Let’s look at the 10 ingredients it takes to create an awesome children’s ministry.
10 Steps to Awesome Children’s Ministry
1. VISION
Behind every awesome children’s ministry is a big, bold, compelling vision.
The vision drives everything and is the foundation that the ministry is built upon.
Every staff members knows what the vision is. Every volunteer knows what the vision is. Every parent knows what the vision is and how it relates to their children.
If you want to go somewhere new and exciting, somewhere lives are changed and families are reached, then get a big vision and it will take you there.
2. LEADERSHIP
Everything rises and falls on leadership. And that includes children’s ministry as well. It takes a strong, talented, focused leader to build an awesome children’s ministry. If you’ve hit a lid in your ministry, it could be your leadership has hit a lid and the ministry can’t seem to grow above that lid. You can only go as far as your leadership can take you. Push yourself. Grow yourself. Invest in your leadership. Check out my book – Lead Well in Children’s Ministry. It will give you a great blueprint for growing as a leader in children’s ministry.
3. VOLUNTEER TEAM
The “awesomeness” of your ministry depends on the “awesomeness” of your volunteers. Focus on building strong volunteer leaders and you will see your ministry expand and push to the next level. Remember, it’s not what you can do. It’s what you can empower others to do. Your role as a ministry director is to equip your volunteers for the work of children’s ministry. Need help building your team? Check out my book “The Formula for Building Great Volunteer Teams.” I used this formula to build a volunteer team of 2,600 at my last church.
4. DYNAMIC SERVICES / CLASSES
Boring is not a word that is associated with an awesome children’s ministry. When parents pick up their kids and ask the question – “Did you have fun today?” Their children respond with a “yes.”
Now don’t get confused. Just because a service or lesson is fun doesn’t mean it can’t also be “deep.” It’s not about your content, it’s about your teaching methods. You can deliver deep, faith growing lessons that are fun to experience. It’s not either or. It can be “yes” and “yes.”
5. CULTURE
An awesome children’s ministry has a culture of fun. A culture of family. A culture of faith-building. A culture of anticipation. A culture of unity. A culture of passion.
