Teens and Children: Gavin's Heaven on Earth

As both a parent of 3 (Gavin – 8, Micah -5, and Sadie – 3), and someone involved in student ministries at a local congregation, I have a vested interest in the Sticky Faith Initiative.  The more I learn about it the more it impacts the way I parent and do ministry.  Indeed, it has impacted the very way that I view the world around me; such was the case at our 2014 New Year’s event for our high school students. 

In true Sticky Faith fashion I decided to bring my oldest child, Gavin, with me to the overnighter.  It was during this all night event that I learned Heaven on Earth for an eight year old is attending a high school lock-in!  Gavin loved every minute of it, and the students were great.  They were patient and kind, they truly gave my son the royal treatment.  These students connected with Gavin, and impacted him for the better in ways know “grown up” ever could. 

My Sticky Faith alarm really went off when he shifted the conversation to how much fun he was having to a positive experience he had with a student at a middle school event last summer.  This middle school student let Gavin play tag along an entire evening in a display of kindness and patience that literally brought tears to my eyes.  It impacted Gavin so much that he brought it up nearly 8 months later (that’s like eight years in eight year old time). 

Gavin’s positive intergenerational experiences made me reflect on a third interaction between adolescents and adults, a week of elementary church camp that I helped run and plan last summer and that Gavin attended.  The week included several junior counselors that were high school students from my church.  These students all did a wonderful job interacting with the students.  One high school boy in particular, become something like a celebrity after the event.  “Church sitings” in the month to come by elementary boys were like sing U2 or LeBron James.  It was crazy. 

So reflecting on these 2014 intergenerational experiences between Gavin and adolescents at our church has led me to some 2015 resolutions as both a parent and someone who ministers to children and students.

1. I will facilitate intergenerational relationships between my children and adolescents from our church.
2. Our church will empower students by communicating how impactful their ministry to younger children can be. 
3. Our church will encourage students to volunteer with children whenever possible.

The Sticky Faith initiative has made it clear the positive impact service can have on students, but I have concluded that there service can have a huge impact on the children they serve.  I am convinced that students are playing “pretend ministry” but that they can truly bless children in a way that no other age group can.  My experience has been that students “step up” big time when they are asked to interact with kids, and I know my son will never forget the blessings he has received from our students.