“To Listen like Christ. To Love like Christ. To Live like Christ”
Written By: Gabriel Nerona
Just as us youth and adults of the church need to be fed by the Word of God, so do the children of the church need spiritual milk. It is a must for these children to be taught the Word of God at an early because they will carry what they have learned from childhood to adulthood – which is the goal of this project entitled Barangay TLC which stands for “To Listen like Christ, To Love like Christ, To Live like Christ”.
To imitate how Christ lived, to show how Christ loved the humble and the sinners, and to explain how Christ listened to His Father, even to the point of death, are the project’s main objectives. The Truth is taught how it is supposed to be taught, no sugarcoating and no adding or removing from the scripture just so it will appear attractive or pleasing to the eye.
Barangay TLC started last February 2017. The project was established due to the purpose of looking after the spiritual lives of the children who are also beneficiaries of the projects: DVBS and the gift-giving done last December 2016. The children are from Pugad Baboy in Barangay Wakas 1 and Aroma in Barangay Marulas. The topics that are being taught in Barangay TLC are also the same topics which are being taught in the Sunday School.
Barangay TLC is basically a Sunday School class outside the four walls of the church building with minimal differences. Instead of the children going to the church, the church is going to them. Similar in the Sunday School, we start the program with a prayer.
After the prayer, we proceed to the games or activities to motivate the children. The games are related to the topic that will be discussed.
After the games, we gather the children and line them up according to their levels and we prepare for worship where we will dance and sing 2-3 songs for the Lord. Similar to the games, the songs are often connected to the topic that will be discussed. These activities serves as introduction. Right after the worship, we break them up according to their level for the Word of God. There are 5 classes. 2 classes for the beginners from ages 5-6. 2 classes for the intermediate from ages 7-9. And 1 class for the teens from ages 10-13. We break them up in groups so that there will be better learning and understanding of the Word of God and so that they can understand the lesson according to their age. We start and end the class with a prayer.
Part of the class is the arts and craft time where they will be able to show off their artistic side. The arts and crafts are connected to the topic and it serves as souvenirs so that the children will not forget the lesson easily and for them to have something that can remind them of the lesson.
After the feeding of the soul with the Word of God and when the children finish their crafts, it’s now time to feed the physical body with snacks. Their snacks vary from cupcakes, ensaymada, donuts, and other delicious pastries.
When we finish our snacks, it’s now time to say our goodbye to the children and to pack up our things and head back to the church. The teachers rest, talk, and laugh with each other after a tiring but very, very much fulfilling afternoon serving the Lord.
It is truly by the grace of God that we can serve Him. Though serving God is tiring, draining physically and mentally, and costly, it is so fulfilling and inspiring to see the smiles on the faces of the children as they get to know God deeper. You can see the joy radiating from their faces as they listen to the Word of God. It is so fulfilling and inspiring to serve the living God. No one can outgive God, but that doesn’t mean that we should stop giving back to God for what He has done. He deserves to be praised, to be worshipped, to be served, and to be obeyed. He deserves to be loved with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.
We thank the Lord for the strength He gives His servants to serve Him, for His unconditional love that overflows, for His grace that enables His servants, and for His faithfulness that never ends. We also thank the people the Lord uses to support this program. God will surely bless you more. All for the love of God!
Let the little children know God and don’t hinder them from knowing who the Lord is. Soli Deo gloria!