So what causes children's ministries to experience explosive growth? Over the last 24 years of doing children's ministry, I've seen 10 common traits that growing children's ministries have in common.
Confidence in God. There is a sense of confidence...not in human ability, but in God's ability.
I guess you could call it Godfidence. He said He would build His church. The leaders walk in this promise. And when the growth comes, they are the first to admit they're not "good enough" to make this happen. It's a God thing.
They care about numbers. Growing children's ministries care about numbers. They are very aware of how many kids are coming YTD versus last year. They care about numbers because every number has a name and every name has a story.
Commitment to excellence. They are in the details and they do them well. Typos are the exception, not the norm. Parents trust the leaders because they have a track record of following through on promises. Half-way is not tolerated. Second mile is second nature.
A themed children's area. Theming has been a turning point for growth in the churches I have served in. I can show you the attendance records the week before and the week after we completed the theming. The growth was immediate.
Theming doesn't keep kids, but it definitely gets them in the door. You can't reach and disciple empty seats.
A strong volunteer team. Growing children's ministries have strong volunteer teams. The staff are great team builders. They are constantly, week-in and week-out, on-boarding new volunteers and equipping them for the work of the ministry.
Guests are treated very well. First-time guest families are a top priority. From parking to signage to greeting to check-in to entering the rooms, they have thought through and prepared for every aspect of a family's first experience.
Aggressively evangelistic. They care about unreached kids and families in their community...a lot.
They keep their focus outward and are heavily involved in the community outside the four walls. Families in the church build relationships and bring people to church on a regular basis.
Know how to identify lids and remove them. When they plateau, they know why. And they fix it. Whether it means adding space, adding another service, adding more parking, or asking people to move to another service and free up seats...they make it happen.
Senior leadership is strongly committed to children's ministry. They support it with an adequate budget, sufficient personnel, and prime "air time."
Unity. The staff and volunteer team are unified behind a common vision and core values. There is healthy debate, but when a decision is made, everyone stacks hands and moves forward. Disunity is confronted and dealt with.
A willingness to change. They constantly evaluate and make necessary changes. They hold the ministry with open hands. They are able to rapidly navigate and implement change.
Prayer. They move forward on their knees. They know that nothing of eternal value every happens without prayer.
Your turn. What are some other key traits you have seen in children's ministries that are growing? Share your thoughts with us in the comment section below.