RELEVANT CHILDREN'S MINISTRY

Leadership values reflect HOW you lead.  Here are our 10 leadership values.  We teach these to our staff and volunteers.

1. We are STEWARDS and SERVANTS first.

"So also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, 'We are unworthy servants, we have only done our duty."  Luke 17:10

2. We create environments that are full of it - Full of Faith, Family and Fun.  

"The thief comes to kill and steal and destroy; I have come that you might have life, and have it to the full."
John 10:10

3. We embrace change by being PREPARED and FLEXIBLE.

The lack of flexibility limits the body.  If we are not changing, we are not growing.

4. We invest in people and help them discover their potential in Christ. 

"Those who are planted in the house of the Lord will flourish in the courts of our God."  Psalm 92:13

5. Full things fill things. 

Take personal responsibility for growth.

6. We are faithful in small things. 

"There are no small things; small decisions with BIG consequences are really BIG decisions in disguise."

"Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much."  Luke 16:10

"Don't despise the day of small things, since the seven eyes of the Lord that range throughout the earth will rejoice when they see the captstone in the hand of Zerubbabel."  Zechariah 4:10

7. Ministry is a "GET TO" not a "GOT TO."  

Gratitude is the key.

"Serve the Lord with gladness - not sadness."
Psalm 100:3

8. We are "ALL IN."

"A win for one is a win for all...we take responsibility for the team's success."

"How good and pleasant is it for brothers to dwell together in unity...it is there the Lord commands His blessing."  Psalm 133:1

9. What I am part of is bigger than the part I play. 

"Now He's using you, fitting you in brick by brick, stone by stone, with Jesus Christ as the cornerstone that holds all the parts together.  We see it taking shape day after day - a holy temple built by God, all of us built into it, a temple in which God is quite at home."  Ephesians 2:19-22

10. Excellence increases influence. 

I give my best consistently to honor God and influence people and I'm willing to continue to grow so my influence will grow.

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters."  Colossians 3:23

"He took David from the ewes and lambs and made him the shepherd of Jacob's descendants - God's own people, Israel.  He cared for them with a true heart and led them with skillful hands."  Psalm 78:71-72

I am often asked by younger leaders, "How do I lead people who are older and more experienced than I am?"

Now that I'm in my late 40's and have been leading for over 26 years, I don't face that situation quite as often.  But I can definitely relate to it.  Seems just yesterday, I was a young leader interacting with people who had been doing ministry longer than I had been alive.

Looking back, here's some tips I wish I'd known.  I trust it will be a help to younger leaders who are reading this as well as older leaders who want to encourage the next generation.

Create teamwork through collaboration.  Since you are younger and less experienced, people will not always trust your ideas and opinions.  The key to overcoming this is collaboration.  Don't just shove ideas and initiatives down from the top.  Instead, gather ideas and opinions from people, work through them together and then move forward with what rises to the top.  Collaboration will help you create the teamwork you need in place as a young leader. 

Gain knowledge through feedback.  Your lack of experience will naturally lead to people questioning your expertise, skill and knowledge.  Make this an advantage instead of a disadvantage through feedback.  Be intentional about asking for feedback about your performance and seek ways to digest and implement it.  Older leaders will not think less of you for this.  In fact, it will cause them to respect you and follow you. 

Build trust through integrity.  Older leaders will struggle to see you as a role model since you don't have a proven track record.  Start building a track record people can trust by walking your talk, keeping your promises and being honest. 

Deepen relationships through care.  Older leaders will not open their heart to you because of your title.  They will open their heart to your leadership because they know you care about them.  Show them you care by taking an interest in them personally and investing time in them.  Show them you care more about them as a person than about what they do.

Encourage through inspiration.  Sometimes older leaders struggle with complacency, discouragement and even burnout.  As a young leader, you can tap into the excitement and energy of your youth to inspire them.  Help them break out of the box they may be in and help them stretch for more.

Honor the past while pointing to the future.  Older leaders tend to reflect on the past.  This will be heard in statements like "we've always done it that way" or "we tried something like that and it didn't work" or  "we don't like change" or "remember how great it was when."

If you disregard or refuse to honor the past, older leaders will not follow you into the future.  The future is built on a foundation of gratitude for the past.

