| Before I joined the Mosaic Church staff, I led a local nonprofit serving children from hard places here in Austin. In that role, I spent six (sometimes seven) days each week in the community building relationships and discipling young people. What began as a small group of friends with a few Bibles and some coloring supplies, eventually grew into an organization with hundreds of volunteers and daily programming across multiple government-funded housing communities throughout the city. While the children were in school, my days were largely filled with administrative work—training volunteers, writing curriculum, and even planning what to prepare for our large group dinners that evening (which admittedly, more often than not, consisted of some version of chicken nuggets and a vegetable.) This structure allowed me to devote my daytime hours to the planning and coordination an organization of that size required, freeing my evenings for the harder but certainly more important work: being present in the community. Spending time with our students was never difficult because of a lack of enjoyment. It was, in fact, my favorite part of the day. Nor was it difficult simply because we were all tired after work and school. The evenings were challenging because that is where the real work happened. Building mentor-like, discipleship relationships with children and teens from hard places requires significant time and commitment. Earning the trust of young people is never guaranteed, and this was especially true for our students, many of whom had experienced hurt in relationships in the past. Dr. Karyn Purvis, an internationally renowned child development expert, asserts that “when children are harmed in relationship, they will only come to experience healing in relationship.” I have seen firsthand how true this is and could share countless stories that demonstrate the power of simply showing up. Although my time with that organization has come to an end, the lessons I learned about discipling young minds remain with me. Even now, though my husband and I do not yet have children in our home, we have the privilege of volunteering weekly with mKids. As the 3-Year-Old Classroom Lead, I have repeatedly seen how consistent presence from leaders builds trust and relational equity with young children through which we are able to share the Gospel of Jesus. Sunday morning mKids classrooms are not simply childcare. By faithfully showing up, we create space to share the love of Christ and the power of the Gospel. It is always a joy when a parent tells me their child has been singing our songs or reciting memory verses throughout the week. For a three-year-old, singing about the love of Jesus is helping to establish a foundation of trust in the Lord. With this in mind, whether you are a parent with children at home, a college student with a passion for change, or an empty nester seeking to invest in the young people around you, I encourage you to find ways to faithfully “show up.” When we live our lives in a way that honors the Lord and consistently invest in our young people, we reflect the heart of the Gospel. Jesus did not come to earth for His own gain, but to dwell among His people and to teach by example. He spent time with His disciples, fed them, comforted them in their troubles, and called them to courage when they felt ill-equipped. Today, we have the opportunity to follow His example as we lead the next generation, trusting the promise that when children are started on the way they should go, they will not depart from it (Proverbs 22:6.) At Mosaic, there are many opportunities to get involved and invest in the discipleship of our children and teenagers. If you are interested in serving infants, toddlers, or elementary-aged children with our mKids team, service opportunities are available once you have completed the Mosaic Membership process. Roles include leading our big kids, our little kids, volunteering with the All-Abilities community, and other support roles outside of the classrooms. If you are unable to commit to a regular serving schedule but would still like to volunteer, please save the date for our next KIDCON (Kid Conference), taking place June 5–7, 2026. If you are interested in serving students in grades 6–12 with our Mosaic Students team, team members serve every Sunday and during special events such as ONE Night and Elevate Weekend. Mosaic Members are encouraged to visit our website for more information. For those looking to engage more deeply, please save the date for this year’s Every Nation Youth Camp, June 29–July 2, 2026. Parents who would like to stay connected are encouraged to subscribe to our monthly mKids Parent Newsletter and/or the Mosaic Students Parent Emails. We also host a Mosaic Students Parent Group on the Church Center App, where we regularly share updates and additional information. Parents, serving alongside your children is a powerful way to lead by example and cultivate healthy discipleship in their lives. In addition to serving opportunities at our Mosaic campuses and locally throughout the Austin community, we invite you to consider participating in international mission work by joining the Mosaic Mission Trip to the Dominican Republic June 6 – 13, 2026. The deadline to register is February 22. For more information, please contact Pastor Rosalynn Smith. If you have the privilege of being a parent, teacher, coach, leader, or mentor in the life of a young person, I encourage you not to let that opportunity go to waste. I am deeply grateful for the adults who invested in me, and I imagine you can recall leaders from your own childhood who made a lasting impact as well. Be that person for someone else. Morgan Onochie Director of Admin and Events P.S. If you plan to attend one of our Sunday services at the Mosaic North campus this weekend, please do your best to arrive on time as we have a unique morning planned. Wherever you choose to worship with us, we can’t wait to see you there! |
