Epiphany and Children's Ministry

I think I love the Epiphany story almost as much as the story of Jesus' birth. And no, the two aren't the same, despite the many nativity scenes we see everywhere from November on showing the Wise Men at the manger.

Scripture tells us that the star appeared over the place where Jesus was born in Bethlehem and that when the Wise Men saw it, they realized that something huge was happening - the birth of the king of the Jews. They packed up and got on their camels and started an epic journey across deserts and wilderness because they believed in what they saw in the heavens. I'm sure their families were not impressed. After all, it's quite plausible that this journey took two years, one way. Their dedication was there. It was a quest they couldn't deny.

So by the time they arrived in Jerusalem, Jesus was likely a toddler, having been named and circumcised at one week old, and then dedicated at the temple in Jerusalem as any first-born Jewish boy would have been at one month old (see Luke 2). Mary went through her purification rite as all Jewish moms did and brought a sacrifice of two doves or pigeons. And Simeon and Anna were led to be at the temple on that day to see the baby they knew to be the Messiah. Wow!

The Wise Men went to the palace in Jerusalem because, where else would a mighty king be? And Herod becomes twisted into the plot, promising to come and worship the child if they returned to tell him where he was, but all the while planning to kill him. The Wise Men finally find Mary, Joseph and the child in a house in Bethlehem and present their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

What does all this have to do with children's ministry? Well, sometimes it would be nice to imagine that it all happens at once, that the Wise Men were there all on the same night with the shepherds and angels and that it was all simple and tidy. But it wasn't. People with the best of intentions would have put Jesus' life in danger if they hadn't listened to God's warning in a dream to not go back to Herod. The journey of the Wise Men was not short or pleasure-filled but probably very difficult, and in the end the gift was just to see the child, hand over expensive presents and then leave to do the long trip in reverse all over again.

How often do you encounter this in your own ministry? Maybe feeling stuck in a rut or wondering when the magic and feeling of accomplishment will kick in? That, and it's never as tidy as you pictured it. The day you prepare something special half of the kids don't show up, or the very activity you planned because of dynamics of the group is foiled by someone coming who you didn't anticipate. Or, things don't work right or leaders cancel or whatever it may be. It's never as picturesque as we had hoped.

That is, unless we start looking at the right things. If we just look at logistics and measure by how smoothly it goes, we'll miss the star in the sky guiding our steps. We'll miss the presence of Christ in the room, or that we didn't particularly make Jesus welcome. We'll miss the incredible effort put in by old and new volunteers, the quiet conversations building confidence and faith, the moments where kids get something taught and pass it on to others. We'll miss where our focus should be.

I'm not a huge believer in New Year's resolutions, but if you want to have a re-set for your kids' ministry, I suggest your first priority be reflecting on where your focus is and making sure it is on Jesus. Pray that Jesus is the foundation for all that happens - learning about him, talking about him, praying to him, making connections to him, thanking him, knowing him. Pray that your own life of faith is growing. You don't need to be a rockstar believer to be a great leader of kids, but you need to be growing, learning, and modeling what it means to be a disciple being discipled.  

And recognize that the journey takes time, that it takes dedication and patience, that you may not always feel valued for what you do, and that it is not easy. But nothing worthwhile is. If we remember the story, the faithfulness of the Wise Men was rewarded. They recognized the value in what they were doing - it was worth it to see the King of kings. And as they did their best, God had their backs and was in control, ensuring His purposes were carried out. God sees what you're doing and will guide your steps. It's not all on you.

So take a deep breath and start this next leg of the year of children's ministry ready to be like the magi - dedicated to pursuing God, willing to share your best gifts for the sake of the Kingdom and knowing that you will be guided as you share Jesus with others.