One of the things we are passionate about at New Anthem is seeing the world reached with the Gospel (The Good News that Jesus has conquered sin and death and by the power of His resurrection you can have new life). However, we also believe that if we’ve reached the world but not our homes, we’ve failed. Therefore, our hope, for each one of the children who pass through our Rhythm Kidz Ministry, is that they will grow up and give their lives to Jesus and be sent into the world (one day) to make a difference for His mission.

And because we believe that the home is the first mission field, that means our parents are on the front lines every day, and we want our families to know that we’re in this together! We’re committed to locking arms with them and equipping them with the tools necessary to see their kids love Christ! 

Typically we’ve done this by doing a child dedication; where we agree to partner with each other to be good stewards of the little lives God has entrusted to us. However, that will all change this Mother’s Day.

Just as we would commission church planters and/or missionaries to take the gospel to lost people all around the world, on Mother’s Day, we are going to commission parents who are ready to acknowledge their home as their first mission field.

While the “event” will probably look similar to years past, I think the language distinction is important. Perhaps even vital. Parent Commissioning is about parents accepting their God-given responsibility to point their kids to Jesus, and our promise (as a church) to do whatever it can to partner with them.

Psalm 127:3-5 reads, Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him. 4 Children born to a young man are like arrows in a warrior’s hands. 5 How joyful is the man whose quiver is full of them!

I don’t know what you think about when you think of arrows in a warriors hands, but I’m going right to Kevin Costner in Robin Hood—and that brother knows how to shoot some arrows. Single arrows, multiple arrows, flaming arrows…doesn’t matter…

So if Psalm 127 is right, as Christians, our children should be so powerfully launched by their parents and their churches into the world that they are wreaking havoc on the rulers of this dark age (Ephesians 6:12).

With that being said, I’m no longer satisfied with parading kids up front and telling them “good luck”! Instead, I’m ready to challenge parents and say, “It’s time to step up!” Children are leaving church by the droves! My job is not to entertain your kids. It’s to evangelize them. And to empower them. And help them believe that anything is possible with God, but it starts at home. We’ll help you, but if you’re not willing to put in the work, and skip a few tournaments, and sit out a few games, and teach them about money, and talk to them about sex, and take this job seriously…than this probably isn’t going to be a place that you’ll like to attend.