RELEVANT CHILDREN'S MINISTRY

I was reading Proverbs this week and a verse caught my attention.  It's this verse.

Proverbs 31:28 - “Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: 'Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all."

I'm not trying to be morbid, but this verse reminds me that one day my children will be at my funeral.  What will they say about me?  What legacy will I leave for them?  What will those who know me best think about the life I lived?  

The children of the parent in Proverbs called her blessed.  Through her attitude and actions she made an indelible impression on her children and left a legacy that was praiseworthy.

What will your kids say about you?  That is up to you to live out and form now.  Here are a couple of things to remember.

An INHERITANCE is what you leave FOR your children.  A LEGACY is what you leave IN your children.

Here is another thing to consider. 

Your greatest accomplishment in life will not be something you do, but rather someone you raise.

Make a list of what you want your kids to say about you at your funeral.  Don't show them the list, but rather show them by your actions and attitude what is on the list.  And strive to live a life that will make your kids proud.  

 What will be on your list?

She lived a life of integrity?

He loved us unconditionally?

She was kind and helpful to those who needed it the most?

He walked in God's wisdom?

She loved Jesus and followed Him?

She was a person of prayer?

He was there for me when I went through a tough time?

She loved God's Word and spent time reading it each day?

He showed compassion and care for those in need?

She was a great parent? 

He was an awesome grandfather?

He put family before work?

She held me close and listened when I needed someone to be there for me?

He forgave those who hurt him?

She never turned her back on me?

He spoke words of encouragement into my life?

He served others rather than waiting for others to serve him?

She took me to church faithfully?

He gave me a hug when I needed it the most?

I heard someone say this...

Success is when those who know you best think the most of you.

Live today like you want to be remembered one day by your family.

At times, all of us lose sight of the long-term impact that we can have by serving in children's ministry.  Why do we lose sight?  Because often we can't see the long-term impact yet.  Much of children's ministry is serving in faith that what we are doing in kids' lives will make a difference not only now, but later in their life as well.

Hebrews 11:1 says that "faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see."

We hope that the Bible lessons we share with preschoolers will come to mind when they are making decisions one day as adults.  We hope that the Bible verses we help elementary kids memorize will guide them when they are in college one day.  We hope that the small group discussions we have with pre-teens will help them walk with Jesus in high school.  We hope that the prayers we pray over babies in the nursery will be heard and help them know Jesus when they are older.  We hope the time we invest in parents will help them guide their children spiritually as they grow up.

As the verse says, we must have faith that God is using our service to make a long-term impact in kids' lives.  It's important to remind yourself and your volunteers of this on a regular basis.  If you are only looking short-term, you can get discouraged.  Especially on those days when it seems the kids are not listening and every take home paper you passed out is blowing across the parking lot.

Here are a few ways you can help volunteers see the long-term impact of serving in children's ministry.

Share stories of long-term impact.  Have volunteers think back about the people who invested in them years ago and the impact it is having in their life now.  If you have volunteers who have been serving for many years, have them share stories of kids they invested in who are now grown up and serving Jesus.  Even better, have some of those "grown up kids" come and share the long-term impact it's had in their life. 

Remind them of God's promises.  Here are some great verses to share with your volunteers about the promise of long-term impact.

It is the same with my Word.  I send it out, and it always produces fruit.  It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.  Isaiah 55:11

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit--fruit that will last--and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.  John 15:1

And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or farms for My name's sake, will receive many times as much, and will inherit eternal life.  Matthew 19:29 

With all this going for us, my dear, dear friends, stand your ground. And don’t hold back. Throw yourselves into the work of the Master, confident that nothing you do for him is a waste of time or effort.  I Corinthians 15:58
 
Show them the opportunity they have to leave a legacy.  It's important to help volunteers see that serving in children's ministry is an opportunity to leave a true legacy that will outlive them.  People want to know that they made a difference in the world.  Children's ministry is the best place to do this.

You can get lots of more great ideas and insight about leading and encouraging volunteers in my book "The Formula for Building Great Volunteer Teams."  It has been called "the best book ever written on the subject of leading volunteers."  It's available now at this link for only $12 paperback and $7 ebook.

Don't give up.  Keep serving.  Keep encouraging.  Believe by faith that it will make a long-term impact.

Do you struggle with any of these?

Volunteers showing up late?

Volunteers standing around talking with each other instead of interacting with the kids?

Volunteers sitting in the back rather than with the kids during large group time?

Volunteers coming unprepared and looking at their lesson during large group time instead of focusing on the kids?

Volunteers leaving as soon as the service is over rather than spending time with the kids while waiting for parents to come?

Volunteers not taking time to talk with and interact with parents?  

Here's how to change these scenarios.  Share with your volunteers that "every minute makes an impact."

Every volunteers on your team has something in common.  Here it is.  They want to make an impact.  They want to leave a legacy.  They want to know that the time they are spending volunteering is making a difference.

Help them see that they only have a small window of time each week to invest in the kids and parents and every single minute they spend investing in them makes a difference.  It's in the seemingly small conversations before service where volunteers can make the biggest connection with kids.  It's in the quick conversations at pick-up and drop-off where volunteers can encourage parents.  It's in the 3 minutes of a worship song that volunteers can model what it means to worship God.  It's in the few minutes after service that volunteers can speak life into kids while waiting with them for their parents.  It's in the first minute that volunteers can make new guests feel comfortable and welcomed.

Time spent investing in kids and families is never wasted.  Every single minute is valuable.  Every single minute presents an opportunity to make a significant impact in their life. 

When you help volunteers catch this vision, they will show up on time.  They will come prepared.  They will be intentional about what they say to parents at drop-off and pick-up.  They will engage with the kids before, after and during the service.

We are in a race to children's hearts.  Just like a minute matters in the outcome of a physical race, a minute matters in the outcome of this spiritual race. 

D6 Days is sponsored by the D6 conference and offers great family ministry content for free.  You can get free audio and video from speakers like David Platt, Ed Stetzer, Sean McDowell, and more.

Here's the link that will give you access.  You'll find family ministry content that is challenging and inspiring.

The content includes topics such as...

"The American Dream and the Gospel"
"What is Family Ministry?"
"Reaching the Heart of the Next Generation"
"Leaving a Legacy that Matters"
"Transforming Youth and Children's Ministry"
"Equipping Young People with a Biblical Worldview"