A couple Monday’s ago I started a series of posts titled “Why Didn’t Somebody Tell Me That?” Last week we emphasized Bible Studies for Life: Kids with hopes of clarifying the transition from Bible Teaching for Kids and the enhancements that will come with those transitions. I hope those posts were helpful.
If you missed the first post, “Take Care of Yourself, No One Else Will” take a look back now. I really think it’s the most important think I learned the hard way. This week I want to share the second point I learned in the school or hard knocks…
#2: “Know What You Believe and Why You Believe It!”
When I started in Kids Ministry I had a pretty good foundation but what I realized quickly is my foundation wasn’t nearly as deep as I needed it to be. Well meaning people (mostly parents) thought they knew exactly what we (more often than not they really mean me) needed to be doing in the Kids Ministry of our church. Several would share about all the success they had had at other churches. Some would tell me about what the big church in the next city over was doing and we ought to be doing that too. Even staff members would come to me with ideas that they just knew would work. It wasn’t long before I had given in to several suggestions and found myself foundering all over the place with little to no focus… both in our ministry and as a minister. I realized quickly that if you don’t know what you stand for, you’ll fall for anything.
I won’t try to tell you what your ministry philosophy/statement should be. I think that each ministry and each minister should have a unique philosophy based on who they are and the culture they find themselves. I think a Kids Ministry philosophy should compliment and reflect the church it represents, too. Here’s my ministry statement. Again… it shouldn’t be yours, but I think it might help you see what I’m talking about.
“Laying spiritual foundations in the lives of kids that disciple them to conversion and on to becoming life-long growing followers of Christ.”
I’m constantly tweaking this and it doesn’t always look exactly the same each time I write it but the point here is that this statement guides my ministry. My goals are developed to undergird my ministry statement and the programs and activities I schedule are put in place to help me reach my goals (which are determined by my philosophy).
Don’t be a pinball wizard bouncing around from one idea to the next with no purpose of goal. Figure out who you are and what your ministry is and GROW from there.
