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

Why I Don’t Want to Be Too Good at Kidmin

Wayne Stocks — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 23:43:29 +0000

I saw a tweet the other day extolling the virtues of summer volunteers because they bring excitement and enough nervousness to rely on Jesus (thanks @mattguevara). That tweet set me thinking about my own approach to children’s ministry. I constantly talk about the need to be prepared, the need to invest the time, the need to memorize your lesson, and the need to try your hardest when it comes to children’s ministry.

In the end though, I don’t want to be too good, and I don’t want to prepare too much. You see, if I am, and if I do, I am less likely to rely on Jesus when it comes to working in children’s ministry, and instead rely on my own efforts and gifts. Real effectiveness does not come from within or by my own effort. Instead, it comes when I let go and rely entirely on the power of the Holy Spirit.

The personal idol which I tend to battle in my own life is an idol of self-reliance. Absent the transforming power of the Holy Spirit, my natural inclination is to rely on myself. I have always subscribed to the theory that:

If I can set my mind to it, and work hard enough, I can do it.

Unfortunately, that approach to life does not leave room for the necessity of God, and a ministry can only be truly effective when He is in control. So, when I get up in front of kids each weekend to teach them about Jesus and the Word of God, I want to prepared, but I want to be nervous enough that I am forced to rely on God. In the end, the kids in our ministry will be a lot better off if they hear from him than if they hear from me.

This is an area of my life, and my ministry, where is continuing to work to transform me from the inside out. I still study, prepare and practice my lessons each week. I’ve heard it said that we should work as if everything depends entirely on us and pray as though it relies entirely upon God. I think our work in children’s ministry must take a similar route. We must prepare and plan as though the eternal destiny of the kids we teach lays entirely in our hands. After all, the Bible tells us that,

Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. [James 3:1 ESV]

However, when it comes to actually teaching kids, all of that preparation and planning but be submitted to God, and we must be willing to allow all of that to take a back seat to the plans God has for His kids. When we rely on our own power to try to teach kids about God, we will generally fall very flat, but when we allow the power of God to work through us, He gives us the power to transform lives.

5 Articles to Encourage Your Children’s Ministry

Tony Kummer — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 11:59:13 +0000

With all the content on our website, it can be easy for new readers to miss some great articles. In this post I want to highlight some of our most encouraging writings. Like always, you can print these off to share with others and even publish them in your church newsletter. If you have a blog or church website, you have permission to post them there too. Just make sure you give credit and link back to our website. Enjoy!

110 Reasons To Love Children’s Ministry
This article began as a survey of readers on the website. I asked them one simple question, “What do you love about serving in children’s ministry?” Their responses were both plentiful and powerful. After a few hours of editing this was the end result. Practical Tip: Pick your favorite of these and write them on encouragement cards to hand out to your ministry volunteers.

The Truth About This Sunday
Here is a powerful reminder that what we do every weekend really does matter. Where God gets involved, you have anything but “normal.” This Sunday could be the day that a child’s life changes for eternity! Practical Tip: Use this for a devotion with your ministry team before Sunday morning service.

6 Reasons Why You Should Serve in Children’s Ministry
This post began one morning when I was brainstorming the different reasons why volunteers work in kids ministry. I wanted to define and clarify what motivates myself and others to stick with it over the long term. Many churches have found this list helpful. Practical Tip: Adapt this list for a bulletin insert or mailing a few weeks before your recruiting season. Cast the vision before asking for help.

Where is God on Sunday Morning?
This article first appeared in my church newsletter. I was trying to remind people of the spiritual benefits of helping in the church nursery. After posting it on the website, many people found the message was needed in their church too. Practical Tip: Print this article and include it in a mailing to your church nursery workers.

68 Practice Benefits of Children’s Ministry
Why does kids ministry matter? One way to answer that question is to brainstorm all the positive outcomes created by a well done local church ministry to children. In this very long post, I tried to list as many as possible. With each I added a suggestion to make it happen in your church. Practical Tip: Share this list with leaders in your church and see if they can list their top 10 benefits. Then use these when spreading the vision for kids ministry in your congregation.

What’s the Proper Role of Children’s Ministry?

Wayne Stocks — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 03:29:54 +0000

I will preface this post by saying that this is not a post with a whole lot of answers (to be properly read….none). Instead, this post focuses on a series of questions that have been bouncing around my head recently when it comes to teaching kids about God.

