Kids Ministry

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Encouragement, Kids Ministry, Leadership, Ministry, Reaching, Teaching Kids

3 Reasons Kids Returning to Church Need Extra Care

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Disclaimer: I am neither a licensed counselor nor a psychologist, just an untrained observer of human behavior.  However, over the past few months—as  preschoolers, elementary kids, and preteens have returned in-person to church gatherings—I either have noticed first-hand,  heard from others, or just sensed personally that something is different. 

I truly believe that our communities and churches have yet to see the lasting impact of lockdowns, long-term online learning, lengthy hospital stays,  deaths of friends and family members, cancellations of extracurricular activities, lack of appropriate physical touch, shortage of kidmin volunteers, and constant mask-wearing. If present realities are any indication, we’ll experience a continuation of these three issues: anxiety, anger, and antisocial behavior.

  1. Anxious. Kids have a lot to be anxious about: losing loved ones to COVID-19, completing school work, maintaining their lifestyle with one or both parents out of work, etc. 
  2. Angry. Kids are angry that they can’t play team sports, go to parties, be with friends, go on vacation, or eat at their favorite restaurant.
  3. Antisocial. Kids have spent a lot of time at home. They have lost the skills necessary to “play nice” with others. They haven’t had opportunities to share their stuff, and they haven’t been challenged to resolve interpersonal conflicts.

Lest we believe that only children are anxious, angry, and antisocial, think about the adults you come in contact with. Many of them probably have these same issues. Adults have learned how to cope, and in some cases, mask their feelings. Kids, however, are more transparent. And, these issues may seem to be amplified in kids because children are external processors. In other words, as a kidmin leader or volunteer, you will most likely be the recipient of that anxiety, anger, and antisocial behavior.

The question then is, “How do we provide extra care for preschoolers, elementary kids, and preteens who are anxious, angry, anad antisocial?” Among possible solutions, I suggest the following:

  1. Take care of yourself mentally and physically. Dealing with kids who are struggling behaviorally will be less reactionary and more lovingly responsive if we as adults get adequate rest, eat healthy foods, exercise, and nurture our minds.
  2. Take care of yourself spiritually. Spending time in God’s Word and prayer prepares us to love and care for kids. The more we are in tune with the Holy Spirit, the more we will exhibit “the fruit of the Spirit [which] is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22-23)
  3. Take care of yourself socially. This may sound antithetical, but we as adults need to spend time with other adults in order to sharpen our social skills. Proverbs 27:17 says, “Iron sharpens iron, and one person sharpens another.” After over a year of attending church online, working from home, having our groceries and other purchases delivered to our homes, and consuming all forms of entertainment at home, our social skills are rusty at best and non-existent at worst. How can we expect to care for kids if we ourselves don’t know how to relate to people outside of our households?

I truly believe most of us are anxious, angry, and antisocial to some extent. If we take care of ourselves through the power of the Holy Spirit, then we can provide extra care to kids who have these same behavioral challenges. Paul said it best when he wrote, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort. He comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any kind of affliction, through the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ overflow to us, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.” (2 Corinthians 1:3-5) Let’s receive God’s comfort and then give comfort to the kids in our ministries, in the name of Jesus.

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Landry Holmes is the Manager of Lifeway Kids Ongoing Bible Studies and Network Partnerships, Nashville, TN, and is a graduate of Howard Payne University and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. The author of It’s Worth It: Uncovering How One Week Can Transform Your Church and a general editor of the Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary for Kids, Landry is a church leader, writer, workshop facilitator, and publisher. He teaches kids at his church in Middle Tennessee, where his wife Janetta is the Preschool Minister. They enjoy spending time with their two adult sons and their wives, and spoiling their five grandchildren.

Encouragement, Kids Ministry, Leadership

Are You a Mary or Martha Minister?

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38 While they were traveling, he entered a village, and a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. 39 She had a sister named Mary, who also sat at the Lord’s feet and was listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by her many tasks, and she came up and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to serve alone? So tell her to give me a hand.” 

41 The Lord answered her,“Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but one thing is necessary. Mary has made the right choice, and it will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:38-42 (CSB)

Both Mary and Martha loved Jesus and Jesus loved both Mary and Martha. They, along with their brother Lazarus, were among Jesus’ closest friends. We need to keep that in mind before we go any further. In a minute, I am going to ask if you are more of a Mary or a Martha, but I don’t want you mistakenly thinking that your answer makes you more or less loved by Christ. If you have trusted in Christ, you are fully loved. You are fully accepted. You are fully pleasing to God. With that said, it’s time for us to give the Holy Spirit some space to do heart surgery. 

Martha Ministers

I like Martha. I can relate with Martha. I think we are wired the same way—always needing to do something. It can drive my wife nuts. I am so bad at sitting still and doing nothing, even if she wants us to do just that. I try, but I get antsy so quickly. 


Can you relate? Are you on Team Martha? What makes it even more complicated for us is that we often love doing things for others. We are the ones who generally will chip in and help when we see work that needs to be done. We are wired to do that and we try to show love and care for others by what we do. 

But there are times, like we see here in Luke 10, when our wiring can become a fault. Martha made two mistakes here. First, she missed spending time with Jesus. Time with Jesus was precious—and here Martha missed it. Her tasks distracted her from what, or Who, really mattered. Second, Martha seems to have been miffed that she was doing all the work and Mary was not helping. That is what she wants Jesus to help with, right? Her service, then, was done with at least a portion of bitterness. And that is never a good thing. 

