By Daniel Agbesi Latsu, GNA
Fiave (V/R), Sept. 14, GNA – Parents and guardians have been urged to deliberately equip children with strong spiritual, moral and biblical foundations to enable them to become confident ambassadors of Christ and effective soul winners.
Miss Ivy Coffie, a Sunday School pupil, who made the call, said the responsibility of evangelism should not be reserved for adults because children, when properly nurtured, could also become powerful instruments for spreading the Gospel.
She said equipping children for Christian service was not determined by age but by the quality of training, guidance and example they received from their parents, guardians and the church.
Miss. Coffie was delivering a sermon at the Children’s Week Celebration at the Fiave Central Assembly of The Church of Pentecost in Ho. The sermon was on the theme: “How to Equip Your Child to Win Souls for Christ.”
Drawing inspiration from Ephesians 6:11, which calls on Christians to put on the whole armour of God, she said children needed to be equipped with knowledge of the Word of God, faith, courage, obedience and the ability to distinguish and respond to God’s voice.
Miss Coffie cited the biblical account of Rhoda in Acts 12:12-15 as evidence that children could play significant roles in God’s work.
She said Rhoda, a young girl in a house where Christians had gathered to pray, was the first to recognise Apostle Peter’s voice after he miraculously escaped from prison.
Although those gathered initially refused to believe her report, Rhoda stood by what she had heard and seen until they went to confirm it themselves.
She said Rhoda’s experience demonstrated the importance of teaching children to listen to, and recognise God’s voice, while encouraging parents to create homes where prayer and the study of God’s Word were part of everyday life.
“Do not despise your children. God can use them regardless of their age,” she said.
Miss Coffie also referred to the unnamed Israelite girl in 2 Kings 5:1-15, who, despite being taken captive and serving in the household of Naaman, commander of the Syrian army, demonstrated remarkable faith and courage.
She said the girl directed Naaman’s wife to the Prophet Elisha in Israel, leading to Naaman’s healing from leprosy after he followed the prophet’s instruction to wash himself in the Jordan River.
She said the account demonstrated that a child, irrespective of social status or circumstances, could become a channel of hope and transformation when equipped with faith and courage.
Miss Coffie therefore urged parents to give children age-appropriate responsibilities and encourage them to speak confidently about their faith rather than being timid about sharing the Gospel.
She also cautioned parents against gender-based discrimination in assigning responsibilities, saying both boys and girls should be given opportunities to develop their talents and serve God.
Miss Coffie urged parents to take primary responsibility for the spiritual development of their children instead of leaving the task entirely to the church.
Quoting Proverbs 22:6, she encouraged parents to train children in the ways of God and introduce them to regular family devotions, prayer and Bible reading.
She said children should also be taught obedience and respect for authority, citing Ephesians 6:1, while their conduct should reflect the principles of 1 Timothy 4:12, which encourages young people to be examples in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity.
She said Christian education should therefore extend beyond Sunday School to the home, school and community.
Miss Coffie emphasised that parents had a responsibility to model the Christian values they expected their children to exhibit.
She said children learnt not only from instructions but also from observing the conduct of their parents and other adults around them.
She consequently challenged parents to live exemplary lives, saying their actions could either strengthen or undermine the Christian values they sought to instill in their children.
She further urged children to take the work of God seriously and become positive examples to their peers at school and in their communities.
Quoting Proverbs 11:30, she said: “The one who wins souls is wise.”
Miss Coffie said the ultimate objective of Christian parenting should be to raise children whose lives pointed others to Christ.
Citing Galatians 1:24, she urged Christians to live in such a manner that others would glorify God because of their lives.
GNA
Edited by Maxwell Awumah/Benjamin Mensah