It’s been said that there is more than one way to skin a cat. I would also like to add that there is more than one way to kill your kids’ ministry. Here are five things that we avoid at all costs in our kids’ ministry.
1. Take advantage of your volunteers. Volunteers need to feel valued and cared for. Send them a card, buy your team donuts, or simply give someone a pat on the back and let them know how much you appreciate them. If volunteers don’t feel genuinely cared for, you may find yourself doing ministry alone.
2. Don’t have fun. Our goal at People’s Church is to make every experience and every environment unforgettable. We aim for Sunday to be “the best hour of their week”. So don’t be afraid to make a mess and crank up the volume.
3. View kids’ ministry as babysitting. The function of kids’ ministry is exactly the same as it is for adult ministry: to connect people to God and others. No babysitting allowed.
4. Let anybody serve. It takes a lot of people to meet the needs of ministry, but we can’t act out of desperation. It’s important to have a proper screening and training process in place. Set the bar high and don’t compromise.
5. Forget about God. As crazy as it sounds, it is very easy to get busy doing the work of the Lord and not involve the Lord. Whether you’re a pastor or a volunteer leader, it’s critical to pray over your kids’ ministry and invite God to move in the lives of the children and families that are being ministered to. As Psalm 127:1 reminds us, “Unless the Lord builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted.”
This post is by Jody Earley, PC Kids Director at People’s Church.
