For the Next Generation—

I was crossing the bridge from my nineteen years as a member of Altadena Valley to becoming a staff member as well. This new chapter as Altadena Valley’s children’s ministry assistant had filled my heart with hope in numerous ways. I was excited to be working again, even in this small capacity, after being primarily at home with our six children. I was thrilled to partner with and learn from our children’s ministry director. There were whispers she would be transitioning into full-time counseling, so the idea of possibly following in her footsteps was viable. My first month was crammed with paperwork and onboarding demands. So, as the calendar turned to March 2020, I was ready to bring all I had to Altadena Valley’s children’s ministry just as the world came to a screeching halt.

My two years as assistant looked nothing like I had envisioned. We spent our days navigating mask mandates, quarantine regulations, and planning activities only to see them canceled. Work hours were mostly spent setting up and breaking down outdoor services, and I realized I had never seen some of the faces of the children we were serving!

In January of 2022, I was given the honor of becoming director of Altadena Valley’s children’s ministries, just as life regained some new form of normalcy. It took me a whole one day to realize I had no clue what I was doing.

In his Sonship message, “Maturity and the Cross of Christ” (2013), Josiah Bancroft references a quote from his friend, Steve Baldwin, “Going into foreign missions is sort of like pouring Miracle Grow on all your sins.” Amen to that, but insert children’s director. I desperately longed to please and earn the approval of so many around me who had been my spiritual mothers and fathers for years that I took my eyes off Jesus, the One who had called me to this space. In my insecurities, I vowed to work harder while distancing myself from my church family. I feared parent- feedback, insight, criticism, and advice—completely ignoring the truth that the Savior, who had entrusted me, had already defended me completely on the cross.

This mental spiral led me late one evening to Google search “How to be a children’s director at a PCA church.” (Because Google is obviously the one with the answers.) The search led me to CDM’s Children’s Ministries Certification. I stayed up that night and completed the application.

The 12-month certification program’s mantra states, “Where hearts and minds connect for practical ministry.” That is exactly the gift God gave me as I journeyed through the program. As each month focuses on a distinct area of ministry, I gained expert mentors who challenged my perspectives and practices against a biblical and covenantal worldview. They exhibited patience as I wrestled to develop my philosophy of ministry and worked to materialize this philosophy into ideas and initiatives.

Along with our monthly mentors, I gained wisdom from cohort peers who were chosen based on our similar church and ministry demographics. Some of these individuals became my personal prayer warriors as we met and stood in the gap for one another.

The scope and sequence hit every needed area: foundations of theology, recruitment, training, nursery, safety, security, outreach programs, parent partnership, missions and so on. Nearly every month an obstacle would surface only for me to realize the month’s assignments aligned with the hurdle before me. The Holy Spirit showed me my perspective was shifting from worrying when issues surfaced to becoming expectant about what God was going to teach me through whatever connections or materials He planned to provide.

Judges 2:10 is a chilling passage of scripture. It states after Joshua’s death, “All that generation also were gathered to their fathers. And there arose another generation after them who did not know the Lord or the work that He had done for Israel.” All it took was one generation failing to tell the next of God’s character and works. The Lord used CDM’s certification program to convict and bring me out of my “Lone Ranger” mentality and to, instead, embrace the call to lead an army of covenant warriors who—together—standing in the gap for the next generation. I am so grateful.

Bancroft, J. (2013). 10/ Maturity and the Cross of Christ. In Sonship (3rd ed., pp. 138–153). essay, New Growth Press.