Ministry-to-Children.com » Children’s Ministry Encouragement & Vision

Make Time for Spiritual Refreshment

Kristin Charles — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 20:31:43 +0000

As servants in children’s ministry, there are multiple demands placed on us.

Some of those demands are external and include job responsibilities related to our position of leadership. They may include the need for more volunteers, restructuring Sunday School classes, preparing next week’s Bible lesson, or planning the upcoming Christmas drama.

Some of those demands are internal and include anxieties that may weigh upon our hearts – wondering if our own children will grow up to follow Christ in this chaotic world, if our ministry is having any eternal impact, and if we can still run the race with perseverance when we are just so tired.

The demands are heavy. We can’t help but being weighed down. Yet instead of resting, some of us have some type of internal hard drive that says, “Do more.” A longer to-do list assails us, to no avail. We just can’t keep up, no matter how hard we try.

Should we really be doing more? Or would doing less be more effective?

Matthew 11:28 says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Psalm 23 reiterates this promised rest in verses 2-3, “He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul…”

Sometimes, God has made me lie down, like in bed with a fever. Yuck. Juggling too many demands takes a toll on our health, among other things. It’s much preferable if we choose to lie down before the thermometer makes its appearance!

5 Ways To Do Less

1. Protect your quiet time: Do everything you can to spend time with Jesus, unhindered by pressures, noises, and distractions. It’s the simplest of all principles and sometimes the easiest thing to lose in chaos. Consider Jesus’ words in John 15:5 when He says, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

2. Invest in Selah time: Scholars say that the word “Selah” means to pause and to reflect on what you just heard. It’s used all over the Psalms, usually in the side margin, in italics. “God is our refuge and our strength, an ever-present help in trouble…Selah” (Psalm 46:1)

Selah gives emphasis to the Word of God. Since God sustains all things by His powerful word, He can certainly sustain us if we are seeking Him. Instead of running to the first item on your to-do list, spend Selah time to weigh, measure, and evaluate what God is teaching you.

3. Keep the Sabbath: Since many of us work on Sundays in ministry, it can feel like we never get a break. Do what you can to keep this day holy and rest (or take a different Sabbath day). Whatever you do, realize that God wants you to kick up your feet. Add football, family, food and fellowship to the mix and you’ve got a sweet Sabbath day. (Oh, and don’t forget the nap!) You’re not being lazy, you’re following the commands of scripture. It’s okay.

4. Consider a spiritual retreat: Once a year, when I was teaching at an International School, we were given a day to take as our “Spiritual Day.” It was a day marked aside for rest, solitude, scripture, worship, a journal, and for me especially– a cup of coffee and the outdoors. That one day alone rejuvenated and refreshed me for months! I still remember how God spoke to me through His word in such vivid ways during our times together.

5. Unplug from technology: TV commercials insidiously tell us that what we have is not good enough. They drive us to want more and do more to get it, yet contentment evades us. Emails, blogs, Twitter updates, and Facebook are great social networking tools to stay connected to friends and family, but they can cause us to lose our connection with God if our lives are not grounded in Him and kept in balance. Sometimes, the best thing we can do for our ministry is to unplug and unwind.

How do you do deal with the external and internal demands of ministry?

10 Tips for Finding (and Keeping!) Children’s Ministry Volunteers

Nicole VanderMeulen — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:42:50 +0000

Big, small, rich, poor, progressive, conservative, thriving, struggling, traditional, unique, and the list of adjectives could go on and on in an attempt to include the vast array of church characteristics we may be faced with as leaders of children’s ministry. Each church is so different, with its own strengths and weaknesses, and yet, one challenge we all seem to share is the never ending endeavor to find, and more importantly to sustain, passionate, skilled, dependable church volunteers to support children’s ministry.

For many churches, ministry would be impossible without the work of volunteers and I would argue that even the largest of churches boasting numerous paid staff members and the most generous of budgets still join the hunt for the hidden treasure: children’s ministry volunteers! If we want to implant faith beyond our church doors into the homes and hearts of our families, we must involve our entire community in the carrying and sharing of the Good News to our little ones. As hard as we may try, not one of us has the ability to single handedly accomplish this task of monumental importance.

You probably already know the value of volunteers and yearn to have a team full of them to call your own. So HOW can you find and keep children’s ministry volunteers? Consider giving something from my personal list of tips and tricks a try.

1. Offer Finite Commitments
Many people fear that once they become a volunteer they will be roped in for life and there will be no escaping the commitment. I have found that by repeatedly stating that I only expect Sunday School teachers to help for six weeks has substantially increased my volunteer pool. The real bonus is that after becoming attached to their students and seeing for themselves that their volunteer position is a blessing and not a burden, almost every single one of my teachers requests to continue for longer than the agreed upon six Sundays!

2. Pairs and Mentors:
Some adults are leaders and some are helpers; honor this! Place your volunteers in a roll where they will thrive and can really use their unique gifts. Pair a less confident volunteer with a seasoned veteran and encourage your strong leaders to mentor others.