I recently came across the following quote from Richard Baxter, and I was really struck by the truth of the statement:

I do verily believe that if parents did their duty as they ought, the Word publicly preached would not be the ordinary means of regeneration in the church, but only without the church, among practical heathens and infidels.

With all the buzz surrounding family ministry and the goal of children’s ministry being the leveraging all the time parents have with their kids to support what they are learning at church, this quote got me thinking about the proper role of Christian parents in the life of their kids and what that means for children’s ministry today. The Bible is clear that the primary responsibility for teaching and passing along spiritual truths from generation to generation falls to the family, Deuteronomy 6 (which is often cited by those in the “family ministry movement”) says:

And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. [Deuteronomy 6:6-9]

It is clear from this verse, and others, that the parents bear the primary responsibility for raising their kids in the instruction and admonition of the Lord. So, I think the question is not, “how do we leverage the time parents have with their kids?” Instead, I think the real question we should be asking as a church is, “Why are we not calling parents to fulfill this responsibility to their kids, and what does that say about the type of Christians our church is producing?” Is it the place of a Children’s Ministry to try to teach parents how to raise their kids in the things of God, or is that a role that the whole church should be undertaking? Why has this role seemingly been abdicated to children’s pastors in most churches? Is it because “they’re the ones who are supposed to deal with the kids?” Have we, as a church, overlooked the responsibility to call parents to account for how they are raising their kids? Why is it that we emphasize spiritual disciplines like prayer, time in the word, giving and evangelism and ignore the means of transmission of those disciplines (families) mandated by God? In short, have we as a church abdicated our responsibility towards children by throwing them in a room by themselves and giving them their own programs rather than teaching parents how to be the spiritual leaders in their homes?

On the other side of the coin, if the primary responsibility for the spiritual guidance lies with parents, what then is the proper role of children’s ministry? It seems to me that there are three general buckets that the kids we minster to will fall in to:

Christian kids with Christian parents who are trying to follow the Biblical mandate to lead and disciple their kids,
Christian kids with non-Christian parents and/or Christian parents who have abdicated that responsibility; and
What Richard Baxter would call “heathen and infidels” (i.e., non-Christian kids).

How do we reconcile, both theoretically and practically, the needs of each these groups and the Biblical responsibilities we have towards each. What is the churches role with the first group (Christian kids and Christian parents who are leading biblically)? What and how should we teach and disciple those kids in our children’s ministry? What about those kids in the second group whose parents are not leading as they should? What role does children’s ministry play in those kids’ lives? Finally, the Bible clearly tells us to go preach the good news of Jesus Christ to everyone. That would certainly include those kids who have not accepted him as Lord and Savior. How do we meet the needs of this group while still discipling kids in the first two groups?

As workers’ in children’s ministry we have been called to an position with awesome responsibility and awesome reward. Our guide in fulfilling that calling must be the Bible and God’s plan for children. It is easy to “jump right in” and not pause to reflect on what God’s plan really is and what we need to do to be obedient to that plan.

This article does not, as you might have noticed, offer the answers. Personally, I am in the process of doing a systematic study of everything the Bible has to say about kids, and I intend to write on that as soon as that study is done. I do hope that this post will spark some though and some discussion.

What do you think? What is your church doing to meet the needs of these kids?

Surviving Ministry in a Shrinking Church

Tony Kummer — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 13:29:45 +0000

It’s been a few months since our last Think Tank discussion. These are occasional forum-type posts where I ask several Children’s Ministry leaders to respond to a difficult question. The responses are always helpful and bring insight from several different directions.

For this session of the Think Tank, I posed a question that affects my own ministry. My congregation has experienced steady church decline over the last five years. It’s not been easy and I’ve often been discouraged. But I know that I’m not the only one with this problem.

How would you survive in ministry if you served in a shrinking church? What specific encouragements would you offer to someone in that situation?

Below are the responses from our participants. You can Note: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it. this page and carefully read through their insights. This conversation is not complete without your insight. Please share your experiences in our comment section below.

Response from Amy Dolan

1. Experiment! Innovate! Use this season to experiment in your children’s ministry. When programs are going well and are growing quickly, we don’t usually get the opportunity to switch up the program and try new things. Consider changing the classroom environment, experimenting with new curriculum, or bringing in a guest speaker for your volunteers. New innovative ways of doing ministry may emerge, causing a burst of new excitement!

