Family Ministry
At ECC, we don’t see family ministry as a “program,” rather, we view it as a calling and a commitment. We love children because Jesus loves children, and we care deeply about the stewardship with which He has entrusted us. In our membership covenant we pledge to “bring up children under our care in the nurture and training of the Lord.” (Eph 6:4). We look forward to coming alongside you as you train up your children and point them towards the gospel.
Family ministry at ECC is based on five biblical principles:
Principle #1: The Stewardship and Responsibility of Parents: God has called parents to be the primary disciple-makers of the children that he has entrusted to them.
Our aim is to teach and equip parents first and foremost. Scripture commands that parents are given the primary role and responsibility for their children’s spiritual development. The Bible commands parents to teach, equip, and eagerly develop their children’s knowledge of God and His Word. In short, parents are called to be the primary disciple-makers of the children that God places in their homes. Our church desires to come alongside parents and not replace parents as the primary disciplers of their kids. We intentionally structure family ministry so that the church supplements and complements the discipleship that should already be taking place at home. We believe the best way to equip parents to parent well is to help them grow in their maturity as Christians. The best parents are godly parents, and the way godly parents are helped is by being healthy members of a local church. We also equip parents with gospel-centered resources for discipling their children, as parents lead their children in the nurture and training of the Lord. Our goal for our children’s ministry curriculum is that it will serve as an opportunity for parents to discuss the material taught in the children’s ministry at home with their children. References: Deut 6:5-9; Gen 18:19;Ephesians 6:4; Psalm 78:4; Prov 22:6; 2nd Timothy 3:15
Principle #2: The Sufficiency of the Bible and the Gospel: The Bible is God’s authoritative and sufficient Word to us and the gospel is God’s power unto salvation.
Our aim is to be Bible-saturated and gospel-centered in all that we do. Across cultures and ethnicities at ECC, we are united in our submission to the Bible as God’s Word and Scripture’s central truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ. We will aim to ensure our children and teen ministries are Word-Centered, and we unashamedly proclaim the gospel to our children, teenagers, and parents every week. This is the motivation behind all that we do. Therefore, we choose curricula that are faithful to Scripture, focused on the gospel, and foster sound doctrine. We also seek to avoid mere moralism or behavior modification. We instead remind children of the holiness of God, their own sin and need for a Savior, God’s saving work through the cross and resurrection of Christ, and the need to repent and trust in Jesus. References: Ps 96:3; Matt 28:18-20; Rom 1:16; Rom 10:13-14; 2 Tim 3:15–16; Acts 4:12
Principle #3: The Centrality of the Local Church: The local church is central to God’s redemptive purposes.
Children and teenagers will be in children’s or teen ministries only for a limited amount of time. Eventually, they will grow up, and hopefully spend the rest of their lives as faithful and fruitful members of a local church. Church membership is essential for the Christian life and central to God’s plan for his people’s discipleship. Part of the goal of family ministry is to begin teaching and training children from a young age the importance of commitment to and involvement in the local church. Our children and teens are therefore led and instructed by volunteers who are covenant members of ECC, who faithfully participate in the regular gatherings of the church. We want to continuously teach children that the Christian faith was never meant to be lived out on their own, but rather within a covenant community of believers. References: 1 Pet 5:5; Acts 2:37-47; Rom 16:1-16; Eph 4:15-16; Heb 10:24–25
Principle #4: Corporate Worship as God’s Primary Means of Grace: Children are spiritually formed and blessed through participation in corporate worship, particularly through witnessing their parents glorify and enjoy God together with God’s people.
We were created by God to glorify him and enjoy him forever. Gathered worship with the covenant people of God is the most important activity in a Christian’s life each week. We believe there is great value in families worshiping together under God’s Word, with God’s people, in God’s presence. One of the best ways of training our children and teenagers in the faith is for them to see their parents worshiping on the Lord’s Day together with the church body. We therefore strongly encourage parents to keep their children (even younger children) with them for the entire worship gathering, including the sermon. We provide resources like sermon notebooks for children to get the most out of the sermon. We also encourage parents to include their children in the life of the church by bringing them to congregational prayer, members meetings, Friday ministry nights, and other church gatherings. References: Joel 2:15-16; Deut 30:1-3; Matt 21:15-16; Ps 148:12-13
Principle #5: Conversion as the Work of the Holy Spirit. We rely on the sovereign grace of God to accomplish salvation through his means.