3. Personal Invitations:
I rarely gain a new volunteer by making a generic request in front of a large group of people or by putting an article in the newsletter. Get to know people and when you find potential volunteers, personally talk with them about their gifts and how you believe they could make a difference in your ministry.

4. Provide Endless Support:
Always offer to assist your volunteers in any way you can. Let them know that you are happy to gather supplies, brainstorm ideas, or help with a difficult child. When you create a positive experience for your volunteers, they will return and maybe even bring others on board with them.

5. Set Them Free:
Sometimes the best way to be supportive is to get out of the way! No one wants to be micromanaged. When you know your volunteer possesses both the skills and passion to plan and lead on their own, let them go! Encourage creativity. It doesn’t always matter HOW children come to know Jesus loves them…just that they do.

6. Have a Substitute:
We all have moments when we are short-handed, even when we’ve done everything we can to have all the necessary volunteers in place. Find one or two capable volunteers who are willing to be your substitutes. I have a husband and wife team who joyfully jump in at the last minute to serve as substitutes, but don’t feel obligated to help all the time, knowing I save them for when they are really needed! This also supports your other volunteers by making it easy for them to take the day off when necessary.

7. Take Turns:
Is there an opportunity to have your volunteers serve on a rotating basis? I work with many busy mothers who can’t make a weekly commitment, yet are happy to help one Sunday every other month. I take the lead planning and teaching role with our multi-age group and have one of seven different volunteers rotate in as my assistant.

8. Search Far and Wide:
Reach beyond parents and professional teachers to fill your volunteer spots. Ask elderly members, junior high youth, and everyone in between to get involved.

9. Think Twice:
If there is a program or event that you continually battle to find volunteers to support, reconsider the value of that particular ministry. Could you do something different that would accomplish the same goal, yet attract more or different volunteers? Ask yourself if the particular ministry is really effective and necessary. If not, let it go!

10. Show Appreciation:
There’s no such thing as saying thank you too often. Do it as much as possible! Send volunteers encouraging notes and emails and take the time to show your appreciation to volunteers in person. A surprise treat or token of thanks is always appropriate.

Share Your Best Ideas

What works for you? If you have an additional idea about how to recruit or sustain members of your children’s ministry team, please share it with us in the comments below.

Need more help? Then check out our series of articles titled “Overcoming Challenges in Your Children’s Ministry.”

110 Reasons to Love Children’s Ministry

Tony Kummer — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:13:08 +0000

A few weeks back, I asked our readers to answer one simple question – why do you love children’s ministry? The response has been amazing and each answer has personally encouraged me. This post is an edited list of those responses, with a few of my own mixed in. I tried to combine duplicate answers or clarify when needed. I pray this will be an encouragement for you. Please Note: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it. and share this resource around your church.

Why Do You Love Children’s Ministry?

