RELEVANT CHILDREN'S MINISTRY

Volunteers. Without them, there would not be a children's ministry.  I believe they are the most essential part of what we do. 

It's important to let volunteers know how much you appreciate them.  

One study revealed that over 60 percent of volunteers have never heard the words "thank you for serving."

Showing appreciation keeps volunteers engaged. When people feel valued, they’re more likely to stay involved.  

Thanksgiving and Christmas is a great time to thank your volunteers.  Here are 20 ways you can do this. 

Idea #1 - Handwritten note.

Every week sit down and take some time to write some of your volunteers a thank you note. In a day of electronic communication, a hand written note is golden.  

Idea #2 - Give volunteers a note with a $100,000 Grand candy bar attached. Have the note say "you are priceless."

Idea #3 - Honor their years of service.

Honor their commitment. Express your appreciation for their years of service and faithfulness. 

Idea #4 - Find out what their favorite dessert or snack is and bring it to them.

Keep a list of your volunteers' favorite snacks and desserts. 

Idea #5 - Award volunteers with a "volunteer of the month" award.   Pick one volunteer per month for this and spotlight them.

Idea #6 - Host a volunteer appreciation dinner.  Serve them a meal and tell them how much you appreciate them.

Idea #7 - Give them a gift card to a coffee shop.  Better yet...meet them at the coffee shop and spend some time hanging out with them.

Idea #8 - Make a volunteer appreciation video. Grab your phone and shoot a 1-2 minute video where you brag on them and tell them how much you appreciate their heart for the next generation.

Idea #9 - Personally thank each volunteer each week when you see them.  I say this to every volunteer each week - "Thank you for serving and making a difference."

Idea #10 - Give them a Christmas ornament for their tree. Write the year and your ministry name on the ornament. You will find they will keep these and put them on their tree each year. 

Idea #11 - Almond Joy with a note that reads, “It’s a JOY having you on the team!

Idea #12 - A s’mores kit with a note that reads, “We'd like to have s’more volunteers like you! You are amazing!"

Idea #13 - A small plant with a note that reads, “Thanks for planting God’s Word in the
kids’ hearts!”

Idea #14 - Have the kids write thank you notes to them.

Idea #15 - Life Savers Candy - On a card write, "Thank you for being a kidmin Life Saver."

Idea #16 - Flashlight with a note that says "Thanks for shining Jesus' light to the kids each week."

Idea #17 - A journal and pen set.

Idea #18 - Candle that says "You are a light to the next generation."

Idea #19 - Microwave popcorn that says "You are a POPular volunteer with the kids."

Idea #20 - Give your volunteers a t-shirt with your ministry name / logo on it. 

Your turn. What are some other ways you have thanked your volunteers? Share in the comment section below.

You often hear the term "childcare" or "baby-sitting" when it comes to ministry in the early years.  

But nothing could be farther from the truth.  It is not childcare or babysitting. It is ministry at one of the most critical times in a person's life. 

The early years are extremely important when it comes to teaching people about God. So many brain connections and growth takes place in the first three years of a person's life. 

We can't afford to not have a plan to pour into the hearts of the little ones.

The Bible is very clear that we should teach little ones about Him. Look what it says about this in 2 Timothy 3:15.

and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

 Check out this verse as well.  

And Jesus said to them, “Yes; have you never read, ‘Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies you have prepared praise’?” (Matthew 21:16).

That's our command and here are some ways you can teach babies about God.

Pray over them. 

In each nursery room have a prayer promise verse on the wall. Encourage your nursery volunteers to pray that verse over the babies each week while they are holding them. 

Sing to them. 

Have one or more Bible songs to sing to the babies. 

Show them a picture of Jesus. 

Put a picture of Jesus inside a Bible. Open the Bible and show the babies the picture. Tell them that this is a picture of Jesus and He loves them. 

Share a Bible story with them.

Communicate a simple, short Bible story.  Use pictures to go along with the story.

Partner with parents. 

Encourage young parents to teach their little ones about God. Provide them with tools and resources to do this. 

Remember...when you serve in the nursery, you are holding the next generation of church leaders. 

You are planting seeds of faith that will blossom into spiritual fruit in the years to come. 

Think about this quote by George Barna. 

In the race to a child's heart, the first one there wins.  

We must get there first and teach children about the way of salvation. 

We must teach them about the Word of God.

We must teach them about the wisdom of God.

This starts in the nursery.  

Miley Cyrus was born in 1992 to Billy Ray Cyrus and Tish Cyrus. She grew up on her family's farm near Franklin, Tennessee. She lived on the farm until she was about 14 years old. 

Miley was raised in a Christian household and was baptized in a Southern Baptist Church. She attended church faithfully and wore a purity ring. 

Her personal pilot said the young star had a sincere faith and moral convictions.  He felt confident she would not trade her character for fame. 

Miley left the farm and grew into a celebrity in television, movies, and music. She catapulted into stardom with her performance on the television show Hannah Montana. 

As Miley grew into stardom she began to pull away from her Christian roots. Her first step of departure was when she stopped attending church. She has stated that she left the church because her gay friends were not being accepted and were forced to undergo conversion therapy. 

As Miley slipped farther and farther away from church, she also began to walk away from the faith.  Her performances turned raunchy and risque as she grew older. 

You can see from the following statements how she has abandoned the faith.

She shared a photo on Twitter with a quote that says "You are all stardust. You couldn't be here if stars hadn't exploded. So forget Jesus. Stars died so you could live."

She recently said "God is a gay man. If you don't believe me look at the length of his hair."

"I'm allowed to decide what my relationship is with spirituality as an adult, that doesn't have to be aligned with the way that it was when I was brought up". 

(referring to Noah's Ark) "That's [expletive] insane.  We've outgrown that fairy tale, like we've outgrown [expletive] Santa and the tooth fairy."

"I am literally open to every single thing that is consenting and doesn't involve an animal and everyone is of age.  Everything that's legal, I'm down with.  Yo, I'm down with any adult—anyone over the age of 18 who is down to love me.  I don't relate to being boy or girl, and I don't have to have my partner relate to boy or girl."

"I love my parents, but they are conservative [expletive] mother [expletive]." 

In my book "Fertile Soil..See Kids' Faith Grow and Flourish for a Lifetime" (order here)  I share the three big reasons why kids grow up and walk away from the faith. 

• 25% walk away because they have grown disillusioned with the church.
• 50% walk away because they don't believe in the Bible or God anymore. 
• 25% walk away because they say they are too busy. 

I think Miley falls into the group that has grown disillusioned with the church.  This is reflected in her "LGBPTQ" views and and not being able to reconcile that with the conservative beliefs of the churches she was part of as a child.

I think Miley obviously also falls into the category that doesn't believe any more.  Her views of God and the Bible are way off course. 

I think Miley also falls into the category of being too busy.  The lure of fame and fortune has taken over her life and left little to no time for God. 

Miley is a snapshot of the many, many young adults who grew up in church but have now walked away.

Our prayers are with these grown up kids who have wondered away. I pray that God will draw them back to His side. We know that the prodigals are on the heart of God and should be on our hearts as well. No matter how far away they may be, He is longing for them to come home.  He is a God of abundant grace and hasn't given up on them and neither should we.

In my book "Fertile Soil...See Kids' Faith Grow and Flourish for a Lifetime" (order it here) I share how we can create Fertile Soil.  I share the ingredients we need to place in the soil to make it fertile. I believe when kids are planted in fertile soil, they can grow up to love and follow Jesus for a lifetime.

Will you join me in praying for Miley?  I don't think God has given up on her and neither should we. Pray she and the other prodigals will come home to Jesus.