Girls Ministries

Teaching Pentecostal perspectives to your child

By Sandy Friesen

When do you start teaching children about the intricacies of our Pentecostal perspective?
From birth! Because, we never know what is impacting the child. If we wait until a child has reached the age of formal reasoning (around twelve years of age), we've wasted many valuable years.

What are the Pentecostal perspectives that we hold near and dear to our hearts?

1. We believe that we are saved by the grace of Jesus Christ. (Salvation is not something we have to work to accomplish, but a gift that God has given and that we accept.) This is not uniquely Pentecostal, but is the forerunner to all of our beliefs.
2. We believe that Jesus offers divine healing. (We pray and God heals according to His will. We do not know when or whom He will heal instantly or whom will be healed through time, but we still come to the Father, asking and knowing that God is able.)
3. We believe in a present day expression of the baptism in the Holy Spirit that occurred on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:4). The practical result of being baptized in the Holy Spirit is increased power to be witnesses for Jesus. This witness will be in both word and deed.
4. We believe that there is an initial physical evidence that a person has been baptized in the Holy Spirit. We believe that this evidence is speaking in an unknown language and that everyone who is baptized in the Holy Spirit will speak in tongues immediately upon being baptized.
5. We believe that God provides supernatural gifts that will help us individually and as a corporate community to live more like Christ. (These include messages in tongues, interpretations of those messages, wisdom, discernment, etc.)

1. Through your example. Pray often and aloud when you're working with children. Sing God's praises. Your life will reflect Christ. Treat the child the way Christ would treat him or her.
2. Through your intercession. Pray for the children when you are not with them. Think of ways you can help meet the needs of their lives. If a four-year-old loves teddy bears and you see a teddy bear book at the library or a garage sale, bring it to the club meeting. Let the child know that she is in your thoughts and prayers. You can encourage her to think about others.
3. Through meeting the children in a variety of settings. Let the children see you at the socials, in other church services, and times when you're praying for others. Be available outside of the clubroom and be just as accepting in those settings.
4. Through taking prayer requests from them. Pray for their needs. Make a note to ask how they're doing. Rejoice in their answers to prayer.
5. Through using a version of the Bible when teaching that they can understand. Students will grow accustomed to having the Word of God around.
6. Through always treating the child with respect. You are probably working with girls because you want to. Be sure the girls know that, too.