Junior Holy Spirit

One of our greatest hesitations to church planting was the cost it would be for our kids.  We pictured packed schedules, evenings and weekends being separate from each other, and living at an unsustainable pace for at least the first year or two of church planting.

But one day I was out jogging and I sensed the Lord speak very clearly to me- "I don't want you to plant a church at the cost of your kids, I want you to plant a church WITH your kids."  That became an incredible breakthrough for me and stirred excitement in my heart for believing the truth about kids.  Let me share some of those truths:

• There is no Junior Holy Spirit.  The same Holy Spirit in me and in my wife is the same Holy Spirit at work in my 6 year old, my 3 year old, and my 1 year old.  And HE is not limited to the size of our bodies, life experience, or any other restraints we want to put on Him.  Why do we have such low expectations for our kids?  What if they could pray for the sick, serve the poor, share the gospel, go on mission trips, pray, hear from God, worship, and have intimacy with Jesus as much as adults do because they have the same Holy Spirit living inside of them?
• Children are a blessing from the Lord, not a burden.  So when we are called to do something by God, those little people in our home are an asset not a liability.  They are an essential and critical part of God's plan.  I LOVE Psalm 127 and think it needs to be proclaimed more and more these days-  ³ Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him. ⁴ Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth.  ⁵ Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.  They will not be put to shame when they contend with their opponents in court.  
• Our kids need to be invited into taking risks for the kingdom of God.  Instead of being obsessed with protecting our kids, providing them with every financial provision possible, and teaching them to preserve their lives, let's teach them to lose their lives for the sake of the gospel.  What if they will be better off with less stuff and more sacrifice for the kingdom?  What if we showed them first hand what it looks like to build God's kingdom, instead of our own kingdom?  Let's stop just quoting Bible verses about complete surrender to Jesus (and the cool promises that follow those calls of surrender) and actually let them experience it first hand by the way we live our lives together as a family.  Micah (my 6 year old) a while back told me with tears in his eyes he was willing to move away from his best friend Ian because, "people need to hear about Jesus."  Talk about an awesome moment!  
• The most fruit we will ever bear is in our home.  You could plant 100 churches and it still won't compare to the discipleship opportunity and impact we have with these little ones.  Living out the gospel in our homes is the highest calling we have and the most fruitful mission we are called to.  

I am excited to plant a church WITH my family.  I am excited that God gave me a handful of arrows (or perhaps missiles) to fight this battle with.  Don't underestimate the significance of those little ones.  There is no Junior Holy Spirit.

-Ben