How To Create a Discipline Plan for Your Ministry

This online training workshop (20 minutes) will help you develop a consistent plan for dealing with behavior issues in your ministry. You can download the session notes or watch the video with others from your ministry team.

Workshop Notes: Developing a Discipline Plan for Your Children’s Ministry

Misconceptions about Discipline

1. Discipline = mean, harsh, strict
2. Kids don’t like rules.
3. We can’t discipline at church.
4. If we discipline kids won’t like us.

Why discipline is necessary:

1. Four basics of a plan . . .Because we love the kids (Hebrews 12:6)
2. We want kids to learn.
3. We want kids to be safe.
4. We want volunteers to stay.

Principles

1. Our purpose is to disciple.
2. Consistent throughout the ministry.
3. Well-communicated

Step 1: Determine the Rules

1. Just 3-4
2. Keep them more general than specific.
3. Make them memorable.
4. Post them everywhere

Step 2: Determine Consequences

1. Clear
2. Progressive
3. Define when parents will be involved and by who

Step 3: Communicating the plan

1. To volunteers
2. To parents
3. To kids

Step 4: Stick with it

1. Cultures don’t change overnight
2. Kids will test limits.
3. Consistency and love win.

Group Discussion (comment on this page)

• Leave a comment below describing your ministry’s discipline policy.

More Resources (further reading)

The following free articles will help you dig deeper into this topic.

• Visit Jenny Funderburke’s blog
• How to handle discipline problems in your ministry
• More discipline tips for your kids ministry