Pentecostal Children’s Ministry Must Be Safe Before It Is Spectacular

Pentecostal congregations often give children visible space. They sing, recite Scripture, pray, dance, testify, join camps and appear before the whole church. This energy can be beautiful. It declares that children belong in the worshipping community and that the Holy Spirit is not reserved for one age group, social class or level of education.

Visibility, however, is not the same as safety or participation. A child may perform on a platform yet have no trusted way to report harm. A children’s worker may be spiritually enthusiastic yet poorly trained in boundaries. A church may livestream a child’s testimony without understanding the lasting reach of a face, name or story placed online. A congregation may pray sincerely while failing to document, report and respond to a disclosure.

The central question is therefore not whether children are present in Pentecostal ministry. It is whether the ministry has been ordered around their dignity and protection. The Spirit does not make safeguarding less necessary. The Spirit forms a truthful, self-controlled and accountable people who refuse to place religious reputation above a child.

The Lausanne Children-at-Risk Network has announced a three-part online series, God’s Heart for Child Protection and Safeguarding, beginning on 30 September 2026 and continuing in October and November. The programme is designed to bring theological reflection, practitioner knowledge and global discussion together, with the stated aims of…