Purpose Over Pedigree: You Are Called to Lead

By: Crystal Mazzuca 

What led you to serving in kids ministry? Did you have a moment when you felt God pressing a passion and desire on your heart? Did you start serving faithfully and, over time, accept more responsibility and leadership?  

Whatever your story, you can know that you are called to lead. God has placed you where you are on purpose and for a purpose. 

However, we can sometimes question that calling when we compare ourselves to other ministry leaders and even others in different careers. In a world where formal education is highly favored, kids ministry leaders who do not possess a degree, certificate, or credentialed training can feel less than. When we lead part-time or as volunteers, we can wonder if we are seen with the same respect and authority as those who are full-time paid leaders. 

This is a reminder that God has called you to this ministry. Regardless of your experience, background, education, title, and compensation, you are capable and qualified to lead. 

Recognize the Calling 

The Bible is filled with stories of God calling willing people—not just educated people. 

Acts 4:13: Peter and James amazed people because of their boldness to teach about Jesus, despite being uneducated and untrained men. 

Exodus 4: Moses, a shepherd, shared his concerns with God that people would not follow his leadership. Despite this, God re-affirmed His plan to work through Moses and he obeyed God. 

1 Timothy 4:12: Timothy was a young man called to lead and influence others for the sake of the gospel. 

In these examples, God called, equipped, and worked through willing followers. These men led with passion and purpose, despite not having the pedigree and experience of others.  

When we say yes to God’s calling to lead, we can be confident that He will work through us in amazing, wonderful, and often surprising ways. 

Rewrite the Narrative 

It can be tempting to say that leaders who hold a degree in Children’s Ministry or have received a certificate from an accredited organization are “more qualified” to lead. As well, leaders who serve full-time on church staff can seem like they hold more authority than those who serve part-time or even lead as unpaid volunteers.  

While formal education is a helpful tool to grow us as leaders, it does not negate God’s calling and ability to work through us. Even when we lead part-time or as volunteers, our calling and impact are still incomparably great. 

When we lead while also holding down another job outside the church, we can know we are in good company. 35% of clergy in the US hold down a job outside of their ministry ¹. It is normal to not be full-time when it comes to serving in ministry. 

As well, the experience we bring into ministry from living and working in the secular world opens the door to a unique perspective that may be missing in our ministries otherwise. According to Lifeway Research, 1 in 3 pastors say they have five years or less of secular work experience ². Our familiarity of the secular workplace can directly influence our leadership in a unique way that might otherwise be missing on ministry teams. 

We are not lacking when we serve part-time, are not on staff, or do not have strictly ministry education and experience. Kids can be impacted and influenced by full-time paid leaders with degrees and they can be impacted by passionate leaders who fully live out our purpose and callings.  

We can rewrite the narrative to acknowledge and appreciate the special ways God can and does work through us. 

Advocate and Celebrate 

Recognizing our calling and re-writing our narratives can help us lead with confidence. Unfortunately, we may come across others who do not view us the same way. While we work to please the Lord and not people (see Colossians 3:23), these moments open the door to point to God’s calling and ability to work through the willing. 

We can speak up and celebrate our callings. When we cast vision, communicate well, and follow through with our plans and promises, the evidence speaks for itself. Leading with excellence shows the power of God to work through anyone who says yes to serving with passion. 

It is not always easy to advocate for ourselves and others—especially when we do not feel like we have a seat at the table. But every opportunity we have to encourage leadership to value spiritual maturity, gifting, and calling over resume highlights invites others to shift their narratives as well. 

Foster Growth 

In our pursuit of living out our calling, we can enhance our leadership when we intentionally foster growth. While formal education and full-time positions are not necessary for leadership, we can still seek opportunities to grow. 

There are countless books, blogs, podcasts, and online videos geared towards growing kids ministry leaders. Check out the Kids Ministry Calling Podcast with Jana Magruder and the ETCH NextGen Ministry Podcast with Chuck Peters. Taking time to invest in ourselves is worth it when it comes to growing as leaders and influencers. 

One of the most incredible resources we have is each other! Learning from trusted ministry mentors and spending time in collaboration with other ministry leaders helps us learn from real-world experiences. Their wisdom and inspiration are invaluable. Attending kids ministry conferences is another way to grow ourselves as leaders. 

If we do desire to seek credentialed training programs or higher education degrees, that is something to be celebrated as well. Whatever we do, we can prioritize professional growth as we embrace our calling and lead well. 

God Is Enough 

Obedience to God is more important than pedigree and credentials. God equips those He calls, and He has called us. He has called you. So lead with passion and purpose, knowing God is working through you to impact the lives of kids, families, your church, and the kingdom of God.