Impact of Tweens’ (Ages 8–12) Leadership Experience Over Other Children as Children Shepherds in House Church Ministries on Their Self-Concept Development as They Build Up the Body of Christ

Self-Concept Development

One's successful social adjustment is prepared in one's prior developmental stages (Cassidy, 1999; Coie & Dodge, 1983; Nelson, 2010). Related to this premise, the current study explores what self-concept development is and how to enhance tween's positive self-concept as one of the social adjustment mechanisms. Self-concept can be defined as an overarching concept for all self-aspects collectively including self-perception, self-efficacy, and self-esteem which are usually used interchangeably (Haney & Durlak, 1998; Harter, 1999; Marsh, 1993; VanTassel-Baska et al., 1994). Furthermore, self-concept possesses the character of social development. This means that social interactions basically form one's self-concept (Egbochuku & Aihie, 2009, p. 4). Then, why are tweens the focused age period for the self-concept domain? The term tweens “is used simply to describe those kids who are ‘in between’ being little kids and being teenagers”' (Seigel et al., 2004, pp. 5–6). Tweens are the perfect age for developing the emotional, cognitive, and moral groundwork for their social adjustment. It is a significant stage to cultivate the characteristics of their leadership and universal ethics according to Laurence Kohlberg, which can influence their self-concept development (Nelson, 2010, p. 20). In regard to Erikson's psychosocial development theory, tweens are in the stage of Industry vs. Inferiority. In this period, they have a strong desire to contribute their available resources to their own community and to hear people's evaluation about their contribution (Franken, 1994; Seigel et al., 2004). Moreover, the tween period goes along with the Concrete Operational stage of Piaget's Cognitive Development theory. In this period, tweens develop logical thinking and possess a sense of command of their environment (Seigel et al., 2004). Social-relational influence on individuals is well described in theories of Mead's social self, Kelly's personal construct theory, Rotter's social learning theory, and Vygotsky's social-culture learning. They collectively explain well how tweens can develop their self-concept and how their environments can contribute to their positive self-concept development. Despite the arguments regarding either inborn capacity or social influence regarding self-concept development, these theories support that a positive self-concept will stay stronger and longer when children have social support.

Furthermore, the related empirical studies discuss that self-concept is related to children's future social success or school adjustment. Soomro and Clarbour (2012) and Jackman and MacPhee (2017) reported that self-concept can be a predictor of social adjustment as children mature into adulthood. In regard to the importance of social support's influence on self-concept development, many studies indicated that there are three most influential sub-supporting groups: parental support, teachers’/others’ support, and programmatic support (Anyon et al., 2016; Chan, 2002; Demaray et al., 2009; Kikas & Mägi, 2017; Lynch & Sheldon, 2017; Oberle et al., 2014; Slotter & Gardner, 2014; Tatlow-Golden & Guerin, 2017). Contradicted to the aforementioned proposition, Chan (2002), Demaray et al. (2009), Slotter and Gardner (2014), and Tatlow-Golden and Guerin (2017) say that self-concept development also needs to be considered in the view of the varied personal perceptions and personal needs.

Leadership Development

According to Day (2004) leadership development can be defined as a process that includes everyone (leaders and followers) to thrive together and be effective in its growing process (p. 840). There is no best theory to explain the process of children's leadership and its influence on tweens’ development. However, regarding child development, it can be connected to children's social development. The most relevant theory that could explain the relationship between children's leadership and social development is the Pygmalion Effect. Rosenthal and Jacobsen (1968) first introduced the effect in the context of teaching and learning. This effect supports that when children are treated as leaders, the self-sense of their leadership can impact their self-image changes (Nelson, 2010). Furthermore, Bronfenbrenner (1977) also clearly articulates that ecosystems such as micro, meso, exo, and macro-systems give the social and social-relational influence on child development as they grow into adulthood (p. 515). Additionally, according to the bio-ecological systems as an extended ecological system theory, the complexity of the interrelated system with biological systems and ecosystem can influence the future development of children (Lerner, 2009). This implies that bio-ecological systems in which human biology, psychology, and behavior are weaved with ecological systems can be connected to children's leadership development.

