Let's look at the 10 ingredients it takes to create an awesome children's ministry.
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.
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.
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.
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."
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.
Culture is not what you do - rather it's about how you do what you do. It's about your attitude, disposition and spirit.
GUEST SERVICES
An awesome children's ministry places a high value on guest services. They know people decide if they are going to return in the first 7-8 minutes at the church. The sermon starts at guest services. Prevailing children's ministries know this and are diligent to give first-time guests a 5 star experience.
COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE
Awesome children's ministries got to where they are by paying fantastic attention to the details. They are committed to excellence in every area of the ministry. They are constantly looking for ways to improve and are proactive in seeking out ways to do this.
OUTREACH
Awesome children's ministries look beyond the four walls of their church and seek to engage with their community. They take the Gospel to those around them. They do mission projects. They encourage and support missionaries. They have a heart for the lost just as Jesus did and show it by reaching out to children and families who do not yet know Jesus.
PARENT PARTNERSHIP
Awesome children's ministries partner with parents and assist them with discipling their children. They know parents have the most influence in a child's life and so they work to leverage that influence. They are focused on influencing the influencers through a variety of methods.
CULTURAL RELEVANCE
Awesome children's ministries know that it is different than when they were kids. Childhood has changed. Today's kids deal with things that their parents and grandparents didn't have to face when they were children.
They know that while the message never changes, the methods must if we are going to reach today's kids and families.
They engage with the culture while holding onto the never-changing Gospel of Jesus. They are anchored to the times but are geared for the ever changing culture. They are diligent to question everything they do and are willing to change or drop what's not working and pursue new ministry methods.
There is one final thing that I have not mentioned. Without this, there will be no fruit or lives changed. Without this, everything listed above is in vain.
To truly build an awesome children's ministry, you must first and foremost pray and seek God's anointing on your life.
It is the Holy Spirit that takes the ingredients above and turns them into an awesome children's ministry. He is the power that turns the ingredients into a effective ministry.
When you see an awesome children's ministry being built, you can be assured that there is much prayer and seeking God's face behind the scenes.
At the end of the day, if God's anointing is on your ministry, you will look at all the fruit and you will have to shrug your shoulders and say this.
"This incredible growth is not because of us. We are simply not that good. We can't change anyone's life. We can't rescue anyone's marriage. We can't see children come to Christ and follow Him."
It's then that you have to point toward the heavens and acknowledge that it is all because of Him. It is not by our own power or strength, but it is through His power that it has and is happening.
I pray this for your ministry. As you seek Him, may He empower you in this work He has called you to labor in.