I love introducing children to Jesus Christ.
I love to watch the lights come on for the kids when they start to understand God’s love.
It is my mission field.
It gives me an overwhelming joy when I serve God’s children.
It’s when I feel most like Jesus.
I love the energy that kids bring to worshiping God.
Because children are gifts from God.
I learn more about God working with kids than anything else I do in my spiritual walk.
I love making a difference in the life of every child.
It allows for faith & life experiences shared between adults and children.
It strengthening the body of Christ, now and in the future.
It’s better to prepare kids now, rather than trying to repair their lives after the world has beat them down.
I love seeing the children’s excitement when they walk into the classroom.
I love introducing children to their God.
Kids need to know that it’s all about Jesus.
Children who learn about God now will make the world a better place.
I love to see truth sticking with them over time.
It helps families live out their faith together.
I love to see kids become FULLY DEVOTED followers of Jesus!!!
Children have such pure,complete and simple faith in God – working with kids reminds me that my relationship with God should be the same.
It’s an amazing privilege from God.
I love to show the kids that God is awesome.
I love to be the first one to tell them particular stories about God’s power.
Jesus said the Kingdom of heaven belongs to them.
When I prepare to teach kids, I grow in my understanding too.
It’s fulfilling and inspiring at the same time.
It’s fun watching these youngsters live out their lives with so much fun, zest and most importantly innocence/honesty.
It helps me picture how I should relate to God like a child.
It is never ever boring!
When you do something simple as having cupcakes for them, they respond with hugs and kisses.
I love having a positive impact on kids from dysfunctional homes.
I get to tell them the “bread and butter” teachings which build a foundation for a lifetime.
Jesus wanted the kids to be near him.
Play Dough!
They teach me more about the love of God than any other group of people.
Children’s ministry is fun, rewarding and a chance to make a lasting impact on children and their families.
Children are precious and innocent listeners of Bible lessons.
I love children ministry because it allows me to contribute to the future of our world.
This ministry is not a “have to” but a “get to.”
I love being the instrument that God uses to work through the lives of these children.
God moves so profoundly in my life that I sometimes feel selfish for being so blessed from serving in children’s ministry.
Knowing these kids is just such a blessing to me.
I love children and like being around them.
Children are better witnesses than adults.
Kids are never afraid to ask hard questions.
They talk about faith like it’s normal, unlike grown-ups.
There’s nothing that gives my heart more joy than when I witness a child experience and come to know the love of Christ.
Because God has called me minister to His children.
Children are our future and the best hope for a better tomorrow.
Because God’s love them, and they are important to Him.
I just want to tell them about Jesus.
I learn things from them, like “Don’t jump on the bed” is one of the ten commandments.
I love being able to use the talent God has given me.
When I show love to the children, they love me back.
I love to see the looks in their eyes when they start to understand God’s plan for their life.
Those little ones who are very curious and naturally want to learn.
Children have open hearts for the Gospel.
Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as a little child, will have the opportunity to share with them in the Kingdom of Heaven.
They are very quick to learn and to believe the word of God.
Because I love sharing the Gospel with a receptive audience.
In my country, most crimes are being committed by youths so i want to be apart of their lives to make a difference.
I believe I am making a real difference.
These kids are the church leaders of tomorrow.
Only children are brave enough to ask, “Who made God?”
It’s the only ministry where you can sing silly songs at the top of your lungs.
I love seeing their faces light up when they connect spiritual truth with real life.
Kids need to know that God is bigger than the boogeyman.
It promotes child-like faith in my life.
I love empowering parents to be the primary faith builders in the life of their children.
The world is getting more dangerous and kids need Jesus to face it.
Preschool kids are authentic when they praise God. One little boy said with great excitement, “God gave us PANCAKES!!! BANANA PANCAKES with syrup on top!!!”
I love seeing children really getting the concept of a relationship with Jesus and not just coming to church.
The joy of hearing a child’s heartfelt prayer.
I love it that I get to be a part of planting seeds in their lives.
Because I get to experience God and all that He is doing in the lives of the kids and their families!!!
Many of the kids I minister to would otherwise never hear about the Savior.
I love the way children love unconditionally.
In teaching kids, we can save the next generation from the mistakes that we have made.
It keeps me young!
When I’m with the children, I forget life’s worries, laugh more, and have freedom to be a little silly.
Kids never ignore their friends, even their grown-up friends like me.
I love hearing an awesome testimony from the parents because of something the kids learned from me.
Preschool children really do get it – sometimes better than me!
Snack time!
I love seeing two-year olds walking around with their little bibles, especially when they say “God told me.”
To God, every child has infinite value.
I love to join in their laughter about something silly.
I love to be the one who gives comfort when they cry.
I love sharing their wonder about our God.
Sometimes I can see my reflection in their eyes.
When I remember that Jesus was a child, I feel like I am serving Him.
Because some parents are not teaching them anything.
At church, it’s only the kids will tell you when your hair looks bad.
I’m a single parent in a third world country and life can be hard. I want to share the peace that God has given me in the middle of my storms.
I love teaching them to look up when life backs them against a wall.
I love seeing lost families come to Christ.
When children sing of their love for Christ, it is priceless.
I want to help them find the right path in life.
God has amazing promises for those who trust Him, I don’t want these kids to miss out.
I love it when kids learn John 3:16 and get so excited they repeat it a hundred times.
I love seeing these children growing into excited young adults who are sold-out for Christ.
I still play with Legos.
Because I will know more people when I get to heaven.
It gives me joy to think of the chain reaction of right choices that began in one child’s life because of our ministry.
When they say something surprising, it always bring a smile to my face and brightens my day.
It helps me relax and be a more creative person.
It is my way of serving God in response to His love for me.
I want to be the one who stands in the gap for the parents who give little spiritual guidance for their children.
It is the only thing that uses all my Spiritual Gifts at one time. (Teaching, Patience, Grace, Mercy, Encouragement, Discernment, and Love.)
Working with kids will keep you in touch with what truly matters – loving God and loving others.

Need More Encouragement? The read my list of 68 Benefits of Children’s Ministry or check out some funny job requirements for kids ministry.

Children & Prayer: What are real kids praying about?

Tony Kummer — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 16:45:28 +0000

Prayer is our direct connection with God. As children grow spiritually we teach them to call on their Father in Heaven. Sometimes the honesty of these prayers reminds us what Jesus meant by the faith of a child. Here is an amazing video that features the real prayers that children pray.

This is the kind of video that really encourages me in children’s ministry. It is so important for us grown-up to lead the children to know there is a God who cares about them. When children pray – God listens.

Video: The Real Prayers of Children

Video Description: Recently the children of Granger Community Church were asked to write a prayer to God. Take a glimpse into what our own children are thinking, feeling and wishing. It’s a whole new perspective that makes you stop and question “What matters most?”

Kids Pray With Honesty

What grabs my attention in this video is the complete honesty that kids have when speaking with God. It’s so hard as a grown-up to really open up like that, even when praying. Here are a few of the children’s prayers that really caught my attention.

