converts or kids

I'm a father of 6 right now. I know, sometimes I think I'm crazy too. The reality is I'm married to supermom. The point is that I'm always counting my kids and wondering where they're at and how they are doing. I worry less about my 17 year old because she's grown up to be such a great young lady that we can rely on her to care for all her siblings. I worry most about our 3 year old and our 3 week old... especially if they are together. I pay more attention to my 6 year old because she has been particularly needy lately and has a tendency to wander. I'm teaching my 9 year old to be more responsible and my 7 year old to be less concerned with his siblings and his notion of fairness. Consequently, they both get a bit less hands on assistance and more coaching from the sideline. It's a lot of work to raise 6 kids but God has blessed us and empowers us to do things well, to his glory.

Now what would you think if I told you I had 5 other children but I have no idea where they are. We were excited when they were born but somewhere between the hospital and home, between the store and the car, between mealtimes, we seemed to lose track of them. It's not that we don't care about them, think about them or wish that they were with us... it's just that keeping track of that many kids is difficult. We even set a place for them at the table each night. We find that trusting them into God's hands takes the edge off our guild and worry. Our hope is that one day they will return for a meal, a bath or some advice one day and maybe then we'll be more capable of caring for them.

That would be insane! (And before you call DCFS, it's also not true.)
But at times this is exactly what happens in my youth ministry. I've seen kids come to our events and find new life in Christ but never quite make it into the family of God. I pray for them, hope for them and even plan for their return but more often than not it's not enough to ensure their return.

The words of Paul in 1 Timothy 1:1 got me thinking about this.
"To Timothy, my true child in the faith"

What if I thought of these converts as kids? What if I removed words like "students," "teens," and "young people" and began referring to them as children who rely on me for spiritual nurture, nourishment, protection and guidance? What if my church resembled more of a home and less of a school? What if we were more family than class? Would I be more concerned with their whereabouts and health? Would it change the look and pace and feel of my ministry? What would it do to me as their pastor? What would it look like to count each kid and follow up on each missing child? What would it look like to care for them as my own?

It sounds like a lot of work but I believe God will bless it and empower me to do this well, to his glory.

How about you?