RELEVANT CHILDREN'S MINISTRY

On this Labor Day, I am reminded of a great promise God has made to us.  Here it is.

"Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. Sometimes, we can feel that the sacrifices we make for the Lord are a waste of time."
1 Corinthians 15:58 

God has made a promise to you.  When you labor (work) for Him you are guaranteed to make a difference.

When you rock babies in the nursery, you are guaranteed to make a difference. 

When you greet guests and help them get connected, you are guaranteed to make a difference.

When you help families get checked in, you are guaranteed to make a difference. 

When you help preschoolers put crafts together, you are guaranteed to make a difference.  

When you teach second-graders about Jesus, you are guaranteed to make a difference. 

When you lead kids in worship, you are guaranteed to make a difference. 

When you help kids step across the line of faith, you are guaranteed to make a difference. 

When you help a child find a verse in the Bible, you are guaranteed to make a difference. 

When you lead a small group, you are guaranteed to make a difference. 

When you help preschoolers put their crafts together, you are guaranteed to make a difference. 

When you help VBS happen, you are guaranteed to make a difference. 

When you pray with a pre-teeen, you are guaranteed to make a difference. 

When you help a new child feel welcome, you are guaranteed to make a difference.

Because our labor makes a big difference, the verse goes on to say we should be STEADFAST.  Steadfast means you are fixed or established.  Not fickle or wavering.  Constant.  Firm. Resolute, steady.  The impact you are is having now and will have in the future, should compel you to be steadfast.

And because we are making a difference, the verse goes on to say that we should be IMMOVABLE.  Immovable means you are stable, anchored and set firm.  Discouragement can't take you away from your mission.  Hurt can't take you away from your mission.  Disappointment can't take you away from  your mission.  You are anchored to your calling and you are determined to go the distance. 

The verse says we should always be abounding in the work assignment God has given us.  Because we are empowered by God for our mission, we should go with a sense of victory,  When God gives you an assignment, you can rest assured He will give you everything you need to complete the assignment.  

The key words in the verse are stated next - knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.  The time, treasure and talent you are investing into the ministry right now is making an impact.  Some of the impact you will see know.  And some of the impact you will see years and even decades from now. 

The last part of the verse is straight talk.  It says...

"Sometimes, we can feel that the sacrifices we make for the Lord are a waste of time."

Ever feel that way?  Like all the time you put into the ministry is just a waste of time?  Those weekends when you pull out of the church parking lot wondering if the kids heard anything you said.  The event you planned for a 100 kids that ends up with only a small handful of kids.  The parenting class you worked so hard to prepare flops.  The take home paper you created ends up on the ground in the parking lot.  

If you are like me,  you've wondered at times if it is really worth all the effort you put into it.

When you experience those moments, go back to the promise God has given you in this verse - YOUR LABOR IS NOT IN VAIN.     

If you will remain steadfast, unmoveable and abounding in the work of the Lord, you will see fruit now and later down the road.  Some of the seeds you are sowing will immediately pop up with fruit.  Other seeds will blossom years and even decades from now.  

I created a video for our children's ministry team that is a reminder that your labor is not in vain.  I got the idea from a commercial I saw.  The commercial showed a president and then zooms backwards through his life, showing the people who invested in him.  The rewind ends up at the time when his parents meet on the subway.  

The video we created shows sometime in the future when there is a person who is a pastor.  The video then rewinds back through his life and shows some of the people who invested in him.  It goes all the way back to him as a baby being rocked in the church nursery by a caring volunteer.  

You can see the video here and use it for your ministry as well.  

Your labor is not in vain! 

Your labor is not in vain!

Your labor is not in vain!  

You are a difference maker.  Lift up your head when you wonder about the impact you are making. 

Keep laboring.  Stay the course.  Don't let anything stop you from walking in God's call upon your life to reach the next generation. 

Did you know that little kids can make a big impact for God?  If you want to reach parents and families, then a key is having a great children's ministry.  One of the top reasons people attend a church is because of their children.  

Think with me about the many times in the Bible when people came to Jesus for one reason - so they could get help for their child.