The floor is yours. 
Are you a young leader?  
What are you thoughts?  
What other questions do you have?
Are you an older leader?  
What other advice do you have for younger leaders?  
Share your thoughts in the comment section below.

You think you know everything about parenting until you have kids and then you realize you don't know nearly as much as you thought you did.

Parenting is one of life's most rewarding...but challenging roles.  And if you're in children's ministry, you're not only pouring into your own kids, but into other people's kids as well.

And even more importantly, you should be pouring into the parents of the kids in your ministry.  Parents hold the most critical components of kids growing up to love Jesus.

Sounds like a lot of responsibility on our part, doesn't it?  How do we help kids grow up to love Jesus?  How can we equip parents to lead their kids spiritually?

My two sons are both adults now.  In spite of all the mistakes I've made along the way, they love Jesus and His church.  I don't have all the answers...but who does?  I have, however, seen some commonalities in parents whose kids grow up to love Jesus.

Let me preface this list by saying it does not override a child's free will.  Each person must decide for themselves whether or not they will follow Jesus.  God doesn't have any grandchildren.  I know what you're thinking, "But what about Proverbs 22:6 - Train up a child in the way he should go and he will not depart from it."  You can read more about my thoughts on this verse in this post.

All that being said, we can equip parents to create homes that are fertile soil for kids to grow in their faith.  Here's 10 keys to raising great kids who love Jesus.

Walk the Talk
You've probably heard the saying, "Your kids can't hear what you are saying, because what you are doing is speaking so loudly."  Isn't that true?  Parents who raise kids that love Jesus don't live a double life.  This doesn't mean they are perfect, but it does mean they follow Jesus every day of the week.  They practice what they preach.  They lead by example.  

Affirm the Gift
They see the gifts that God has placed in their child and they affirm those gifts.  The words "I believe in you" echo in their child's ears.  The move beyond calling their child "out" to calling their child "up" to be all that God intended them to be.  Kids who don't receive affirmation often go looking for it in all the wrong places.

Read the Word
Kids who grow up to love Jesus have parents whose Bibles are worn out...and it's not from sitting in the hot sun on the car dashboard all week...waiting to be grabbed next Sunday upon arriving at church.  It's from being read each day...in front of the kids and with the kids.

Eat the Meal
Research shows that children who have dinner with their parents are less likely to drink, smoke, do drugs, get pregnant, become depressed or develop eating disorders.  They also do better socially and academically...and I believe spiritually.  Why?  Because a family meal is much more than eating.  It's a time to pray, communicate, connect, mentor and disciple.

Serve the People
When a child sees his or her parents serving others, it makes a huge impact spiritually in the child's life.  Serving is a key component of discipleship and kids who grow up to love Jesus have families that serve.  Kids' faith becomes animated as they watch their parents serve and begin serving themselves.  One of the best things parents can do for their kids spiritually is to get them serving others.

Love the Spouse
The best parenting tool is a happy marriage.  Solid marriages create solid kids.  Parents who love each other have kids who love Jesus.

Pray the Prayers
Prayer is a vital part of kids growing up to love Jesus.  Kids who grow up to love Jesus have parents who pray with them.  Kids who grow up to love Jesus have parents who pray for them.  Here's an example of a prayer calendar we created for parents.

Set the Boundaries
Children who stray the most are kids whose parents didn't set reasonable rules and boundaries.  Parents who are consistent in enforcing set rules and boundaries actually end up becoming very close to their children.  Of course, this doesn't mean over-doing rules or having rules without relationship. 

Monitor the Friends
Peers are a huge part of whether or not kids grow up to love Jesus.  You become like the people you spend the most time with.  Parents whose kids grow up to love Jesus know who their kids are friends with and make sure they have good influences around them.

Cultivate the Gratitude
A sense of entitlement is the opposite of the heart of Jesus.  Parents whose kids grow up to follow Him help their kids cultivate an attitude of gratitude.  Thanksgiving is not just a day of the year to eat turkey and watch football in their home...it's a way of life.

The floor is yours.  What are some other keys to raising great kids who love Jesus?  Share your thoughts with us in the comment section below.