RELEVANT CHILDREN'S MINISTRY

One of my favorite rides at Universal Studios in Orlando is the Incredible Hulk roller coaster.  It's an awesome ride.

But...the ride is changing.  Why?  Because the team at Universal wants to make something incredible even more incredible.

Check out their preview video below and notice their opening statement.

"HOW CAN WE MAKE THE INCREDIBLE HULK ROLLER COASTER EVEN MORE INCREDIBLE?"



Recently we've been asking that question about our children's ministry.

"HOW CAN WE MAKE OUR CHILDREN'S MINISTRY EVEN BETTER?"

It's important to ask that question on a regular basis.  If we don't, the ministry will plateau and get stuck in a rut. Yes...the easy thing to do is to be satisfied with the ministry being good...let things coast...be content with how things are now. 

But if you want more...if you are not satisfied with where you are now...then the starting point is asking that question.  And once you've asked that question, here's some action steps to take.

Take an honest look at everything you do and it's effectiveness.  You see this in the video above.  Universal was willing to take a hard look at one of their most iconic rides...one of their most beloved rides...and ask themselves what they needed to change about it. 

We've been doing this for the last month as well.  Evaluating everything we do.  What is working?  What is dragging?  What needs re-energizing?  What do we need to stop doing?  What do we need to change?  What are we missing? 

This takes honest, hard conversations.  It takes holding the ministry with open hands and having no sacred cows.
 
Next - come up with a plan to make things better and follow it.  See the next step Universal took?  After they dreamed about what could be, they came up with a solid plan that would help them take the ride to the next level.  And then they began working their plan.

We've been doing this for the last month as well.  We've been meeting with our campus pastors, staff and key volunteers to come with a plan to make the ministry better.  We're putting down clear action steps that will take us to where we want to be.  You can dream all day long about how to make the ministry better, but it takes an action plan to make the dream become a reality.

Honor the past, but look to the future.  Did you notice that Universal is incorporating some key pieces of the old version of the ride to honor the past?  They are honoring the past, while not allowing the past to dictate the future.  Did you get that?  That's key.

It's important to honor and respect those who have gone before you.  It's important to remember what God has blessed in the past...while moving forward with your eyes fixed on what God has next.  The key is to balance honoring the past with pioneering the future.

When you ask that question, you unlock the door to what God wants to do next.  I am looking forward to riding the new version of the Hulk roller coaster...already got my calendar marked for the day this summer.  I can't wait!  And I'm sure there are hundreds of thousands of other people who feel the same way.  The new version of the ride is going to bring new people, energy and revenue to the park.  It will make all the hard work, time and discomfort worth it.  The park will be a better place because they were willing to ask that question.

When you are willing to ask the question...when you are willing to take a risk...when you are willing to go outside your comfort zone...it unlocks the door to the next level of God's blessings upon your children's ministry.  A fresh anointing will ascend, new families will be reached, kids and parents will be discipled and the ministry will grow. 

I'm sure you have an incredible ministry now.  But God wants to make it even more incredible.  Are you ready to see it happen?  If the answer is "yes"...then what are you waiting for?  Go for it!