ministry that ventures beyond entertainment and babysitting.
In recent years, and in response to that worrying ship-jumping trend, churches have begun to envision their members and invest more heavily in the areas of children's and family ministry. Statistics like those produced by George Barna in the US, who suggests that if we don't captivate young people with a real and liveable faith by the age of 13 we're likely to lose them, have been a wake-up call. So more and more churches are starting to work with parents and children from an early age; more are starting child-friendly expressions of church outside of a Sunday service; more are employing full or part time staff to work with children and families.
In 1991 Youthwork magazine came along at a watershed moment for youth ministry, as the sector become more professionalised, as church culture became more envisioned about the importance of reaching and keeping teenagers. Now, 21 years later, it feels like we're at a similar moment for children's ministry. That's why we've decided that the time is right to launch Childrenswork magazine - because right now an exciting new landscape of ideas, voices and practice is emerging, and it needs support. We want to be a central platform for communication - a place where exciting thinkers are given space to share innovative new ways of doing things; where good news and best practice are shared; where children's leaders can go to feel refreshed, inspired and resourced.
If that gets your pulse racing, then please, join us on this journey. God is doing something amazing in children's ministry at this time - we're so excited to be a small part of it.
