RELEVANT CHILDREN'S MINISTRY

How to partner with parents is a big topic of discussion in the world of children and family ministry. 

It's an important element. We know parents are the biggest influence in a child's life as they should be. How effective we are at influencing the biggest influencers matters...a lot. 

There are lots of great ideas out there. Believe me, I know. I have probably tried them all at one time or another.  My thoughts are not just speculation, but have been born out of real time, hands on ministry with families. 

That being said, I believe spiritual milestones are the most effective way to partner with parents. Milestones are key times in a family's life when they are looking for spiritual help and insight. Milestones can be life changing for families. I have seen the spiritual anointing that is on Milestones lived out in real time ministry. 

Milestones remind me of the experience that Abraham and Isaac had together when God asked Abraham to sacrifice Isaac. It was a life-changing moment. They came back changed from the experience. There is so much spiritual power when a parent and child encounter the presence of God together.

I believe God is still at work in the lives of today's' families. I believe one of the biggest ways He works is through milestone moments. If you are intentional about this, I believe God can use it in your ministry to see families' lives be changed.

There are 5 key times when Milestones can help you be effective in partnering with parents and influencing them. Here they are.

Parent & Child Dedication

One of the most important times to influence parents is when they are ready to dedicate their child to the Lord. This is one of the key times when parents open the door of their heart and are receptive to your insight and teaching not only about dedicating their children, but also how to raise them to love and follow Jesus. 

Bible Presentation

Another key time when you can equip and partner with parents is when their children are entering elementary school. Bible presentation and celebration is a shared experience for kids and their parents at this crucial time in their life.  

Salvation

Starting Point is a one-session class designed for kids who are interested in starting a relationship with Jesus. The class is designed for kids and their parents to attend together and provides tools that parents can use to follow up with their children at home.  

Baptism

Baptism for Kids is a one-session class that helps kids understand baptism. The class answers questions like...

What is baptism?

Why should I be baptized?

When should I be baptized?  

Elementary Graduation

One of the key times parents are open to your guidance and input is when their child is transitioning fro elementary to middle school. This is one of the most critical times in children's ministry and it's vital to have a clear strategy for influencing kids and families. 

Normally, these milestones sell for $199 for all five.  Hundreds of churches across the country are using these milestones to impact and influence parents. 

I am committed to getting these effective resources in the hands of children's ministry leaders. 

So...for the month of October...I am offering all 5 milestones for only $99. This is your opportunity to get these great resources for a fraction of the normal selling point. You can get the milestones at this link. 

If you want to be more effective with influencing parents...this is a great opportunity. Get the milestones today and watch what God does through it. 

18.  What's so important about that number? Let's talk about it. 

Research from Dr. George Barna has revealed that the vast majority of people who accept Jesus as their Savior do so before the age of 18. 

64-68% of all believers in the U.S. come to Christ before their 18th birthday. 

Not sure about that? Do this. The next time you are with a group of believers ask them how many of them came to Christ before the age of 18. The vast majority of them will raise their hands.  

Every time I stand in front of a group of kids, I feel the burden of this. Will they come to Christ while their hearts are tender and open to the things of God?

If you have heard me speak, you know that I often use the analogy of cement and concrete. Wet cement is impressionable. You can easily write on it, make impressions on it, and shape it. Contrast that with concrete. Concrete is hard to write on or make impressions on. You have to use a hammer, chisels, etc. 

We often here it said, "children are like wet cement." It is true. While they are young, they are very impressionable and mold-able.  But soon the wet cement turns to concrete. You only have a small window of time before this happens. 

We must reach children now.  

We must consistently share the Gospel with children. Make sure...make sure...make sure your curriculum is sharing the Gospel with the children God sends your way.  More than character traits....the children you interact with and teach need to come to Christ for their salvation.

Go all out to reach children.  Make the Great Commission your primary marching orders. Be passionate about it. It's what God is passionate about.  He is not willing that anyone perishes, but that everyone comes to salvation.

I believe those who serve in children's ministry are laboring in the greatest harvest field in the world. God has entrusted you with reaching the next generation. 

One of the proven ways to reach children is by having a salvation milestone. When kids show an interest in Jesus, invite them to attend a class with their parents. In this class, thoroughly share the Gospel with them.  At the end of the class invite their parents to lead their children to Jesus. 

The proven class that I use is called Starting Point. I have seen thousands of kids and many parents come to Christ in this milestone class. In one year, in a local church, I saw over 430 children (and many parents) attend this class and come to Christ and follow Him in baptism.  You can get more information about the class at this link - it is called Starting Point.  

430 kids may seem like a lot of kids and I rejoice in what happened. But...that is not the number we should focus on. The number we must stay focused on is the number of kids in our community...in our city...in our area who don't know Jesus. We are surrounded by many, many kids who don't know Jesus. That is the number that should keep us on our knees praying and that is the number that should keep us faithfully sharing the Gospel. 

18...time is short...let's reach kids. 

Do you need more volunteers?

Do you want to reach more kids and families in your community?

Do you want to see more kids discipled and grounded in their faith?

I'm going to share a simple truth with you that can help you in all of these endeavors.

Here's how you do it...

ONE at a time. 

"One at a time" takes an ongoing commitment to building a team and reaching kids and families.  

At one of the churches where I served as a children's pastor we saw the volunteer team grow from 300 to over 2,000 in nine years. 

How did we do it?  One ask a time.  One person at a time.  One week at a time.  After doing this for nine years, we looked up one day and had over 2,000 volunteers.

If you are going to build a great volunteer team,  you can't just rely on a general church-wide ask for volunteers.  You might get a few volunteers from this, but it won't be the catalyst that helps you build a great team.  Rather, the key is the personal, one-on-one ask. 

Think about it. That is the way Jesus built His team.  One personal ask at a time. One new disciple at a time. 

Here's what I would challenge you to do.  Make your dream list of volunteers. If you could have all of the volunteers you needed, what would that look like?  Get this down in writing.  Then start asking God to help you fill the empty spots.  One at a time. 

87-93% of people who are serving were asked to serve through a personal invite.  

The Bible tells us that "we have not because we ask not."  Make a commitment to asking people to join your team...one person at a time.

If you'd like more tips and strategies for building a volunteer team, you can get it from my book "The Formula for Building Great Volunteer Teams."  It is available at this link.  It has been called the best book ever written on the subject.

If you are going to reach the kids and families in your community with the Gospel it is primarily going to happen the same way...one child at a time...one parent at a time...one family at a time.

If you look the ministry of Jesus, He spent a lot of time reaching people one a time.

The woman at the well.

Nicodemus.

Zacchaeus.

The man possessed with a legion of demons.

Person after person...one at a time. 

At one of the churches where I served as a children's pastor we saw over 430 kids and dozens of parents come to Christ and get baptized in one year.

How did that happen?  One child and one parent at a time. We consistently shared the Gospel with kids and parents.

Hundreds of churches are using this to see many kids and parents come to Christ. 

Make a commitment that you are going to reach your community one child and one parent at a time. Keep sharing the Gospel and watch what God does. 

One volunteer at a time.

One child and parent at a time.

Will you make a commitment to put in the work it takes?  

Are you willing to ask and invite a person every single week?

You can do this. God is with you.