Resources, Tips and Content for Children's Ministry and Family Life Leaders

Capture the Boys!

October 11, 2013 by

It’s almost impossible to capture and hold the attention of a room full of children whose ages span the grades and whose energy levels and behaviors are as unpredictable as cats!

But every weekend that is exactly what YOU are asked to do.

In fact, it’s what you feel called to do because you believe in the truth of God’s Word, the power of His Holy Spirit and the breadth of His amazing love for children and youth.

You do it because… what you make of the weekend experience is what they will remember about God.

The rule of thumb has always been to target the oldest boy in the room.

[Read more…]

3 Things You Need To Know Before Saying, “YES!”

September 14, 2013 by

(part 2 of 3)

Knowing what you’re getting into is a key part of the interview process. While church leadership focuses on you, you should be focusing on the church leadership to gain an understanding of who they are and who they hope to become.

There are usually three layers of discovery:

  • The general/public statements an organization posts on its website
  • The personal/job description, organizational chart and budgeted line items handed to a potential employee
  • The unwritten/sometimes non-negotiable expectations that are usually unearthed during day-to-day operations

[Read more…]

3 Things You Need To Know Before Saying, “YES!”

September 6, 2013 by

(part 1 of 3)

Every business, including the church, has its own organizational structure, priorities, hopes, dreams and levels of influence—no matter its size.

Your job, as an outsider, is to discover as much as you can in the dating process before committing to the job—even if you’ve been a volunteer within the system for a long time.

Let’s begin by taking a look at the Organizational Chart (aka “Org” chart).

The Org chart may be handed to you during the hiring process. If not, it’s always a good practice to ask for a written copy and check its accuracy with those you encounter.

The purpose of the Org chart is to show you the direct lines of authority and how the organization is structured. It divides ministries into departments and displays levels of responsibility, power and influence.

However…rarely does an Org chart tell you the whole story.

[Read more…]

Keeping Kids Safe

August 9, 2013 by

As a Children’s Ministry Leader, safekeeping is always the one thing expected of you at all times—whether spoken or unspoken—and it requires much more than common sense on your part and the part of others.

Keeping kids safe requires planning, policies, training and continual re-assessment. It demands an intentionality so well done, that hopefully, it will go unnoticed.

If you are going to be ferocious about one area of ministry over all others, this is it. It only takes one child or one parent one incidence for uncertainty to set in and put the reputation of your church at risk. If kids don’t feel safe, they will make it difficult for their parents to leave them; and if parents don’t feel safe, they will choose alternatives. Either way, you will limit your opportunities to share the gospel and impact families for eternity.

[Read more…]

Don’t Travel Alone — Build A Team

July 12, 2013 by

The task of leading children of all ages to Christ is enormous and requires a large group of people with a variety of gifts and strengths. But where are you going to find those people and how are you going to get them to make the journey with you?

Bill Hybels from Willow Creek in Chicago once said, “The first rule of building a team is affinity.” I was new to ministry, sitting in an audience of thousands when I wrote this down in my notes and I wasn’t even sure what it meant. But over the years, I’ve come to bank on this statement. When building a core team, always think affinity first!

AFFINITY FIRST!

 Affinity is defined as having a feeling of identification with; a likeness based upon connection; a kinship; a similarity.

Imagine ministry as a 3,342.4 mile car ride from California to Maine in a Honda Fit. You know where you’re going and you know your mode of transportation is trustworthy although a bit lacking in comfort. You’re inviting companions to join the adventure and travel with you; companions to keep you awake, take turns driving, and help decide where to eat, where to sleep and when to stop for gas. Hopefully you won’t encounter car trouble, but if you do, your companions will help with decision-making and extend the boundaries of your personal resources. You’re pretty sure that along the way you’ll encounter the expected, the extraordinary, the bizarre and the mundane. It’s the shared experience inside that car that will give you camaraderie, create memories, provide entertainment and keep you moving forward in the right direction. From time-to-time constraints of space, finances or other needs may cause frustration, but they will push you toward collective creativity, teamwork and opportunities to extend grace.

[Read more…]

The Big Picture

July 5, 2013 by

Children’s Ministry—you think it’s about children, but it’s not!

Most people say, “Yes” to working in children’s ministry because they love children, have children, think working with children will be fun, or believe it may be the least stressful volunteer option that has been placed before them. As the leader, however, you know children are just the beginning. The job is much more.

Children’s Ministry is unlike any other educational ministry in the church in that it requires a large team of volunteers to make it happen. A Pastor can teach a room of a thousand adults standing alone on the front stage. Youth Pastors, Women’s Ministry Leaders and even Worship Pastors can do the same. But the moment you have that second infant handed to you, you’ve reached capacity, safekeeping becomes an issue and you find yourself outnumbered.

Leading Children’s Ministry is more about developing a team of volunteers than interacting with children. You might hold the vision, write the lesson plans, organize the supplies, lead the worship and greet families at the door, but if there aren’t other adults and helpers in the room who know each child by name and are prepared to assist, your desire to run an excellent program is at risk.

In fact, the reality is You serve 4 populations!

[Read more…]

When You Find Yourself Leading Alone…

June 17, 2013 by

Leadership can be one of the most exciting adventures of life if you are gifted to lead. However, it doesn’t take long to understand that there are times when you find yourself standing alone.

I can remember my very first staff meeting. I had been hired to be the Children’s Ministry Director and I came to the table with a long list of questions. The meeting began with a time of prayer and then immediately turned to the business at hand. An agenda had been presented and the items on it were huge! Some would determine the direction of the church; others were problems needing resolution that had the potential for heartache; and some required budget adjustments demanding give and take on the part of every ministry team.

There was no time to focus on my unknowns or ease my insecurities. In fact, within just a few days I came to realize that the staff had hired me to be the resident expert. They had no plans or ideas for kids, and although they were extremely supportive and great listeners, they were looking to me for their next course of action!

[Read more…]

Bible Story Prep

May 21, 2013 by

When preparing to tell a Bible story, use this simple worksheet to ensure that you know the story accurately, are ready to include details to make it interesting and are working toward comprehension and application by narrowing the focus to one key point.  For more detailed instruction, read How To Tell A Bible Story (part 1)  and (part 2).

BibleStoryPrep