My greatest joy throughout the past 33 years has been working with children in the local church.

I have loved seeing their lives transformed by the power of the Gospel working in them.

What I did not know was God’s greater plan for their lives.

During my first 14 years of ministry, I was working at an adult level.

Pouring my life into my adult leaders and equipping them for works of ministry (Ephesians 4:11-13).

I knew that if I spent time with them, it would pour over into the lives of the children of my church. It did, and it did not.

For years I had a wrong perception of a child.

They were to be seen and not heard.

I saw them as the target of my ministry.

I passionately tried everything I could do to reach them with the Gospel and bring them into the Church.

I am a child evangelist at heart, so that came easy to me.

But something was wrong with this picture.

After reaching them, I sat them down and told them how to live for Jesus.

Never did I allow them to join me in ministry or even consider it.

They were spectators in a game that they would not be able to play until they were much older.

Unexpectedly, my eyes were opened to something altogether different from what I had always been taught.

It was as if a veil had been removed from my eyes.

Now I saw children as younger brothers and sisters in Christ—the Church now.

The Lord revealed to me that children receive everything they need to be a part of the Church at the new birth.

They are born again, sealed by the Holy Spirit, gifted by the Holy Spirit, empowered by the Holy Spirit, and so much more.