RELEVANT CHILDREN'S MINISTRY

How do you see kids and families in your church who "like" the ministry begin "sharing" about the ministry with their family, friends, co-workers, schoolmates and teammates?

FIRST - CREATE A SHARE CULTURE.  Cultures don't happen by accident, they are intentionally created.  This can be done by keeping a focus on outreach.  Regularly teach about Jesus' heart to seek and save those who are lost.

Each week, we talk to the kids about inviting their unchurched friends.  We have an empty chair up front that we use as a visual reminder and talking point.

SECOND - PROVIDE SHARE OPPORTUNITIES.  Identify special times that are great invite opportunities.  Easter, Christmas, Fall Festivals and other days and events like this are great opportunities for people to invite others.

This past weekend, we had a special emphasis and encouraged our kids to invite their unchurched friends.  They responded and brought over 100 friends who had never been to our church before. 

THIRD - PROVIDE SHARE TOOLS.  This can be as simple as providing them with invite cards.  We have found if you make these available, kids and families will use them.

This past Easter, we had a lady come to our church for the first time.  When we asked how she heard about the church, she told us she's a crossing guard at a local elementary school.  While waiting to cross, some of our kids had given her an invite card and invited her to come.

FOURTH - BE A SPIRITUAL HOSPITAL.  When the kids and families in your church know it's a place they can bring others to get help, they will bring them.  I'm thinking now of a family who recently came and stepped across the line of faith.  The backstory....the mother found out she has cancer.  One of the parents in our church works with her.  He invited her to come because he knew the lady could find prayer and help if she came.

The church is supposed to be a spiritual hospital where people can find help...not a museum where perfect Christians are on display.  Be a hospital and people will bring their friends who are hurting spiritually.

FIFTH - TELL THE STORIES.  Tell the stories of lives that have been changed because someone shared with them and brought them.  This will inspire others to begin sharing and inviting as well.

In the last 9 months, we've had over 3,400 first-time families sign-in at church.  The vast, vast majority of them came because another family in our church personally shared with them and invited them to come.

Turn the families who "like" your church into families who "share" about your church and you'll see lives changed and exponential growth.

What's the best way to grow a children's ministry?

Direct mail with great print pieces?

Television ads?

Vacation Bible school?

Outreach events?

Fall Festivals?

Bringing in a big-name special guest?

These are all different ways you can see families brought into your children's ministry.  But...there's one thing that is not listed above.  And it's the #1 way to grow your children's ministry.

Wait for it...wait for it...

Here it is...word of mouth.

People talk about a children's ministry that has impacted their lives.  And those people talk to other people...and those people talk to other people...and...etc.

Before long, you've got guest families walking through the door every single week.  And the majority are coming because someone told them about the ministry or brought them.

When this happens, you will experience the "big mo."  Momentum.  And when momentum kicks in, you will experience exponential growth.

The big question...how do you get people talking?

Give them something that's worth talking about.  
Create environments for kids that will get them excited about coming to church.  When that happens, parents will take notice and begin to talk.

Encourage them to talk. 
Message how important it is to invest in relationships with people who don't attend church and invite them to come.

Give them tools they can use to talk.
Create invite cards that people can use to invite their friends and connections.  Doing a really cool series?  Make invite cards for the series.

This past Easter, we had a lady that came to our church for the very first time and accepted Christ as her Lord and Savior.  When asked how she heard about the church, she told this story.  She is a crossing guard at one of our local elementary schools.  One of our kids talked with her and invited her to come to church while he was waiting to cross for school.

When people start talking...great things happen.