Teresa Auten | Every Child Is My Child

Teresa Auten of North Carolina Annual Conference is devoted to children’s ministry, believing kids are precious souls and vital to the Church now. With 25 years of experience, she shares practical insights on engaging children through meaningful teaching, love, and respect. She urges Christians to welcome and nurture them as Jesus did.

“Children are souls. They are precious to Me. Love and guide them well.” God speaks these words to me countless times daily, igniting a fire within my heart. For over forty years, I’ve been fueled by the unwavering belief that every child is my child.

This incredible calling has been my passion and life’s work.

My upbringing didn’t set me on this path. I was raised outside the church by parents who thought religion was a waste of time. I met Jesus through the dedication of women who adored Jesus and cherished children. My journey to the Lord was winding and narrow, and I am so grateful for it.

God spoke into my life, and I responded with the eagerness of a child yearning for love and affirmation. As an adult, I heard His call to challenge the tendency of adults to overlook children, seeing them only as future producers and consumers. “Children,” He reminds me, “are souls. They hold intrinsic value.” This truth guided my every step as a Children/Youth Ministries Coordinator for nearly twenty-five years.

Recently, I was asked on social media how to engage children within a faith community. It hit me that many churches are searching for ways to encourage children to participate like they did in the past. “Where are the children?” I often hear. “Our Sunday school used to be full!”

To give a solid answer, I dove into analyzing the practices I’ve used from the early 2000s to today. Parishioners wanted practical insights, not scholarly essays. They needed actionable steps for volunteers to implement.

It was a challenge to identify the engaging and varied activities that welcomed children and their parents to experience the joy of life in Christ. But as I reflected, I couldn’t help but smile. Many things work well, some don’t, but it is a joyful journey!

In 2019, I began documenting these insights as presentations and blog posts. I create memes to raise awareness and seize every chance to proclaim, “Children matter. We must lead them all to Jesus. Every child is our responsibility. We cannot let the little ones slip away!” I could talk for hours about children’s ministry and its importance. It is a work that I love, and I encourage congregations to love it too.

Here are a few things I discovered that high-functioning children’s ministries have in common:

1. Adults recognize the importance of reaching children. They are educators, not babysitters. Lessons are meaningful, well-planned, and age-appropriate.
2. Teachers convey that the gospel is true and good news. They don’t dilute the message with cartoon versions of sacred events. These teachers share the gospel from their hearts, from one generation to the next, without relying on a DVD player.
3. Children are challenged to live Godly lives and memorize scripture.
4. Children are highly valued and deeply loved. They are given grace and respect.

Here are a few closing thoughts:

• Many children know that Jesus loves them. What they question is whether Christian adults love them. Jesus invited children to come to Him and was angry when the disciples, who should have known better, turned them away. We must be Jesus to the children.
• Children are not only the future of the Church; they are the Church right now. We are called to love them precisely as they are today.

Excellent children’s ministry can be learned through textbooks, degrees, and experience, but my greatest teacher has always been the child in front of me. Remember your childhood and how it felt to be small and curious.  Invite that child to sit with you and Jesus. Tell them of His love.

Teresa’s website is Shine A Joyful Light