Recently my pastor preached a sermon from Romans 15 about the church’s need for dedicated ministers of the gospel. As I listened to this sermon, I thought about the kids pastor and kids ministry team from my own church and other kids ministry leaders like you. Consider Paul’s words from Romans 15:
“My brothers and sisters, I myself am convinced about you that you also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, and able to instruct one another. Nevertheless, I have written to remind you more boldly on some points because of the grace given me by God to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, serving as a priest of the gospel of God. My aim is to preach the gospel where Christ has not been named…” Romans 15:14-16a,20a CSB
As I reflected on Paul’s reminder to the church in Rome, I found comfort and encouragement from his words and hope they are an encouragement to you, as well.
- You are full of goodness.
What you do matters. The countless hours of preparation, the long days, nights, and weekends—these are all “good works” which God created you in Christ Jesus to do. (See Ephesians 2:10.) They matter to the kids you serve each week, and the relationships you develop and consistent sharing the good news of Jesus matter to God’s Kingdom work. As Paul encourages the Thessalonians “brothers and sisters, do not grow weary in doing good.” (2 Thessalonians 3:13)
- You are filled with knowledge.
As the Holy Spirit dwells in you and your relationship with Jesus grows so also grows your biblical understanding and wisdom. The time you spend preparing to teach kids is not in vain. You are meditating on the deep truths of God’s holy Word as you study and prepare. Through this time, He is revealing more of who He is to you and shaping you into the leader He has called you to be. Through the knowledge of God’s truth, He is doing a great work in and through you.
- You are able to instruct others.
Yes, kids ministry leader, you are doing well instructing kids and leading them toward biblical truth. You are planting and nurturing seeds of the gospel that may sprout while in your ministry or maybe sometime in the future. An integrally important part of instruction is the trust relationship between the instructor and those instructed. God is using you to help kids feel emotionally safe, welcome, and known in your ministry, and as kids feel emotionally safe, they will begin to trust you. As kids hear from you and see in you the gospel taught and lived out, the gospel becomes more accessible to them.
Thank you, leader, for your commitment to goodness, knowledge, and instruction. Continue to prioritize your relationship with Jesus above all else, and in your ministry, prioritize relationships with kids (and relationships with other leaders, too). As you do so, you are loving others in a way that impacts both now and for eternity. Well done. Keep up the good work!
Jeremy Carroll is the Lifeway Kids Ministry Publishing Manager for VBS and Discipleship resources. Before coming to Lifeway, he has been active in local church ministry for nearly 20 years in TN, TX, and AL. Jeremy earned a Master of Arts in Christian Education from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. A Middle Tennessee native, he and his family live in Murfreesboro, TN.