Christian Heritage has long held the position that children need to be involved in church. A common phrase you will hear is, “Children are the church of tomorrow.” At our church, we believe if they are not brought up in the ways of Christ today, they won’t be in church tomorrow. Every age group, from nursery through high school, we spend time teaching them about our God and His Bible every time we are together.

Education: Our goal is focused on the growth of knowledge from whatever age they come to whatever age they leave.  If they decide to leave at 18, and go off into the world, our goal must be they are educated enough to defend their faith.  Maybe they stay in our church long enough to become parents, do they have the education to raise godly children and carry on their Christian Heritage.  The saying goes, “you’re only as strong as your weakest link.”  That’s not to say all should be scholars, but all should have, or be growing towards a firm foundation to stand on when the scoffers come. 

Assimilation: This pillar is the one that gets skipped too often.  We are afraid of sounding too tribal or prideful of our Church.  We must ask ourselves this question, why did we become members of this church.  The Ministry of Christian Heritage will continue only if we assimilate our young and newcomers early.  People are more likely to stay in a ministry, if they are vital to that ministry.  To our younger children, are they celebrated by the adults?  Do these two audiences meet from time to time?  Or are they shoved in the back while we carry on the real business.  To our older teens, are they being taught the value of membership and service to the church? 

Salvation:  William Booth said “To get a man soundly saved it is not enough to put on him a pair of new breeches, to give him regular work, or even to give him a University education. These things are all outside a man, and if the inside remains unchanged you have wasted your labor. You must in some way or other graft upon the man’s nature a new nature, which has in it the element of the Divine.” Salvation is not a reason we have church, it is the only reason.  Why do we gather, why do we have altars, why do we preach, why do we teach, it is for one reason, that a soul would be reunited with its creator.  Everytime we meet, every lesson we study, our goal is salvation.  Our education should lead, should stir thoughts, should convict hearts, that either in our class, our in the morning worship, or some other time, we have planted the seeds of salvation.

Yoke: The last, but again equal pillar is the yoke.  How do we guide our students on their journey with Jesus.  In the thought of Christian Heritage, we are all somewhere in that picture.  Maybe we are the first in our family to be saved, or maybe we are a product of our parents making a change in their life.  Maybe we are the latest in a long line of Christ followers.  These are all a part of the journey in passing on our heritage.  The yoke is the guide which we are led down the straight and narrow. As we guide, the force that helps should be easy.  Matthew 11:28-30 says 28 Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Jesus said His yoke is easy, and learn from Him.  It's not our yoke, it's His.  We have all had a journey to get where we are, and Christs yoke has been easy on us to get here.

These are the four pillars, all are needed to create a successful education department.  This team works together to ensure we are raising godly leaders for the future.  Even if they leave us and go to another church, career, location.  They should still have the foundation given to them at Christian Heritage Church.