Millicent Quainoo, a 9-year old member of the Kwadaso Central Assembly of The Church of Pentecost has admonished parents not to hide the truth in God’s word from children.
She said this when she delivered a sermon titled, “I Will Build My Church; Children Are A Part” based on Matthew 16:13-18 during the climax of the 2019 Children’s Week Celebration.
In her sermon, Millicent stressed that children are a gift from God as revealed in Proverbs 27:3. “It is these children who will grow to become adults, and as such, leaders of the church and society. Children are therefore in no doubt, part of the Church Jesus is building. They must, therefore, be acknowledged and treated as such,” she entreated.
Millicent bemoaned how some parents and adults in general, and most especially the church, neglect children. According to her, the fact that suggestions of children are always ignored, children are not included in decision making, facilities of the church are reserved for only adults and that children are mostly an afterthought in planning, further underlines the neglect of children in the church.
Touching on the role of children in building the church of God, Millicent said that God loves children and considers them part of the church. This, according to her, is why they were included in God’s covenant with Israel (Deuteronomy 31:12). She further cited the fact that Joshua ensured that children were part of the reading of the law (Joshua 8:34-35) and Samuel’s call into full-time ministry when he was a child as indications that God considers children as part of His church.
She, therefore, cautioned adults particularly Pastors, Presiding Elders and other church leaders, to refrain from excluding children from contributing their quota in building God’s church. He urged them to make conscious efforts to include them in church services and give them the opportunities to read scriptures and minister during church services and meetings.
Citing Jesus’ call on adults to become like children, she established that children are very dear to the heart of Jesus whom He considers part of His church.
She also read Luke 2:52 to challenge parents and Christians, in general, to help their children grow in wisdom, stature, and in favour with God and men.
She ended by admonishing children to be obedient to their parents and adults so that they would enjoy long life and all the promises of God.
The event recorded an attendance of six hundred (600) members including 215 children.
Report by Pastor John Afawuah, Children’s Ministry Pastor, Kumasi