2. Build up the Loyal Base. Even in a shrinking church, there are always parents and volunteers who are committed and loyal to the ministry. Instead of focusing on the people leaving the church, or who are constantly complaining about the program – spend your energy building into the most loyal members. By offering additional opportunities for training, encouragement and community you’ll grow the committed core who will help to support the ministry through any season.

3. Brag about Yourself. It can be difficult to stay encouraged when you continue to see your program shrinking. But, in order for you to be filled up and motivated to keep moving forward, you must intentionally take time to brag about yourself! Take a few minutes each week to record the fantastic things you’ve accomplished, no matter how big or small. It might feel funny at first to brag about yourself, but it will be well worth it when you feel capable of taking on the world!

4. Keep Planning for the Future. If you’ve had to put your big children’s ministry dreams on the back burner because you are in survival mode, consider starting a journal where you can store all of your dreams for use at a later date. I keep a document on my desktop called “Amy’s Dreams” where I keep a running list of ideas I would someday love to implement, if I were in the right situation. It’s a great way for me to be always thinking and challenging myself for the future.

Read more from Amy on her blog or follow @adolan on Twitter.

Response from Brenna Philips

This is a very interesting question and one that hits close to home for me and the church in which I am currently involved.

Let’s start from the beginning: the call to ministry, specifically children’s ministry. I know I am called to minister to children and their families. There are many ways in which to fulfill that role. I can minister to children by teaching classes at church, leading in children’s worship, helping parents in their role as Christian
educators to their own children. It doesn’t matter whether I have a group of 100 children or a group of 4 children. It is my responsibility to answer the call to children’s ministry and help parents lead their children to follow Christ.

If the church is decreasing in size, we must look at the reasons for that decrease. Are people “church-hopping” and going to other churches in the area because of the programs offered? Are they moving out of the area or out of state? Are they dropping out of church all together?

If people are attending other churches in the area because of the programs or classes offered, we must evaluate our classes and determine if we are providing for the needs of people in attendance.
There isn’t a lot we can do about people moving out of state. This is a transient generation and culture in which people move frequently because of work and family situations. We can, however, provide them with the basics to continue the ministry in their new locations. We must teach them how to share and minister to
others and to carry on the ministry of the Kingdom.

If people are dropping out of church completely, we must determine why they are no longer attending. We must build a relationship with them and share one-on-one with them to encourage their attendance and personal growth. Maybe they prefer and even need a small group for their own personal growth.

To financially survive as a minister in a shrinking church, we must define ministry. Do we have to be on a church staff to be a minister? Absolutely not! We can be a minister in the “regular” working world and perhaps work in a field involving children and families. During the workweek, I teach early childhood students and have been able to non-verbally share Jesus in a corporate learning center with families I know do not attend church on the weekend. Once I build a relationship with the families in my class and receive their trust, I can share more verbally and they begin to open up to me.

As encouragement to someone involved in ministry in a shrinking church, we must first determine what is shrinking and what is important in the mission and Kingdom. What is the definition of success? Is it numbers in attendance? Is it money?

We must stay true to our calling. We can make a difference whether it is to one person or to 100 people.

Read more from Brenna on her blog or check out her project, “A Year in Children’s Ministry Calendar.”

Response from Glen Woods

For most churches, the question is not a matter of if they will experience numeric decline, but when. Every church experiences a life-cycle beginning with vision and growth, extending to institutional development of structures and systems (this is true even in fluid grassroots movements which last for any length of time), and at some point, reaching a point of plateau. It could take five years, ten years, or as in the case of the average church, about twenty to thirty years. If the plateau is not followed by a new season of growth which breaks the stagnation of plateau, then eventually it may lead to the decline which has inspired this question.

What then are we to do when that decline begins to occur?

Remember, it is God’s church and he loves it. That is, he loves the people he has called to worship him together in community remembering Christ’s sacrifice by breaking bread and sharing the cup, fellowshipping, worshipping, reading Scripture, proclaiming and living the gospel, serving their neighbors, taking care of the widows and orphans in their distress, and so on. So, even while experiencing decline, be faithful to what God has called you and your church to be and do. Love God and one another, especially your enemies.

I have survived in a church which until recently has gone through about five years of decline (we are now experiencing incremental growth since January, much of it conversion growth) because of this commitment I made to be faithful in the situation which God has placed me. I love my pastor, the people, the children, and the community. Although there are times when I have been discouraged and felt like throwing in the towel, God continues to remind me of the promise I made to be faithful until he chooses to move me on.

