I had some free time in the morning yesterday so I decided to be a fly on the wall in the kid’s ministry. It’s something I’ve wanted to do; however, never really had the time. What I saw was awesome, because this the next generation of disciples that will soon be passed on to me and it was an opportunity to see some of our student leaders in action.
I strongly believe that kids ministry is the most important ministry for the student ministry. If the kids ministry in your church is not strong the youth ministry will always struggle to raise disciples. To ensure that kids ministry stays strong here are three things that you should do as a youth minister:
- Educate Yourself – After the pastor the most important working relationship you have in your church is with the kids ministry point person. The purpose of the relationship is to have full knowledge of what is happening in kids programming, so that you can best prepare for the product you are receiving. Here are a few questions you can ask to get to know them better:
- What is the format of the ministry?
- What values and habits do you teach?
- What is the vision for a kid leaving the ministry?
- Give Them Your Disciples In Training – Sending teens to work with kids is important because they start to see the student ministry in entirely new light. I’ve found that the guys in my small group who are now leading a group of kids are more willing to open up in discussion. I’ve also found that the teens use what they’ve learned from their small group leader and pass it on to their own groups. When a kid sees this type of commitment from a teen they’ll grow excited about their faith.
- Support And Advocate – You have gifts and talents that have benefited the student ministry, so start sharing them with the kids ministry. They might not need your help in all areas; however, there might be one or two where you can make them better. For example, there is no problem with recruiting men in our high school ministry; however, getting them to serve 3 and 4 year old children is another story. So why not team up with the kids ministry and recruit some men? Remember the health of the kids ministry affects yours.
It might seem like another thing to add onto your plate; however, it’s really just a change in perspective. I think many of us go into student ministry being competitive with the kids ministry, but we need to collaborate and encourage one another. It’s all a part of being a church and growing families have Christ in the center.
How does kids ministry impact you?