Dear God,
Give me a mom and a dad. (I’m a foster kid.)
~ age 5

God,
Please help me walk away from the bullies at school.
~ age 10

Please help me be smarter.
~ age 9

Dear God,
Will my mom get laid off?
~ age 10

Dear God,
Please help my grandma who has all timers because it keeps getting worse.

Dear God,
When I’m scared, will you hold my hand?
~ age 4

Dear God,
Can my mommy not be in heaven, but just up the store so she can come home soon?

There are many more of these children prayers that are so powerful to see. It is a reminder of how important prayer is for kids. When the whole world doesn’t make sense children need to know that they can turn to God in prayer.

Need More Help? We have written several posts about children & prayer. Our Think Tank tackled the question of how to teach children to pray and we also wrote some practical tips for teaching kids to pray. You can also read about bedtime prayers with children. Watch this video for motivation to pray for kids, or read my prayer for the suffering children of the world.

Do You Have a Children’s Ministry Philosophy?

Charlie Wallace — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 21:02:55 +0000

Children’s ministry can be messy. The main reason that it can be messy is because you, as a children’s ministry leader must deal with parents of young children. Most often that means you deal with young, first-time parents. These parents love their children and will kill for them (not literally…at least I don’t think). One of the areas where children’s pastors may experience some conflict is philosophy. Do you have a leadership philosophy when it comes to leading your children’s ministry?

My mission statement is simple: Jesus.

My vision statement is more complex: FirstKids desires to provide all children with a safe, loving, and fun enviornment so that they can come to a saving faith in Jesus Christ and grow spiritually in Him.

How we work that vision and mission out practically becomes our philosophy, whether or not we penned one or not. For instance, my philsophy as a children’s pastor is to partner with parents in ensuring that they are doing their God-ordained job of discipling their children in the home. Therefore, I invest fully in building relationships with parents through friendship and teaching so that they know that I support them in leading their families. Through these relationships I can build healthly relationships with their children. The parents know that I care for them and love them and their kids. Furthemore, I emphaisize that fathers are called to carry the spirutal mantle for their families. My philosophy starts with my theology, which influences my philosophy, which then influences my methedology.

How about you? What is your ministry philosophy?

Church Decline: Ministry in a Shrinking Church

Tony Kummer — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 14:36:40 +0000

Confession time – my church is shrinking. I would not say that we are dying, but the numbers show a steady 20% downtrend over the past five years. That is an approximate number for both giving and attendance. There are several factors, but without question my church is in a period of decline.

This is not something a long time Southern Baptist like myself is supposed to admit, much less blog about. But many churches are in the same situation. Experts state that 85% of American churches are “plateaued of declining.” (Comeback Churches by Ed Stetzer)

There are many reasons why churches shrink. Sometimes it is demographics. Other times it is poor leadership. Whatever the reason, negative growth puts real pressure on the all the church’s ministries. Here are a few lessons I’m still learning from my ministry over the past few years. These can apply to kids ministry or to any aspect of a declining church.

Tips for Ministering in a Shrinking Church

Keep an outward focus.
My natural temptation is to work hard to hold on to the people who are still coming to our church. In retrospect I think that is a mistake. A church in decline must try all the more to reach out.

Keep a Kingdom focus.
God’s work around the world continues to advance and we can still take part through missions giving. Even as we have lost membership, we have become more engaged in the praying, giving and going.

Do not let survival become your only vision.
Even if our church completely disappeared, God would still raise up a Gospel witness to our community. It can be easy to make the building or the congregation’s history into an idol. But the great commission has never been about survival.

Let the experience teach humility.
At one point I might have looked down on pastors of shrinking churches. Now I see that some factors are beyond the control of the leadership. The real measure of success is faithfulness before God. (Liberating Ministry from the Success Syndrome) My experience has helped me learn to be humble.

Do not be angry with God.
He does not owe us anything, even if we have done all the right things to please Him. The Pharisee seeks to control God through his religious obedience and becomes angry when God does not play along. I must not resent God for the negative church growth.

Do not fall into despair.
Do not think this season is forever. This is my weakness and often I wonder at my own discouragement. But I know that in the big picture these lean years are building my character.

Accept responsibility.
It would be easy to make excuses for church decline. I could blame the pastor, or the culture, or the people themselves. But as a leader I must refuse to pass blame. I can name a dozen things I might do better going forward.

Stay faithful.
In times of decline you must keep doing the little things well. Keep up your prayers and preparation. Even if you only have a very small Sunday School class, those children were put there by God.

Get creative.
Times of decline are perfect for fixing what is broken. People are willing to change and want to see something new. Find new ways to connect with your culture and seek out the lost where they live.

Be frugal.
The practical side to all this is shrinking budgets. Our church has been very wise in managing finances. Our careful spending has relieved much of the pressure that comes with declines in giving. My personal aim is to never spend more than 75% of the children’s ministry budget. This allows for flexibility and builds trust with our people.

What Do You Think?

Have you severed in a shrinking church? What advice would you add? Leave a comment below to share your experience.

