Reading the article, What Happens When Children Lead by Patrice Wheeler was exciting for me because it matches the desire I have for children in my own church (and of course my own kids).? Patrice writes about taking some children from the children’s ministry at her church (Scarborough Gospel Temple) on a Short Term Missions trip to Trinidad.? The team consisted of five children aged 11 to 13 and two other adults and as Patrice writes in her article, the children were very involved in the actual ministry on the trip.? Not only that but the preparation leading up to, and the followup afterwards involved not only the children on the team but other children from the church as well in various support activities for the trip.

What excited me in reading this article is to see these young children not only encouraged to be involved in ministry but also released to serve in ministry.? In other words, this church didn’t only talk about wanting to see their kids doing ministry but they actually equipped them and released them into opportunities to serve.

I came across this interesting article by Peter C. Glover called Child Discipline and the Limits of the Civil Law. In the article Peter addresses the topic of when civil laws begin to dictate the limits of discipline allowable by parents on their children (i.e. spanking) what the appropriate response of parents should be.? I think Peter does a fairly good job of handling the subject of spanking or physical discipline as well both from a bibilical and practical viewpoint.

Personally, I believe parents should have the freedom to physically discipline their child however in my home, spanking is always a last resort and only used in situations that warrant it.? I think a more important key to discipline is that your children are discouraged from doing the wrong activity again.? If parents are diligent in understanding their children (through spending time with them), they will learn what appropriate form of punishment works best with each child.? For example, I could spank one of my children ’till their bum was raw and I was blue in the face (a figure of speech, I would never do that of course) and it wouldn’t have the slightest effect on his behavior.? But if I was to put them in a corner and make them stay there for 5 minutes it definitely affects his behavior.? Another one of my children has a favorite blanket and if the discipline is removal of her blanket for a day that is the most effective discipline we could use.? The point is that parents need to learn what is the most effective discipline for their child and use it.

Being a parent of four young children I’m always on the lookout for great online resources that they can go to and I don’t have to worry about what they are doing. Better yet - I like sites that I can sit with them and not drift off to sleep (!) Head on over and visit this site created by the Canadian Bible Society: BibleKids.ca - Engaging Children with God’s Word