The Bible demands that everyone everywhere turn from their sin in repentance, put their faith and trust in Jesus alone for salvation, and then follow him to the end. We believe that conversion happens when God grants this gift of faith to people, awakening them to a conscious knowledge of their sin and need for a savior, and producing in them a heart of repentance and the obedience of faith. This includes children as well. All instruction to children and equipping of parents will reflect a biblical understanding of conversion. We therefore avoid unhelpful practices such as leading children to say “acceptance prayers”, “asking Jesus into one’s heart,” pushing children to make “decisions for Christ,” or prematurely advocating baptisms. Instead, we will rely on God to save children and teens in his own time by the work of His Spirit through the faithful and regular proclamation of the gospel. We will avoid “easy believism” and children will be taught the radical call of discipleship and the cost of following Jesus. References: Acts 17:30, Luke 9:23, Eph. 2:1, Rom. 6:17, Col. 2:13, Ezek. 36:26, Eph. 2:8, 2 Tim. 2:25
Children at ECC
We love children because Jesus loves children. We don't see kids' ministry as babysitting, rather, we see it as a wonderful opportunity to help lay a strong foundation and share the good news of Jesus Christ with kids who are able to understand and receive this gift of salvation. As you drop your son/daughter off in our Kids' Ministry, we hope you know that we have established rigourous screenings from all of our volunteers in order to ensure the safety of your child. All of our volunteers are faithful members of ECC, they've gone through training, received clearance certificates required by the government, and completed a child safety course in order to protect children from abuse. Having trained volunteers allows us to focus on teaching God's Word in an age appropriate manner. We are certain that your son/daughter will enjoy their time in our Kids Programs.
Nursery
Nursery is designed for babies and preschoolers. This is a time where they are cared for by our volunteers. During our nursery program, we teach at a basic level and share God’s love with them. Your baby will sing songs, follow instructions, memorize gospel truths, and participate in crafts. Upon arrival, you’ll register your child and drop them off in our kids area. They will enjoy this time and grow in their understanding of Jesus, even at their young age.
During the EQUIP hour at 9 am (FALL & SPRING ONLY)
- If you are planning to attend the Adult classes, you can drop off your kids in Nursery 3 where they will be cared for by volunteers.
During the worship gathering
-
Nursery 1 (beside Main Hall 1) is open for parents who would like to stay with their children.
-
Nursery 2 (beside Main Hall 2) is dedicated for nursing mothers and women who would like to stay with their children.
-
Nursery 3 (first floor) is where we provide child care for you to drop off your kids. There are two separate rooms for our babies and pre-schoolers.
-
Active Child Room in F13 (first floor) is open for parents who would like to stay with their children outside of the other Nursery rooms in the ground floor. The audio from the Main Hall will be piped in so that parents can still listen to the worship gathering.
EQUIP Kids (Ages 5–11) (FALL & SPRING ONLY)
Sundays, 9 am, Upper Chapel 2 (first floor)
This time focuses on scripture memorization. This is a high-energy and engaging time where kids will enjoy memorizing Matthew 5 (Sermon on the Mount) over the course of the year. We want our kids to learn the truth of scripture by having it deep in their hearts. Be sure to ask about our Truth78 booklet that aids in helping you as a parent teach your child how to memorize scripture.
Gospel Project (Ages 5–8) (FALL & SPRING ONLY)
Sundays, during the sermon hour, Upper Chapel 2 (first floor)
This time of discipleship is held during the preaching portion of the main service. We intentionally do this in order to train the little ones on the importance of the local church. Children participate in the main gathering and are released right before the sermon. During this discipleship time, they’ll enjoy singing, prayer, crafts, and listening to a Christ-centered message.
Note on Age Requirements: Our aim is to begin to train children to love the local church. We believe that by age 9, they are able to sit and understand the sermon. We have provided sermon notebooks for kids.
Teens at ECC
The preteen/teenage years are challenging and confusing. In this stage of life, they typically have a lot of questions about life, about their future, and about God. At ECC, we think this is an exciting and crucial time in their lives. They are on the verge of making big decisions. We aim to create an environment where students can ask questions and find answers in God's Word. Like any other program, when working with teenagers, we hope you know that we have established rigourous screenings from all of our volunteers in order to ensure the safety of your child. All of our volunteers are faithful members of ECC, they've gone through training, received clearance certificates required by the government, and completed a child safety course in order to protect children from abuse. Having trained volunteers allows us to focus on teaching God's Word in an age appropriate manner. We are certain that your son/daughter will enjoy their time in our Teens Program.
For more information, contact kids@eccad.org or teens@eccad.org.