How about you and me? Can we fall into the same traps as Martha did here? Can we be so busy that we miss spending time with Christ? Or miss spending time with our kids and families? Can we serve with bitterness too? Bitter that we are the ones who are always doing endless tasks while other staff members do not? 

Here are a couple of tips to help prevent this. First, we need to learn to delegate. This can be a challenge because many of us Marthas like to do things a certain way but when we delegate, we need to let go. Or, we like the attention we receive for doing all we do. The root of both of these concerns is pride, and we need to die to that pride and delegate. Second, we need to be OK with unfinished tasks. We need to be OK if all of the details we envisioned don’t work out. Or if a project is only “very good” and not “perfect.” Or when we need to let something go until another day. 

Mary Ministers

Now let’s talk to the Marys out there. While Martha was running around worried about being a good host, Mary was focussed on the guest Himself. She sat with Jesus, listening to Him. When Martha complained, Jesus made it crystal clear that she had made the wrong choice while Mary had made the right one. So in this instance we see that spending time with Jesus and focusing on Him is more important than anything else we might do. 

If you are a Mary, this is a no-brainer to you. Of course it is better to spend time with Jesus. You cannot imagine starting your day without ample time in the Scriptures. And this likely carries over to your ministry where you love spending time with your kids and families. 

This is great, right? We cannot fault this ministry posture even if we wanted to because Jesus commended it. But we have to be careful not to push Jesus’ affirmation of Mary too far. The context was a narrow window of Jesus’ earthly ministry—just about three years. Jesus’ point seems to have been that Mary was wise to spend time with Him and focus on Him while she was able. In plenty of other places, Jesus talks about our need to serve Him—not just spend time with Him. So as ministers, we need to be careful not to let a Mary disposition hinder our ministries. In an effort to love Jesus and love our kids and families, we may actually hinder our ministries if we fail to complete the numerous tasks undergirding them. 

Here are a couple of tips to help prevent this. First, all ministers should calendar their days thoroughly, but especially Marys. We know that ministry is frantic and it is easy to miss important tasks and details. Calendering our activities is essential to make sure we don’t fall behind. Some people prefer to use to-do lists or apps, but I prefer a calendar app. Schedule your week ahead of time, blocking estimated times it will take you to complete each task. I even color-code mine to see how balanced my schedule is. All of my meetings are one color, all my phone calls another, and so forth. This way, you can block times for spending time with Jesus and your kids and families, but ensure you don’t do so at the expense of preparing for that upcoming talk, securing your spot at summer camp, and purchasing your VBS materials. When you calendar, you can live with confidence each moment, not worrying whether you should be doing something else because everything is covered ahead of time. Second, as a Mary, go out of your way to pitch-in to help with tasks outside of your ministry area every chance you get. The Marthas around you might see you as lazy or not a team player. Pitching in joyfully and consistently will go a long way to preserve those relationships you care so much about. 

Brian Dembowczyk served in the local church ministry for over 16 years. Brian earned an M.Div. from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and a D.Min. from the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. He and his family live in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

Kids Ministry, Leadership, Ministry

8 Questions to Ask When Interviewing for a Kids Ministry Position

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Interviewing at a church for a kids ministry position can be exciting and frightening all wrapped up together. Both you and the church want to make sure that the fit is right because there is so much at stake. In addition to asking questions about the church itself—such as what is its theology—you will also want to ask questions about the church’s kids ministry that will give you the insight you need to make the right decision. Here are eight important questions to get you started:

  1. What is the kids ministry philosophy? Is it negotiable?

Is it a family-integrated model where age segmentation is eliminated pretty much completely. Adults, students, and kids attend Bible study together, worship together, and do events together. Or is it a family-based model where intergenerational gatherings connect the age segmented ministries together. Kids will be in classes with just kids, will attend events with just kids, and so forth, but there will also be events and classes that put kids, students, and adults together. This is more of a both-and approach. Or is it a family-equipping model where the age-segmented ministry structure is intact, but everything that is done is done with an eye on equipping families. (If you want to learn more about these approaches, see Perspectives on Family Ministry: 3 Views, edited by Timothy Paul Jones.)

No matter what the church’s ministry philosophy is, you will want to ask the follow-up question if it is negotiable. Here’s why. If your philosophy and the church’s do not align, you will need to know if you would need to defer to the church’s philosophy or not. That could be a deal-breaker. But even if they align, you will want to know how set the church is in that philosophy. Is it a true value of the church or is it more of a default? That will help you know what vision-casting might be needed if you accept the position. 

  1. How does the pastor see the kids minister? The staff team? The church? 

Put simply, would they see you as more of an equal or not? The truth is that many pastors, staff teams, and churches do not see kids ministers as they should—they are seen as second-tier staff members. They aren’t “real” staff members—they just keep the kids entertained. This is frustrating and it is wrong, but it is the reality for many churches. One of the best ways we can help our kids and families is by raising the bar in this area—working to help churches take our role seriously and giving it the weight it is due. 

  1. What curriculum is being used. Why? 

You can learn quite a bit about a ministry by its curriculum and the thought process that went into what is used. Was it chosen because it was fun? Cheap? Easy? Or was it chosen because it aligns with the church’s theology and the kids ministry philosophy? An important follow-up question is whether the church is open to changing curriculum and how that process would work. 

