Children’s Ministry Leadership

Leadership comes with a huge amount of responsibility and sometimes the leader doesn’t always get it right. Even if they do, that doesn’t mean the leader is immune to discouragement. If you sense your leader is struggling with discouragement you don’t have to sit back and wait for things to get better. YOU could be the person God uses to turn it all around. Encouraging the discouraged leader doesn’t require a counseling degree. Sometimes knowing that someone

Some time ago, a friend of mine–we’ll call her Mary, was summoned to the pastor’s office for a meeting. From the pastor’s tone, Mary sensed that she’d made some sort of mistake but the pastor refused to give her any information over the phone. Prior to the impromptu meeting, Mary had never been called into the office before so she spent the whole night stewing over the possibilities. Should I have given Ashley that prize even though

Children’s ministry is the ultimate thrill ride. As a children’s minister, I live in a constant bubble of excitement. What’s not to love about an office filled with colorful props, helium tanks and tons of cardboard? However, I would be wrong not to confess that sometimes I get discouraged. (I know, the shame of it all, right?) Once I go home and take off the cape (yes, sometimes I wear a cape) I’m just me again. I

So much goes into evangelism, doesn’t it? Besides organizing volunteers, creating an itinerary and having a good attendance, you have to think about after the event too. You can’t just plan an outreach; you must lead your attendees to the next event like children’s church or summer camp. The key to growing your church could be in your follow up. If you fail to make contact after the outreach, chances are you will be quickly forgotten. That

Ecclesiastes says, “A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” How true is that when it comes to raising Christian children? Parents could do it on their own but what if they had dedicated ministers on their side? It’s a possibility and all you need to do is build those relationships. So what are some secrets to relationship building? How can you create stronger ties with parents and grandparents? 1. Be present. I’ve learned that just

Nobody said this job was easy but you probably never imagined that you’d ever be confronted by an angry parent but it happens. (That’s no slam to parents. Raising kids today is tough–unbelievably so.) But that doesn’t make the experience any less stressful/embarrassing/emotional. Maybe you’ve never had this happen to you but in the course of time it might. In fact, it’s happened to me! You’d be amazed at how many folks get upset about a missed

The winter let-down…Christmas wrappings are hauled away, fruit cake is steadily hardening, temperatures are dropping, and schedules are returning to normal routine. Following the hype and hubbub of the holiday season, the winter months can sometimes seem dreary. Between cold weather and lack of significant events, it’s tempting to fall into apathy in any area of our lives, be it work or teaching or church or even parenting. It is no wonder some animals hibernate through this time!

Is it time to leave your current ministry position or church job? What a tough time in the life of a pastor! It’s not easy to leave the people you love, even when you know that you are doing the right thing. Whether stepping down for a sabbatical or moving on to a new assignment, leaving your children’s ministry takes some finesse because ultimately, you want to leave it better than it was. I have worked in

In 2014, the children’s pastor must skillfully walk the increasingly awkward line between what’s appropriate and what’s not. Eighteen years ago, (yeah, I’m a kids min veteran) I never thought twice about hugging a child or calling a kid. I can’t say that today, sadly. Now that everyone is on the web (even the kiddos) the kids’ pastor faces a lot of pressure to be hip and become socially connected. By adding your tweeting, liking and pinning

When I penned my recent article, 10 Things That Drive a Children’s Pastor Crazy I had no idea that I’d be starting such an expansive conversation. However, I am glad we can talk and share with one another and hopefully, encourage a children’s pastor who may be asking, “Does anyone understand?” To those passing by these posts and subsequent comments, (including parents and other ministry workers) please don’t doubt our commitment to your kids. We love them—and

“Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked him. “Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read, “‘From the lips of children and infants you, Lord, have called forth your praise’?” (Matthew 21:16) What great news to know that God is “calling forth” praise from little ones! As children’s ministry leaders, it is our job to guide these precious hearts along to the One who calls them. That’s you and me! Start by inviting kids into

Being a children’s pastor for eighteen years has brought so much joy into my life! From the glue sticks to the creased Bibles to the beach balls, I love every aspect of ministering to kids. It has been a blessing to teach hundreds and thousands of kids about Jesus. However, there are some things that drive me crazy. When I hear or see these things, I want to say, “NOOO!” Of course, I don’t usually do that.

Children’s ministry leaders are unequivocally some of the most creative folks on the planet but even this elite group can get stuck in a rut. Truth be known, I’ve been stuck in a routine myself more than a few times. I’ve experienced the agony of unenthusiastic volunteers, uncommitted families and no clear direction. Don’t beat yourself up. It happens regardless of how creative, anointed or talented we are. Still, you can break out of the routine and

As much as you hate to miss, you’ll need to ask a substitute teacher to step in. If you’ve got an inexperienced teacher, or one that’s not used to your particular group, the substitute can feel a little overwhelmed. For the best teaching experience for both kids and substitute, the teacher needs to be prepared. If possible, have everything ready for an exciting class time. It’s always a good idea to have an “emergency” teaching packet handy

Training new volunteers builds their confidence and makes the ministry run smoothly–that’s important when you have a room full of rowdy kids! Before you consult the calendar for a good date, consider making a few needed steps to maximize the impact of your training session. These creative ideas and fundamental principles will insure that your new team members get just what they need. Event themes: Want to capture the imagination of your workers? Use a theme for