Charles Spurgeon’s Encouragement for Children’s Workers

Jeri Tanner — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 18:30:56 +0000

Charles Haddon Spurgeon, the “Prince of Preachers,” served as Pastor at Metropolitan Tabernacle in London, England from 1854-1891. Here are words of wisdom on children’s ministry taken from a chapter in his book “Come, My Children:”

“Nowadays, since the world has in it, alas! so few of Christian mothers and grandmothers, the church has thought it wise to supplement the instruction of home by teaching held under her fostering wing. Those children who have no such parents the church takes under her maternal care. I regard this as a very blessed institution. I am thankful for the many of our brothers and sisters who give their Sabbath-days, and many of them a considerable part of their week evenings also, to the teaching of other people’s children, who somehow grow to be very much their own. They endeavor to perform the duties of fathers and mothers, for God’s sake, to those children who are neglected by their own parents; and therein they do well.

“Let no Christian parents fall into the delusion that the Sunday-school is intended to ease them of their personal duties. The first and most natural condition of things is for Christian parents to train up their own children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Let holy grandmothers and gracious mothers, with their husbands, see to it that their own boys and girls are well taught in the Book of the Lord. Where there are no such Christian parents it is well and wisely done for godly people to intervene.

“It is a Christly work when others undertake the duty which the natural doers of it have left undone. The Lord Jesus looks with pleasure upon those who feed His lambs, and nurse His babes; for it is not His will that any of these little ones should perish. Timothy had the great privilege of being taught by those whose natural duty it is; but where that great privilege cannot be enjoyed, let us all, as God shall help us, try to make up to the children the terrible loss which they endure. Come forward, earnest men and women, and sanctify yourselves for this joyful service.”

Children’s Ministry blogger Wayne Stocks is working through this book by Spurgeon and offering summaries on his blog. Click here to read his synopsis of Come Ye’ Children.

Is Your Kids Ministry Becoming Spiritually Toxic?

Tony Kummer — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 12:55:23 +0000

Over the last few years, there have been hundreds of toy recalls. Some have been poor design, but many are due to toxic materials. As a parent, I shudder to think of my little ones playing (and chewing) on toys covered in lead paint.

Every church that loves children has been equally careful to remove these toxic toys. Having a physically safe environment must be a priority for your church.

In the same way, we need to watch out for spiritually toxic practices in our ministry. These may be easy to overlook, even more so with all the practical concerns at your church. But the danger is real and toxic children’s ministry can cause long term damage and harm spiritual development.

Even as I am writing this, I can think of changes I need to make at our church. I want to encourage you to do the same. As you read, write down some action steps to help improve your own children’s ministry.

3 Toxic Mistakes Our Kids Ministry Must Avoid

1. Mistaking Bible knowledge for heart change.

Our generation is sadly lacking in biblical literacy and we must strive to be more effective in our teaching. At the same time, we must realize we are limited. The real spiritual battle is not about information. You can be sure that Satan does not worry when kids memorize the names of the 12 tribes of Israel. Our ministry must aim for heart transformation. Educators like to call this attitudinal learning or the affective domain. Too much Bible information without real heart change is toxic for a child’s soul.

2. Shrinking from the Gospel story.

The heart of Christianity is the historical events of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. These real world events (AD 30-33), forever changed the destiny of humankind. The Kingdom of God has invaded this world, and requires every person to make a choice. Without knowing this foundation, our religion becomes a sentimental way to build self-esteem. Too many kids take Jesus as their make-believe-friend with zero knowledge of the Gospel story – or who he really is. Shrinking from the Gospel story is spiritually toxic for any children’s ministry.

3. Assuming families don’t need help.

With all the talk about family discipleship, few churches actually follow-up to make sure it’s happening. This is understandable. It can be hard to discover the private spiritual health of someone’s home. It takes some boldness to hold parents accountable. If God commands parents to train their children in the faith, then Christian love requires us to get involved. Ignoring the needs of families is toxic to their spiritual health.

What would you suggest to correct these mistakes? What changes are you going to make in your own ministry? Please leave your ideas in the comment box below.

Developing a Vision for Your Children’s Ministry

Mimi Bullock — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 13:45:11 +0000

No one plants a tree and doesn’t expect it to grow. You cultivate it. You protect the tree from the blistering heat and the frigid blasts. You jealously guard it keeping pests away. When the tree was dry and thirsty you watered it. Lastly you pruned it as it grew, coaxing the sapling with your shears. You clipped sucker branches, strengthening the tree for growth in the right direction. Finally you created the tree you imagined when you first planted the sapling. This whole wonderful process began with your beginning vision. You planted the little tree thinking about the large tree it would become. Maybe you thought about its cool shade and sweet fruit while you were planting it.

Your children’s ministry is like a young sapling, a baby tree. It’s full of possibilities, full of potential. It only needs you to do all things required to make it grow. That starts with a vision.

Developing a vision for your children’s ministry is just like that process. You start with a vision and make corrections as you go. You give sustenance and protection as needed to your ministry. But even as you first begin to dug, you have a dream in your heart, a vision in your spirit.