  1. What regular programs are done. Why? 

Does the church do VBS? Summer camps? Christmas and Easter programs and events? Are any of these expected—sort of sacred cows in the church? Have they been effective? How do they connect to the church’s vision and mission? As you know, events require tons of energy and resources. Many times they are worth it, but sometimes they are not. You need to know about all the events the church does before you walk into a potential minefield. 

  1. How invested are the kids leaders in the ministry? Are they tired? Energized? Valued? 

Committed, loving, godly leaders are the lifeblood of a healthy ministry. Be sure to get as good of a pulse on the ministry team as you can. If you accept the ministry position, getting to know your team and building into it would likely be your first step, and you would need to know what they need right away. 

  1. How invested are families in discipling their kids? What has been done to encourage and equip them? 

Leaders are the lifeblood of ministry, but families (parents, grandparents, guardians, etc.) are your greatest partners in discipling kids. Are they doing that? Have they been encouraged and equipped to do that? What would they need from you, the kids minister?

  1. What is the partnership between the kids ministry and student ministry like? 

Far too many churches operate in silos to the detriment of kids, students, and families, and the church itself. What is the relationship like between ministries? Is it cohesive or are they disconnected? Are there strong transitions between them? Do they work together to help equip families? 

  1. What wins would you want to see? 

Don’t forget to ask some more practical questions too, such as this one. Finding out what wins are hanging out there will give you insight into what expectations you would be under and what the church really values. How this question is answered would also help you establish what to work on in your first 90 days. 

Brian Dembowczyk is the managing editor for The Gospel Project. He served in local church ministry for over 16 years before coming to Lifeway. Brian earned an M.Div. from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and a D.Min. from the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. He and his family live in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

Encouragement, Kids Ministry, Leadership, Ministry

5 Leadership Lessons from Gideon

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The story of Gideon in Judges 6 and 7 is a familiar one to kids ministry leaders, and it’s one that we might do well to revisit during this challenging season of ministry. Gideon was something of an unlikely war hero. When we meet him in Judges 6, he is literally hiding from the Midianites, threshing wheat on the floor of a winepress so he won’t be seen and raided. That’s where the Angel of the Lord came to him with an unexpected greeting in Judges 6:12: “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.” Gideon himself seems surprised by this assessment of who he is, as we see in verse 15: “Pardon me,” Gideon replied, “but how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.” After some famous convincing involving two days of dew and a fleece, Gideon trusts God, makes a battle plan, gathers 32,000 troops, and prepares to attack. At least that was Gideon’s “Plan A.” 

Right about then, God made another unexpected statement, recorded for us in Judges 7:2: “You have too many troops for me to hand the Midianites over to them, or else Israel might elevate themselves over me and say, ‘I saved myself.’” So God proceeded to whittle down the troops. Twice. First from 32,000 to 10,000, and then to just 300. And then the battle plans changed. This battle would not be won with soldiers, swords, and shields. Nope. Each of the 300 men would instead go to the battle with a trumpet, a torch, and a terracotta pot. We’ll call this “Plan B.” 

You may know the story. Gideon’s 300 men surround the Midianite camp, and on his signal, they break the pots, revealing their torches, then they blow their trumpets and shout, “For the Lord, and for Gideon!” And the Midianites are so frightened and confused, they fight against themselves, and God uses Gideon and 300 men to defeat them. 

What does this have to do with your ministry in 2021? Like Gideon, most of us have had our Plan A taken away, and we don’t know what to do. We feel discouraged and distracted and defeated. Some of us are literally hiding! Our churches aren’t meeting. Our volunteers are MIA. We feel like our soldiers, swords, shields, and strategies are gone. Some of us are doubting whether God has chosen the right person for our job. If this is how you feel, these five truths from Gideon’s life are for you. Listen closely, and apply them to your situation.

Truth 1: The mission hasn’t changed.

2020 (and now 2021) have been difficult for everyone in ministry. No, we can’t do it the way we have always done it, but we must continue to minister to kids and families in whatever ways we can. Let’s not allow our ministries to be deterred or deferred. There’s urgency around the gospel. Ephesians 5:16 reminds us to make the most of the time we have. 2 Timothy 4:2 challenges us to present the Word “in season and out of season.” Not having Plan A is not a reason to concede the mission. When God took away Gideon’s soldiers, the goal was never to not have a battle, and it was never to not win the battle. The mission didn’t change, only the method. And God did what He did for good reason.

Truth 2: God sometimes does big things in absurd ways.

Time and time again in Scripture, we witness God doing miraculous things in unlikely ways. God rescued humanity from elimination by having a 500-year-old man build a boat in the desert. He saved baby Moses by having his mother float him down the river in a basket, then had the daughter of the very king who decreed that all Israelite babies be killed, adopt him and raise him in the palace. He waited until Abram was 100 before he gave the promised son. He used a shepherd boy with a rock to kill a famous military champion (who also happened to be a giant). He had Elijah pour water over the altar, enough to fill a trench around it, before burning up the offering with fire from heaven to humiliate the prophets of Baal. Jesus told the wedding caterers to fill the jugs with water. He told Peter to get a coin from a fish. He healed a blind man with spit-mud. He defeated death by dying. When He left the tomb, He folded the cloth. Don’t waste time worrying that God has taken away your meeting times or your volunteers. Don’t cry over soldiers and swords. Look for torches and trumpets. Watch for the Lord to do something amazing that only He can do, so the glory can only be given to Him.  

Truth 3: It’s not your battle.

