Built to Last
“Is this your first conference”? The question came from a young woman seated next to me. We were attending a conference for children’s ministry and waiting for our workshop to begin. The young woman went on to tell me that it was her first conference and she was very excited. She had just been appointed the director of children’s ministry at her church! I listened to her as she shared her heart for the kids she would be ministering to. She knew each one by name and loved them deeply. She planned to first teach them how to pray. Then she would develop a missions program, a VBS program and, of course, summer camp. Next she was planning on starting a sports program and adding a children’s Christmas musical for the first time ever! She had much more to share but was interrupted when the workshop began. The speaker welcomed us and opened with an assignment that caught my new friend completely by surprise. The assignment was to take out a piece of paper and write down the answer to one question – “What are you doing to build a ministry that will last?”
As the speakers words sank in, I could sympathize with my new friend’s reaction. It was much like seeing a rain cloud burst over her head. And yet, I thought how wonderful it was that God would place her in this workshop so early in her ministry.
As I pulled out my paper and pen, I realized that this was an easy question for me. Not because I had all the answers – I certainly did not. But, what I did have was experience. After being a children’s pastor in the same church for almost 20 years, I knew what was down the road for my new friend. I knew from experience exactly what the speaker was leading up to. I knew from experience that God-given dreams, desires and a love for kids would not be enough. I knew, because of experience, that this was going to be the best question that my new friend would ever have to wrestle with.
It is easy to go to a conference and get lots of ideas. It is easy to dream and plan for all the fun things we can do to minister to kids. It is easy to think of all the wonderful ways we can help kids fall in love with Jesus. The hard part is making it all last. The hard part is making sure that the ministry will not run dry when you do. The hard part is making sure that no matter what comes against your ministry, and many things will, you need to be sure that you have built upon something that will enable that ministry to withstand all that will come against it.
Each children’s ministry is unique. Each one is a different size, ministering to a different group of kids with a different group of leaders and volunteers. Each ministry will experience victories and face challenges but all will be rewarded for their labor because all are doing an equally important work.
I want to share some basics that I have found to hold true no matter how many kids you have in your ministry, no matter how long you have been doing children’s ministry and no matter how many victories or defeats you have (or will) experience. The following tips are very practical and will help sustain you and keep you on track as your children’s ministry grows and changes according to what God has planned for you. This advice comes straight from the Word of God so you can be sure that it will work for you as you build a ministry that will last.
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall. Because it had it’s foundations on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain came, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” (Matthew 7:24-27)
Tips for building on the R.O.C.K.
DO:
RECORD everything! Write down your vision first. Who are you? What do you want to accomplish as a children’s ministry? What do you want children in your church to learn most? Are you a Sunday school? Are you a Children’s Church? Are you a Childcare facility? Do you want kids with the adults during worship? Do you want kids to experience worship at their own level? These questions and hundreds like them need to be asked, answered and recorded to help you define who you are and stay true to what God is calling you to do in your particular church. Recording it, writing it all down, also enables you to communicate this to all of those around you. Once you have it all down then you can run with it! (Habakkuk: 2) And run with all you’ve got. Children’s ministry is hard work. There will be times when you want to give up and quit but don’t be discouraged – it’s worth it. (Galatians 6:9) And when you feel like all is not going well, you can go back to what you have recorded and let what you have written down guide you and keep your eyes fixed on what lies ahead.
ORGANIZE everything. Volunteers need this. No one wants to be a part of something that feels haphazard! Take the time to develop detailed job descriptions for each position. Or, better yet, email a fellow children’s pastor and ask for a copy of their job descriptions and create your own. Maintain current schedules and keep them posted in the classroom, on your website, in the hallway, wherever there will be easy access for your volunteers. Choose curriculum and lay it out for your teachers. Most people are just too busy these days to volunteer on the weekend and prepare crafts or snacks for the lesson plans. One of the most important volunteer positions I know of is that of a volunteer who comes in during the week to copy, color and cut out the materials for crafts. Organization in this way will reap great rewards by way of keeping teachers on your schedule! Put as much thought as you can into how things are organized and the confidence and willingness of those who volunteer will be amazing.
