The Church of God Youth and Christian Education Department is focusing on a critical age of children and their grasp of salvation.
By Tony Lane
“There is a recognition that we are losing the children of the world spiritually. … So this becomes a very critical moment to aim lower at the 4 to 14 [age] as the beginning place and come back to there with significant concentration. … God is calling us to radically change the way we view children and to respond to their strategic importance and rightful place in His Kingdom.” —mission strategist Luis Bush, on the “4/14 window” he believes the church must now target if it hopes to fulfil the Great Commission. Bush, who coined the “10/40 window” term more than 20 years ago, believes the key to advancing God’s kingdom today lies in capturing the hearts of those within the generation of children ages 4 to 14—widely known as the most formidable years. Though the native Argentine doesn’t believe Christians should abandon focusing on the geographical regions between 10 and 40 degrees north of the equator (his ideal vision is to reach the demographic 4/14 window within the geographic 10/40 window), Bush says it is essential for the church to fully capture these future “agents of transformation” before they become part of the majority of 15- to 24-year-olds abandoning their childhood faith. [christianpost.com, 9/9/09]
The International Department of Youth and Christian Education understands this need and is doing everything possible to reach those within the 4/14 window. That is the reason they coordinate the annual Kidfest events. Kidfest 2010 will be bigger and better than ever before in the ten year history of the event! With the theme, Great Commission Kids Tell the World, the focus in each of the five venues will be on the Great Commission and how children can be involved in its fulfilment. Missionaries will be present to share their stories and meet with kids groups throughout the weekend. Children of the World Choir will be singing at three of the regional events. The guest speaker line-up includes a variety of people who love ministry to kids. They include Kevin McHann and His Word Studio, Chris Ryan and Discovery Kidz Ministry, Compel Puppet/Drama Ministry, Burnin’ Bush, Tony Sutherland and KP7 Band, and The Mission. Smoky Mountain Kidfest will be moving to the Gatlinburg Convention Center for the first time this year! A new Kidfest event will begin this year in Florida. Emerald Coast Kidfest will be held in October in the Emerald Coast Convention Center at Ft. Walton Beach. For a brochure or for more information, call 423-478-7229 or go to www.mykidfest.com.
Don’t wait to take them to Winterfest when you can take them to Kidfest now and reach them before they have to be rescued!