When looking through the account of Gideon in Judges 6–7, it’s interesting to notice how many times “Gideon’s” story mentions God’s actions. God approached Gideon to lead the charge (6:12), sent Gideon (6:14), promised to be with Gideon (6:16), gave signs of assurance to Gideon (6:36–40), filtered out the fearful soldiers (7:3), tested the troops at the river for Gideon (7:4), promised to deliver Israel with 300 men (7:7), told Gideon when to attack (7:9), assured Gideon again (7:10), handed the Midianites over to 300 men (7:15), and caused the Midianite army to turn on each other (7:22). Do you see it? We may think of this as Gideon’s battle, but it wasn’t. It was God’s. It was always God’s. The battle belongs to the Lord. So does your ministry. Stop trying to carry the burden of failed Plan A and the stress of an untested Plan B. Your church is His. Your kids are His. Your job is His. It’s not about you. It’s all about Him!

Truth 4: God WILL accomplish His plan.

God is absolutely, 100%, perfectly in control of every circumstance and situation you will ever face. History is His story. He is the author and finisher. He raises up kings and tears them down again. He is our strong tower. He is an ever-present help. He is Lord of all and over all. There is no one and nothing outside of His control. When God says something will be done, you can know that it WILL absolutely, positively, 100%, be done. In Judges 6:16–23, God tells Gideon, “ I WILL be with you.” “You WILL strike Midian down as if it were one man.”  “I WILL stay until you return.” And, “Don’t be afraid, for you WILL NOT die.” In Judges 7:7 The Lord said to Gideon, “I WILL deliver you with the three hundred men.” God has a purpose and a plan, and He will be faithful to complete His plan. Ephesians 2:10 reminds us that God created us for good works, “which God prepared ahead of time for us to do,” and Jeremiah 29:11 reminds us that God knows the plans He has for us.  When we understand that God will work out His plan, it changes how we pray. Instead of asking God to be with us in our plans, may we ask that He allow us to be with Him in His plans.

Truth 5: God wants leaders to walk in confidence by faith.

When the time came for the battle to occur, Gideon gave each of his 300 men their torches and their trumpets and their clay pots and he gave them this instruction in Judges 7:17: “Watch me,” he said to them, “and do what I do.” In this moment, Gideon gives us a beautiful picture of biblical leadership. It’s not a “do as I say” strategy, but one built on leadership by example. In reality, we all know that “do as I say” never works. Our actions need to model our words. It’s not enough to say it; we have to display it. It’s not enough to talk it; we have to walk it. It’s not enough to know it; we have to show it. Paul encouraged the church at Corinth to follow him as he followed Christ. We need to model trust in God through difficult circumstances. We need to walk by faith through uncertainty. We need to model determination to reach kids and teach kids, if not in person then through their mailboxes, their inboxes, or online. 

As leaders, we need to get our hearts right and our heads right, and then invite people to watch us and do what we do, reminding ourselves and others that the mission hasn’t changed. God sometimes does big things in absurd ways. This is not our battle to win or lose. God will accomplish His will.

In the end, we’ll learn something profound: In God’s eyes, Plan B was Plan A all along.

Chuck Peters is Director of Operations for Lifeway Kids. Before his role at Lifeway, Chuck had an extensive career in television and video production. He is a 3-time Emmy Award Winning producer, director, writer and host. A graduate of Columbia Bible College, Chuck, and his wife, Cris, have served vocationally & voluntarily in Student and Children’s Ministry for many years. They have four amazing children: Tally (21), Tristen (20), Tyson (14) and Tate (11). 

Encouragement, Kids Ministry, Leadership, Ministry

Assess Your Ministry After a Year of Pivoting

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If there’s one word that sums up the experience of the church in 2020 (and now 2021) it may be the word “Pivot.” The foundational assumptions of when, where, and how we facilitate ministry have been upended. Because of COVID, it’s likely your Sunday School classes and community groups haven’t been meeting. If you are having worship gatherings they are likely at a greatly reduced capacity. People simply aren’t coming like they did before COVID.

We have all always known the real church isn’t a building. Every one of us could preach a sermon or lay out a lesson that passionately proclaims the church is the people not the steeple. Even so, that hasn’t kept us from relying on in-person gatherings as the primary way of conducting church. So what can we do in light of the setbacks the church is experiencing.

Your initial reaction may be one of paralysis; choosing to watch and wait and wonder when things will go back to normal again so you can go back to doing ministry the way you have always done it. But there’s danger that comes with getting stuck in this “freeze” response. People need pastoral care, Bible study, and biblical perspective right now.

While people may not be coming to church, they still desperately need the influence of the church in their lives. As people deal with isolation, job losses, health crises, and death, they need Jesus. We as the church need to act with a sense or urgency during this season. If people can’t or won’t come to church, we need to find new ways to take church to them. The gospel is too important. We need to be determined to not allow our ministry to be deterred or deferred. It’s time for us to take active steps to pivot our strategies. We need to warm up to the idea of Plan B. 

ASSESS THE SITUATION ACCURATELY

The first step in adjusting your plan so you can pivot properly is to accurately assess the situation. The emphasis here is on accuracy. Tell yourself the truth about the situation. Because your assessment directly impacts your action plan, it is essential that your observations be true and valid representations of the situation and of your available resources.

