One parent, in the process of deciding whether or not to make the
Raleigh Vineyard Christian Fellowship her church home, asked her kids one day: "What did you learn in church today?" When her kids responded: "We learned how to pray for each other", she said to herself, "That's it! We're staying!"

At the Raleigh Vineyard, we consider children to be a part of the church now, not just the future of the church. For that reason, we want them to receive the same level of care as the adults. Our desire for our Children's Ministry is that we would be . . .

     1.  A place where children encounter Jesus Christ in Biblical teaching, through worship and during prayer. We desire for children to meet the person of Jesus, not just learn about him.

     2.  A place where children are loved and accepted because of who God has made them and is making them to be. We want church to be a safe place for our children.

     3.  A place where a child is trained "in the way he/she should go," (Proverbs 22:6) recognizing that God's purposes are unique for each child.   We want our community to be a place where a child is trained for ministry and for life. We want children to learn such practices as worship, prayer, financial giving, sexual purity, proper speech and so on. We recognize that children must be taught these things through modeling and instruction.
     A new couple to our Church (March 2006) recently conveyed a story about an experience their 3 year old daughter had at Chic-filet.    Their daughter had climbed up into the play land and had gotten frightened and began to panic and cry very loudly.    A 4 year old from the Raleigh Vineyard whose family had gone to lunch with them spontaneously crawled up into the play land and said:  " Don't cry.   I will pray for you and you will be ok".     He prayed for her right there on the spot and the little girl calmed down immediately.    That is what we hope and pray for for our children, that prayer and other aspects of living in God's Kingdom would be as natural as playing in a Chic filet!

     4.  A place where children receive teaching that corresponds to their emotional and spiritual levels of maturity, so that they can become thinking followers of Christ.

     5.  A place where children pray individually and corporately. We want to be a place where the power of God is present to heal. We want to teach children how to pray for the sick and broken-hearted.

     6.  A place where children are not simply being ministered to, but where they are able to minister to one another and to the church at large. We believe that the whole church should minister to each other's needs.

     7.  A place where children can bring their un-churched friends to hear and respond to the message of Jesus Christ.

     8.  A place where the family is considered to be the most important factor in the discipleship of a child. A place where families are trained and encouraged in that work. A place where families can receive ministry and healing.

     9.  A place where children learn to trust, respect and honor those in authority.

     10.  A place where children learn to care for and minister to people, in particular the poor and needy.

     11.  A place where every endeavor is marked by excellence, integrity and love. ". . . whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." (1 Corinthians 10:31).

Our Beliefs About Children

1. All children are created by God in His image.

   "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful; I know that full well." (Psalm 139:13-14)

2. God has a special purpose for each child.

   "My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." (Psalm 139:15-16)

   "The word of the Lord came to me, saying, 'Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.'" (Jeremiah 1:4-5)

3. God desires relationship with children.

   "Then some children were brought to Him so that He might lay His hands on them and pray; and the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, 'Let the children alone, and do not hinder them from coming to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.' And after laying His hands on them, He departed from there." (Matthew 19:13-15)

4. The same Holy Spirit who is active in adults is active in the lives of children.

   "The angel of the Lord referring to John said: "He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, while yet in his mother's womb. And he will turn back many of the sons of Israel to the Lord their God." (Luke 1:15-16)

   "Ah, Sovereign Lord', I said, 'I do not know how to speak: I am only a child'. But the Lord said to me, 'Do not say ­­ I am only a child, you must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,' declares the Lord." (Jeremiah 1:6-8)

5. Each child must personally confess Jesus as his or her own Savior and Lord to be saved.

   "If you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord" and believe that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and you are saved."
                                                                                                              (Romans 10:9-10)

   "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12)

We love children here at the Vineyard!

For more information, contact our Children's Ministry Coordinator,
Eva Waithe.

Children's Ministry
at the Raleigh Vineyard