Everywhere I travel, I see them — children’s ministry leaders suffering from a very real, wide-spread, and tragic ailment: “Imposter Syndrome.” These children’s ministry leaders feel like they are not enough, that they don’t know enough to be effective, that their gifts aren’t enough, etcetera. Many heroes of the Bible felt the same way — including Moses, Gideon, and Peter.
Imposter syndrome has been defined as, “Doubting your abilities, and feeling like a fraud.” Let’s take a closer look at the top myths that can take hold in a children’s ministry leader’s mind and learn the truth!
Myth #1 - I am only filling in until our church gets a “real” children’s ministry leader.
TRUTH: Very few children’s ministry leaders have an actual degree in children’s ministry. A real children’s ministry leader is simply someone who is ministering to kids. Because there are so few children’s ministry leaders with degrees, and so few children’s ministry leaders in general (there is a MAJOR shortage of kid’s ministry leaders), many churches do not have a lot of options. Your church is very blessed to have YOU. God will equip YOU to get the job done.
Myth #2 - All other children’s ministry leaders have more experience than me.
TRUTH: The majority of children’s ministry leaders start off with no prior kid’s ministry experience or training. So, if you have any relevant background in school teaching, preschool teaching, daycare work, etc. you are already ahead of the pack.
Myth #3 - My “non-church” experience doesn’t count.
TRUTH: God uses ALL of our past experiences for His glory. Dig deep into your prior work experiences and you may find that God was training you all along. I know kid’s pastors that started off as bank tellers, business execs, YMCA instructors, city hall administrative assistants etc. All of them said that their prior work experience was extremely valuable in kid’s ministry.
Myth #4 - Anyone else would know what to do in this situation better than I do.
TRUTH: You may be the best person to discern what is needed in your church’s unique situation. What worked in one big church on the other side of the country may not work in your church. It is great to get ideas from other churches — but some work well, while others do not. You may be just the person God uses to discover the path forward for your church.
Myth #5 - I have to pretend I know what I am doing, or someone will see through me!
TRUTH: The children’s ministry community is the most humble, cooperative group I have ever known. Most children’s ministry leaders will gladly help you figure out a problem, point you to a resource, or share their strategies. There are also many great kid’s ministry social media groups that you can search for and join on Facebook, or Instagram for ideas, resources and encouragement!
And how about YOU? Have you ever struggled with “Imposter Syndrome” in children’s ministry? Remember the old saying: “God doesn’t call the equipped; God equips those He calls.” Thank you for all you do for Jesus and His kids!
You can access this entire magazine for free here: Edition 44
