A Place To Belong: Why Our Temecula Church Values Belonging

Boys and girls need to know they have a church family where they experience a sense of purpose and belonging in God’s family.

Children have real challenges in today’s world. They can experience loss, fear, and even suffering at school, on the playing field, at the park, and even at home. We’re not here for just the good times. We are right alongside them in difficult times as well.

Disconnected

Leprosy, a common ailment in the Bible, causes damage to the nerves in the body and can reduce feelings in arms and legs. This disease effectively disconnects parts of the body. Spiritual leprosy was on Paul’s mind when he wrote 1 Corinthians 12:

But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.” 1 Corinthians 12:24-27 NIV

Spiritual leprosy is when the Body of Christ loses feeling for one of its parts and becomes disconnected. The part of the body that I am thinking of is children. Sunridge is a church where children belong. They are not just the future of our church; they are an important part of our church right now. I cannot imagine our halls, rooms, and patio without children laughing, singing, playing, and raising the energy level. They bring life to our church in so many ways.

Becoming Connected

Every Sunday, we bring the Word of God to boys and girls in relational and creative ways. Our children feel like their leaders are their friends. We seek to teach them Truth and then help them integrate that Truth into their real life. Life transformation is our goal, and we work towards that in fun and creative ways. We want our boys and girls to experience the love of Christ and know that they belong to the family of God. We want families to know that their children are loved and belong here!

An example of Sunridge’s commitment to children belonging is our Parent/Child Dedication. In addition to parents dedicating their children to the Lord, this is a time when the church commits itself to children and their parents. It illustrates the church’s commitment to children and their families. It’s a concrete example of how children and their parents ‘belong’ at Sunridge.

Knowing that Sunridge is a church where children can connect to the Body gives me joy. When our children suffer, we all suffer; when they rejoice, we celebrate with them. This month, let’s focus on helping children experience “belonging” to the Sunridge family!