What is it? That’s your vision!

Here are some practical steps you can take to developing your vision.

Developing Your Vision

Sit down with pen and paper. Write your vision. Don’t worry about grammar or trying to sound spiritual. Write down what you are trying to do. Give yourself a whole page to do that.

Next look at what you’ve written. Focus that page down to a paragraph. Shave off everything not related to the direct vision. Finally whittle that paragraph down to a sentence or two. That should be the heart of your ministry. This should be your standard, your compass point.

While you are developing your vision keep in mind, some visions are progressive. God may start you here but want to grow you to reach all the way there. You’ll need to be sensitive to Him in that regard.

Share and Proclaim

Always include your senior pastor in on what’s happening in your ministry. Share with senior staff the vision of your children’s ministry. For the most part if you are involved in the, ‘in house’ ministries your vision should line up with theirs. It should compliment it. If your children’s ministry is evangelical in nature and you aren’t part of an ‘in house’ ministry this may not apply. However, you should share the vision with your covering or apostle. Proclaim the vision. Share it with the people involved in working in your ministry. Let them proclaim the vision with you.

Pray Over the Vision

Now that you have a clear vision, pray over it. Ask God to give you details you might need. Thank Him for what you have seen. Ask for His help making the vision come true. Finally ask for favor to rest on your ministry.

Your children’s ministry should be like no other. Not a copy, not an imitation, uniquely yours from God. From time to time, go back to your vision. Remember it. Declare it. Most of, stay true to it. Let God change the vision and define it as he sees fit. Follow Him wherever He takes you and your ministry.d

In Pursuit of What Matters

Kristin Charles — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 10:07:31 +0000

Do you ever find yourself forgetting what is most important? I know I do. My keys, my debit card, my license. Yep, they have all been lost this week to my husband’s horror. But at least I haven’t yet forgotten our kids anywhere. Or maybe I have.

Sometimes I beam with pride over my son’s developing vocabulary or his hand/eye coordination. And I envision his fluency in multiple languages and his chance at major league baseball status. (He’s two.)

Sometimes I marvel at my daughter’s inquisitive mind and quest for perfection. And I wonder if all of those questions will lead to medical advances or scientific discoveries; answers that have been hard to come by over the years. (She’s three.)

Sometimes I forget to dream about what really matters. I haven’t lost my kids, but I’ve lost perspective. Though there’s nothing wrong with celebrating achievements and encouraging greatness, there is a problem in pursuing what the world deems valuable. When we only strive after external accomplishments, we neglect the heart of Christ. And when we model this habitual pursuit, the children in our homes and in our churches will forget why they’re here in the first place.

Jesus said in Matthew 23:11, “The greatest among you will be your servant.” His life lived these words out in washing feet, feeding the hungry, and healing the sick. The cross echoed this humility. Philippians 2:8 states that, “He humbled himself and became obedient to death – even death on a cross.”

I need often to be reminded that the world’s dignitaries don’t have it all together. That acclaimed athletes are not always acclaimed individuals. That doctors or scientists who provide breakthrough research sometimes miss the fingerprints of the Creator Himself. And if you’ve missed the Creator, you’ve missed everything.

I also need reminded that the greatest individuals are those who have never been recognized once. They have never been applauded, honored, or acclaimed. No one cheers their names in the stands or watches their shows from a couch. But in the quiet confines of their life, they have humbly served a cause greater than themselves. And that cause of redemption through Christ reverberates throughout history.

When push comes to shove, I would love for my children to excel at the gifts they have been given. And I will cheer loudly and beam proudly when that happens. But most of all, I want them to pursue Christ. And if pursuing His greatness leaves them without any of their own, that’s more than okay with me. Cause their lives will find impact if they find Christ as their treasure.

So how do we pursue what really matters? How do we encourage the children in our homes and churches to do the same?

Four Ways To Model Jesus and Serve Others

1. Model a servant’s life yourself.

Follow Christ and serve Him in humility. Live by John 3:30. “He must become greater; I must become less.” Work hard, letting your life speak louder than your words.

2. Debunk the illusion of celebrity.

Media won’t do it; so we have to. Invite your children to think critically about fame and fortune. Certainly don’t judge. But do study Proverbs to see what wisdom looks like. Then compare.

3. Honor those who serve.

Who in your family, community, or church serves others quietly? Is it the janitor whose job is rarely recognized unless it isn’t done well? The nursery volunteer who still has endless patience with that bellowing child? The widow who has taught Sunday School for forty years now? Have your children honor these individuals with a simple gift, card, or homemade cookies. Consider throwing a surprise party to thank them for their work.

4. Celebrate the achievement of serving.

Too often we award good grades, applaud goals scored, or present bouquets to aspiring ballerinas. And we should! But how often do we celebrate cleaning up spilled paint for a teacher? Or praying for the pastor without prompting? Or coloring a page for someone who is ill? Make it a habit to celebrate your children’s servants’ hearts on a regular basis.