The same is true today.  One of the big reasons people come to Jesus is because of their children.  If you want to reach parents with the Gospel, then make your children's ministry a top priority.

Here's a few ways I've seen God use little kids to make a big impact. 

I've seen God use little kids to reach their parents for Christ.  At one of the churches I served at we decided to build an indoor playground.  Before and after the service, parents could bring their children to the park.  As the children's ministry director, it was the main place I hung out after services.  It was a great place to meet parents and also find new volunteers.

I'll never forget walking into the park one Sunday and seeing a mother crying.  I walked over to see if she was okay.   I quickly found out her tears were happy tears.  She pointed over at one of the play areas and said, "Do you see that man and little girl?  That is my husband and daughter.  I have been praying and asking my husband to come with us to church for 7 years.  Each time, he said 'no'."

"My daughter loves playing on the playground after service.  This week she asked him if he would come to church with us and play with her in the playground after church.  My husband said 'yes' for the first time in 7 years.  I watched during the service and I could tell God was working in his life.  It's only a matter of time until he begins a relationship with Jesus!"

It's true.  A child does lead the way.  Especially if it's their parents that need to find the way.

Another time I saw God use little kids to make a big impact was at Easter.  One lady, who was a first-time guest, was asked how she came to church.  She shared that she is a school crossing guard.  One of the little kids she was at the corner with, waiting to cross, handed her an invite to Easter services.

I've also seen God use little kids to make a big impact on an entire church.  We were raising money for a new building.  One little boy had been excitedly waiting to go to Sea World for his birthday.  His parents had set the money aside and he was counting down the days.  But when he heard about the new building we were raising money to build, he decided to give the money it would have taken to go to Sea World, to the building project.  We shared his story with the church and God used it as a catalyst to raise the money needed for the new building.

I've seen kids make a big impact through outreach.  From mission trips with their parents, to local outreach events, kids can be used by God to spread the good news of the kingdom.  Each week, I would also challenge kids to bring their unchurched friends to church.  One boy brought over 26 guests with him in one day.  

And throughout Scripture, we see God using kids to make a big impact.  He used a little maid to bring healing to Namaan.  He used David to defeat Goliath.  He used Josiah to be a king.  He spoke to Samuel and used his life as an influencer.  Children lead the way in praising Jesus in the temple.  He used a boy with a lunch to feed thousands.

I challenge you to see the potential the children in your ministry have to make a big impact for God's kingdom.  Encourage them.  Cast vision for them.  Give them opportunities to serve.  And watch as God continues to use little kids to make a big impact.

Your turn.  The floor is yours.  How have you seen God use kids to make a big impact?  Share your stories and insight in the comment section below.

Do you want to make an impact as a ministry leader?  We all do, don't we?

That's a big reason why we are serving in ministry.  We want to know that our time, energy and efforts are making a difference.

Recently, I was reading Paul's ministry advice to Timothy.  One specific verse caught my attention.  Paul shares with Timothy 4 keys to making an impact. And it's found in 4 words in the verse.  Check it out.

"As for you, always BE sober-minded, ENDURE suffering, DO the work of an evangelist, FULFILL your ministry."                   2 Timothy 4:5 

Notice that the first key is to BE.  Paul emphasizes BEING before DOING.  Making an impact starts with leading yourself well. 

If you will be who you are supposed to be, you will do what you are supposed to do.

Leaders who make an impact lead from the inside out.

This means walking with God and having a growing relationship with Him.

This means guarding your heart against lust, bitterness, resentment, envy and other spiritual diseases that can take you down.

Are you like me?  When you fly on an airplane, do you zone out when they start explaining all the pre-flight safety instructions?  I mean, I know how to buckle my seat belt.  But there is one part of the instructions that always catches my attention.

It's when they talk about the cabin pressure dropping.  They explain that when the cabin pressure drops, air masks will drop from above you.  They go on to explain that if you are traveling with a child, you should first put the mask on yourself before trying to help the child.

Why do they say this?  Because you can't help the child, if you pass out from lack of oxygen.

