RELEVANT CHILDREN'S MINISTRY

2026 is just around the corner. I am sure you have started preparing your calendar for a new ministry year. 

Here are some tips that I use to plan my ministry calendar. 

Buy a big desk calendar. 

Spread out the months of the calendar on a table or other flat surface. This will enable you to see a physical copy of the whole year that is coming. 

Go through and start writing in ministry dates on the calendar. 

What do you need to write on the calendar for January?  February?  March?  

Write in recurring program dates like mid-week programming, Sunday morning Bible studies, etc. 

Next write in the dates for your milestone events such as salvation classes, baptism classes, parent and child dedication, etc. 

Then write in your big events like camp, vbs, trunk or treat, etc. 

More tips:

Make sure you are collaborating with the other ministries in your church. Show them your calendar and make sure there are no events on the same day. You don't want to have two big, competing events on the same day. An example would be avoiding a VBS volunteer training on the same date as a women's ministry event.  Plan together with other ministries to avoid silos when it comes to calendar planning.

Remember that less is more. Don't over plan your calendar.  You can do a few things with excellence or you can do a lot of things mediocre. Sometimes the best thing you can put on your calendar is eraser marks.  

Stay open to change.  The calendar shouldn't drive your ministry.  The ministry should drive your calendar.

Just because you did something in the past doesn't mean you should be doing it now. Take a hard look at everything you are doing.  Is it effective?  Are kids and families attending this (people vote with their feet)? Is it helping you reach and disciple kids and families?

Don't get stuck in the past. Be willing to change things that are not working. 

Plan out your entire year. You should always strive to be a year ahead on your calendar. Of course, there are occasionally a few exceptions to this that are out of your control, but the goal should be to stay a year ahead.

Start with the end in mind.  Where do you want to see the kids at spiritually when the year ends?  Your calendar should provide steps to seeing this accomplished. What do you want the kids to know about God and His Word at the end of the year?  Your teaching calendar should take them to that.

These simple steps can make your ministry calendar planning a lot less complicated and less stressful. It will also help your ministry be more effective. 

Your turn. How do you do your ministry calendar planning?  Share your thoughts and insight with us in the comment section below.

A new year of children's ministry has begun.  Hopefully, you have your calendar for 2023 planned out. 

Successful children's ministries are very strategic and purposeful when they plan their calendar.

Let's look at some ways you can maximize your ministry calendar this year. 

Plan out your calendar at least one year in advance.  I actually planned out my children's ministry calendar a year and a half in advance. 

Here's a tip:  Get a large desk calendar.  Bring the key leaders of your team together.  Go through and put down your events and programs on the calendar.  Once you have that done, transfer it to an electronic calendar.

Sync up with other ministries.  Ideally, you will plan out your calendar with the other ministries in your church.  This will help you avoid any calendar conflicts.  An example would be this - you don't want to have a mother & daughter event on the same night the church is having a Bible study for mothers.  Collaborate and work with the other ministries so families don't have to choose between programs and events. A well planned "master calendar" will help ministries align and have maximum impact. 

Be flexible.  There will be times when other ministries add something last minute or change some key dates that affect your ministry.  Often this is out of your hands. When this happens, don't pitch a royal fit.  Be ready to adjust as needed.

Remember less is more.  When I first started out in ministry, I was taught that "the more lines you have in the water" the more fish you would catch.  In other words, have as many ministries as you can and you will reach more people.   

Over the years, I realized that the opposite is true.  

You can do a few things well or you can do a lot of things mediocre.

Something else to remember is that families are only going to give you so much time.  An example is this, if you have an event on Saturday, many families will consider that their "church time" for the week and will not show up on Sunday.  Make sure your calendar is leading people to what is most important and to what can have the biggest impact in their lives.

Sometimes the best thing you can put on your ministry calendar is eraser marks.

Your ministry calendar should reflect your vision and strategy.   Your ministry calendar should be a pathway to your ministry goals.  Here's an example.  If discipleship is one of your key areas of focus, then your calendar should be a pathway to discipleship.  Don't just put random events and programs on your calendar.  

Start with the end in mind.  What do you want kids to know at the end of the year?  What Bible knowledge do you want the kids to have by the end of the year?  How do you want to partner with parents and empower them to raise their children to follow Jesus?  Your calendar should be steps forward in your areas of focus.

A well planned and managed calendar helps ensure you’re being strategic, efficient and effective with your time.