Kids In Discipleship Ministry was launched in the Southern Africa Indian Ocean Division when more than 110 participants drawn from all corners of the SID territory met in Bloemfontein, South Africa, for five days of intensive training in discipling children. Represented in the meetings were Children and Family Life Directors at Union level, Conference/field directors, front-line pastors, Local church Children Ministries coordinators and laypersons.
They met from February 1 – 5, 2012 at a seminar organised by Mrs Caroline Chola, Children’s Ministries Director of the Division and facilitated by Pastor Don MacLafferty, President, Kids In Discipleship and Dr Linda Koh, Children Ministries Director of the General Conference.
The seminar’s objective was to equip participants to grow parents into spiritual mentors and to disciple children and their parents/mentors with a goal of life transformation. All presentations and discussions held were greatly appreciated by the participants who acknowledged this as the most urgent need of our time.
Dr Paul Ratsara, President of the Southern Africa Indian Ocean Division, in his sermon said, “little things we do to the little ones, good or bad, will shape the lives of the children.” Later on, in his charge to the participants, he said that the missing ingredient was commitment and urged the participants to be committed to the training they have received.
The General Conference Children Ministries Director, Dr Linda Koh emphasised the point that values are caught and not taught, therefore everyone that is involved with children should be a model because where one child reads a book, one hundred read a person.
Pastor Don MacLafferty, the guest speaker, inspired the participants as he presented the lessons through his personal testimonies, which participants could identify with. These were genuine and authentic personal life stories. He also led in the prayer series for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit where each participant experienced revival through ‘Time Alone with God’.
Participants left the meetings committed to supporting the discipleship ministry in their homes and congregations. They were inspired by topics such as How to own God’s vision for children, How to know and experience the call of discipleship, How to equip parents to be mentors of their own children, How to empower children in worship, ministry and mission, et al.
The Children’s Ministries department would like to encourage administrators, front-line pastors, church elders, parents and the church at large, in the Southern Africa Indian Ocean Division to take the Kids In Discipleship Ministry seriously by ensuring that the ministry spreads throughout the territory.
Caroline Chola
Children’s Ministries Director – SID
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