So, do not lose hope. Remember that what you are experiencing is common. Do not fall in to the trap of remembering the good old days at the expense of remembering that God is not finished with you or your faith community. Do not cast blame, but work together with your people to discover God’s heart and purposes for your local church. Be irrepressibly positive, knowing that God loves your congregation. Lead your people to become missionaries to your culture. Seek him and ask him to give you and your people the heart and DNA of a world-changer, beginning in your current place of service.

Read more from Glen on his blog or find him in the Kidology Forums.

Response from Wayne Stocks

This is not an experience that I have been through personally. Therefore, I can’t call on personal experience in answering the question, but I can turn to scripture, and three of my favorite scripture verses seem tailor made for this situation. I would turn first and foremost to Colossians 2:23-24:

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the
Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.

Whether you serve four hundred kids or four kids on any given Sunday does not matter. You must pray, prepare and present as though you were doing it for God himself. Don’t “write off” your ministry just because it is small. Read and learn and plan for a larger ministry. Make sure you’re prepared if God decides to drop a couple hundred extra kids into your ministry in the next year. The second verse is Philippians 4:8:

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is
pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is
anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

Focus on the positive aspects of a smaller ministry. Take advantage of smaller numbers in your ministry. Build deeper relationships than you could if your ministry were bigger. Spend more one-on-one time which each child. Plan events that you couldn’t do with larger groups of kids. Rather than view your shrinking ministry as a negative, focus your thoughts, your heart and your efforts on the positives.

Finally, I turn to Romans 12:12 which is probably the single verse which I turn to most in my own life:

Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.

No matter the circumstance – good or bad – our hope is in Jesus Christ, and in that we can rejoice. Be patient. God has a plan for your ministry whether it is large or small, and even if you can’t see it right now. Most importantly, be in prayer. Talk to God it about it. Ask him what he wants you to do about it. Pray for the kids who are in your ministry and pray for his wisdom to guide you in leading that ministry.

Read more from Wayne Stocks on his blog “Dad in the Middle” or Kidmin1124 and in our Kids Ministry Forums or follow @StocksOhio on Twitter.

How Do You Build Momentum in Your Children’s Ministry?

Wayne Stocks — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 12:33:31 +0000

Have you ever had “that moment?” The moment in kids’ ministry when you’re in front of a group of young children trying to explain the gospel to them, and God gives you words that you know must have come from him because you’re not smart enough to explain it that way? I had that moment this past weekend. In that moment of the presentation of the gospel, I could literally feel God working. Now, I know that feelings can be deceptive, and in the end it is about the truth of God and not feelings. But, God gave us feelings, and in that moment I felt it! I wasn’t necessarily saying anything I haven’t said before dozens of times. Much of it, I actually said exactly as I have on prior occasions, but somehow this was just different. This was a God thing, and it just felt like the kids got it! You know the feeling I hope.

Anyhow, I always end my gospel presentation by inviting the kids to come talk to me if they have any questions about how to make Jesus Lord of their lives. I half expected to be bombarded with such questions the moment our large group time was over. Instead – no questions! Maybe they’ll ask after class when their parents pick them up I reasoned. Class ended – again no questions! I faced a choice in that moment – I could be distraught that I hadn’t gotten the response I wanted and expected, or I could praise God for giving me the words and letting me be part of that moment.

I remember an article I read several weeks ago written by Gina McClain. I had actually started to write this article last Friday, so Gina’s article was fresh in my mind. You can call it good luck if you want. I call it God’s divine providence. The article, titled Forward Momentum, is based on the idea that accomplishments are not generally birthed out of singular event but rather a series of momentum building steps. Gina writes:

You can’t create change without forward momentum. And momentum is a multi-step process.

For example, when in a volunteer “slump”, a single volunteer connection event will not meet our needs entirely. A single bulletin note will not effectively communicate the opportunities to serve. A single weekend of intentional invitations will not fill all the holes.

But a series of these events and actions working in tandem can generate forward momentum moving you closer to the goal… a full team of volunteers.