In Numbers 13, Moses sent out 12 men to spy on Canaan. Ten men came back with a negative perception, and two with favorable one. In that instance, all 12 saw the same things; they did not dispute what they saw, but they interpreted the data differently. The lessons here for us: First, it is wise to not assess a crisis by yourself. Multiple perspectives are important. You don’t need to have twelve advisors, but there is wisdom in conducting assessments with a trusted team, not in isolation. Second, the larger group may make observations, but the data gathered should be interpreted by wise and trusted leaders who are strong people of faith, committed to the cause of your ministry.

REASSESS YOUR KEY ASSUMPTIONS

Making an adjustment from Plan A to Plan B offers you an important opportunity to check your focus. It’s time to ask clarifying questions about what you will choose to categorize as essential and non-essential operations. I call this clarifying your “why.” Before delving deeply into the “what” and “how” of a new plan, it is essential to first bring clarity to a clear and compelling purpose for your plan. You cannot move forward into a viable and effective Plan B without revisiting and clarifying your foundational purpose and goal.

ASSESS AVAILABILITY OF ASSETS

Once you have an accurate idea of the situation, you need to assemble an accurate assessment of what resources you have available. A word of caution here: It can be easy to improperly focus your attention on what you don’t have, rather than what you do have. What matters most in a crisis situation is knowing what options are available. These assets will help you establish a workable action plan.

When Moses stood before God at the burning bush in Exodus 4, he was quick to list the skills and assets he lacked as an explanation of why he could not do what God asked of him. God’s response, however, was to ask Moses, “What’s that in your hand?” God then took the one thing Moses had, his ordinary staff, and used it in miraculous ways as an instrumental tool in accomplishing His plan.

Jesus did this at the feeding of the five thousand. When His disciples came to Him with an impossible problem, Jesus asked them in Mark 6:38, “How many loaves do you have?” He asked. “Go and see.” He then instructed them to bring what they had to Him, and He proceeded to do something big with the little they had available.

As you assess your available options, don’t worry about what you lack; instead, list whatever things you have “in your hand.” Lift whatever resources you have to the Lord, and trust Him to use whatever you have for His glory.

BE ACTION ORIENTED

The purpose of assessment should always be action. We don’t assess merely for the sake of interest, or simply to explain why things aren’t happening. Assess from a standpoint of gathering data that can be used to formulate an actionable plan. This typically means generating a prioritized list of sub-goals and then setting immediate, intermediate, and long-term actions to accomplish them.

In the short term, be careful to only fix what’s really broken and only add what’s needed. Start with essentials. Preserve and secure your necessary functions. Maintain and sustain your base actions, then expand your plan gradually toward operating at full capacity.  

Assessment should not be a one-time event, but an ongoing process of recurring evaluation. This is especially true during seasons when we are implementing temporary short-term strategies. In some seasons you may need to re-assess assumptions, available resources, and action plans weekly. Whatever you do, don’t do nothing. Take the first step to a new action plan by assessing the situation, re-examining your core purpose, and identifying your available assets so you can create a solid action plan for the future.

Chuck Peters is Director of Operations for Lifeway Kids. A graduate of Columbia Bible College, Chuck has served vocationally & voluntarily in Student and Children’s Ministry for many years.

Devotional, Evangelism, Leadership, Ministry

6 Steps to Follow When You Have Been Asked to Preach

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So you have been asked to preach. Pretty exciting, isn’t it? Unnerving too. Most kids pastors don’t get to preach very often, if ever. What you may have learned about preaching in seminary has either been forgotten or become quite rusty. If that’s the case, here is a primer featuring six key steps to take as you prepare to preach, and then as you preach, God’s Word.  

1. Choose Your Approach

One of your first, and more important, decisions is the approach you will take when you preach. You have two options: a kids ministry approach or an adult approach. Here’s what I mean. 

In a kids ministry approach, your goal is to give the adults a snapshot of what happens in kids ministry. Your sermon that day would therefore be full of illustrations, visuals, and even group participation. In essence, you are crafting a typical kids experience, just with adults in the place of your kids. The advantage of this approach is that it helps cast vision for your kids ministry. But there is a downside, and it is a big one. A worship gathering is not designed to be a commercial, no matter how noble the reason. Worship and preaching are weighty. Unless you have been asked to take this approach by your pastor, I would opt for the next approach.

In an adult approach, your goal is to preach God’s Word as your pastor would any other week. This approach honors the intent of a worship gathering and the preaching of Scripture but it also has another important secondary win beyond that. In many churches, the kids pastor is seen as a second-tier pastor—not a “real” pastor. The more your people see you handling the Scripture seriously and demonstrating love, wisdom, and passion as you preach, the more they will come to see you as they should—as a “true” pastor. Plus, it will help parents trust and appreciate your spiritual leadership over their children all the more. 

2. Choose Your Text

When you sit down to decide the text you will preach, it is so tempting to think through recent lessons you may have taught in your kids ministry, find a good one, and preach that. Resist that urge. While you may end up with that text, there is a much better approach. 

Preaching is not about the one preaching; it’s about the ones hearing the preaching. In other words, the congregation must be our starting point. That lesson you recently taught may have been great for you. It may have been great for your kids. But it might not be what the congregation needs. Spend time praying about that last part: what does the congregation need to hear? What gospel truth do they need to understand better or be reminded of? Let that drive the text that you select.  

I need to mention one other major caution here. Whatever you do, do not start with an illustration and design a sermon around it. We are called to preach the gospel using illustrations, not to preach illustrations using the gospel. 

