RELEVANT CHILDREN'S MINISTRY

Pull back the curtain of successful children's ministries and you'll find these 7 secrets at work.

They choose effectiveness over busyness.  They are very focused in what they do.

They say no to a lot of things and yes to a few things.  Everything on their calendar is a step toward their goals.

Instead of diluting their volunteers, resources, and efforts with a lot of mediocre programs, they channel them into a few things done with excellence.  

They have Senior leadership who doesn't just say they believe in children's ministry, but actually make it a priority.  This is evident in budgeting, promotion, staffing, and facilities.

They constantly evaluate everything and make changes.  Things are constantly shifting.  They let go of things that don't work.  What's coming is talked about much more than what was.

The children's ministry is on par with the rest of the church.  It's rare to find a thriving children's ministry that is part of a church that isn't.  A culture of excellence normally runs through the entire church.

They have an outward focus.  They cater to outsiders instead of insiders.  Their heart beats for people who are away from God.  

They have a dynamic volunteer team.  Behind every dynamic children's ministry is a dynamic volunteer team.

The volunteer team is engaged, equipped, and empowered for the work of the ministry.  There is also a sense of family and fun among them.

They have the "it" factor.  What is "it?"  They can't put their finger on it, but they have a sense that God's hand is on the ministry in a special way.

There is a God factor that causes them to walk with Godfidence.  They are very aware that what is happening is way beyond their "ability."

What are some other traits you've observed in successful children's ministries?  Share your thoughts with us in the comment section below.

Summer used to be my busiest time in children's ministry.

VBS...Camps...Day Trips...Outreach Events...Preschool Events...the list went on and on.

And then Fall would come.  And we would enter Fall...exhausted.  At a time when we should have been hitting on all cylinders, we were running on fumes.  Why?  We had burned most of our tank during the summer.

We've learned that we should put most of our time, energy, resources, and events where we get the most return.  For us, that's the weekend service.  Week in and week out, we keep that our main focus...even during the summer.  When people ask if we do VBS, I say, "Yes...every weekend."

We still do a few things during the summer...but not much.  Why?  Because we want to go into the Fall with a full tank. 

How busy is your summer?  If it's causing you to go into the Fall riding on fumes, you may want to consider cutting some things.

Busyness doesn't always equal effectiveness.

Ever find yourself wishing there were more hours in a day?

You're not alone...we all struggle at times with being so busy with the "ministry minutia,"  that what should be our main focus, gets crowded out.

As a children's ministry leader, our day job should be...

• Seeking God and casting His vision for our children's ministry.

• Creating strategies to more effectively reach and disciples kids and families.

• Evaluating the effectiveness of current programs and processes and making changes and adjustments as needed.

• Pouring into people and raising up leaders of leaders.

But don't these things often get replaced with small tasks, issues that suddenly rise, meetings, preparation for special events, trips to pick up supplies, standing in front of a copier, etc.?

The big question is...how can you free up significant time....so you can focus on what should be your day job...the responsibilities that really matter the most.

Here's some tips that will help you focus on what should be your "day job."

• Keep track of how you spend your time.  Spend a week writing down what you do every hour of your work day.  This is the first step in choosing effectiveness or busyness.

• Eliminate or delegate smaller tasks and replace them with value adding ones.  Delegating work is easier said than done.  We instinctively cling to tasks that make us feel busy and thus important...even when they should not be our primary focus.  Studies show that the average leader spends about 41% of their time on work that could be handled competently by others.  

• Cut some of those meetings.  Don't meet just to be meeting.

Your turn.  What are some other ways we can focus on what should be our primary "day job?"  Share your comments with us below.