RELEVANT CHILDREN'S MINISTRY

One of the most important things you can do as a children's ministry is multiply yourself.

You can only do so much solo.  If you want to see the ministry grow and expand it is vital that you raise up other leaders.

Here's 7 ways you can begin multiplying yourself.

IDENTIFY
Look for people who display leadership potential.  Some of the things you want to look for are...

• committed
• integrity 
• persistent
• enthusiastic
• responds well to feedback
• positive attitude
• solution-oriented

INVITE
Leaders are not going to fall out of the sky.  Approach the people you identify and make the ask.  The best way to multiply yourself is 1-1 personal invites.

INSPIRE
Help people see the gifts God has placed in them that they may not even see themselves or believe they have.  God can use you to help them unleash the potential He has placed inside them.

INVEST
Be intentional about investing in them.  This includes training, 1-1 mentoring and creating a leadership growth plan for them.

INVOLVE
One of the best ways to raise up leaders is to give them opportunities to lead.  Hands-on experience.

INSTRUCT
Provide them with feedback.  Here's more on how to do this properly. 

INSTILL
Instill the vision, heart and passion of the ministry in them.  Help them move beyond the "what" of the ministry to the "why" of the ministry.

We've seen this plan work.  Out of our current 72 children's ministry staff members, 65 of them are people that we raised up as volunteers and took through this pathway.  As the ministry continues to grow and expand, it is vital that we continue to multiply ourselves as leaders.  If we don't, we'll hit a leadership lid.

The same can be said of any ministry.  It is critical that you multiply yourself so you can reach your community for Christ.  

Below is the strategy in an infograph.  If you would like a copy of it as a .jpg, feel free to email me at dalehudsoncm2@gmail.com.

Enlisting a volunteer to serve on your team is just the beginning.  From there we should go on a journey with them to help them grow in their faith, ministry skills and leadership.

Our calling is not to use volunteers to build the ministry.  Our calling is to use the ministry to build volunteers. [tweet this]

As you build volunteers into leaders, they will be empowered to lead other volunteers and expand the ministry.

Here are 7 keys to seeing this happen.

Key #1 - Help volunteers discover their gifts.  When you help volunteers operate in their areas of gifting, they will gain confidence and flourish.  In this post, I share the questions we ask our volunteers to help them find their sweet spot. (areas of gifting)

Key #2 - Give them clear goals.  If you want your volunteers to grow into leaders, give them clear goals that will take them there.  This includes knowing what the wins are for their current area of service and growth steps to more leadership responsibility.

Key #3 - Pour into them.  Be the person that places the tools in their hands that will help them become leaders.  This includes mentoring, providing feedback, leadership materials and other growth opportunities.

Key #4 - Inspire them.  Many people don't think they have the ability to lead.  Help them see what they don't see in themselves.

Key #5 - Call them up.  As you see potential and faithfulness in volunteers, talk with them individually about taking on more leadership.  

Key #6 - Provide a leadership pathway.  Think of it as creating volunteer career pathways.  Here's an example.  Someone starts out as a helper in a preschool room.  Their next step would be leading a preschool room.  The next step after that could be overseeing three preschool rooms.  Their next step could then be overseeing an entire area.  Make sure your volunteers know the pathways that are available for them.

Key #7 - Let them lead.  Micro-managers and control freaks don't produce leaders.  If you aren't willing to get out of the way and let volunteers lead, you will have volunteers, but not leaders, and the ministry will be capped.

You are a leader because someone saw potential in you, believed in you, poured into you and gave you the opportunity to lead.  Be that person for your volunteers.

Success in ministry is not what you do.  It's what you empower others to do. [tweet this]

Looking for a video to encourage and motivate your team?

Sonya Romero is a Kindergarten teacher who works with kids who are less fortunate.  She is giving everything she has and is changing lives. 

TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) Conferences were started in 1984.

They feature some of the brightest, most innovative people on the planet.  They address a wide range of topics within the research and practice of science and culture, often through storytelling.  The speakers are given a maximum of 18 minutes to present their ideas in the most innovative and engaging ways they can.

The talks given at TED can be found at www.ted.com.  There is also an app you can download for your smartphone that will give you access to the talks.

I'm a big fan and watch TED talks often.  Many of the talks have helped me grow as a children's ministry leader.  New talks are added on a regular basis.

Below are 10 TED talks that I recommend to children's ministry leaders.  Check them out.  You'll be glad you did.

How Great Leaders Inspire Action by Simon Sinek
(this will change the way you invite people to join your volunteer team)

How Schools Kill Creativity by Ken Robinson
(nurture rather than undermine creativity in kids)

Virtual Choir by Eric Whitacre
(a great example of rallying people behind a vision)

The Tribes We Lead by Seth Godin
(how ordinary people can lead and make big change)

Every Kid Needs a Champion by Rita Pierson
(believing in kids and connecting with them in a real, personal level)

Teach Teachers How to Create Magic by Christopher Emdin
(how to make a classroom come alive)

Hey Science Teachers - Make It Fun by Tyler DeWitt
(make your lessons come alive with stories and demonstrations)

3 Rules to Spark Learning by Ramsey Musallam
(3 rules to spark imagination and get kids excited about learning)

Gaming to Re-Engage Boys in Learning by Ali Carr-Chellman
(let boys be boys and use video games to teach and entertain them)

What Adults Can Learn From Kids by Adora Svitak
(kids' big dreams deserve high expectations starting with grownups' willingness to learn from children as much as to teach)

What other TED talks have helped you?  Share them with us in the comment section below.  We look forward to watching your suggestions.

The Children's Ministry Websummit is just around the corner.

It's the largest online children's ministry conference in the country and inspires leaders to learn and grow together.

I will be doing a live workshop about what I believe is the most important aspect of children's ministry...building a great volunteer team. 

Everyone needs more volunteers.  It's the biggest need of most children's ministries.  In this workshop, I will share 10 secrets I have discovered over the years that will help you build a thriving volunteer team.

In the last 6 years, we've used these 10 secrets to build a team of over 2,100 volunteers at our local church.  These are not pie-in-the-sky ideas, but proven strategies that work.

I hope you can join me for this free, online workshop on Monday, October 20 from 3-4p.m. (EST) You can register at this link.  Looking forward to spending this time with you if you're able to attend.

Volunteers get tired.  Even the most committed, faithful ones.  If you want to keep them for the long haul, then you have to infuse them with new life during these times.

Here's 4 ways to give your volunteers a breath of fresh air.

New Volunteers 
New volunteers bring fresh energy with them.  Many times, tired volunteers feel like they are in this alone and are carrying the weight by themselves.  Placing a new volunteer beside them will encourage and inspire them.

New Role
A tired volunteer may feel like they are "stuck" in a role that no longer challenges them.  Moving them to a new role can give them fresh energy and passion.

New Vision
Perhaps they've gotten so "down in the weeds" of weekly ministry that they've lost sight of the big picture.  All they can see is glue sticks, crafts to prepare, nursery sheets to change, or lessons to teach.

Remind them of "why" they are serving.  Help them pull back and see the vision they are part of.

New Curriculum
Sometimes volunteers get tired of teaching the same curriculum year after year.  Giving them something fresh and different might be just what they need.

The floor is yours.  What are some other ways you breathe new life into your volunteers?  Share your thoughts with us in the comment section below.