As preachers, part of our vocation is in helping disciples feel equipped to share their faith with others. How can we foster that in our own church communities?
One way is to think about the youngest among us—the children who sit in worship and who are already forming their own ideas about faith. While younger children may not be able to articulate faith or ideas about God, older children (those ages 8–12) may be fully capable.
In many worship services, there is a “time for the children” or a “children’s sermon,” typically given by an adult of the congregation, a pastor, or a children’s director. But what if these moments were opportunities for older children to share a bit about faith with the younger children?
These are great opportunities to allow older children the chance to experiment with telling a Bible story or talking about a time when they experienced God.
The power of children a few years older modeling faith to younger children can be truly transformational. I remember the kinds of experiences that deepened my faith—most often, they were in conversations with young people not much older than me.
So how do we equip older children in our congregation to be proclaimers?
Begin by listening
Equipping future proclaimers begins by listening to them. Too often, our congregation members—especially young people—don’t believe they have anything worth sharing in worship. But when we listen well to their stories, we model what proclamation is: an act rooted in relationship, attention, and trust in the Spirit.
Take time to meet with the older children in your congregation, maybe over lunch after church or by visiting their Sunday school class. Ask them: What was the last thing that broke your heart? What brings you joy? What gives you hope when things feel hopeless? These questions are not just warm-up exercises—they are the soil from which proclamation grows.
Redefine what counts as “preaching”
Many young people do not see themselves as “preachers” because they’ve only experienced proclamation in formal worship. But what if we expanded our understanding of preaching to include testimony, poetry, spoken word, podcasts, Instagram reels, TikToks, and open-mic nights? Preaching isn’t about a pulpit—it’s about pointing to the living God in the midst of our world.
Encourage young people to reflect theologically on their experiences and speak truthfully about where they see God at work. Offer frameworks, yes—but let them find their form.
Create low-stakes, high-support opportunities
Proclamation requires courage. It can feel terrifying to speak publicly about one’s faith, especially when older children fear what their peers may think. Pastors can help reduce the stakes by offering supportive, low-pressure spaces to practice.
The children’s sermon during worship is an ideal place for older children to explore proclamation because their “audience” is the younger children they already know, rather than the room full of adults in the pews.
Prior to their Sunday worship experience, pair them with an adult mentor who can cheer them on and not critique their performance.
If they are too shy to offer proclamation during the children’s sermon time, invite them to read scripture or write a prayer for worship.
Affirm their unique voices. Help them realize that their age is not a liability but an asset: They see and name things many adults overlook.
Trust that the Spirit is already at work
Finally, remember: You are not planting something entirely new. The Spirit has already been whispering to your youth—through their questions, their longings, their music, their heartbreaks. Your role is to listen with them and help them discern that what they’re feeling might just be a call to proclaim.
May we, as pastors, be brave enough to equip them, humble enough to learn from them, and faithful enough to believe that God still calls children to speak.
The future of the church isn’t waiting to be born. It’s already speaking—we just have to listen.
