We have all heard it before; kids are a great untapped resource. I believe that is really true. In fact, I think that they are possibly our greatest resource. I have learned over the years that if I can stop long enough to listen, they will often have profound things to say, especially when they are praying.

Several years ago I heard the Lord say to me, “Teach the children to pray, and they will teach the church to pray.” My immediate response was “Not me Lord, I can’t do that--and, I don’t want to do that.” However, as I sought Him and pressed through my feelings of inadequacy, He empowered me and gave me His strategy.

The first Sunday that I gathered the children at our church to pray, I wondered what would happen during our time together. I was pleasantly surprised as the Lord began to teach us how to pray. He had given me a few simple principles that would help to create an encouraging and focused environment for our time of prayer.

• Relax and “don’t sweat the small stuff.” Kids are going to act like kids.
  
  
• Practice listening for God’s voice. We spend time listening for what He wants to say to us, and then we pray it. Many times, one of the other children will say “I was going to pray that very same thing.” It is always a tremendous encouragement.
  
  
• Regularly reinforce who the children are in Christ. I often say something like “Did you know that the same Holy Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead is living inside of you?” (Rom. 8:11). That will always get their attention.
  
  
• Mentor prayer and then encourage prayer. I will pray and then I will say something like “Anna, please pray . . .” I don’t ask if they want to pray, I direct them to pray and rarely do they hesitate.

Cheryl Sacks, the author of Prayer Saturated Kids says “If we don’t teach our children to pray, then we have failed as a church.” My goal for our church is that each child will have the opportunity to learn and practice to pray in an encouraging environment. We try to take the next step beyond merely praying for the kids, and actually include them in times of prayer. This can be in their own time during a Sunday school setting, using them in the prayer room, having them pray from the front during a Sunday morning service, or praying for a special or urgent need.

Tap into children, whether your own or those at church. If you give them the time to pray and a little encouragement I believe that you will be amazed at how the Lord will use them. He will answer their prayers, build your faith and use them to teach your church to pray.

--Jenny Almquist is the prayer coordinator at Menomonie Alliance Church in Menomonie, Wisconsin. Her curriculum is available in her book, KidsGap: Teaching Children to be Kingdom Intercessors (Prayer Shop Publishing), available at www.prayershop.org.