By partnering with schools, your church and children’s ministry program can champion all kids. As ministry leaders, we help develop authentic faith in children and students. But we also work to equip others to best influence and encourage young people.
Because the greatest gift we can give children is the influence of honest and caring adults, we prioritize encouraging those who have the most influence on kids. Other than parents, teachers and school staff spend the most time per year with children.
Benefits of Partnering With Schools
The Orange Strategy of leveraging time and influence uses the mindset “Monday is coming.” When you think about what happens on Sundays, you think about an hour. But when you think about Mondays, you think about investing in the week. From that perspective, partnering with schools is a wise ministry investment.
Every time I discuss partnering with schools, I talk about Core Essentials. This program meets every standard of excellence in every state’s required character-based leadership programs. It also maximizes engagement and interaction with students. Core Essentials is my go-to answer about partnering in your community to make ministry impact.
In rural Ashland, Kentucky, our church is present in eight of the nine elementary schools and in one of the two middle schools. What does that mean for a church in a town of 21,000? It means a congregation that serves 850 people on the weekends serves an additional 3,500 children per month!
Partnering With Schools: 9 Holiday Ideas
With Thanksgiving and Christmas approaching, partnering with schools is possible in meaningful ways.
1. Launch a blanket/sock/canned food drive.
Not only can you do this at each elementary school. It’s fun to get schools to hold a competition (think local sports games). Rivals compete not only on the field or court but in generosity as well. Encourage the schools to collect the chosen item. Then they can bless a local shelter or ministry that cares for people in need.
2. Supply a Thanksgiving meal.
Communicate with counselors at local schools asking about families in need. You can prepare or package meals to go for individuals. You can host a dinner for families who might not have the opportunity to enjoy a meal at Thanksgiving or Christmas.
3. Provide holiday gifts for children.
Communicate with school counselors or principals about purchasing gifts for students at Christmas. They can obtain information about clothing sizes and other needs.
4. Feed the teachers and staff.
Provide a nice lunch for the teachers lounge at a school. (Subway tray, KFC, or everyone’s favorite—Chipotle!)