How Do You Teach Kids What Really Matters?

How have you pursued eternal goals like humility in your home or church? Please share any practical suggestions that you have utilized. Thanks!

Funny Job Requirements for Children’s Ministry

Tony Kummer — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 04:08:23 +0000

There was a funny thread on the forums at CM Connect and I thought I would share some of it here. For the whole scoop, check out this comment thread on their site. Basically, they wanted to come up with some funny “job requirements” for children’s ministry. Here are a few of my favorites, feel free to come up with your own:

Sense of humour is not mandatory, but you won’t survive without it
Should be quick to recover when you forget a kids name: a staple of generic names such as ‘Buckaroo’ or ‘Fella’ is a must
Even though you would watch them anyways, Cartoons are now considered research.
Having the ability to always tell a joke or fill in time is a major plus
No sense of embarrassment is a plus – especially when doing action songs
Must have the immune system of a robot
Must be able to use random junk as props
Must be able to rig contests so the girls don’t always win
Willingness to pray for all sick pets by name
Must be able to “Hold it” for entire service rotation
Ability to distinguish where “That smell is coming from”
Must be able to come up with 10 games from 1 piece of toilet paper.
Must remember that ‘knucks’ are 75% more healthy than high fives.
Able to turn all your mistakes into a funny story
Able to tolerate bright yellow & orange walls in your office
Breath mints … really, kids will call you out for dog breath

Do You Have A Funny Job Requirement?

Leave a comment below if you know of more funny qualification for children’s ministry. Also, check out the thread on CM Connect.

Thank You For Your Sacrifice

Kristin Charles — Mon, 25 May 2009 13:41:34 +0000

Memorial Day has traditionally been a day set aside to honor brave men and women who have sacrificed their lives for the freedoms we hold dear in the United States. As GK Chesteron said, “Courage is almost a contradiction in terms. It means a strong desire to live taking the form of readiness to die.” So on this day, I would like to honor every veteran and every military member currently serving our country. Your sacrifice has not gone unnoticed. Thank you.

But there is another group of individuals out there who deserve recognition for their sacrifices too. In fact, I would not have the freedoms I enjoy as a Christ-follower today, if not for them. There was a woman dressed in a Happy Heart costume who caught the attention of a seven year old girl. I accepted Jesus as my Savior because of her sacrifice. There were Sunday School teachers who invested hours of preparation time, scrambling to review a lesson every late Saturday night. I learned to love the Word of God because of their sacrifice. There were Youth Group volunteers, half driven crazy by my middle school antics, who loved me anyway. I found encouragement to weather awkward years because of their sacrifice.

If you work in Children’s Church – in any capacity- you are asked to sacrifice. You may have given up energy, hours of your day, valuable sleep, time with your families, a hefty paycheck, or your very sanity. Just be honest. Sometimes those kids drive you crazy. And sometimes, you realize that this isn’t exactly what you signed up for. But whatever you have given up, please accept this as a thank you today. Your sacrifice has not gone unnoticed. This next generation needs you. They need your love for God, your laughter, your knowledge of the Scriptures, your enthusiasm, your creativity. They need a relationship with someone whom they can trust, someone who knows the way. And most of all, they need to know there’s a freedom to be had that only Christ can give.

As we thank God for His ultimate sacrifice on the cross. As we thank our veterans and active military men and women for their courage and sacrifice. So may we also thank you for your sacrifice in loving children in Jesus’ name.

Who Sacrificed For You?

What individuals have sacrificed so that you might have the freedom you enjoy today? Take a moment out of your day to call them, shoot them an email, or write a handwritten card of thanks.

No related posts.

1/168: Children’s Ministry Hours Per Week

Terry Delaney — Fri, 15 May 2009 09:54:22 +0000

I recently attended the Connecting Church and Home conference (read our live blog) back in March. While there, I saw a man wearing a black t-shirt with white embroidered 1/168. I was immediately intrigued by the small fraction. Given the context of the conference, I figured it had something to do with student ministry. My suspicions were confirmed when I started talking with the gentleman wearing the shirt.

1/168 simply puts in a visible fractional form what many of us struggle with in children’s ministry. There are 168 hours in a week. If we are lucky, we get one hour a week with the children. Simply put, what are the parents doing in the remaining 167 hours?

I confess that I actually do a better job as a parent to my three sons in the 167 hours than I do challenging the parents of my children to redeem the time. While I am sure you have prayed and asked others how to get parents more involved in your children’s spiritual life as well as your ministry, have you ever considered just how much you are up against?

Seriously, if you get 1 hour a week (sometimes 3!) in a church setting to teach about the things of God and the world gets the remaining 167 hours, then how can we compete? It is one thing to rely on the Holy Spirit to lead and guide your ministry. It is something completely different to think and believe that we, through the Spirit’s power, can renew a child’s mind in one hour increments each week. Romans 12:1-2 rings more true in our area of ministry.