The principle focus of Gina’s article is on the accomplishment of individual goals, but I think the point is also applicable to the overall impact of the work we do in ministry. So many times in ministry, and I think particularly in children’s ministry, it is easy to get discouraged because we don’t see things happening NOW! Rather than work on God’s schedule, we look for immediate results. In children’s ministry in particular, so much of what we do is sow the seed, and we often don’t get to participate in the reaping of that harvest. God does, however, allow us to share in the momentum building moments that eventually send a child speeding down the road that is a life lived for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

There will be setbacks in our ministry to be sure. We can view them as road blocks that we will never get past, or we can use the momentum that we have already built (or build new momentum) to blow right through them. Setbacks are not a sign of failure but a chance to allow the momentum from earlier moments to carry us through or a chance to start some new momentum. Allow me to elaborate with an example.

I teach a wonderful class of kindergartners and first graders. Every summer at the begging of June, we lose our 1st graders who graduate up to the 2nd grade room, and we get a brand new batch of fresh faced Kindergarteners. That is a bit of a misnomer if we’re being honest though. Our new kindergarteners are not actually kindergarteners yet. They will be in the fall. For now though, what we really get is a batch of preschoolers (at best) and kids who have never been in a formal teaching setting (at worst). Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining. I love the new kids who come into our room whether they are visitors or new “kindergarteners” because it gives me a chance to share the gospel of Christ with another child. New kindergarteners do, however, bring with them a new set of challenges.

I believe that many people underestimate the potential kids have to learn and process the deeper truths of God, and in our ministry we work my hard not to do that. I like to challenge the kids to learn more and grow deeper with God than people would expect they were able to, and over the two years that I have them, we get to experience a lot of growth with the kids because we don’t decide ahead of time that there are things they aren’t capable of understanding. I wouldn’t have it any other way, but come the beginning of summer when we get a whole new batch of kids, that tends to throw a little bit of a monkey wrench into our forward movement we’ve been making all year as we slow down significantly to allow the new kids time to “catch up” and start there own ball rolling down the lane of spiritual growth.

Instead of viewing this time as a setback in our ministry, Gina’s article helped me to view this as an opportunity to build off of the momentum we already have (with remaining 1st graders) and to create new momentum with the the younger kids. Just because we are stepping back to where they are in terms of spiritual growth does not mean that we have to lose our momentum. Instead it presents a whole new set of opportunities. The new 1st graders get to step into a pseudo-leadership role as they help the younger kids adapt to the room. The older kids get to exercise some of the momentum they have built up over the last year. And, the younger kids give us a chance to begin the process of building momentum with them. Like most things in life, when viewed through our own lenses, times like this can seem like an inconvenience – we have to slow down, we have to go back, we have to re-teach. However, viewed through the eyes of God, he has trusted us to shepherd a new batch of his kids and to build the momentum in their lives that will, God willing, lead them to him.

What are you doing to build momentum in your ministry?

Gina is a trusted source of inspiration and wisdom when it comes to children’s ministry and one of the “deep thinkers” of the children’s ministry field. If you haven’t already, you should definitely check out her blog at GinaMcClain.com.

5 Ways To Balance Family and Church Ministry

Kristin Charles — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 12:16:39 +0000

For my husband and I, serving in the local church is a regular part of our lives. We’re integrated, involved, and intentional about our role in the body of Christ. God has impacted us that we might impact the next generation and we love it.

However, sometimes we mostly I have a difficult time balancing family and ministry. It’s so easy to become over-committed and under-connected. When there is a lack of presence and priorities, relationships with God, spouses, and children suffer. This is a dangerous place to be.

In February of this year, my husband and I attended the Simply Youth Ministry Conference in Chicago, IL. While there, I didn’t hesitate to attend one particular seminar entitled Family First: Raising Your Own Kids in Ministry, led by Jim Burns and Kathy Fields.

Over the course of the last few months, I have integrated many of their suggestions into our own home and relationships. Our lives aren’t in perfect balance, but our priorities are certainly more aligned. These are simple reminders, but essential elements of healthy Christian families.

If you serve in children’s ministry and have children of your own, please take a moment to consider the following points compiled by ministry veterans.

5 Ways To Balance Family and Ministry:

1. Keep the focus on Christ: We all know it, but as the hymn says, “We are prone to wander.” Doing things for Christ in ministry is not synonymous with abiding in Him. Protect your personal time with God above everything.

2. Respect the priority of your marriage: Set a non-negotiable date night. Communicate. Do devotions together. Honor one another above yourselves. Surprise your spouse. Love him/her according to their personal love language.

3. Set boundaries: Set a limit to how many nights you are out a week doing ministry. Give your spouse veto power over your schedule. Do not miss your own kids’ events for ministry purposes. Allow ample time for rest at home, listening, and fun.

