Over the next week I\’m going to post a series… these posts are some of the things that I’ve noticed as common among GREAT Kids Ministers. I\’d love to hear what you think… so feel free to comment each day.
#1 Great Kids Ministers Put First Things First
When asked, Jesus said that the greatest commandment is to "love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength." (Mark 12:30)
Great children’s ministers get this principle. Their number one priority is always their relationship with Christ. More important than the budget, the big event, even the teacher/child ratio is their personal relationship with God; their personal time with Him in prayer, Bible study, and quiet listening to His leadership for their life.
Kids ministers are good people, compassionate, loving, hard workers who are called to a great ministry… but when we allow our relationship with Christ to be anything less than "priority one" we put everything else at risk. We can not find ourselves so busy working for the Kingdom that we don’t spend time with the King! It’s only when we insist on putting God first in our lives that our ministry becomes all that God wants it to be.
Bottom Line: Great kids ministers always put their relationship with Christ first.
How do you insure that this habit is played out in your life?
So true, both in our children’s ministry & the rest of our lives, as well. If we keep Him first, everything thing else stays in the right perspective. Great reminder of what we know to do, but don’t alway do it!
Barbara… This morning I really found myself pointing at myself! It’s so easy to be busy with the “not so important” things that the “really important” things get lost in the mix. I’m working hard at making sure I get “First things First!”
Good reminder. I’ve fallen in that trap before of working for the kingdom — and forgetting to get instruction from the King. Working FOR Him and not letting Him work THROUGH you can lead to burnout in a big way. You end up doing a lot of good stuff, but nothing excellent and truly worthwhile.
Probably the number one reason ministers burn out!
Great thoghts on first things first! I totally agree with Klista’s comment. If He isn’t in control nothing else matters.