“How do I begin?” thought Anabeth. She had visited her friend, Andrew where he worshipped on Sunday and came away with a lot of ideas that she wanted to share with her own church family. Most interesting to her was a pre-worship activity that Andrew referred to as “Pew Packers.” It was a brief interaction with the youngest members of the congregation that centered around spiritual truths. She called a few trusted friends to get their opinions, and later that night she spoke to God in prayer. What else could she do? She was not a leader in the church, and she did not have a husband to represent her wishes.
SEEK COUNSEL
Anabeth was wise to seek counsel. Proverbs 11:14 says, “Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.” If she had tried to begin a “Pew Packers” program at the place where she worshipped without consulting others in the congregation, she could have insulted, or at least confused other members of the congregation. Her aspirations could have been seen as arrogance, and everyone would have been discouraged. Seeking counsel from trusted friends is wise. However, her most prudent decision was to speak to the Father in prayer. King Solomon wrote, “There are many devices in a man’s heart; nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand” (Proverbs 19:21).
SET GOALS
Jesus was the most successful person that ever lived for many reasons, not the least of which was His diligent focus on reaching His primary goal. Another proverb from Solomon states, “The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness; but of every one that is hasty only to want” (Proverbs 21:5). We will make righteous decisions if we patiently maintain focus on righteousness and allow ourselves to be led by the Holy Spirit through His Word. After you have prayed and studied the Scriptures, write down some goals for your Pew Packers activities. As you take notes, “set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth” (Colossians 3:2). What will be the purpose of Pew Packers? Are you going to entertain the children? Will you train them to be worship leaders? Perhaps you will turn the opportunity into an additional Bible class. Edification and fellowship are two Bible-based and reasonable goals for Pew Packers.
START SLOWLY
God can use us to do amazing things in His kingdom if we can learn to trust in Him (cf. Proverbs 3:5). Even the Heavenly Father waited till “the fulness of the time was come” to send forth His Son (Galatians 4:4). The Holy Spirit reminds us in the Psalms, “Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth” (46:10). You might want to take your time and make sure you are ready before you begin. However, once you start, do not look back! Jesus said, “Remember Lot’s wife” (Luke 17:32). If you “put our hand to the plough,” and after a few weeks stop offering Pew Packers, there will be a lot of disappointed children in your midst. You may have done more harm than good because the next idea for the church will be met with cynicism and apathy. Set your mind, set some goals, and set a date to start!
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