4. Set the tone in your home: Ensure that your home is a refuge of affection, warmth, and encouragement. If you are too busy, you set a tone of stress and chaos. May the Word of God be visible in your home and in your actions.

5. Be intentional with your own children: Include your kids in ministry. Allow them to enjoy the perks about serving at church. Be present when you are home. Find unique ways to encourage and celebrate them. Be creative and fun!

What practical suggestions do you have to balance family and ministry? We would love to hear your thoughts!

Be sure to check out Kristen’s personal blog called “Chase Fireflies.”

Does Quality Time Always Have to Be Spiritual Time?

Wayne Stocks — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 02:05:31 +0000

The other night marked the end of our yearly AWANA program for the summer. We did our awards ceremony and had a cupcake banquet after. I had a great year coordinating games this year and getting to have fun with the kids. As game leader, I had the privilege of leading a couple of hundred Kindergartener through Sixth graders in games each week. At the banquet, I spent some time milling around talking to the kids who I had during game time and just having fun. Then I sat down with my family (three of them are in the program) to have some cupcakes and fruit. My wife, who served in the Cubbies program (3-4 year old clubbers) was talking to a little boy that had been at her table this year – Alex, and she took a second to introduce him to me. Alex was sitting at the table next to us with his older sister (who was also in the AWANA program) enjoying a cupcake and some fruit. I knew through my wife, and other sources, that Alex and his family had experienced some tragedy this past year, but I had not had a chance to meet him yet.

As people started to leave, I hung out waiting to see what we need to clean up from the night’s festivities. I had a couple of minutes before we needed to get started, so I turned to Alex and asked him if he had had fun this year and what his favorite activities had been. I like to talk to kids which occasionally gets me some odd looks when I am out in public places, but that is another story for another day. Anyhow, before I knew it, Alex and I were engaged in a full on conversation. I found out that his favorite movie is Jurassic Park and that he loves all things about Dinosaurs. He was giving me a complete, and detailed, run down of every kind of dinosaur – what they look like, what they eat, what kind of sound they make and what they might look like if a four-year-old boy acted them out. I learned about preschool and his teachers and what his favorite foods were. By the end of our conversation, he was beaming from ear to ear. His older sister, who has tended to be very quiet and reserved, also opened up a little bit and joined the conversation. By the time we were done, I had had a great time talking to both of them.

One of the things I am very passionate about is sharing the gospel with kids. It is one of the reasons I work in children’s ministry to begin with. I feel like one of the reasons God put me here on this planet is to help reach kids for him. Indeed, as I discussed in an earlier post, my mission when it comes to working with kids is:

I desire to teach children the love God both through instruction and by example and to help them to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Furthermore, I wish to instill in them an appreciation for, and excitement about, the Word of God and help them to develop the ability to live their lives in accordance with a biblical world view.

That night though, we did not talk about God. I did not share the gospel or the story of how Christ came to die on the cross for our sins. That night, in that moment, I just talked and I just listened. At the end of the night, I had had a wonderful conversation with a wonderful four year boy who has experienced unimaginable pain this past year. We did not speak of spiritual things, but I made another friend. I know that God can work through that small moment to accomplish big things. So, even though our time together was not overtly spiritual, it can still have an eternal impact on a child. I titled this article “Quality Time Doesn’t Always Have to Be Spiritual Time” but perhaps the better title would have been “All Quality Time Is Indeed Spiritual Time After All.” Just because we may not be talking about God or the Bible or the Cross does not mean that we are not having a spiritual impact on a child.

The Truth About This Sunday

Wayne Stocks — Thu, 20 May 2010 18:54:55 +0000

This weekend may very well be just another weekend for you – not so different than the one that came before or the ones to come. It may be a weekend just like any other in your life. Saturday, you’ll spend some time preparing for your Sunday lesson. You’ll get a good night’s sleep Saturday to be ready for the kids in your children’s ministry on Sunday morning. You’ll get up Sunday morning, get the family fed and ready to go, head off to church, and do your part in your church’s children’s ministry. After church, you’ll socialize for a little bit then head out to lunch with the family before heading home for some heavy duty relaxation on Sunday afternoon. For you, it will be just another Sunday.

