Who are the Thomases?
Children's Pastors
Today: Karen and I are the Children’s Ministry Leaders. I primarily teach the 5th and 6th grade. Most Sundays I can be found in the classroom with today’s young believers and leaders, although they often don’t think of themselves as that. Our vision is to see our children develop authentic relationships with each other and their world. To see them experience a personal relationship with Jesus: praying for one another, serving in the ministry, experiencing manifestations of the Holy Spirit, learning and walking in God’s word. The longer I work with and among the children the more I understand why Jesus said, MT 19:14 “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”
Yesterday: I got saved when I was 20 and attended Calvary Chapel in San Francisco which later became a Vineyard and several iterations later: North Peninsula Vineyard—so that’s why I can never answer “How long have you been with the Church? Similarly, I’ve been involved in Children’s ministry ever since I can remember (yes, even before Karen and I had two of our own.) After several tours of duty in the nursery, I spent 2 years in the 2&3’s, then 4 years in 4&5’s (got to learn what God’s showing you or else you don’t graduate!), then several years in the 1st-3rd, 4th and 5th, and now 5th and 6th. After more than a decade of teaching the children, I’ve realized that this is a BIG part of my church life. In many ways, this is the lens through which I see the kingdom of God being realized today and tomorrow.
MK 9:37 “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”
Tomorrow: Work in Progress, Dynamic, Future Potential, Exciting, Unknown, God’s Hand, No Eye Has Seen, Miracles, New Things, Deeper Relationships, Fun, New Believers, Things Too Wonderful For Me To Know…