Furthermore, the Neo-Vygotskian approach emphasizes the importance of adults’ roles in the process of the Zone of Proximal Development (Karpov, 2005). According to this theory, adults are viewed as providers for children to internalize tools meditating mental processes as they transmit cultural meaning to children. Furthermore, Bandura (1995) delineates the self-efficacy evaluation theory related to children's leadership development. He suggests that people cultivate a belief about their ability by “[producing] valued outcomes and [preventing] undesired ones, therefore, [providing] powerful incentives for the development and exercise of personal control" (p. 1). Also, Csikszentmihalyi presented a meaningful premise regarding authentic happiness through Positive Psychology by implying that people obtain true happiness through serving others.

Relatedly, a total of 12 empirical reviewed studies were organized concurrently in the four following parts: (a) There are more research findings explaining the relationship between leadership and self-concept development as it is interpreted as a social adjusting mechanism (Hickman, 2006; Hollar, 2014; Li et al., 2011; Scharf & Mayseless, 2009; Teasley et al., 2007); (b) There are more studies dealing leadership with both environmental support and innate capacities (Atwater et al., 1999; Avolio, 2005; Bass & Bass, 2008; Day, 2000; DeRue & Wellman, 2009, cited in Li et al., 2011, p. 111); (c) There are increasing number of studies indicating the significant of systematic practical support (Sun et al., 2017; Turgunbaeva et al., 2017) and social emotional support (Guerin et al., 2011; Hickman, 2006; Li et al., 2011; Rivizzigno et al., 2014; Scharf & Mayseless, 2009; Teasley et al., 2007); (d) There are escalating number of studies viewing children's leadership development process as a their personality growth process (Guerin et al., 2011; Hickman, 2006; Li et al., 2011; Rivizzigno et al., 2014). Relatively, prosocial-leadership development is understood as the optimum for children's leadership development.

There are a couple of recommendable points for cultivating children's prosocial leadership (Hollar, 2014; Liebenberg & Roos, 2008; Sun et al., 2017; Turgunbaeva et al., 2017). Firstly, there is a need for well-developed programs which can (a) promote knowledge of leadership, (b) provide practices of their earned leadership skills, (c) internalize knowledge and skills of leadership, and (d) apply their learned leadership skills to other situations (Ladd & Mize, 1983).

Secondly, there is a need for a systematic program for children's leadership focusing on their personality growth. This means the entire area of development such as the programs’ goals, activities, feedback, and evaluation needs to intentionally reflect its emphasis on personality growth rather than the other usual leadership development goal. That is tasks, performance, and accomplishment in leadership practice. Moreover, the reviewed leadership-related studies collectively suggest that personality-focused leadership development can promote tweens’ prosocial leadership that is strongly related to their positive self-concept development. (Guerin et al., 2011; Hickman, 2006; Li et al., 2011; Liebenberg & Roos, 2008; Rivizzigno et al., 2014; Scharf & Mayseless, 2009; Teasley et al., 2007).

Lastly, there is a need of the significance of rich interactions with meaningful adults and peers as mentors, role models, and facilitators in the systematic programs which can provide scaffoldings for children's proximal development for prosocial leadership (Hickman, 2006; Liebenberg & Roos, 2008; Middlebrooks & Haberkorn, 2009; Morin et al., 2015; Rivizzigno et al., 2014; Sun et al., 2017).

Sampling

The sampling for the current study was conducted in local churches in Texas and Southern California that have a House Church Ministry (HCM) setting and the relevant children's ministry model. The research sample were children who had leadership experience over other children in a house church small group setting regularly on every Friday for more than a year as children shepherds in the local churches with HCM. A total of 30 children were recruited (n = 30: Houston, Texas, n = 10; Austin, Texas, n = 14; Buena Park, Cypress, and Torrance, California, n = 7); a total of 27 parent participants (n = 27) filled out a parents’ survey; a total of seven ministry staff/program volunteers (n = 7) participated in unstructured interviews.

