Training — Ministry Leaders

Games are a key part of Children’s Ministry. I believe no kids service is complete without a well-planned intentional game. However, no game should just be a time-filler. Some leaders have cut games because they don’t want to waste precious teaching time with a silly game. They are half right! I agree, no time should be wasted. But games are NOT a waste of time! That is, if the game serves a purpose! But a purpose-driven game is a key to a lesson that the kids will remember and that will impact their hearts and minds. WHY SHOULD WE HAVE...

It is not uncommon for children’s ministry leaders to heavily emphasize other ministry program components and avoid basic doctrine as dry and uninteresting. However, children need to be instructed in basic doctrine. Doctrine is what we believe about God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, the Bible, heaven, Satan, angels, and Christ’s second coming. This is basic doctrine. Purposeful teaching of doctrine can be accomplished not only through direct teaching, but can be incorporated into music, games, and other activities. Keep in mind that every denomination or church may have specific doctrine distinctives that they will also want to have taught to...

You may be taking on a whole new step in kid’s ministry, at a new position. Or perhaps you are tasked with relaunching your church’s kid’s ministry after a time of stagnation or closure. Starting from scratch can be daunting. Do these 5 things during the first year of your launch/relaunch: 1. Get acquainted. Learn the culture. What does this group of people hold sacred? Your leadership success in your new position will be based on the quality of your relationships, not on positional power or titles. What is working well? What seems to be broken? If you are from...

Most ministry leaders experience hills and valleys as well as twists and turns in their work. Changes of all kinds can leave us feeling uncomfortable in our circumstances, unqualified to do much of anything, or uncertain of the plan God has for us. But this is not a new challenge. Joseph had dreams as a teenager, dreams that led him first into slavery and then into prison. Neither situation came with any kind of “ministry leader” title, but Joseph was doing the work of ministry in the household of Potiphar and in the walls of his prison cell. He was...

Going into my last children’s pastorate, I definitely had several red flags to consider. I was the eighth children’s pastor in eight years. There were not enough volunteers to manage even the kids we had left. We had resistance, distrust and seven different curriculums in use! Yet, in less than one year, the kids’ church attendance doubled. Many fantastic new volunteers came on board to join the loyal diehards who had stayed with us. Parent participation was at an all-time high. And the question I got asked time after time by children’s leaders and lead pastors: “How did it happen?...