Our children must be the Seventh-day Adventist Church’s primary and most urgent imperative if they are to become spiritual leaders and upright citizens. George Barna, in his 2003 book, Transforming Children into Spiritual Champions, states that what a child believes by the age of 13 is what he/she will die believing! Thank God for His transforming grace on those who believed and practiced the “grossest error,” but are now living in accordance with the principles of heaven.

If our children are going to grow to be spiritually strong, we must focus our financial and human resources on them now and hopefully catch them early enough to make a difference for their future. But who’s looking out for them?

I believe the time has come for the full arsenal of homes, church ministries, and church school ministries to be combined at impacting our kids in a powerful and meaningful way for their spiritual future. That means that, every home, every church, and every school must focus, to the very best of their abilities, on making sure that every young child who comes within the sphere of our influence receives the chance to become a biblical follower of Jesus before becoming a teenager.

Barna continues to point out that his research has shown that the majority of Christian spiritual leaders today are those who were impacted with church life and spiritual training before becoming a teenager. Proverbs 22:6 is pertinent here: “Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it.”

Parents, pastors, and teachers are profoundly and vitally important in the training up of a child. In fact, it takes the whole community to do so. Unfortunately many parents and families have abandoned and abdicated the responsibility of spiritual development to the local church and/or the church school. This ought not be. And I speak now to you, parents, as you begin this new year. Do you know where your children are? Do you know what they’re watching on TV? Are you aware of the evil, sinister, insidious spiritualism that pervades the so-called kiddie programs on TV? Do you know who their friends are? Parents, guard well those first ten to twelve years of life. Those years set a clear tone for the future!

Pastors, you are the guardian of the flock, not just for the adults, but the little ones who come under your influence even as they came to Jesus during His life on earth. Suffer (allow) the little children to come to you. Among other things, take turns to tell them the children’s story on Sabbath morning. Church work includes nurturing the elderly/young adults and also molding the very young to become spiritual champions for God.

Teachers, what a winning opportunity you have to engage your kids on a daily basis at school and to transmit spiritual values. This strikes at the very heart of the purpose of Adventist Christian education. What a high calling it is to be a Christian teacher. In the highest sense, and in your sphere, you are a minister of the gospel to the world’s future through our kids. I commend you, teachers, for your commitment to such a high and holy cause.

In the Atlantic Union, our schools have taken on the task of an initiative called “Students Tell the World.” As a result of these students actually preaching in evangelistic meetings, many of their peers have accepted the Lord and have been baptized. This is big! This is awesome!

I know what it feels like to see an individual come to the Lord and decide to be baptized. I know the joy and sense of spiritual ecstasy that comes with seeing someone surrender to the claims of Jesus. I felt that late last year when I personally baptized the 100,000th person into the Adventist church in the Atlantic Union (see page 4).

As we go aboard another year on planet earth, may 2008 be special in your lives. May a difference be made in the lives of our children before that critical turning point—essentially the same age when Jesus expressed his convictions to the lawyers and doctors on his visit to Jerusalem.

My wife, Lois, and I wish you all a very successful and spiritually prosperous New Year! The entire staff at the Atlantic Union office does the same. May His peace never cease in your hearts!

Donald G. King is president of the Atlantic Union Conference and chairman of the Atlantic Union College Board of Trustees.