Seoul Baptist Church (SBC) began its present children's leadership development model after experiencing many different types of trials and errors since its initiation in 1993. The leadership development model for children was an unexpected but inspiring byproduct; it began by babysitting to meet the need of an adult's house church small group gathering every Friday. At first, the children came to the gathering with their parents. There was no specific program so they watched TV or played video games without proper supervision. Later, adults took turns taking care of the children's small group. However, every time they gathered, at least one adult needed to miss their gathering time. At the same time, the children wasted their time with arbitrary things at the house church gathering. Thus, they needed one sitter who was not an adult member but could run the children's small group time meaningfully and effectively. Through many difficulties, they could gradually systemize the children shepherding model over the decades including new children shepherd's training sessions, one-to-one mentoring system, recurring informational sessions, and a children-shepherd conference every other year. Each children's small group gathering is run by a children shepherd concurrently while the parents are having their own small group time during a Friday house church meeting at a member's house. A children's shepherd usually leads crafts, Bible story time and games, prayer, and recreation time for a couple of hours. Children shepherds are usually in the tween period (ages 8–12) and lead three to 12 children members (ages 2 −12) in each Friday house church children's small group gathering.

Data Collection and Analysis

This research complied with the theoretical sampling process developed by Glasser and Strauss (1967, p. 47). According to the theory of this sampling process stressing data collection for generating theory, 30 children shepherds were recruited because I realized that children shepherds are capable to communicate their own knowledge and insights regarding their experience as children shepherds (Glasser & Strauss, 1967, p. 47). A total of 30 face-to-face, in-depth interviews (ranging from 15–45 min) were conducted. Those interviews contributed to hearing each one's experience as a meaningful story by collecting all details of their subtle experience at the same time promising the clarity of the children's expressions (O’Reilly & Dogra, 2017). This interview process with the 30 children shepherds also respected the policies of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) adopted by the United Nations in 1989. Article 12 and 13 provide the clear rationale for including children shepherds in this research context: “Every child has the right to express their views, feelings, and wishes in all matters affecting them, and to have their views considered and taken seriously” while their physical, psychological, and emotional safety are secured by the researcher (O’Reilly & Dogra, 2017, p. 4).

Regarding the researcher's perspectives toward children in the interview process, I took the position that children are the rich resource (Anderson, 2004, pp. 100–101). This understanding led me to plan the current study to hear children's real voices sufficiently as a resourceful subject (Christensen, 2004, p. 169). The collected data were secured to be confidential with pseudonyms and children were protected from all ethical issues and harm. Also, I strived to mitigate all possible negative influencing power on children as interviewees from the adult interviewer. At the same time, during the interview, I tried to build up a bond with the children by mentioning their own vocabulary, interest, and culture as tweens; I tried to create a friendly atmosphere for the children to freely depict their emotion or distress as well as flexible interview process and graceful ending while I was securing the quality of the data collection. Moreover, the informed consent form for the parents or guardians was sent to help parents make an initial decision for their child's participation, and an assent form was sent to the children to confirm their agreements. Although I interviewed originally a total of 31 children, only 30 children shepherds’ interviews were transcribed word-for-word. The last interview turned out unusable. The reason for this is that the child could not understand the interview questions and continued to respond arbitrarily to those interview questions nevertheless the questions were rephrased in many different ways to help the child's understanding. I found out that the child was overwhelmed by the first-time interview experience through the debriefing time.

Also, I took brief fieldwork notes for each interview and used them later for data triangulation along with the data collected from parents’ surveys and staff/volunteers’ interviews. The collected interview data was analyzed through the three steps of the coding process such as the opening, axial, and selective coding. Through this process, I could discover a prominent theory describing the phenomenon that the leadership experience influences tweens’ self-concept development with the assistance of the Nvivo 12 software program. Table 1 below presents the nine questions that played the key role in successful data collection.

OPEN IN VIEWER

Table 1.

Children shepherd interview questions.

1) What is the coolest thing about being a children shepherd/leader? What is the hardest thing about being a children shepherd/leader?

2) How do you feel about yourself as a children shepherd? How do you feel about yourself as a person? Can you choose an emoji to show your feelings about yourself? Why did you choose this emoji?

3) What are three adjectives or words describing you as a children shepherd/leader?

4) How did the adults in your house church respond to you after you became a children shepherd?