3. Discover the Meaning

This is where the hard work—and the great fun—of preaching begins. Once you have selected the text, it is time to discover its meaning. This should not be foreign to us; we should do this whenever we teach anyone of any age. 

First, you want to read the surrounding context of the passage you are preaching—preferably the entire book it is in. This is important because the Bible is not a collection of stand-along passages, grouped randomly. The writer of each book had a purpose in writing—he was crafting an argument. Our goal is to understand what that goal was and how the passage we are preaching fits within it. 

Second, you want to understand the three “worlds” of the text: the world behind the text, the world of the text, and the world in front of the text.(1) The world behind the text is the context that the original audience may have understood that informs what was written. For example, if you are preaching from 1 John, you need to understand the Gnostic threat to the church. If you are preaching from Matthew, you need to know that this Gospel was written to a Jewish audience. The world of the text concerns the text itself. The grammar and vocabulary used. The argument being made. The basic meaning. The world in front of the text is what is most often neglected. This is the ideal world that the writer presented. This is the reason the writer wrote what he did—what he was doing with the text. Every passage is calling our attention to the ways of God—His intention for how we are to live. This is the world in front of the text. 

An example might help. Think of Matthew’s genealogy at the start of his Gospel. The world behind the text would include knowing the Jewish audience and understanding as much as we can about the individuals mentioned in the genealogy. The world of the text would notice the cadence of the genealogy and how it is broken five times to include women. The world in front of the text would then ask what Matthew’s purpose was in beginning with the genealogy and structuring it the way he did: to link his Gospel to the Old Testament and to highlight that God has always used all people—men and women, Jew and Gentile (three, if not four, of the women mentioned were Gentiles—even broken people, in His purposes and that he will bring all people together in Jesus. That message is important because it sets the stage for all that follows in the Gospel. 

4. Follow the Text

You have the text and you know what it means—what you need to communicate to the congregation. Now it is time to structure the sermon. The temptation is to break the sermon into three parts, and then add an introduction and a conclusion. Once again, resist the natural urge. You might end up there, but you might not. 

Don’t force the text into a generic sermon structure, no matter how common it is. Rather, structure the sermon around the text. If the text drives to two parts, have two parts in your sermon, not three. If you are preaching a story, don’t structure the sermon around ideas at all; structure the sermon based on the movements of the story. Follow wherever the text leads. 

That includes your tone too. If the text is one of joy and celebration, let that drive how you preach. If the text is one of lament, preach with a disposition that aligns with that. The Bible includes different genres and moods for a reason–match your sermon with those of your text. 

5. Find Your Voice

A common mistake among preachers is to copy the style of their favorite preachers—the ones they listen to regularly. Once more, resist the urge to do this. There is nothing wrong with listening to great preachers—they are a gift from God. But don’t be them; be you. Appreciate others. Learn from others. But let others be others. You be you. Bring your own personality and style to your sermon. 

6. Exalt Jesus

I would be remiss if I failed to remind you of the most important part of preaching—making much of Jesus. Care for the congregation and serve them well. Let your own personality shine through the sermon. But when it is all said and done, you want the congregation to leave in greater awe of and with deeper love for Christ. That is the beacon you are pursuing. Let all of the journey—preparation and presentation—drive toward that lofty goal. 

  1. For more about this, see Abraham Kuruvilla. Privilege the Text: A Theological Hermeneutic for Preaching. (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 2013.)

Brian Dembowczyk is the managing editor for The Gospel Project. He served in local church ministry for over 16 years before coming to Lifeway. Brian earned an M.Div. from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and a D.Min. from the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. He and his family live in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

Leadership, Volunteers

Lessons Learned Through Enlisting Volunteers

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It seems no matter the size of the church, the greatest challenge for kids ministry leaders is enlisting volunteers. Many times, it’s easy to be overwhelmed by “filling a slot” rather than recruiting individuals to serve the Lord through teaching. In my years of enlisting teachers in kids ministry, I learned the following valuable lessons.

1. Pray and Listen. Prayer is imperative before, during, and after the enlistment process. Pray, believing God will give you the names of people to ask. Pray in confidence. Pray you would see people the way God sees them. Look to see their potential. Be open for what He wants to teach you through this process.

2. Know the Vision. Before we can ask others to pray about teaching in kids ministry, we must know and understand our vision. Why do you believe kids ministry is important? How does it make a difference in the church? Why would someone want to join our teaching team? What is our desired goal for our leaders, the kids, and ministry? Spend time developing or reviewing your vision for ministry. We have to know and understand our vision before we can communicate it effectively.

3. Communicate and Ask. People need to know the why (the vision) before they can understand and say yes to the what (teaching in kids ministry). As God brings individuals to mind, reach out to them to schedule a time to visit in person. Ask individually rather than continuous churchwide blanket announcements. The constant announcements for teachers implies no one wants to serve in kids ministry. Share stories of how God is using teachers to minister to families. Share the joy and excitement for teaching. Make sure to communicate the expectations for teachers. Ask the potential teacher to pray about a specific teaching opportunity in a particular class.

4. Accept Their Answer. After the prospective teacher has prayed about teaching, follow up with her. It’s unrealistic to believe God will call every person you ask to teach in kids ministry. When someone says, “no” to serving, don’t take it personally. You may consider asking if she would be a substitute teacher or interested in another role in kids ministry. If the answer is “yes,” make sure to equip them with knowledge, training, and resources as they begin teaching. Also, follow your church’s policies and procedures for volunteers in kids ministry.