How have you been able to overcome the world in your ministry? We would love to know your thoughts on how to incorporate your parents more and to challenge them to “teach their children diligently the things of God.”

Sending Missionaries To The Future

Tony Kummer — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 13:56:29 +0000

Last week I watched a documentary about my city. It included video footage from the early 1930s. Several clips showed children at local elementary schools lining up for school dismissal. These boys and girls had bright eyes and faces full of hope. Many of them looked familiar and I almost expected to see kids from my church mixed into the crowd. Then it struck me.

Those sweet faces in the video are gone – their long lives have been spent. All that they thought or did is now past. This bothered me and I desperately wanted to hear their stories. What were their names? Did they live good lives? What joys and sorrows did they know? Did they find the love of Jesus? But that video is all I will ever know about them. These were only images snatched from time.

In the same way, my life will pass away. The children of tomorrow will know nothing about me. If the Lord gives me grandchildren, I cannot expect that their children will know much about me. At most, they will only see an old photograph and be told that I was a pastor. The shortness of life is a wall that we cannot climb over. It divides us from all who will come after us. Because of our fallen world, we live on islands in time.

Should we give up and let despair win out? Certainly not – by God’s mercy there is much we can do in the here-and-now to have an impact on tomorrow. I came up with two ways we are connected with tomorrow’s children.

1. We are connected through the children of today. The children we teach will go places that we can never go. They will serve God & fellow man in ways that we can only imagine. They will live on after us, and teach the children we will never know. We minister to children for their sake, and for the sake of the children to come. This is how God sees our ministry. Psalm 78 talks about teaching the next generation so that their children will arise and tell their children. In this way we pass on our hope in God. When we minister to children now, we are sending missionaries to the children of the future.

2. We are connected through our prayers. We cannot cross over time to help tomorrow’s children, but our prayers are not bound by time. Our God lives forever and we must seek his help. He can raise up teachers after we are gone. He can send the good news into their lives. But we can be a part of that work, because God is pleased to do all this according to our prayers. In a very real sense, God can honor our requests and bring salvation to these children not yet born. Even when our short lives are spent, our prayers will not be exhausted. Even when we are long forgotten, God will remember and show his glory according to those prayers.

What attitude should we have about this work? Think about the shortness of life, the certainty of your own death, and the hope of the Gospel. Then resolve to make a difference. Pray and teach in such a way that tomorrow’s children will put their hope in God.

You can download this article as PDF for easy printing.

Do You Get Discouraged In Children’s Ministry?

Tony Kummer — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 13:06:12 +0000

I want to make a confession, sometimes I feel discouraged about our children’s ministry. From an outsiders perspective it is anything but glamorous and sometimes it just feels like a Christian job. There are constant discouragements and I’ve wondered how people serve in children’s ministry decades after decade. For example:

Many of my friends from are serving in larger churches and they reach more kids than will ever attend our church.
I’m not the senior pastor and my influence on the direction of our church is feels limited
Our Baptist church has declined over the past three years, mostly due to pastoral turnover and changing ministry paradigms and sermon style.
I’ve seen many children come through our ministry only to go a radically different direction when they reach the youth ministry. It’s always hard to see when a child loses her way.
Even our best child evangelism programs suffer from limited volunteers and resources
At the end of the day, there is always more I wish I could have done to help our church reach the community

Your Ministry Can Change A Child’s Life

If you’ve ever felt this way, let me offer you some children’s minsitry encouragement. You may not be able to change the whole world, but you can change a life. Every child has infinite value in the eyes of God. In children’s ministry, it’s essential to see victory in the small wins. No church can reach every child, but every church can reach some. It takes rural and urban ministries, small and big churches. Success in this ministry must be measured one kid at a time.

Yes, I respect my friends for their larger churches, but I know that God wants me here. I love seeing the faith of these kids grow with each year.
The most strategic way to influence the God’s kingdom is to shape it’s future leaders. So, even if I’m not the lead pastor, the impact of my ministry can be much larger through training the next generation of church leaders.
Even while our church has lost some members, we’ve seen real spiritual growth in many families. I’ve seen children learn to worship Jesus and receive him as personal savior.
Even though some kids have lost their way, I know we have shown God’s love and taught them the plan of salvation.
Even when resources get stretched, we can take comfort in knowing that we’re giving 100% of our best efforts.
At the end of the day, I know that God will continue his work even when I’m unable to do more.

Maybe you are a Sunday school teacher who is feeling burnt out. Maybe you serve in the church nursery or preschool ministry and constantly miss the sermon. Maybe you are discouraged because kids are not interested in your Bible stories or activities. Maybe you teach children’s church and wonder if all your lessons are making a difference.

Children’s Ministry Matters To God

Don’t be discouraged if your church is small and there are not as many kids as you wish. Consider every child as a sacred trust and do your best with what God has given you. Ministry is not a game or a job, it’s a calling.

I hope these ideas have been an encouragement for your ministry to children. You can add your own thoughts by filling out the comment form below. I look forward to reading your feedback.