This is what Paul is talking about when he says to BE.  If you are going to impact others with the life-giving message of Jesus, you must first be spiritually healthy yourself.  As you walk with Jesus and are filled with His life-giving presence, you will be empowered to impact those around you.

Here's what Paul said to Timothy in an earlier passage.

"Keep a close watch ON YOURSELF and on the teaching.  Persist in this for by so doing you will save yourself and your hearers."                  1 Timothy 4:16

Your impact will come as an overflow of being who God has called you to be.

The next key Paul mentions is found in the word ENDURE.  Enduring is about lasting in ministry.  You see significant impact doesn't happen overnight.  It takes time.

"Those who make a significant impact in ministry are those who last in ministry."

The way you last in ministry is first being who you are supposed to be, like we talked about above.  And then it's finding a pace that you can sustain for the distance.  You see, ministry is not a sprint, it's a marathon.

Significant impact is going to be the compound effect of faithfully serving and investing in people for not just a year or two, but for decades.

Enduring means not quitting.  Enduring means being faithful.  Enduring means keeping your eyes on the finish line.  Enduring means continuing even when you are down, discouraged or depressed.

The third key Paul talks about is found in the word DO.  And what does it say we should be doing if we want to make an impact?  The work of an evangelist.

The most important thing we do is share the Gospel with people.  It's the Gospel that impacts people's lives for eternity.

You can do a lot of things in ministry.  But if you want to make a big impact, then make sharing the Gospel your priority.  Make it the main thing you DO.

The fourth and final key word Paul shares is FULFILL.  Fulfill what?  He says to fulfill your ministry.  See it?  YOUR ministry.

All of us have a tendency to look at other people's ministry, don't we?  Comparing our ministry to someone else's.  Envying someone else's ministry.  Wishing we could have someone else's ministry.

When we compare our ministry to other people's ministry, it has two affects.  It brings pride if we think our ministry is making a bigger impact than someone else's.  Or it brings discouragement if you think your ministry is making less of an impact than someone else's.

"God wants to use YOU to make an impact - not your version of someone else." 

God has a unique ministry just for you.  You are called to run in your lane, not someone elses.  God has called you to finish your course.  He wants to use you to make a unique impact.

So there you have it.  The 4 keys to making a big impact.

BE who you are suppose to be.

ENDURE in your ministry.  Last.  Go the distance.

DO the work of sharing the Gospel.

FULFILL the unique calling God has on your life.

Do these 4 things and you'll make an impact, the magnitude of which you won't fully realize until you're in heaven.

Since it's Friday, I thought we'd have a little fun.  There's no ministry quite like children's ministry.  It comes with lots of challenges, surprises and laughter as well as spiritual fruit and significant impact.  If you had to explain children's ministry with t-shirts, this might be what it would look like.  Enjoy.




















What else would you put on a t-shirt to explain children's ministry?  Share your thoughts with us in the comment section below.

Daisy is a little girl who was born with a form of dwarfism called Achondroplasia.  She has endured painful surgeries on her neck, back and legs her entire life.  Her nurse at Children's Health in Houston, Texas submitted her name for the Make-A-Wish program.  Make-A-Wish responded and sponsored her for a trip to the Magic Kingdom in Disney World. 

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. 

Many years ago, I wanted to say thank you to our children's ministry volunteers in a special way.

I had a dinner for them and at the end of the dinner, suddenly the door opened and in came many of the kids that they ministered to.  I had arranged for the kids to come and surprise them.  The kids shared about the impact the volunteers were making in their lives.  There was not a dry eye in the house.

I wish I had videotaped it so I could show it to you now.  But recently, I came across a similar video which reminded me of that night with the volunteers.

As you watch the video below, think about how you could do something like this for your volunteers.  All of our volunteers wonder at times if it's really worth it.  They wonder if they are really making a difference.  They wonder if they should throw in the towel and step away from serving.  They wonder if the kids and parents really appreciate what they do.

Show them it's worth it.  Let them see and hear the difference they are making.  Inspire them to keep serving faithfully.  Encourage them with a reminder that they are loved and appreciated.