Melissa Cellier, Children & Family Ministry Team State Coordinator

My discipleship journey has been a blessed one. I’ve personally known Jesus my entire life. I don’t have a ‘conversion’ story as such (which used to disappoint me how boring my story was especially as a youth/young adult until a caring church member commented about the blessing I’ve had of always knowing God). Instead, my story is one of daily conversion, daily discipleship. Each day to choose whether to believe and trust in God, whether to pray “Today I believe God is at work, I am God’s child, God will provide, God cares, God is with me. Today God use me. Help me to trust in you.”

I have attended church my entire life. So what? George Barna writes that many (p48) “adults who attended church as children and received ministry leftovers they became exactly what we made them: well-intentioned, inadequately nurtured, minimally equipped, secular people who dabble in religious thought and activity – over half not knowing Jesus as personal Lord and Saviour even though still attending church and bringing their own kids now.” What’s been different for me?

I’ve known the closeness of a faith-following family, extended family and church family. My identity as a child and young person was strongly shaped and very secure because I had these rings of support. This meant from an early age I was already exploring what it meant for me to follow Jesus, know him personally and live my life God’s way. Growing up in church was growing up in community. Attending Sunday School, Kids Club, KUCA Camp Out, youth Bible studies. This church community were my social community with friends and family friends, going on holidays, sharing life together beyond Sunday mornings.

There were opportunities to be involved in the life of the church through Easter plays, lighting Advent candles with my family, and serving in different ways. As I grew up I was encouraged to explore my gifts and skills in ministry. At age 12, after “graduating” from Sunday School I went back as an assistant teacher. Throughout my teenage years, I became a Sunday School leader and when at university (studying teaching) I was involved in leading the youth group.

When I graduated from university to pursue my life-long dream of being a school teacher, I knew through prayer that God said “No, stay where you are.” I believe that if God is my Lord then I can’t say no to God’s plans. This was a key turning point in my life, faith and career. Two months later I was appointed at my church as their Children’s Ministry Director while also directing the local Out of School Hours Care service. From here grew my passion for evangelism, for the church getting out beyond it’s walls and into the local community. I was encouraged to attend Bible College and ministry leadership conferences and I began networking with other children’s ministry leaders. I haven’t looked back, a career in children’s and family ministry was begun and my life passion and purpose discovered. All due to a church that gave me opportunities to explore my gifting and serve no matter my age.

At home, my discipleship journey was also supported. Growing up my mum would take my two brothers and I to the local Christian bookshop where we could choose a daily Bible reading guide for ourselves. We were encouraged most evenings before going to sleep to use these guides and read the Bible for ourselves. There were seasons as a family where we did devotions together. A strong memory of this was one evening when my dad drew a picture of the Holy Spirit by drawing lots of coloured 8 shaped squiggles over the top of each other. It spoke to me of light, mystery, colour and life. Over twenty years later whenever I hear the phrase “images of God” I think of this picture and I think of my dad sharing his faith with us. For most of my adult life I’ve continued this daily Bible reading practice – although these days it’s over breakfast.

There were also seasons where my family attended a church Bible study group for families. I can picture those evenings, the grandmother who looked after us kids, a prayer time where we all stood holding hands in a circle. I detested youth group on Friday nights (only because it wasn’t suited to me) and I refused to go but as soon as a youth Bible study group started I was there. Again this is a habit I’ve made a priority of as an adult, belonging to, and at times leading, a small group Bible study.

I also have strong memories from throughout my life (even these days) when it feels like my world is caving in and my mum would sit with me, hold me and pray. The effect of her prayers always left me feeling secure, the circumstances maybe unchanged but God was now central. Today, prayer is basically an instinctive response to every circumstance of life for me. Praying with others – friends, colleagues or people I’ve just met – is a natural part of living my faith.

Barna writes that (p73) “one of the pillars of Christian formation is discipleship: a life-long, moment to moment process. We lead children to develop a habit of continual spiritual growth through prayer, Bible study, service and the various spiritual disciplines.... Parents see themselves as their children’s personal spiritual coach to view everyday circumstances as training opportunities to foster spiritual development.” I doubt my parents used the terminology of being my spiritual coaches but that’s what they did. They modelled their faith and used spiritual disciplines in their daily life, encouraged my brothers and I to do the same and provided opportunities for us to engage in discipleship.

None of this was perfect – my parents would affirm! We are a family who argues and disappoints and yet this is the opportunity to see real faith in real life. To see God’s grace, forgiveness and unconditional love in action. This was possibly one of the greatest lessons in discipleship for me – it doesn’t matter what I’ve done, how long it’s been since I’ve read the Bible or prayed – what matters is God’s grace and getting started again on the journey of daily discipleship.

Pictured: Melissa Cellier is the Children Family Ministry Team State Coordinator, Uniting Church SA. She has been brought up in faith, and is passionate about sharing it with others – no matter what age they are.