Children will have an opportunity to make a commitment to Jesus Christ during the Seventh-day Adventist Church's Year of Evangelism this year.

The church's Kids Light Up Your World initiative "involves reaching out to children in the community and children using their gifts to witness to others," says Julie Weslake, the new director of children's ministries for the Adventist church in the South Pacific.

"[Church founder] Ellen White assures us children aged from eight to 10 are not too young to understand God's plan of salvation. A study by the Barna Research Group backs this up. It found that if a person doesn't accept Jesus before the age of 14, the likelihood of them ever doing so is slim. The church will lose a generation of people unless we put more effort into reaching children with the Word of God."

Mrs Weslake says she hopes Kids Light Up Your World will, among other aims, encourage members of local Adventist churches to: pray for un-churched children; revitalise children's Bible-study, or Sabbath school, classes; organise evangelistic programs, worship services and other memory events for children; establish playgroups; teach religion in state schools; and begin a video ministry for children by children.

Many churches have already taken up the Kids Light Up Your World challenge.

The Adventist church in Papatoetoe, New Zealand, organised a commitment ceremony for 25 eight- to 14-year-olds who wanted to affirm their faith in Jesus.

"Some of the kids were making a first-time decision, while others had been living with Jesus as their best friend for years," says Keryn McCutcheon, the children's and family ministries coordinator at Papatoetoe. "The ceremony was the first time we had publicly acknowledged their decisions."

The church had organised a dinner for the children and teenagers and their families and "faith friends" the day before the ceremony. "It was interesting listening to the advice the parents gave to their kids and to the reasons the kids gave for making their decisions," says Mrs McCutcheon. "It was a real time of spiritual bonding."

Members of the junior Sabbath school at the Adventist church in Port Macquarie, New South Wales, plan to present their own evangelistic program this year.

"The kids will do it all--from the praise and worship to the preaching," says Pastor Justin Lawman, the minister of the church. "They've even formed prayer groups in Sabbath school to pray for their friends. We're excited about the potential."

Mrs Weslake, and a team of contributors, has produced a pack to promote Kids Light Up Your World. Included in the pack are: a booklet; a CD containing two songs from the Adventist children's singing group, maxiPraise; and a poster. She is sending two packs--one to the minister and one to the children's ministries leader--to each local Adventist church.

"Children's evangelism is a process that requires people to build relationships with children and mentor their spiritual growth," says Mrs Weslake. "I hope parents and local church leaders take up the challenge."

Local Adventist churches will receive this poster as part of the church in the South Pacific's Kids Light Up Your World initiative.