Sharing Vision With Children

Yesterday Lisa Scata (The Director of Children’s Ministry) and I hosted a Family Ministry Kickoff for our ministers.  We had games, I gave a keynote, we had music, food and an opportunity for all the different ministries to breakout and talk about goals and strategies for the year.  For me it was definitely easier cohosting the event then trying to run my own separate Student Ministry Kickoff.  Overall the whole morning was a win and I would strongly encourage youth pastors to work as much as possible with the children’s pastor.  When you do, you benefit in many ways but probably the best way you benefit is from:
Sharing the Vision: I believe the most important ministry for student ministry is children’s ministry.  You and I both know it’s much easier to work with teenagers who have a healthy faith foundation.  While a lot of that comes from the home, it also comes from the success of the children’s ministry.  Our church’s vision is Love God, Love Others, Make Disciples.  In order to add to this vision of growing people who love God, others and become better disciples of Christ, we in the student ministry want to raise up irresistible examples of Christ who are consistent and authentic in their faith and relationships (Our Vision: Irresistible. Consistent. Authentic. Ministry).   But we can’t get there unless the kid’s ministry is living out a vision that leads into ours, which is raising up children who pray to God, live in Christ and grow in their faith (Kids Ministry Vision: Pray. Live. Grow. In Christ).

It was essential for us to bring our ministers together because then they could talk about the vision within their own ministries and with other age levels.  By communicating between the two ministries we can be sure to add accountability and guidance.  While we depend on the kid’s ministry to set us up for success, it’s essential that we as student ministers can give them a clear understanding of how we want to receive them.  Each church does it differet, each ministry does it different; however, if there isn’t consistency and communication, then there isn’t growth.
I would love to have other youth pastors or children’s pastors share the ways that they work together to raise up disciples in their church.