Building a Bigger Table

Children’s Sunday at Restoration at Hillside was a joyful, kid-centered service focused on discipleship and leadership.

The children opened with energetic worship and a declaration about God’s love, Jesus’ big love, and the Holy Spirit’s leading. After prayer and dismissing kids to children’s church, the pastor addressed the congregation about where the church is headed.

Using a table-and-sand illustration, he showed how churches often add programs (kids, youth, men’s, women’s, outreach) without growing their leadership “table,” which leads to burnout. Instead, the church is focusing on building a stronger foundation of leaders through six pillars: evident faith in Christ, servant hearts, integrity and accountability, wisdom and learning, humility and collaboration, and empowering new leaders (discipleship).

He then laid out a simple mission and vision from Scripture:

- Mission (Matthew 28): Go, Baptize, Teach  

- Vision (Matthew 4:19): Follow, Change, Serve  

Summed up as:  

“In our going, they will follow. In our baptizing, they will change. In our teaching, they will serve.”

Pastor Scott invited people to a “Real Life Discipleship” class as the starting point for future serving and leadership.

A men’s leader shared about joining church leadership and invited men to a Men’s Alliance workout, devotion, and breakfast. The service ended with the kids leading a closing song and an announcement about a new women’s “Secret Sister” encouragement ministry and upcoming brunch, followed by a closing prayer of thanks for the children and God’s work in the church.