Our unsung heroes of the Children’s Church tell us what it’s like teaching the energetic little ones week after week while the adults are at the weekend services. Read about their testimonies, and what keeps them going week after week.
Soon Li Li (Serving for 30 years)
Serving in the Children’s Church has been a fulfilling journey of growth. Initially, I joined because I didn’t feel comfortable being in other ministries like ushering or the worship team. Working with kids seemed like the only place I could fit in. But what started as simply playing with children soon became a call to be a vessel of
God’s Word and a carrier of His love to the little ones. My heart was deeply impacted after attending a seminar by Pastor Bill Wilson, Founder of Metro World Child, America’s largest ministry to children. His passion for reaching children led me to pray for “eyes” to look beyond a child’s outward behaviour, and to recognise their deeper needs so that we can speak hope into their lives—the hope that is found only in Jesus.
Each lesson I prepare is like a personal message from God to me, something I need to live out before I can teach them. This is one of the reasons I continue to serve — because through the preparation, God continues to mould and guide me through the very things I teach. Ultimately, serving Him is my expression of love and gratitude, a way to honour His work in my life.
The most fulfilling part of serving is seeing kids respond to God. It is a precious experience to witness them encounter His presence and begin to grow in their faith. Henry Adams said, “A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.” This is a reminder that I’m not just sowing into the present, but into the Kingdom of God—something eternal and enduring. Seeing former Children’s Church kids grow to become teens and adults who now serve in the church and shepherd younger ones truly reaffirms that.
A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.
Susan Kwa (Serving for 22 years)
Being a teacher and a young mother when I first joined the Children’s Church, I thought this would be the right ministry for me. Over the years, I have grown in the ministry together with my own children and their friends, teaching them the Word of God. What I cherish most is serving alongside like-minded people who have become my lifelong friends.
The journey has been both fulfilling and challenging. There was a period when I went through a spiritually dry season in my life because my daughter decided to stop coming to church. I could not reconcile the fact that she used to love God and had encountered Him in many of the services and camps yet chose to turn away. For a season, I could not pray for the children nor teach with conviction. I even wanted to quit. However, deep within me, I still believed in teaching the children the Word of God because the Bible says, “Train up a
child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.”
I told God I wanted to continue but I needed a breakthrough, and He gave me a promise that He would watch over my adult children if I would declare His Word and be faithful in teaching.
I began to experience a new joy in serving God in the children’s ministry. It was a joy that I had never experienced before, not based on any situation but based on His goodness and faithfulness to me. I also had the faith to believe that He would be the one teaching the children through me. Many times, my lessons for the little ones became my lessons from the Lord.
Indeed, God is a good God. I look forward to serving alongside those who have grown up in the Children’s Church. What a joy! They are the fruits of our labour!
Ryan Wong (Serving for 2 years)
One of my initial intentions of serving in the Children’s Church was to grow and learn how to interact and “manage” children. I’m naturally a super easygoing person and I wanted to learn how to be firm with children. In serving in this ministry, I have grown to see how precious the children are and how important it is to teach them godly values at a young age. Besides the joy that comes with serving, what also keeps me going is knowing how important it is to invest time and effort in our children. I always treasure the conversations with the children because they can sometimes say the funniest things. Other times, they can ask really good questions.
One of the highlights for me so far is seeing the children offer to pray for their teachers when they are not feeling well. I also witnessed the transformation of a child who was initially difficult to manage once surrounded by a community that loved him.
Sheryl Tan (Serving for 4 years)
I joined this ministry because I have always loved working with children and wanted to impact their lives. Despite their different backgrounds, I believe all children deserve a safe environment to grow physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Through serving, I have learnt more than just classroom management, but also how to help children ease into new environments and adapt to changes. I have also experienced personally that there is a reason behind every cry, tantrum, and laughter, and this has taught me patience, to be slow to speak, and eager to listen. It is a misconception that children don’t absorb Bible stories and lessons, and it has been a fun time teaching, dancing, praying, and worshipping with the children.
I can aspire to be a vessel of God to bring His love to these young ones. I know that God is so pleased when the children lift their voices and exclaim “I love You, Jesus!”
I have also experienced personally that there is a reason behind every cry, tantrum, and laughter, and this has taught me patience, to be slow to speak, and eager to listen.
Hon Sze Yee (Serving for 22 years)
As I wasn’t raised in a Christian family, I thought the best way to learn and grow as a young believer was to learn with the children. Choosing to join the Children’s Church after being baptised and filled in the Spirit, I thought that I could just be a teacher’s assistant. Yet the ministry’s vision was never to “babysit” children, but rather to train and equip the younger generation. Pastor Sharon coined the idea that kids can also have fun while learning about God. Hence, the ministry was never a dull place, with constant changes as the Holy Spirit directed.
There was a period when we had combined children’s praise and worship before going to our respective classes, and I remember the children worshipping in “A cappella” during one of the services. As they lifted their voices, I thought that I had caught a glimpse of what worship in heaven sounded like.
I used to think that as teachers and teacher assistants, we were the ones bringing God’s Word to the children, but many times I found myself learning Biblical truths from the children themselves because of their simplicity and uncomplicated faith, being very real and expressive. This was especially so when services used to be longer, as we had more time to connect and interact with the children.
During one prayer meeting, I heard the voice of God telling me, “If you love me, feed my lambs, tend my sheep”, the same instructions that Jesus gave to Simon Peter in John 21. I also received a precious promise from the Lord that I would see the salvation of my family as I continued to serve faithfully. Yes, indeed, I have seen them turning to Christ one after another, all in God’s time. That’s probably what kept me going for these 20 years.
I know that God is so pleased when the children lift their voices and exclaim “I love You, Jesus!”
I have witnessed how much God loves these little ones, transforming them into young men and women of God who are now serving the Lord in the Children’s Ministry with us, or in the main congregation.
Another fulfilling highlight of this journey is seeing how God answers prayer. We used to have limited space and only one male teacher for Children’s Church in the past, but as we called out to God in the numerous prayer meetings, He provided for our needs!
Joining the Children’s Ministry was a natural choice for us because we love being around children – their innocence and energy bring out the child in us.
Every time we serve, we see ourselves as God’s vessels, to influence and guide the young lives with spiritual truths. Over the years, we’ve watched the children grow and blossom. Pastor Sharon once likened the children in Sunday School to be like “arrows” in our “quiver” (Psalm 127: 3-5), ready to be sent out into the world. Thus, it is important to nurture the next generation from a young age, especially with the distractions from pop culture and social media.
While we have a serious mission, we also enjoy bringing joy and laughter to the children. Once, during an ice-breaker game, a child gave Jason one of his favourite toys – a moment that still makes us smile.
Besides serving regularly in Sunday School, two memorable experiences stand out for us. First, running the West Zone Children’s Cell and seeing how our relationships with the children helped shape their lives. Second, our trip to the Philippines in 2011 with other Sunday School teachers. That trip deeply impacted us because we managed to connect and share the good news of Jesus with marginalised children during the Christmas season.
We remain steadfast in our resolve to continue serving the Lord, embracing the mantra that “as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15). God has always provided for us, and we aim to be a blessing to others to advance His kingdom.
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