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Volunteer Appreciation Resources
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Soapin’ you have a merry Christmas!
Have You Hugged a Volunteer Today?
Volunteers in Kids Ministry are the very best! Kidmin volunteers make the whole ministry go smoothly. They are absolutely essential and without a doubt, they deserve all the appreciation we can shower on them!
So … have you hugged a volunteer today??
Maybe you are not a hugger, and that’s OK, you could still hug a volunteer and show appreciation. A wise kids ministry leader is always looking for ways to show volunteers that you care!
At this point, my guess is that your heart is in total agreement with me, but your brain may be saying “I don’t have enough time for an elaborate Pinterest creation!” Nobody does … so here is a list of quick ideas you can totally use in your own context. Add your own creativity and show your volunteers how much you love them:
- Give a volunteer a hug. A high-five or fist-bump will suffice if you just aren’t a hugger. Shake hands if you are into being super-formal. The point is to get in the same space, close enough to make physical contact. Don’t just rely on waving, texting, or emailing … get in there and make contact!
Write a Letter to Say Thanks. Hand-written letter-writing is such a rare thing for so many people. It doesn’t require any great expense, just a little thought and a pen. For those of you without a personalized stationery set, sticky notes will do if you write something nice on them!- Communicate the Vision. Everyone likes to know where the ministry is headed. Find simple ways to share about the “why” for the ministry and what you see on the horizon. Volunteers love hearing about how they contribute to something larger that makes a Kingdom impact!
- Invest in Leaders. With volunteers in churches of any size, you can invest for future leadership. It may look different in different seasons. Sometimes just sharing a practical tip with a teen volunteer will make a huge improvement in their delivery of the lesson.
- Ask a Question and Listen. You earn major points as a ministry leader when you have the personal buy-in from those who serve with you. Take the time to learn personal details or ministry feedback from those who serve with you. Lead relationally and personally! Listening is one of the best ways to show your heart and appreciation.
For the Kids Ministry leader looking to go the extra mile, step it up with these ideas:
- Plan to get away together for a conference, a retreat, or even a fun getaway.
- Share snacks they love, either collectively (think biscuit bar) or individually (based on which coffee or candy they enjoy).
- Plan a personal or family project to encourage your volunteer(s). Write an acrostic using a volunteer’s name and the things you love about the way they serve.
You can choose the best way to show your volunteers how much they mean to you, but the most important thing is to do it! Share this post with other leaders you know who serve with volunteers and encourage them to hug a volunteer today too!
Jeremy Echols leads the CentriKid Camps team and manages the LifeWay Kids events. He, his wife Emily, and their precious daughter love their church, their neighborhood, and spending time together. Jeremy loves to read, watch sports, and grill burgers.
Gospel Centered Kids Ministry
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What does it really mean to put Jesus at the center of your Kids Ministry? Bill Emeott, Lead Kids Ministry Specialist for LifeWay Kids, joins the podcast to share how being intentional in four areas can result in a Christ-Centered, transformational Kids Ministry that sticks for eternity.
4 Things Not to Say to Parents of Children with ADD/ADHD
We could not figure it out. Out of four of our sons, two definitely were struggling. A pleaser and very calm child, despite his best efforts, one of our sons could not succeed at his schoolwork. No matter what we tried, it wouldn’t work. Nothing made a difference and we couldn’t find an answer. One of our other sons did not really misbehave but flittered around from place to place, room to room, toy to toy with an unbelievable amount of inability to focus. We began talking to our friends and medical professionals to try to determine the source of the issue. While the presenting issue was different for both children, it was suggested and determined that they might both have ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder). On the advice of our pediatrician, we chose a medicine that would help our sons focus. Our decision wasn’t made blindly and we really agonized over it. That’s why it’s quite hurtful when a stranger or even a friend makes a comment about children who have ADD. I’ve decided to list a few so that hopefully you can share with your ministry volunteers so that they don’t accidentally alienate a family from your church.
- I could never medicate my kids. You know, there was a time I might have said the same thing. Parents who choose to give their children ADD medicines are often at a point of helplessness. It’s not a decision that they made quickly. In fact, many struggle even after they have begun the medicine. Choose to respect every parent’s decision to do what they feel is best for their own children.
- In my day, they fixed it with discipline. If you’ve been around any length of time, you’ve probably heard someone state that the cure for inappropriate behavior is discipline. It’s true that discipline is important. God commanded Christian parents to discipline their children. It has to be understood, however, that there are some times that no amount of discipline would work. It wasn’t that my son didn’t want to do well in school, he tried desperately, but he couldn’t. I’ve heard adult men and women say “I’m not smart” or “I didn’t do well in school.” I wonder how many of those people would have a different opinion of their intelligence if they had only been given the tool to help them focus and learn in the way they needed to.
