RELEVANT CHILDREN'S MINISTRY

29 years ago, when I started out in ministry, I was taught and adopted a ministry strategy that said, "the more ministries you have, the more people you will reach."

I took this to heart and tried to cram as much on the ministry calendar  as I could.

But for some reason, it didn't work.  It seemed the more quantity I added to the ministry, the less people I was able to reach.

Why did that happen?  Because the reality is, the more you add to your ministry calendar, the less you will accomplish.   When it comes to ministry strategy, less is more.

Does that mean you sit back and are lazy?  No.

No, but what it does mean is you focus your time, energy, resources and effort into a few events and programs.  It means you find your niche' and work hard in that area. 

The best thing you can put on your ministry calendar may be some eraser marks. 

Here's an example of this principle from the retail world.

11 years ago, McDonald's stopped growing.  The fast food store felt like the reason behind the stall was its limited menu.  And so they tried out lots of new items and doubled their amount of food choices.

The result?  Their sales remained flat.

In 2016, they decided to go back to the basics.  They dropped the additional menu items and started offering breakfast items more often.  The result?  Sales jumped and went up 6% in 2017.  And stock rose by 40%!

Through this, they discovered that customers didn't want a broad offering of food, but simply more of what they already liked.  Simplicity and focus is what costumers responded to best.  A more complex menu meant it took longer for costumers to get their food.

In a recent poll, 64% of customers say they would rather have a simple, convenient experience.  And that mindset flows right into their experience at church as well.

Don't give into the temptation of filling up your ministry calendar with events and programs.  Find what your ministry does best and poor your effort into that.  Focus the abilities of your volunteers into serving in a few, strategic programs and events.  Focus your budget on what is working best.  Strengthen your volunteer team by not spreading them too thin across a wide variety of ministry offerings.

Finally, remember that being busy doesn't necessarily equate to success.  When you analyze your ministry events and programs, don't measure success by busyness, but rather by productivity.

For years, I've tried to live by the blank piece of paper test.  I take every ministry...every event...every program and put it to the blank piece of paper test.  It's a simple, but powerful test.  Here it is...a year after the program, event or ministry has taken place, can I write down on a piece of paper the names of people and families that have been reached through it and are now part of our church family.

If I can't write down any names, then that ministry, event or program has failed the blank piece of paper test and needs to be adjusted or dropped. 

Our goal is to reach and disciple kids and families, right?  Then we must make sure that what we are doing is clearly leading us to accomplish that goal.

Your turn.  Do you believe less is more?  Should ministries do less and focus more on a few things?  Share your insight and ideas in the comment section below.

Looking from the outside, it might appear that leading a children's ministry just requires being good at connecting with kids.  While you definitely need to have a heart for kids to be in children's ministry, there is much more involved when it comes to leading the ministry. 

I am often ask by young leaders who are starting out what they should focus on.  Outside of the time you spend with the kids, here's 5 keys to leading a children's ministry.

PEOPLE.  I believe this has to be your number one priority.  Focus the biggest % of your time enlisting, equipping and empowering people for the work of the ministry.  Ephesians 4 confirms this. 

"Their responsibility is to equip God’s PEOPLE to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ.  This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ."

The key is being an equipper more than a doer.  As you invest in people, you will see the ministry grow and flourish.  It's not about what you can do, rather it's about what you can empower other people to do.  Never do ministry by yourself.  Have someone you are training and investing in. 

The success of the ministry will rise and fall on the strength of the volunteer team you build.

PASSION.  As the leader, you must set the tone for the ministry.  Lead with passion!  Have a vision that causes people's hearts to beat faster!  The passion of the ministry will never rise above your passion.  Be a thermostat rather than a thermometer.  This means you set the spiritual temperature for the ministry rather than just measuring it. 

Give it everything you've got!  Pray with passion!  Share with passion!  Lead with passion!  Care with passion!  Invest with passion!  When people see and feel your passion, they will be drawn to you and it will rub off on them.  Remember, passion is not something that can be taught...it is caught.

PLANNING.  It's your job to plan out where the ministry is headed and what will take you there.  Lay out a clear plan for programs, events, special days and other calendar dates.   I highly recommend planning a year in advance.  You've heard the saying, "Plan your work and then work your plan."  It's true...and look what comes first - the planning. 

One word of caution when it comes to planning.  Remember...less is more.  A full, busy calendar does not always equate to a successful plan.  Focus on doing a few things really well.  The goal of your planning should first and foremost be productivity.

Planning also involves collaboration.  Don't plan alone.  Bring people around you to help.  Coordinate with other ministries so your plan flows well with the overall church calendar.  This is vital for successful planning.  

PROBLEM SOLVING.  Guess what?  Leading a children's ministry equals dealing with problems.  You will be the go-to-person when problems arise.  Be a fixer rather than a complainer.  A good leader faces problems and brings solutions.   Embrace the messiness of leading.  As you solve problems, you will earn the respect and trust of those you lead.

PROTECTION.  You must protect the ministry.  Protect the children by having safety and security measures in place.  Make everyone who serves go through a thorough on-boarding process that includes a background check and personal interview where you ask the hard questions.  Never allow an adult to be alone with a child.  Have an evacuation plan in place.  Be aware of food allergies. Have a solid check-in and check-out process. 

Protect the unity of the ministry.  Know how to navigate and mediate conflict.  Have the courage to have difficult conversations when it's necessary.  You must keep the "alignment" of the ministry on course. 

Here are some follow-up questions to think about:

• Am I spending my time investing in people?  How can I focus more of my time in equipping?

• From 1 to 10 (with 10 being the highest), where is my passion level for the ministry?  How can I raise it?

• Do I have a plan in place for the ministry?  Is the plan strategically taking us toward our goals?  Is there anything on the calendar that is not effective?  How can I narrow our focus?

• How good am I at problem-solving?  Do I try to sweep problems under the rug or do I fix them?  How can I improve in this area?

• Is our ministry protected?  Do we have solid measures in place to protect it?  Are there any vulnerable spots we need to strengthen?  

What a privilege it is to lead in children's ministry.  What a joy to be chosen by God to help reach the next generation.  There's nothing better!  And it deserves your very best!  Lead well!