The enlistment of  teachers is continual. When I implemented the above strategies, I found recruiting teachers less of a chore and more of an opportunity to see God develop His call in others’ lives. Trust the Lord. He knows what we need and He is faithful to provide who we need.

Kids Ministry, Leadership

6 Considerations for Reopening your Kids Ministry

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Churches are beginning to discuss their plans to resume corporate worship, small group Bible studies and children’s ministries. After several weeks of isolation and distance ministry, the question has shifted suddenly from when we will get back together, to how we will get back together. How and when may look quite different from state to state, city to city, and church to church. Your plan to reconvene needs to take into consideration the official federal, state, and local guidelines for gathering in your area. 

Download the free eBook and poster set here.

The implementation of these guidelines within kids ministry may be more specific and detailed than in other ministry areas. So where and when do you start? Begin by praying and gathering information to inform your own action plan for moving forward. We at Lifeway Kids have identified 6 key areas for kids ministry leaders to consider when making their plans for returning to church.

  1.  Ministry Strategy — Think through how your overall approach to kids ministry fits into the overall plan of your church. Your church’s plan will influence the reopening of your kids programming. Think through the group sizes, meeting spaces, and social distancing practices that will be necessary in each of the reopening phases outlined in your local governing guidelines. For example, we may first be able to gather in smaller groups of 10, then 50, before we are able to meet without restriction. This will have a direct impact on how we relaunch our in-person kids programs. Realistically, your children’s ministry may lag behind adult gatherings. In the meantime, churches will need to decide how to continue to minister to those who choose to keep worshipping virtually as well as those who return in person. Examining your strategy for ministry will help focus your efforts and resources. 
  2. Learning Environments — Many aspects of your learning environments will be impacted. Finding ways to maintain personal space during kids gatherings, and elevated cleanliness practices will be essential. You may need to have different plans for preschoolers than you do for older kids. You might initially need to limit the maximum number of children in each room, which could include asking families to pre-register their children each week to reserve their spaces. Reevaluate the size and layout of physical ministry spaces to determine how many children can be accommodated. The teacher/child ratio could potentially be altered as well. Assess the use of classroom tools to help manage kids’ behavior due to anxiety and stress, maximize space, and utilize supplies. 
  3. Teaching Resources — Teaching the Bible to boys and girls is a priority; however, your curriculum needs may change. The size of classes (including children’s worship), number of classes, and number of teachers could be smaller at first, but, as your community progresses through the phases of reopening, your group sizes will continue to grow, and may change very quickly. It is important to make a resource plan for the largest group you anticipate before the end of the quarter, even if it takes a while to reach that larger group size. Take these factors into consideration when ordering curriculum. Additional factors include the age of children in the classes and whether your church uses print or digital curriculum. It may be important to continue to provide your own videos and other downloadable digital resources for families who continue to worship virtually. 
  4. Policies and Procedures — Now is the time to review and update your policies and procedures. Some of your current policies and procedures will need to be elevated, others may need to be added, updated, or eliminated. Read through your current handbook and look for items that may need to be updated in light of new COVID-19 protocols. Make a list of new concerns around cleanliness and meeting spaces, and consider how you might incorporate them as revisions. Be sure to evaluate and address best practices around hygiene, wellness, and cleanliness. Also consider the number of classrooms that you might open at specific times and the arrangement of classroom spaces. It is wise to not do this in isolation. Consult with your church’s legal advisors and insurance providers so they can review your current and updated policies in light of new operational considerations.
  5. Volunteers and Leaders — Volunteers are essential to kids ministry. Start thinking now about how your team may look different when you return. Don’t assume that all of your volunteers will be able to continue to serve. Some leaders may be hesitant to serve due to health concerns. You will likely need to recruit and onboard additional volunteers. Now is a good time to start having conversations with your current team to ascertain who may or may not be back. Use this time of preparation to communicate and minister to teachers. Begin casting new vision now so you can formulate an action plan before you meet again. You can find excellent kids ministry training resources online at ministrygrid.com.
  6. Effective Communication — Clear and consistent communication will be an important part of the process of coming back together again. You will need to communicate with families and volunteers to let them know what to expect the first Sunday they return. Share the comprehensive plan and updated guidelines for engagement. Include key church leaders to ensure they are informed. Set predictable cadences and methods of communication so that everyone knows where and when to look for official updates and information. This may include updating or establishing your kids ministry communication lines through your church website, Facebook group, newsletter, email and/or text updates. Effective communication will make the transition as smooth as possible. 

Kids, families, and volunteers will be excited to get back together soon. They will all be looking to church leadership for a reentry plan that is safe and sound. Now is the time to prayerfully design your plans around the key areas of strategy, environments, resources, policies, volunteers and communication. Ask the Lord to give you wisdom and strength to meet the new and emerging challenges of ministry in this unprecedented time, and know that in the coming days, the Lifeway Kids team will provide tangible tools to help you navigate this unique time.

Click here to download the free eBook and poster set here.

Encouragement, Leadership

HOW ARE YOU? I MEAN, REALLY?

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I know you.

You’re anxious.

You’re worried.

But not for yourself. You’re concerned instead for everyone around you—your family, your volunteers, kids in your ministry, the world.

I’m sure you’ve heard the advice from flight attendants saying in case of loss of oxygen to put on your own mask before helping those nearby—even your own kids. I’ve often wondered if I could do that. (Praying I never have to find out!) But it makes sense. If you’re gasping for air, you can’t help anyone. Even if you want to.