- Have you tried _______? People are often quick to offer their suggestions and desperate parents will try anything. We had private tutors coming to our home after school, we bought essential oils said to aid in focus, we changed dietary habits, and more. For some, those are enough efforts, but for our family and many others, they don’t treat the root of the problem.
- Your child was so bad this morning. OK, so I really hope that no one has told any parents in your church the preceding statement, but any time a parent is made aware of a behavioral issue, no matter how kindly it is stated, the parent hears “your child was bad!” Recognize that the child wasn’t bad, his behavior was not appropriate. Try your best to avoid having to tell the parents. The child and the parents hear it enough in other places. They do not need to hear it at church. And quite honestly, there are just days that parents forget to give their children their medicine and then they are riddled with guilt.
Now, for the good news. Our children are thriving with their newfound ability to focus on their tasks. They have a great medicine and we work closely with our doctor to monitor it to the lowest possible dose. Our son who struggled so much to read is now on the honor roll and loves to read. Our other son is able to focus and have real, meaningful conversations. Choosing to use medicines for ADD in our home was a difficult one, but it is one that we feel was right for our family. Encourage your kids ministry leadership to consider this as they speak with parents of children who may have ADD.
Jeff Land is Publishing Team Leader for Bible Studies For Life: Kids. He holds a BSW from Mississippi College and a MACE from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Jeff has served as children’s pastor and currently teaches second graders each week at his church. Jeff, his wife Abbey, and their four sons live in Coopertown, TN.
2018 Essential Reading List for a Kids Ministry Leader
Many folks ask for tips on where to begin or what to read next so we’ve compiled the 2018 Essential Reading List for a Kids Ministry Leader. Make 2018 a year of growth in your ministry and in your leadership skills. The list this year features some of the recent kids ministry books from LifeWay and a few leadership classics as well.
At CentriKid, we pour into our camp staff as leaders for us at camp and for their service back home. We believe that you can never have too much leadership. During the fall and winter of 2017, the CentriKid Camps office team read through “Nothing Less” and “Gospel-Centered Kids Ministry.” These books are great for your growth, but also beneficial for your ministry team to read and discuss.
Kids Ministry & Leadership Books from LifeWay — find each of these books at lifeway.com or local LifeWay Stores.
- Designed to Lead – Eric Geiger – foundational leadership book for growing leaders. This book replaces “21 Laws” by John Maxwell as my recommendation for new leaders.
- Nothing Less – Jana Magruder – research made easily accessible for you to help parents understand the importance of kids spending time in God’s Word. You may find this a helpful gift for new parents or a recommendation to all parents in your ministry.
- Kids Ministry that Nourishes – Jana Magruder – Kids ministry philosophy and practical tips from the Director of LifeWay Kids.
- Gospel-Centered Kids Ministry – Brian Dembowczyk – This book stepped on my toes and challenged my thinking about how I teach kids and how I raise my own daughter
- This is Our Time – Trevin Wax – timely cultural insights with guidance for 21st century Christians.
- Keep an eye out for “What about Kids Ministry” coming in 2018!
These leadership books are considered “classics” in our CentriKid culture — we’ve read through these at different times with our office team and with summer staff leaders like our Camp Directors.
- Spiritual Leadership – Oswald Sanders
- The Advantage – Patrick Lencioni
- Next Generation Leader – Andy Stanley
- StrengthsFinder 2.0 – Tom Rath
As a bonus tip—add the Kids Ministry 101 podcast to your commute or your workout. This podcast is always quick, it stays on-topic and gives great insights from voices in Kids Ministry and ministry leadership.
I hope that 2018 is a great year for you personally—and my prayer is that all leaders in kids ministry will be strong in their faith, grow in leadership, and make the message of Christ clear in the lives of kids under your care.
Jeremy Echols leads the CentriKid Camps team and manages the LifeWay Kids events. He, his wife Emily, and their precious daughter love their church, their neighborhood, and spending time together. Jeremy loves to read, watch sports, and grill burgers.
Teaming Up with Sports Families
Every fall kids head back to school, churches kick off their fall programming events, and fall sports teams start their seasons. Some church leaders may be unaware of the kid-athletes in their church. Others may carry resentment and harbor a critical spirit towards sports families who allow their kids to play on Sundays. Both of these positions can mean missed opportunities for ministry to the sports families in our churches. As kid leaders we need to prepare our hearts and shape our ministry strategies so that we can serve the families who play as well as the families who stay. Here are three tips to help you win whether your athletes are home or away on Sunday.