However, to the kids you minister to, this may be just another weekend for them too. What they call “normal” however might make your stomach churn. He will come to church after a morning of hiding from his parents so that they can’t inflict anymore physical pain on him. She will come to church with Mom and Mom’s new boyfriend who she doesn’t really like and isn’t all that comfortable around. He will come to church suffering emotional trauma because he is convinced that his parents split up because of something he did. She will come to church mourning the loss of her favorite grandparent. He will come to church hungry. She will come to church not knowing where she will sleep that night. He will come to church never having known what true love really is. She will come to church afraid that someone, somehow, will discover her secret.

But, when God crosses your “normal Sunday” with their “normal Sunday” the result can be extraordinary. Where God gets involved, you have anything but “normal.” This Sunday, you could be the one who introduces that child to his heavenly father. You could be the one who God allows the privilege of shining the light of his unconditional love into a child’s life. You could be the one that God works through to bring that child into his kingdom. You could be an eyewitness to the of miracle transformation as God gently lifts a broken soul and transforms it into a co-heir with Christ. This Sunday could be a whole lot more than “just another Sunday.”

Every Sunday, those of us who work in Children’s Ministry are blessed with the opportunity to serve God’s kids and teach them about him. Shame on us if we ever view that opportunity as a burden or as “just another Sunday.” We are also given a tremendous amount of responsibility in teaching God’s children and leading them towards him. The work we do every Sunday is anything but ordinary, and we should approach it with the excitement that lies in the possibility and hope that comes through God. And, we should approach it in reverent fear of our creator that we would not abuse or neglect the responsibility that he has graced us with. What will you do this weekend to make sure that it is not “just another weekend?” This Sunday could be the day that a child’s life changes for eternity!

Ministries Live or Die On This

Kristin Charles — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 02:19:42 +0000

There’s been a bizarre magnetic field around my Bible of late, mostly around John 15. Every day, I feel like I should read some other chapters, but John 15 gets me every time. It has to.

I say that because we are entrenched in ministry. We serve in our home, in our church, in schools, and in the community. We serve children, teenagers, homeless guys. Most of the time, we are busy. Sometimes we are tired. I’m sure you know how that goes. These aren’t our full time jobs.

We’ve been doing this thing for years, so we’re kind of good at it. I mean, we’ve got our glaring faults, but we make it work. Even if we still don’t know what we’re doing, we look like we do. And that’s the problem. Sometimes we rely too much on our own strength. We do work for God, but not in God.

Where we reside, it’s freezing right now. There’s snow, ice, cutting wind, and air so cold that your nostril hairs turn into icicles. (My apologies for the full disclosure.) The trees look so barren, as though there is no sign of life. But there is. The trees are dormant, but they are alive. We’ll see the formation of buds again in the spring and the green leaves will shout that God is making all things new.

The same cannot be said for all of the trees’ branches, however. The wintry conditions have laid waste to many an unfortunate branch. When the snow finally melts, I’ll go out and collect all of the branches and toss them away. They’re no good for anything, apart from the tree.

I guess that’s what brings me back to John 15. Maybe it’s me, but Jesus seems a little redundant in this chapter. Like, He keeps telling us that He is the vine and we are the branches. He reiterates that no branch can bear fruit by itself. The branches that forget this principle are as good as dead. The branches that remember to stay intimately connected to the vine bear much fruit. They also give glory to God.

I don’t know about you, but I can’t stand the thought of my ministry being as good as dead (or me, for that matter). Thrown into the fire and burned? All of this work for nothing? Yet truth be told, sometimes I operate apart from God – apart from prayer, the leading of the Holy Spirit, even apart from the Sabbath rest that He says we need. I don’t have to live in this place.

There’s a different tree that is so vibrant that produce is falling off everywhere. (It clearly isn’t in rural Pennsylvania in the winter, but you get the idea.) The roots are strong, the branches alive with color, and all kinds of people are carrying home bushels of the best fruit around.

Everyone is talking about this tree because it seems rather ordinary, you know. It looks a little awkward, but the fruit is incredible. And it is giving life. And sustaining life. It has to be a God thing.

I’m not sure what kind of New Year’s resolutions you are making this year. Though I’m not a fan of such lofty goals that get ditched eleven days into January, I will have to say that John 15 is going to be my 2010 sidekick.

I need these words to penetrate those dead places in me, the branches of pride and self-reliance. I need to become a woman devoted to prayer. And in God’s strength, I will. My ministry lives or dies on this. I think it’s probably a good idea to choose life.

What about you? How will you approach ministry in the upcoming year? Will it look any different? What resolutions or goals are you making? We would love for you to share.

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?