Training — Ministry Leaders

Our kids are growing up in a world today that is so much different than the world we grew up in. It is a world that seems to be growing more and more evil. As well, there seems to be more persecution against Christians. Several of us who are veterans of children’s ministries have been praying and discussing ways we feel we can strengthen the walk of our kids who are living in this world. We are praying that God will give us keys for deepening the spiritual roots in our kids. My book Strong Enough to Last (which in...

There was a time when I thought I had a strange superpower. It was no surprise to me at church that kids would wave to me from across the room or run to greet me. I am their pastor, after all. I’m greeted with smiles, waves, high-fives, and even hugs any time I am around the kids I minister to. They love me because they know that I love them, too. But I started to notice that often I got similar reactions from kids when I was at a store, a county fair, or even out of state sitting in...

Teaching children to worship is not just sitting and listening, but is actively thinking about God, appreciating God for who He is, thanking God for what He has done, giving back to God, and praising God through song and other expressions. Children need guidance to learn how to worship God. Consider some of the following ideas: • Help children recognize, understand and accept God’s gift of salvation, as an act of faith, not based on works. Salvation teaching: The Wordless Book, first developed by Charles Spurgeon in the late 1800s, has over a century of verified success in teaching about...

Galatians 6:9 admonishes us “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up” (ESV). As I have worked with hundreds of ministry leaders over the past 20 years, I have often encountered servant leaders working with diligence, persevering through long times of trial or difficult circumstances. I often encounter brothers and sisters in Christ who are genuinely pursuing good, and do not easily give up. But as I have coached ministry leaders who are dangerously close to burnout, my top encouragement to them in not growing weary...

As the journey to launch a 1-and-2-year old class within our church continues, we have fine-tuned the classroom schedule. We ask the teachers and helpers to arrive 30 minutes before the service starts. This not only allows time to review that day’s teaching, but also to pray over the room and the children before the first child arrives. Since our church services last between 75 and 90 minutes, our classroom schedule looks like this: 20 minutes Free play 5 minutes Prayer / snacks 20 minutes Bible / lesson / singing / mirror 30 minutes Guided play 15 minutes Clean up...