by Susan Thomas

Bro. Daniel Gums and his wife, Marilyn, have a heart for children and children’s evangelism. “We take great joy in connecting with each child before ministry happens,” he explained. “Although it may be brief, we try to get to know each of them, asking their names, giving them knuckle punches and high fives, allowing a connection of trust to be established immediately and creating a willingness to be open to the Word of the Lord.” The Gums are members of Spirit & Truth Worship Center in Orange, California, pastored by Bro. Tom Copple.

So, how did their work in children’s ministry begin? Bro. Gums, who is the Children’s Ministry Director for Section 3 of the SoCal district, said that his wife felt that the Lord told her several years ago they would not only be pastors of children but also evangelists to children. “We began our children’s evangelism with a single service in 2009,” he explained. “This was an incredible experience with one child receiving the Holy Ghost. This experience was all the more exciting because of the fact that this child was being fostered by one of the Christian families in the church.” The Gums served for over 14 years on the staff of Spirit & Truth Worship Center as children’s pastors.

Bro. Gums said he has been involved in children’s ministry since 1995, becoming children’s pastor of the local assembly in 2003. “In October 2017, the role was handed off to another suitable couple,” he said, “and since then we have gone full-time in children’s evangelism. In Jesus name, we are well on our way to see the greatest year of revival among children in our ministry this year with 829 already filled with the Holy Ghost and another 49 services yet on calendar!”

Bro. Gums is excited about what God is doing in the lives of many children. “We recently were at a weekend revival with a church in Northern California, and there were 19 who received the gift of the Holy Ghost,” he said. “The exciting result from that experience was the following Monday receiving a text from the pastor. He shared a message from one of the parents from the revival that weekend. Two of the children that received the Holy Ghost were sharing with other classmates at school about their experience and two other girls wanted it. So they prayed with them at their parent pick-up spot, and they too received the Holy Ghost!

“The most important aspect to me of being a successful children’s evangelist is making it all about the kids. What this current generation of leadership needs to know, understand and truly grab ahold of is the need for revival in the children. When there is focus on kids, there are multiple blessings to so many from the kids themselves…to the parents, to growth in adult ministries and overall church growth. Jesus loves the children!”

For more information, contact Bro. and Sis. Gums at 714-955-8870 or go to their website at www.KidsEvangelist.com