- Engage – Engage with your sporty kids by taking an active interest in their athletics. Ask them for a copy of their game schedule so you can pray for them as they play. If they are gone one weekend, remember to ask them questions about how their team did and how they played the next time you see them. If you are able to go to one of their games, go. Kids feel honored and valued when church leaders make an effort to go to a ballgame to cheer them on. If you don’t understand the rules to their sport, ask them to teach you what you need to know. In an appropriate setting, consider celebrating the accomplishments of your kid athletes. It’s OK to let them know that you miss them while they are away, but do it in a way that reinforces that you love and support them regardless of their attendance record.
- Encourage – Encourage your kids to honor God as they play their sport of choice. This can mean being an influence over others through being an excellent player and being a godly example of good sportsmanship even when the calls don’t go their way. It can also mean simply remembering to play their game to the glory of God—using the athletic gifts that He has given them to return honor to Him, not gather it for themselves. Being an outstanding athlete can be a great platform for bringing glory and honor to God. Tim Tebow does this very well, but kids need encouragement to have a testimony with their team. Be the one that speaks a blessing over them as they represent the Savior to kids on their team who don’t know Jesus.
- Equip – The Deuteronomy 6 model of family ministry depicts parents and children talking about God’s ways as they rise up, lie down, and travel along the road. We have an awesome opportunity to equip sports kids and their families to have spiritual conversations as they go. This may mean sending home copies of activity pages and information on your Bible lesson in advance of your typical Sunday schedule. Encourage kids and parents to listen to an audio version of the Bible passage or story as they drive to and from the field and provide them with discussion questions for the minivan. You might even consider sending along extra copies of activity pages for your player to share with his or her teammates, along with a friendly invitation to visit your church when they are back in town. Many sports families are open to activities for their kids to do between games, especially if shared by a teammate.
Be careful to not discourage, disparage, or disengage from your kid-athletes. Most sports seasons are just that: seasons. They come and go quickly, and your travel sports kids will be back in your Sunday services before you know it. When we can look at athletics as an opportunity for ministry instead of a threat to it, we may find creative new ways to engage with kids and families on a deeper level.
By the way, the principles that we have used here to talk about ministering to sports kids apply with equal validity to any child or family that spends seasons away from your ministry. Some due to travel associated with a parent’s job, or with families of divorce where kids are only present every other week. We as kids leaders need to learn to minister to our kids in a consistent way whether they are home or away.
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.
8 Ways to Develop and Work with a Ministry Team
Working together as a team is not the latest management fad, but springs from the heart of the biblical concept of leadership within the church. Check out Proverbs 11:14; 15:22; and 24:5-6 to see the wisdom of including a team.
Don’t forget the early church. In Acts we learn that the early church was founded under the leadership of TWELVE apostles. Acts 6 tell us about SEVEN deacons chosen to serve. Acts 13 teaches that the first missionary venture was a TEAM, Paul and Barnabas and Acts 14 talks about the appointment of MULTIPLE elders.
Paul writes to the Ephesians about the BODY with various parts closely fitting and firmly adhering to one another and in 1 Corinthians he talks about the diversity of gifts but the same Spirit.
So, how do you do it? Below are 8 tips for developing and working with a ministry team that I think will be helpful:
- Determine the Purpose of the Team. Ask yourself the “why” question. Why do we need THIS team? One of the reasons committees and teams get a bad rap is that many aren’t needed. If your team isn’t needed, disband.
- Gather the Right Team! Start with prayer. God is more concerned with our success than we are, so PRAY and ask direction as you assemble your team. Consider different personalities of those invited and don’t pick a bunch of “mini-yous.” Seek diversity that compliments.
- Commit to the team. Be concerned for and acknowledge the whole person not just the team member. Ask, “How can this person best serve the team?” then ask yourself, “How can I best serve this person?” Look beyond the task at hand and make a more thoughtful, deeper commitment to those on the team. Pray for your team members. Ask for spiritual insights into their needs. Make the team your priority and make sure they can see your commitment.
- Cast a Vision for the Team. “Where there is no vision, the people will perish.” (Proverbs 29:18). Develop your vision and share the vision and mission of the team. Clearly define the purpose and work together to create and achieve goals.
- Equip and Facilitate the Team. Provide specific training for specific understandings. Resist the “I’ll just do it myself mentality” because team members might not yet be equipped. Take an “always wanting to learn—always wanting to improve” posture about the work, the team, and YOURSELF. Lead by example.
- Empower the Team. Give things away to your team members. Encourage various team members giftedness and skillsets. Trust you team.
- Recognize the Team. Show Appreciation. Don’t take the credit for the team. Recognize unique contributions and give both private and public recognition.
- Don’t Kill the Team. Failure to do #1-7 will kill your team. Be flexible, seek opinions, and be intentional about evaluation.
Over the years Ephesians 4:12 has become one of my favorite verses. Develop your team and equip them to do the work of ministry to build up the body of Christ. I hope this verse become part of your ministry philosophy, too.
