Are You Making These Mistakes In Your Children's Ministry?


Here are 7 mistakes you can't afford to make if you want to see your Children's Ministry impact kids and families.  

Having too many programs. 
Are you trying to do too much?  Are you spreading your volunteers too thin?  Are you trying to keep ineffective programs propped up?  Are you doing a lot with mediocrity or a few things with excellence?  

Trying to get volunteers through pulpit and bulletin announcements.
Public pleas for help can push people away from serving instead of drawing them toward serving. 

Not following volunteer-to-child ratios.
If you are consistently violating volunteer-to-child ratios, you are making a mistake.  The band-aid you are putting on a bigger issue such as lack of space or lack of volunteers is hurting instead of helping.

Not maximizing the first 8 minutes.
People decide in the first 8 minutes if they are going to return to your church.  If you're not working hard to make those first 8 minutes the best experience for new families, you are severely limiting how many will return.

Not having a security system in place.
If you don't have a check-in / check-out system in place, you are putting children at risk.  

Not running background checks on everyone who serves.
You can't afford not to run background checks on everyone who serves with children.  If you are not doing this, you are endangering the children and setting your church up for a lawsuit. 

Having training that no one attends. 
Why are you continuing to hold training meetings that only a small percentage of your volunteers are attending?  Is it time to adjust your training and try something new?

Posted by Dale Hudson