5) Sometimes relationships with friends may change when a person becomes a leader over them. Have you noticed any changes in your friendships or relationships with the other children in your group because of your being in the children shepherd role?

6) What do your parents think about your being in this children shepherd role? Have they said anything to you about this? Do they treat you any differently?

7) What kind of talents and gifts do you think you have been given by God to serve as a children shepherd/leader?

8) Can you briefly share who helps you have confidence about yourself as a children shepherd/leader? What gives you the most helpful and practical assistance to run the children house church program?

9) If God sees that you have now involved your services in your house church/church ministry, what emoji can be representative of God's feeling about you? Why do you think the emoji might be God's feeling about you?

Results

Discovering the influence of the tween's leadership over other children on their self-concept development, each research question got answered by at least one of the seven emerging themes. In summary, these study findings indicate collectively that children shepherds experience social, prosociality, and proactivity development, which becomes the foundation for their positive self-concept as a social adapting mechanism through the leadership practice as children shepherds. Also, the study findings imply that children experience their positive self-concept development as they serve others as children shepherds when they received environmental support: emotional support and systematic hands-on support.

Self-View (Table 2. 1.a)

Most children shepherds reported that there was a positive change in their self-concept. The self-concept was described with the three basic self-view elements: self-efficacy, self-perception, and self-esteem.

Self-Efficacy. According to Table 2. a.i, a total of 30 children shepherds (39 references, n = 30, 100%) shared that they developed their self-efficacy by realizing that their resources such as talents and gifts were used for running their children's small group effectively. This report indicates that children might see themselves in a “more powerful” way (Franken, 1994, p. 443) when they serve others (Bandura, 1993; Franken, 1994; Nelson, 2010). Dan explained that the adults’ recognition of his contribution made him have a positive feeling about himself.

Dan (10 yrs.): They responded like “it's good, good to have a children shepherd,” ‘cause usually when there was no MJ [children shepherd] we would just run around the house. So, they thought it was good to have a MJ because it would be more like controlled, and we needed one.

OPEN IN VIEWER

Table 2.

Emerging themes and references counts.

Categories	Emerging themes	Subthemes	Number of children	References
Changes after being a children shepherd	1.a. Self-view	1.a.i) Talents and gifts	30	39
		1.a.ii) Positive God's view	29	34
		1.a.iii) Self-feelings	28	68
		1.a.iv) Desire to be a leader in the future	18	30
		1.a.v) Self-conscious	5	9
	1.b. Prosociality development	1.b.i) Self-describing words	26	40
		1.b.ii) Attitude	25	49
		1.b.iii) Perspective toward others	20	53
		1.b.iv) Behavior	8	9
	1.c. Problem-solving	1.c.i) Hard thing to be a children shepherd	30	82
		1.c.ii) Problem solving skills	26 (19)	80
	1.d. Relationship with others	1.d.i) Relationship with other children members	24	38
		1d.ii) Relationship with God/prayer	15	29
		1.d.iii) Relationship with siblings	7	7
Environmental supports	2.a. Other people's recognition	2.a.i) Adult members	23 (20)	57
		2.a.ii) Parents	19	43
		2.a.iii) Children members	19	26
	2.b. Help from people		29	79
	2.c. Help from a support system		26	74

Also, a total of 18 children shepherds (Table 2.1.a.iv: 30 references) reported that they consider themselves to be future leaders for youth groups or adult groups. This positive self-view can be directly connected to self-efficacy (Bandura, 1993). Their self-efficacy development can be extensively understood in a mutually beneficial relationship between the community and the individual according to Vygotsky's social learning theory and Mead's social self-theory. Similarly, as a result of all people's service, Ephesians 4:10 implies that there can be a mutual benefit for the faith maturation of community and children shepherds because of the children shepherds’ helping leadership. The “works of service” of all believers build up the body of Christ in unity. At the same time, it guarantees each individual's benefit of faith maturation. As children shepherds contribute their resources such as their talents, gifts, effort, and time to their house church small group, adults and children in the group can have meaningful Friday house church meetings. In return, children shepherds could develop their self-efficacy by realizing the power of their own contribution to their community.

