Everyone wants to do ministry that “sticks.” We want the lessons learned at church to be meaningful for kids and stick with them for the long run. Since Lifeway’s ETCH Conference earlier this month, I’ve been reflecting on what it looks like for ministry goals to “stick.” Most of the ministry opportunities in a kid’s life happen outside of the church, so we have to equip others for ministry. Today’s post highlights two groups a kids minister can’t forget about if they want their ministry to have an impact that sticks with kids.
Don’t forget about parents. Planning for ministry that sticks means not just planning for what happens at Church, but also for what happens when kids go home. Make a plan to help parents engage with their kids about what they learned at church. This could be a midweek email blast, an easy reference handout, or even a follow-up video on Facebook. When we help parents know what happened at church, we equip them to be spiritual leaders for their families.
Don’t forget about the Student Ministry. We want the lessons from our kids ministry to stick with kids, but kids don’t stay in the kids ministry forever. Plan for your kids ministry considering what topics the student ministry will be studying and if possible plan together with your student pastor. Planning together with the student ministry gives families an opportunity to talk about big spiritual themes together at home.
As a Kids Ministry Leader, you have the chance to make an eternal impact by helping kids build a foundation for their faith. You’re in a unique position to help equip the families in your church. Making the extra effort to remember parents and the student ministry will help the lessons your kids learn to stick with them over the long run.
Logan Meek leads the Student Life for Kids team. Logan joined the Student Life For Kids team in 2014 after spending two years as a Sixth Grade teacher with Teach For America. He believes in the importance of strong kids ministry to help kids build strong spiritual foundations.
