By: Jana Magruder
When I took my first leap of faith into the world of Kids Ministry, I had a vision of what I thought it would be like – teaching kids the Bible, planning fun events, training amazing leaders and loving on sweet families. These were the types of things I enjoyed doing and came very naturally to me. You might say I wore the hats of teacher, leader, and encourager very well. If only that was all I had to do!
Turns out, there were many more hats to wear. I quickly realized that I would be working on safety and security policies, learning planning center online, creating onboarding plans for volunteers and counseling parents through the hardships of their child being diagnosed with a learning disorder. For a while, I had to toss my favorite hats to the side and awkwardly wear the administrative hat and even the counseling hat.
Those early years in ministry have all been coming back to me vividly while now helping my own church as an interim children’s minister as they complete a search for a permanent position. It has not taken me long to remember that there are so many hats that we all must wear on any given day in Kids Ministry. Some are fun and flashy, and some are boring and even bothersome. There are seasons when we get to wear our favorites and times when we must wear the ones we dislike. I have found that it’s in those seasons that we must keep reminding ourselves of our original calling to ministry.
Most ministry leaders have a calling story. A moment in time or a season of life that pointed to God specifically pulling you towards serving the church vocationally. For me it was a gradual calling – first to working with kids, then to pursuing education as a career, then to full-time ministry. As God revealed His plan to me incrementally, it eventually became very clear that the call was to serve churches. I often revisit that time of clarity when I’ve felt close to burning out, wondering if I’m still called. God is always faithful to remind me that He’s equipped me to what He’s called me to, and I can trust Him to guide me through the difficult times of ministry.
A brand-new podcast by Lifeway Kids launched last fall and I am delighted to be serving as the host. When it came time to name this new podcast, I could not shake the word “calling” out of my head. I talk to ministry leaders every single week who have gone through periods of struggle and consider throwing in the towel on ministry. Almost every time, their story has a pivotal moment where they really have to ask themselves, “am I still called to this?” I have found that talking and listening to other ministry leaders who experience both the joys and struggles of specifically Kids Ministry, helps us all to celebrate the wins and persevere through the pain and suffering that inevitably happens. It is with these stories in mind that we decided to name the new show Kids Ministry Calling.
I invite you to join us and tune in for fun and meaningful conversations that unpack the stories of various leaders just like you and me. We just finished a series on “All the Hats of Kids Ministry” and discussed the good and the bad that comes with wearing each one. Some of my favorite episodes include: “The Teaching Hat with Kevin Jones”, “The Coaching Hat with Heidi Hensley”, “The Evangelist Hat with Danielle Bell” and “The Counselor Hat with Sam Luce”. All these episodes and many more can be found by searching Kids Ministry Calling on any of your favorite podcast platforms. Find out more about the show – and all of our other Lifeway podcasts at lifeway.com/podcasts.
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