The Benefits of Inclusion, Inspiration, and Friendship

BACC Children’s Ministry

These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
Deuteronomy 6:6-7 (NIV)

Our children’s ministry classes start at age six months and go through middle school.  The classes have several goals:

  • To inspire children to love God and learn to build friendships.
  • To provide a safe, secure environment for each child to learn about the Bible.
  • To offer fun, engaging, and dynamic classes each week. We strive to bring the Bible to life using artwork, plays, movies and crafts.
  • To encourage every child to apply Biblical principles outside the classroom.
  • To create an inclusive learning environment that will include children with special needs, and demonstrate the benefits of inclusion.

Parenting Support

Children’s ministry provides an opportunity for parents to connect with other parents who have similar-aged children.  As kids become friends, families build connections and often find the parenting support and friendship they need.

We also believe it is important for parents to feel confident that while they attend church services, their children will be in a safe and secure environment.  Our children’s ministry teachers are screened and adhere to age-appropriate teacher-to-student ratios.

Life skills and Friendships

The friendships built in children’s ministry are invaluable and go beyond Sunday classes. Sarah Greathouse, a graduating senior at San Jose State University, grew up attending children’s ministry because her parents, Mike and Becky, have been members of the BACC for over two decades.

“In life, it serves you well to learn how to get along with people,” Sarah said.  “When I was going through different things in high school and college and wasn’t interested in God, I still maintained relationships.  Also, the classes I was in when I was younger tied me into a community.  You go through classes together for years and create a network of friends and family at church and you’re endeared. It keeps you connected even if you are going through hard times.”

Sarah became a Christian her sophomore year in college and now leads a Bible Talk on her campus.  She also works as a paraeducator for children with special needs and hopes to someday start her own nonprofit to benefit her community.  “Children’s Ministry helped me develop an interest in helping people. It taught me how to care about people who were different from me.”

Children with Special Needs and the Benefits of Inclusion

As a church we believe strongly in creating an inclusive and supportive environment for families with special needs. Spiritual Resource Ministry (SRM) provides parents of children with special needs the ability to attend Sunday service while their child attends a unique class created just for them.
Many of our teachers have a background in regular and special education, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, or are parents of a child with special needs.  The class offers a student/teacher ratio of 1:1.

In SRM classes, students participate in a creative and interactive Bible lesson and rotate through fun activity stations. Each class is designed to provide structure and routine, while being sensitive to every child’s specific needs. Typical children also take part in the class, which creates an inclusive environment.

Children’s ministry and Spiritual Resource classes are offered every Sunday at the BACC church service nearest you.