Bill Emeott serves as Lead Ministry Specialist for LifeWay Kids. A graduate of Mercer University and New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Bill has served as a Kid’s Minister and currently teaches 2nd Grade Bible study.
Motherhood and Ministry: How to honor both callings
If you are a mom who happens to also be in full or part-time ministry, then you know the tug-of-war that happens on your time, energy, and even your heart. There are so many women in ministry today—and particularly in children’s ministry. Because of this, I felt it was timely to address the dynamic of doing mothering and ministering well and in conjunction with God’s plan. Here are three things to remember about motherhood and ministry:
- Know that you are called to both. Chances are, if you have been in ministry for any number of years, then you have truly been called. If you aren’t truly called, sadly, you will not last long. Ministry is a calling and when we remember that God Himself called us, then we can rest knowing that He does not call us without equipping us. Hebrews 13:21 says that He will “equip you with everything good to do his will, working in us what is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever.” Though there will be times when we do not feel equipped, we can hold true to the promise that He will provide what we need to accomplish His will.
If you have children of your own, then you know that you are called to motherhood. This is an instinctive passion that drives almost everything we do—generally speaking. We wake our kids up, fix a meal, pack a lunch, dress them, drive them to school, check their homework, enroll them in lessons and leagues, and tuck them in at night. Of course, this list is much longer. Let’s not forget that we also discipline them, teach them, and most importantly—disciple them. We cling to the verses in Deuteronomy as a daily reminder: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. These words that I am giving you today are to be in your heart. Repeat them to your children. Talk about them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Deuteronomy 6:5-6 - Be warned that the enemy tries to lie to you in both ears. You probably recognize some of these whispers: “Why are you spending all this time with other people’s kids and not your own?” “You should be doing more at work instead of spending time with your kids.” Sound familiar? Remember, “your adversary the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour” (1 Peter 5:8). He would love to steal any kind of joy you have in ministry—and motherhood. Resist the temptation to listen to the lies and instead, be fully present and open to the gifts that both roles offer.
- Seek to find synergy in the two roles. If your kids are actually part of the ministry you lead, let them help lead songs, help you plan fun events, or prepare activity supplies. If your kids are teens, give them more responsibility such as helping you with AV equipment, leading worship, and co-teaching with other leaders. Serving together may be the biggest benefit of being a mom in ministry.
Jana Magruder serves as the Director of LifeWay Kids. She is a Baylor graduate and offers a wealth of experience and passion for kids ministry, education, and publishing. She is the author of Kids Ministry that Nourishes and Life Verse Creative Journal, which she co-authored with her teenage daughter. She and her husband, Michael, along with their three children reside in Nashville.
Pray and Meet: An Event for the New Ministry Year
The “to-do” list for the beginning of a ministry year seems endless. Enlist teachers. Train volunteers. Pass out new curriculum. Organize children into their new classes, and on, and on. However, a few years ago as I was serving on a local church staff, I felt we needed to provide an opportunity to pray together as a ministry for the upcoming ministry year. In addition, the teachers of our various preschool ministries needed time to fellowship together. Why would we want to add one more task to the “to-do” list? We wanted to communicate the importance of prayer and fellowshipping with other adults. As we visited with teachers about their plans about returning to teach for the next year, many shared they were missing adult fellowship. As a result, an event called “Pray and Meet” began.
In planning, we were intentional with the purpose of the event. We wanted to provide a specific time teachers and other church members could come to the church and pray for the upcoming year. We encouraged the teachers to pray together. Preschool parents and other church members were invited to come pray with and over the teachers. Also, a goal was to provide a time of fellowship for the teachers to build connections with other adults who were serving in the ministry.
We selected an evening prior to “Promotion Sunday.” We sent invitations to all volunteers in our ministry, letting them know of a come-and-go time of prayer and fellowship. We put together a pamphlet including prayer prompts/requests from each of our preschool ministries. Outside each classroom door, we listed the names of the teachers for each ministry. This allowed people to pray specifically for each teacher by name. We also provided ice cream and cookies for a time of fellowship together.
It was encouraging to see how God used “Pray and Meet.” We saw new friendships among teachers form and other friendships grow. Teachers were encouraged as others came and prayed for them. Families came and prayed for the new year with their child’s teacher. Our leadership was able to build connections with teachers and other preschool families.
As you plan your ministry calendar, intentionally plan for a time of prayer and fellowship. How can you provide an opportunity for teachers to pray together and connect with one another and other families?
Delanee Williams serves as a Ministry Specialist with LifeWay Kids. She is a graduate of Baylor University and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Delanee has served in kids ministry for over twenty years and is passionate about developing, equipping and encouraging leaders.