Many times, those who serve in ministry feel neglectful and even guilty when taking time to care for themselves. But if your goal is to be like Jesus, and I’m pretty sure it is, you need to model even your selfcare after Him.

Jesus took time to be with those closest to Him. To rest. To talk with the Father. Yes, He was Emmanuel, God with us, but He was also human. Jesus knew if He was going to carry out what His Father had planned, He needed rest. Time away. Encouragement from His Father.

These past few weeks have been hard. No doubt that the ministry side of you kicked in and kicked in big time. You’ve been searching for ways to carry on your ministry. In fact, you’re most likely consumed with it.

Stop. At least for a bit. Even if it’s just a few minutes each day. Stop.

Consider choosing one or more of these ways to care for yourself so that you can be at your best to care for others.

·      Sleep late!

·      Exercise

·      Read (for fun and inspiration – not work!)

·      Allow others to minister to you

·      Seek time with the Father

That last point. Look at it again. Especially the first word—Seek. Even with all the time in the world available right now, if you’re not intentional about seeking God, it won’t happen. Listed below are very few of the many, many verses given to us for “such a time as this.”

Jeremiah 17:7-8

Mark 6:31-32

Mark 1:35

1 Peter 3:4

Philippians 4:6-8

John 15:4 (My version of this is: “Apart from Him I’m just a stick.)

I’m sure you have your favorites, and I’d love to read them. Please share! We’re all in this together. Take care of yourselves, my friends. We need you!

Kids Ministry, Leadership, Volunteers

6 Ways to Set Expectations for Volunteers

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We bring our expectations with us into every situation. The primary factor in feeling successful and satisfied is how well our expectations and our situations match up.

When our expectations are met or exceeded, we’re happy and satisfied. The best way to set ourselves, and everyone around us, up for success is to clarify and communicate what is expected.

When expectations are not identified or articulated, stress and struggles ensue.

When it comes to recruiting and leading our volunteers we need to take the initiative in setting clear expectations right out of the gate, and in reinforcing them often.

Whether you’re recruiting short-term helpers for camp or VBS or investing in long-term teachers who lead recurring groups and classes, here are six expectations that are worth considering for the kids ministry volunteers you lead.

1. ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT

Every volunteer is expected to actively engage with children.

Some may think that their mere presence in the room is enough and that it’s okay to passively pass out papers and make sure the kids don’t hurt one another.

Others may be inclined to scroll through their phones while their teaching partner carries the bulk of the load.

We need to clarify that all helpers are expected to actively engage with kids during ministry times. Our spaces are No Phone Zones, and our leaders are present for the purpose of participation.

2. ENTHUSIASTIC PARTICIPATION

Speaking of participation, another expectation is that everyone on our team participates with a proper attitude of enthusiasm.

Kids are drawn to enthusiastic leaders, and enthusiasm is contagious. When our leaders refuse to play the games, learn the verses, sing the songs or do the hand motions, kids won’t want to do them either.

Attitude is everything. Set the expectation that your leaders not only participate, but that they do so with energy and enthusiasm.

3. RELATIONAL CONNECTION

Teaching can be done via video or from a stage or a printed page, but discipleship can only happen in the context of a relationship.

Set the expectation that your leaders invest in learning kids’ names, knowing their family situations and listening to their prayer concerns.

There’s more to kids ministry than facilitating a lesson; we need our leaders to build relationships with the kids in their groups and take an active interest in their lives.

Years from now, kids may not remember much of what we taught, but they’ll absolutely remember those who cared about them.

4. CATALYTIC CONVERSATION

Catalytic conversations are intentional interactions that happen apart from a lesson. This may mean answering questions that kids ask or listening to their concerns.

Kids often ask profound and thoughtful questions seemingly out of nowhere.

We need our leaders to always be ready to engage in these kinds of discussions with kids. They don’t have to be able to answer every theological puzzler that a kid might throw at them.

But we can always seek out answers to tough questions and get back to them later, but we do need our leaders to look for these opportunities to engage in one-on-one conversation.

5. SUPPORTIVE SUPERVISION

Clarify the expectation that all of your adult leaders and volunteers need to be authority figures during ministry times.

As the main leader, you cannot police every child and monitor every situation on your own. Your adult leaders need to be supporters and co-enforcers of the rules you have instituted for kids in regard to behavior and participation.

That means not undermining your authority but encouraging kids to respect whatever guidelines you’ve put into place.

6. PRAYERFUL PREPARATION

People care for what there’s prayer for. Though that sentence is not grammatically correct, it is absolutely accurate.

Encourage your leaders to pray for their ministry times before they arrive, committing their lessons and sessions to God and asking Him to speak to guide thoughts, words and attitudes for His glory.

Ask your leaders to pray with, for and over the kids in their groups every week. Part of our ministry needs to be lifting our kids before The Lord.

Another part should be modeling prayer for children to see. Prayer-filled people are care-filled people. Set an expectation of prayerful preparation for your leaders.

Expectations that are not identified, clarified, and articulated cannot be met. Lead your volunteers well by setting and communicating clear expectations for them to pursue.

CHUCK PETERS is director of operations for Lifeway Kids. He is a graduate of Columbia Bible College. A creative person by nature, Chuck’s unique combination of leadership experience in media production, business, and ministry has caused him to become an unexpected fan of leadership, strategy, data, and analysis in ministry. He lives outside Nashville with his wife and four kids.

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