COMMUNICATE without ceasing! Communicate on a regular basis and in a positive way with your senior pastor. Tell him all of the great things that are happening in your ministry each week. Don’t get into a habit of just telling him how many volunteers you need but tell him stories of the kids and volunteers and all the wonderful things that happen that cause your heart to love ministering to kids! Communicate with the parents as much as you can. Find out what they need, what they enjoy about your ministry and what their kids enjoy. The more your parents know what is going on, the more involved their kids will be and the more likely they are to become involved in what you are doing. Communicate with the congregation through whatever creative means you have available to you. Show video clips of your kids in action. Bring the kids in for a special announcement. Show highlights at he end of the year of all the exciting events that took place in your ministry. Send out newsletters, emails, memos and get anything and everything you can on your web page. Keep children’s ministry before everyone’s eyes in a positive way.
KNOW kids! Read – Watch – Listen. Know the kids in your church, in your neighborhood, in your schools. Know what they are watching on TV, what music they are listening to, what movies they are seeing, what toys they are into and what the current trends are. Your job is not to agree with everything that is out there but your job is to know the kids you are ministering to and what is going on in their world. Learn as much as you can about their world in order to understand them. Paul gave us this example in the New Testament when he said he becomes all things to all people that he might save some. Find out what challenges kids are facing, learn what temptations they struggle with and identify what captures their attention. Talk to them in their own language and on their terms (without judgment!). Then you will begin to know your kids and be able to minister more effectively to them.
Tips for building on the S.A.N.D.
DON’T:
SETTLE for just a warm body. God cares more about children than that. Aim high. The best in your church should be involved in children’s ministry. When recruiting, go after the most qualified and gifted in your church. Set the bar high! Children are a gift from God (Psalm 127:3). Ministering to them is an honor and no one should be recruited through shame or just because there doesn’t seem to be anyone else available. God is able to supply all of your needs according to his glorious riches. I know what it is like to recruit for a small church – I started with 18 kids’ age Nursery thru high school and only 38 adults to recruit from! I have been through the difficulty of adding a second service, a third service, a Saturday night service and then another Saturday night service for a total of six services each weekend! Recruiting is what it is. But don’t let that keep you from desiring God’s best for your kids. He is faithful and He is the one who promised to send all the help you need. (Luke 10:2) It’s up to you to set the tone.
ACCEPT automatic attitudes or preconceived ideas. There will be those who may have had a negative experience with children’s ministry in the past. Your job is to shape people’s thoughts on what your children’s ministry is and what it is not. Choose your language carefully and communicate what your heart is. But don’t stop there. Learn to observe what is working and what is not in your area of ministry. Then keep what is good and get rid of what is not. There is no room for “Holy Cows” in a growing ministry! You may need to fight against automatic attitudes and preconceived ideas from time to time. That’s how a ministry grows. Ask questions and don’t be afraid to answer them! What can we do better? What can we add? What is God doing right now in our church? How does this affect how we do children’s ministry? Behold, I am doing a new thing… (Isaiah 42:9)
NEGLECT numbers. I’m not talking about numbers for numbers sake. I am talking about having accurate knowledge of what you are doing with God’s plans for you. You have to know what the goal is in order to reach it and then you have to have a way to measure if you are reaching the goal. How many new kids are you reaching? How many new kids are you keeping? How many salvations are you seeing in your ministry each year? Are many kids being baptized? Do you need to teach more on salvation? Give more opportunity for kids to respond? Teach on baptism? You have to know if you are making progress or not. You have to know what is happening currently in order to hear God’s voice and know what is next.
DELAY delegation. Always be training someone to do what you are already doing. Work yourself out of as many jobs as you can! You are the one leading the race in your ministry – you have to have others who are ready for you to pass the baton to. Don’t be afraid of recruiting people that have more talent or knowledge than you. Surround yourself with them - they are God’s gift to you and your ministry! The best advice I could offer to anyone who is starting out – no matter how many or how few kids you are ministering to – develop a team to help you lead.
Most importantly, show excitement and enthusiasm for what you are doing. Allow God to continue to touch your heart for your vision. Do you believe in what you are doing? Would you volunteer in your program if someone asked you? Ask God to give you passion, purpose and people! Ask God to give you the heart of a bulldog! And then train others to do the same.
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