Self-Perception. According to Table 2.1.a.ii, a total of 29 children shepherds (34 references; 96%) shared their imagination about how positively God views them by drawing an emoticon. Tara's and Hank's responses below according to the question regarding God's view about their service as a children's shepherd explain well their self-imagination about positive God's view of their own service for their shepherding groups.

Related to the current finding, the research findings of Carson et al. (1999), Chan (2002), Jackman and MacPhee (2017), Soomro and Clarbour (2012), and Tatlow-Golden and Guerin (2017) collectively indicate the importance of early intervention in children's self-perception as a precursor of successful social adjustment. In regard to the related findings, children shepherds’ leadership practice can be a great tool for enhancing their self-concept development as early intervention (Li et al., 2011) in respect of positive self-perception development as they serve others. Additionally, regarding the early intervention, God chose boys and young men to be servant leaders throughout Bible histories such as Joseph, Samuel, Jeremiah, Josiah, David, Timothy, and Titus. God also educated, equipped, and empowered them. There is speculation that this early experience in the lives of these children/young leader might influence their self-concept development. These Bible leaders are young compared to the significance of their positions as leaders. However, God may have chosen people in their youth because intervening early in their lives might bring advantages for their faith maturation as servant leaders before God and people.

Self-Esteem. According to Table 2.1.a.iii, a total of 28 children shepherds (68 references; 93%) shared that they have positive feelings about themselves as children shepherds. They were requested to draw an emoticon expressing their feelings about themselves as children shepherds. Most children (93%) drew a positive emotion about themselves as children shepherds. Aileen's description of her feeling about being a children shepherd below manifests that positive feelings regarding their own service to the group can contribute to raising their self-esteem.

It is evident that the current finding is supported by Positive Psychology's premise related to true happiness which can originate from their service for others with their resources. Furthermore, Ephesians 4:10 indicates that all believers’ services benefit the individual believer and the church in reaching the fullness of Christ, which is the ultimate happiness for Christians. Children can feel better about themselves in a more powerful way when they serve others (Nelson, 2010) and this positive feeling can be connected to their ultimate happiness according to Positive Psychology.

Prosocial Development (Table 2.1.b)

In regard to prosocial development, the findings indicate that children shepherds experience prosociality development in their character (Table 2.1.b.i. 26 children; 40 references; 86%), attitude (Table 2.1.b.iii: 25 children; 49 references; 83%), and perspective toward others (Table 2.1.b.iii: 20 children; 53 references; 67%). The way in which Britney shares below presents her dedication and the importance she places on being a children's shepherd, by making her children members’ happiness her top priority.

Hastings et al. (2015) define prosociality as people's action choices considering other people's wellness prior to taking care of their own wellness. Also, they discuss that prosocial behavior is a ramification of prosociality development. This prosocial behavior is described well in Ephesians 4:11–13: All believers’ service, contributing their resources such as effort, time, gifts, and talents for others are used to build oneness and reach into the fullness of Christ in their faith community. In regard to the first priority of their leadership development, both Positive Psychology and Ephesians 4:12–13 congruently indicate that leadership is not about their tasks or achievement but about personality growth. Compared to Positive Psychology's premise prioritizing the character development in youth as an inner foundation, faith maturation can be considered as a believer's primary inner foundation according to Ephesians 4:12–13. The integrated view of the relevant empirical studies, theories, and theology supports that it is possible for children shepherds to develop their prosociality development as their inner foundation through their leadership practice in their shepherding groups (Feiring & Taska, 1996; Furman & Buhrmester, 1985; Levin, 1992).

Problem-Solving Skills as Proactivity Development (Table 2. 1.c)

With regard to proactivity development, the findings explicate that children shepherds could cultivate their proactivity. A total of 30 of children shepherds (Table 2.1.c.i. 82 references; 100%) shared that they have hard times because of their children members’ negative contribution to the small group with interruptions, distractions, annoyance, fighting, arguments, etc., while they were running the children's house church program. However, according to Table 2.1.c.ii, a total of 26 children shepherds (80 references; 87%) could simultaneously develop problem-solving skills by creating their own rules, reward systems, games, and other activities, along with compromising and negotiating with the other members. Jessica explains how she utilizes her creativity to encourage her members to cooperate with her well.

