Little ones count!

It was the second or third week in our first pastorate. I had fallen asleep on the floor of the parsonage. We had no furniture yet. I answered a knock at the door to meet a pastor from a nearby town. As we chatted, he asked, “Well, how many did you have in church this morning?” I was thrilled to answer that there were more than twenty in worship. (There had been seven the first week!)“How many were kids?” he asked. “You know, kids don’t count and don’t contribute to the offerings!”

But, little ones count! Hezekiah, one of the really good kings of Judah, teaches us the importance of children with his example. He ordered the priests to “Distribute to the males three years old or more whose names were in the genealogical records ....They included all the little ones, the wives, and the sons and daughters of the whole community ....” (2 Chronicles 31:16,17)

Jesus reinforced the importance of little ones. St. Mark included the following in his gospel, “People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.’ And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them.” (Mark 10:13-15)

In 1992 we were privileged to plant Vailsburg Assembly of God and Growing Garden Preschool in Newark, New Jersey. Actual church ministries were preceded by almost two years of renovations on the former Presbyterian church building we had purchased. The heroic efforts of Pat and Rayanna Baines, who worked for pennies per hour, resulted in the academy gaining enrollment and strength. Among the first children enrolled was a girl whose mother was born in Africa and immigrated to New Jersey. That girl is now completing her studies at Rutgers University specializing in prosthetic engineering. Her ambition is to create state-of-the-art prosthetics for people who have lost limbs. Throughout high school that “little one” was a leader among the church youth.

Like most urban church plants, Vailsburg needed financial help at the outset, but gradually gained strength. After Jonathan, our son, became the pastor in 1998, he pointed out that Vailsburg Assembly was doing well financially under his leadership. In the short history of the church, “little ones” and preteens had grown and taken jobs. They began contributing tithes and offerings. You can be sure that the young engineer, who remains in the church, will make significant contributions when she enters the workforce full time.

In less than twenty years since Vailsburg Assembly began the community has become a far more desirable place to live. Children have married, and some of the first new disciples are now grandparents and three generations worship together. Three of our grandchildren’s first lessons in corporate worship and prayer were learned there, beginning as infants. “Little ones” count and are worthy of large, concentrated investments.

Occasionally we need to remember that the man who plants an acorn will not live long enough to sit in the shade of the oak growing from that seed. Orchard owners plant trees that won’t bear fruit for years. But, if they don’t, there will be no fruit in the future. Little trees grow and bear fruit.

For more than forty-five years Pat has reminded everyone within hearing how important little ones are. She has been vindicated hundreds of times over. Thank God for Pat’s long and effective ministry to the “little ones.”