Do you feel like your children's ministry is in a slump?
Do you find yourself seemingly just going through the motions?
Are your attendance patterns trending downward?
Are you seeing little to no spiritual fruit?
Does it seem like no one wants to serve with you?
Do you personally feel like you are in a rut and don't know how to get out of it?
You are not alone. If we are honest, we have all experienced this at one time or another in children's ministry?
We've all been in a slump at one time or another.
So...what do you do when you fall into a slump?
Here are 10 ways to bring your children's ministry out of a slump.
Identify what is causing the slump.
A factor that is outside your control may be causing the slump.
Several key families may have moved away.
Your budget may have been drastically reduced.
The area where you serve has been effected economically.
You can't fix what you don't know about. Make sure you identify any practical reasons that may be causing the slump. Work to overcome these reasons. Some you will be able to control...others you may not be able to control.
Bring new volunteers on board.
Nothing breathes life into a ministry like new volunteers. Make bringing on new team members a top priority.
Take people back to the vision.
It is easy to drift away from the vision. In the busyness of doing ministry, you forget why you are doing ministry.
Volunteers forget why they are holding babies. Volunteers forget why they are leading a small group. Volunteers forget why they are helping with VBS. Volunteers forget why they are leading worship. Volunteers forget why they are teaching lessons.
Keep taking them back to why they are doing what they are doing.
Proverbs reminds us that where there is no vision people perish. Remember this...
Where the vision is forgotten...the ministry slumps into only going through the motions.
Consistently encourage kids to bring guests with them.
Remember the previous point? New volunteers will bring life with them. So will new guests. When a ministry starts seeing new families walk through the doors, the slump will begin to fade away. You will find your volunteers will get excited when they see new families walk through the doors.
Provide invite cards for your kids and families. Emphasize the great commission. New guests will bring a new excitement.
Pray. Pray. Pray.
Do you look around your city and see people far from God? Do you want to see more people reached with the Gospel?
You are in good company. Jesus did as well. Look what it says in Matthew 9:37-38.
"Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”
Jesus tells us to pray. The way of out of a slump is to pray.
Want to see more kids and families come to Christ? Pray.
Want to see your volunteers excited and enthusiastic about serving Jesus? Pray.
Want to see the spiritual temperature go up in your ministry? Pray.
Remember...nothing of eternal value happens without prayer.
Turn your focus outward.
Nothing causes a slump any faster than taking your eyes off of the harvest.
When this happens, turmoil and mediocrity is soon to follow.
Looking at each other as your primary focus will cause you to slump.
Looking out and reaching out for those who are far from God will cause you to accelerate and move forward.
Narrow your focus.
Is your ministry spread thin? Lots of programs and events with very little fruit. Maybe you are trying to do too much. Narrow down what you offer.
Find out what God has gifted your ministry to do well and focus on that.
You can do a lot of things with mediocrity or you can do a few things with excellence.
Often less is more. If you want more then offer less. I know this sounds counter-productive but trust me...it works.
Putting eraser marks on your calendar may be just what you need to get out of a slump.
Share the stories of what God is doing.
Stories of life change. Stories of kids and parents coming to Christ. Stories of God at work. Bringing your ministry out of a slump may simply be as easy as sharing a story. Pause before you rush on to the next big thing and take time to celebrate what God is doing.
Bring in an outside voice.
Sometimes you simply need someone from the outside to confirm and encourage your ministry. Hearing it from someone else can have a great impact. Hearing it from someone else can inspire your ministry and renew your team.
I am available to speak to your team either in person or virtually. If you'd like me to help you with this, you can reach me at this link.
Don't give up. Renew your commitment.
You've got this because God has got you. Stay steady. The slump will pass. Remember why you started serving in children and family ministry in the first place.
Stay committed to your first love. Ask God to give you the joy and peace that surpasses all understanding.
It's not time to quit. God is going to bring you out of the slump. He is faithful. He will not fail you.
Keep on keeping on!