Sometimes, they use simple treats to make them listen to them and it works. Regarding their proactivity development, the study findings explain that children shepherds might build up a buffering mechanism in their self-esteem against negative experiences (Demaray et al., 2009) along with positive self-concept in stressful situations (Greenberg et al., 2001). According to Bandura's self-efficacy belief theory, the process of one's cognitive, motivational, and effective selection can collectively work as coping skills over stressful situations for children shepherds (Badura, 1993). As a result, children shepherds can possess creative and excellent proactive problem-solving skills to run the program smoothly and effectively. Also, in the Bible, it is evident that young leaders experienced the right amount of challenges or difficulties which enhanced their resilience and at the same time their faith in God's companionship. This balance between challenges and confidence might be considered problem-solving skills as proactivity development, which sustained the young leaders to solve problems faithfully in the Bible.

Positive Relationships With Others (Table 2.1.d)

According to the findings, children shepherds experienced changes in their social relationship development with other people. Specifically, a total of 24 children shepherds reported that they developed social competence through interaction with the same age or older children in their small groups (38 references; 80%). No one who had children the same age and/or older children in their group experienced difficulties in their relationships. Instead, they reported that they could build up more friendships, and they even received their hands-on help during their meetings from the members. Johan provided the reason for this social relational development in the following section:

So, I don’t really think it's about leadership, I think that it's about helping them. So, nothing changes between me and my friends ‘cause me and him know I’m just helping him to do something, not like have leadership over him.

The helping leadership described by Johan above probably was formed by their church's leadership training programs (Sun et al., 2017); it might be impacted by observing their parents’ servant leadership for other adult members (Bandura, 1995); they might also internalize helping leadership through their regular leadership practice in their small groups (Ladd & Mize, 1983).

Ephesian 4:13 implies that all believers’ service assists the faith community to reach its oneness altogether in the faith in Christ Jesus. Children shepherds through their helping leadership might experience more unity with other children members as they develop their social competence.

People's Recognition (Table 2.2. a)

According to Table 2.2.a.i, the related findings (23 children; 57; References; 76%) discuss that significant people's acknowledgment and recognition of their contribution can escalate children's shepherds’ self-esteem as well as self-efficacy. In respect to the adult members’ recognition, a total of 20 children shepherds shared that adult members’ recognition about their leadership provided children shepherds to have more confidence in them as leaders. Aileen reported the meaningful experience below:

Aileen: So every single time I tell the kids something, and they don’t listen, and they get mad at me for telling them to stop doing something … . So like every single time they go out to their parents and they’re like “Aileen said this and I don’t want to do it,” so their parents say “Oh, you should listen to Aileen. She's the children's shepherd,” so they give me respect.

Furthermore, the current study findings imply the importance of respect from peers. The study findings of Hickman (2006) explain that children shepherds possibly enhance their self-efficacy from other children's respect (Table 2.2.a.iii: 19 children; 26 references; 63%). Also, the current study findings illustrated that a greater number of children find their social-emotional support in people other than their parents: adult members (23) and fellow children members (19), whereas fewer identified parental support (19) (Erikson et al., 1986; Shonert-Reichl & Lawlor, 2010). In other words, community becomes powerful emotional support for tweens along with their families as they grow (Oberle, 2011, p. 297; Bronfenbrenner, 2005; Lerner, 2009). Also, the Pygmalion effect directly can explain the importance of social-emotional support for children shepherds to increase their self-efficacy.

Contrarily, according to Min (2019), an apparent phenomenon is observed in the current study findings: despite other adult members’ or their own parents’ negative comments, feedback, and high expectations toward children shepherds, they do not distress or become emotionally discouraged. Instead, they turned the negative experience into the chances of reflecting on their service and tried to improve their leadership skills. This phenomenon presents the evidence that they earned resilience with their positive self-concept that helps them to overcome the negativity and improve their leadership skills (HERO: Hope, Efficacy, Resilience, and Optimism: Psy-Cap concepts) (Greenberg et al., 2001). In the Bible, it is not too hard to observe the resilience in the young leaders’ lives despite a huge lack of recognition or positive emotional support from people. Despite the difficulties, they became outstandingly faithful leaders who feared God and served others with their true hearts. This godly leadership perhaps can be connected to children shepherd's faith in God as the inner foundation of believers, which helped them to have hope, efficacy, resilience, and optimism (HERO) through the hard times as Positive Psychology suggests (Min, 2019).

