The Northern Asia-Pacific Division (NSD) joins the worldwide church in celebrating Children’s Ministries as an official department of the General Conference (GC). Children’s ministry has been part of the Seventh-day Adventist Church for many years, but it was not until 1995, at the General Conference Session in Utrecht, Netherlands, that it was officially voted as a department of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. 

According to Dr. Linda Mei Lin Koh, the current GC director of Children’s Ministries, “Helping children say YES to Jesus” has long been the mission and goal of Children’s Ministries—a ministry of “nurturing, resourcing, advocating, building, and fortifying the spiritual growth of our children and teens.” The GC Children’s Ministries has produced many resources in various forms (print, videos, animations, books, etc.) for children and leaders. They have also developed a leadership certification program, which has been expanded, updated, and implemented for the past ten years. 

Here at the NSD, as across the world, Children’s Ministries leaders at all levels organize training, programs, and activities to disciple children, teens, and their families. Regular programs, such as Sabbath Schools, Vacation Bible Schools, Bible camps, Total Member Involvement (TMI) evangelistic meetings, and community outreach and service nurture the children and teens and also train them in leadership skills. 

Throughout the NSD, Children’s Ministries also promotes and celebrates special emphasis days focused on children and teens, such as Children’s Sabbath, Global Children’s Day, World Day of Prayer for Children at Risk, and Creation Sabbath. Across the NSD, Children’s Ministries collaborates with other departments to support the global enditnow initiative. This initiative, actively observed by many churches, seeks to raise awareness and advocate for the end of violence, especially against children and women. 

From the 1800s, when Adelia Patten began writing narrative Bible story lessons for children, through the 1900s, when Children’s Ministries was under the Church Ministries department, to 1995, when Children’s Ministries was voted as a separate department of the GC, through the years of NSD’s directors (Mary Wong, 1997–2002; Dong Hee Shin, 2002–2005; Sally Lam-Phoon, 2005–2015; Lisa Clouzet, 2015–present), and continuing to the present, many young lives have been touched and changed forever. Children’s Ministries has empowered the young to feel they have an identity in the Adventist World Church and are able to share their talents and gifts through preaching, praying, singing, teaching, witnessing, and serving. 

May we all remember Jesus’ words in Matthew 19:14: “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven” (NKJV). And may we all take to heart His words in Matthew 18:3–4: “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

http://www.nsdadventist.org/news/news_1_read.html?no=1032