Practical Help From People (Table 2.2.b)

Children shepherds (Table 2.2.b: 29 children; 79 references; 97%) shared that they had practical helps to lead the program effectively in their small groups from people: they got their hands-on help from their parents or/and grandparents (14 children; 47%), friends (5 children; 15%), mentors/Sunday school teachers (4 children; 13%), their pastors (2 children), God (2), and older or younger children members (2 children). Particularly, Vygotsky's social cognitive learning theory supports that the practical help from others probably works as a scaffolding for children shepherds’ proximal development of their leadership (Karpov, 2005) with providing the verbal guides (Neo-Vygoskians) and actual models of leadership (Bandura, 1993). As Ephesians 4:11–13 and child-adult joint activities theory collectively imply, all believers including children as members of the faith community need practical help from people who can equip them to reach into the fullness of Christ and help them discover their virtues step-by-step. Relatedly, in a house church small group, Ryan expresses that he views himself as a co-minister with his parents. He thinks that his parents, adult shepherds, and he, himself a children shepherd are doting co-ministry to serve their entire shepherding group. This can be a good example of an effective children-adult joint activity model. Also, this statement explains well how adults as scaffoldings can assist children shepherds to experience their zone of proximal development as leaders over other children (Vygotsky and Neo Vygostskians: the Zone of Proximal Development and children-adult joint activity). Paul became the scaffolding for Timothy and Titus’ leadership development as Paul accompanied them at different times during his missionary journeys. They watched whether Paul went through miracles or persecutions, and learned how to be young but mature leaders from Paul (Min, 2019).

Practical Help From Systematic Support (Table 2.2.c)

The current study findings present that a total of 26 children shepherds (74 references; 87%) acknowledged they got help from systematic hands-on assistance from church supporting ministries such as mentoring systems, regular children shepherd's informational sessions, Bible study package, source and resource provision, and children shepherds’ leadership conferences, and service recognition ceremony. The study findings of Hollar (2014) and Teasley et al. (2007) imply that these systematic support programs for children shepherds probably escalate children's leadership skills, effectiveness, and efficiency which are directly related to their self-concept development at the level of self-efficacy, self-perception, and self-esteem. The current study findings also clearly discuss that children shepherds receive spiritual, emotional, cognitive, and practical assistance from systematically organized ministry support. This indicates that children shepherd's leadership practice is equipped by the critical function of systematic support as scaffoldings that guide children shepherds to reach into their zone of proximal development of prosocial leadership as the most ideal prosocial behaviors (Vygotsky and Neo Vygostskians: the Zone of Proximal Development and child-adult joint theory).

Furthermore, Ephesians 4:11 indicates that Christ gives certain people special gifts to equip other believers to experience faith maturation. The gifts are apostolic, prophetic, teaching, and pastoring gifts. Each gift is given to each leader to equip all believers including children to effectively and systematically grow into the fullness of Christ so that they can build up the body of Chris in unity. Related to Ephesians 4:11–14, the current study findings indicate that the church ministry can equip the children shepherds to mature into the fullness of Christ and contribute their resources to their faith community in return.

As an extended implication to children's ministry, a novel model can be suggested according to the findings. May (2020) summarized the children's ministry model changes by the period in children's ministry history: Ministry to Children (1940–1965), Ministry for Children (1965–1990), Ministry with Children (1990-present). Inspired by May's (2020) view of the changes in the aim of children's ministry through each period of its history, I want to suggest a new ministry approach, Ministry by Children for the upcoming generations. The current research findings evidently support that the new suggested children's ministry model can possibly bring back the vivid presence of children into the church ministry. Behind the scene, the church ministry needs to provide holistic and systematical support for children to wholeheartedly bring their resources to the faith community. As a result, it can give the opportunities for them to view themselves more powerfully and positively as they take key roles in the children's ministry.