LifeWay

Kids Ministry

Dedicated to helping Kids Ministry leaders in their mission of making disciples

Volunteers

Free Download – Virtual Coffee Date with Volunteers

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Are you missing spending time with your team? At LifeWay Kids, we definitely are. Here is a fun idea to help remedy that—invite your volunteer team to a virtual coffee date!

Download this free, customizable invitation and email it to your team along with a link for a virtual meet up on Zoom, Google Hangouts or whatever works best for you.

DOWNLOAD INVITATION HERE

Instructions for customizing the invitation:

  1. Download and install Adobe Acrobat Reader DC ​here​ if you don’t already have it on your computer. (It’s free!)
  2. Open the invite PDF in Adobe Acrobat Reader DC and enable the “Fill & Sign” feature in the panel on the right.
  3. When prompted “What do you want to do?”, select “Fill and sign”.
  4. Hover your cursor over the “Click to add your own date here” text on the invite.
  5. Click the text to make it editable, then delete the placeholder text. Add your own info in the box.

Repeat steps 4 and 5 for the “Time” section of the invite. You can hit “close” in the top right to exit the “Fill & Sign” feature when you’re done editing the text. Make sure to save your changes before attaching the PDF to your email.

We hope this resource is helpful as we seek to connect in these uncertain times. Enjoy your virtual coffee!

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.

Kids Ministry, Volunteers
Kids Ministry, Volunteers

4 Things You Can Give Your Volunteers to Help Them Grow

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Face it. We can’t accomplish everything we want to on our own. To maximize our ministry impact, we have to grow the capacity of our teams. That’s why it’s critical for us to do everything we can to develop volunteers into leaders. In today’s post I’ll share four things you can give your volunteers, to help them grow as leaders.

1. Quality Training

How are you investing in your volunteers to help train them to grow in ministry? An intentional training plan can help your volunteers grow in their leadership. When we grow in our knowledge about teaching kids in different life stages, we start to see practical ways to apply what we have learned. Consider hosting a training session for your volunteers, and show them how they can grow as ministry leaders.

2. Quality Time

Serving as a volunteer takes time, meaning that you may have the most prominent ministry voice in the lives of your volunteers. When you slow down to spend quality time with the people you’re serving with, you may inspire them in a way that helps them grow as a leader. People need real relationships, so don’t underestimate how even a small encouragement can positively impact someone.

3. Quality Tasks

Do you allow your volunteers to play a significant role in your ministry, or are you more likely to assign roles that have less responsibility? To help volunteers grow as leaders, we have to be willing to let them serve in leading roles. It can be difficult to hand over responsibility for large pieces of your ministry, but when you do it allows you to become a coach, helping others grow into leadership roles too.

4. Quality Thanks

There are a lot of things that need to get done. If you serve in a ministry role, you get it. But watch out for the pitfall where volunteers can become merely a means to get things done. Stop and say thanks. Appreciate them for who they are, and for what they contribute. Build a culture of encouragement and gratitude. When you do this, everyone will grow more and lead better.

When volunteers grow to be leaders, our capacity gows and we can accomplish more. If we believe that our mission has eternal importance, then we can’t afford to not help our volunteers grow as leaders.

Logan Meek serves on the CentriKid Camps team. Logan began serving with Student Life and LifeWay after spending two years as a Sixth Grade teacher with Teach For America. He believes in the importance of strong kids ministry to help kids build strong spiritual foundations.

Encouragement, Kids Ministry, Teacher Appreciation, Volunteers
Resources, Teacher Appreciation, Volunteers

LifeWay Kids Planner Downloads

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Concrete & Cranes Building

Valentine’s Volunteer Appreciation

Popcorn Appreciation Party

Bookmarks

Extra Lucky Volunteer Appreciation

Easter Volunteer Appreciation

Easter Recipe Tags

Mother’s Day Gift

VBS Appreciation

VBS Mini Candy Bar Wrappers

Father’s Day Craft

Fourth of July Tags

Scripture Cards 1

Ice Cream Social

Pizza Party Invites

Fall Appreciation

Scripture Cards – 2

Fall Kids Tags

Thankful Tree

Sweet As Pie Invitation

Christmas Appreciation

Christmas Tags

Volunteers
Kids Ministry, Volunteers

What I Learned Teaching Kids

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It is an honor to work in Kids Ministry. Those of you who devote your lives and careers to it are my heroes. In my church, I am simply a church member, but I want all church members to know how incredible it is to volunteer in the kids ministry. It is an incredible honor to serve the kids in my church on a weekly basis and here are just a few things I have learned as a KidMin volunteer. 

Kids are always listening.

You may think that you aren’t getting through to the kids that you are teaching, but they hear you and they are taking in a lot more than you realize. Maybe they are drawing while you are reading a Bible story or maybe they won’t make eye contact with you as you talk to them. But they are hearing you. Kids don’t miss much—and your words and tone matter. 

Kids love to tell you what is going on in their lives.

I love to ask kids what was their favorite thing that happened in the past week or what they are looking forward to the next week. This helps you get to know what they enjoy and what their lives are like. Kids love it when they find out that you like some of the same things that they like or that you have done some of the same things that they have done. If you haven’t been around kids much you might think that it is hard to connect with them, but get them talking about their favorite book, show, or activity and you can have the most fun conversation. 

Kids will surprise you. 

Every single week I am blown away by the kids in my church. They are so kind and helpful. Some of the kids I teach are learning Latin, some kids are playing sports, but all of them have great ideas and want to learn. One Sunday as I was teaching about Abraham and Sarah the girls in my class asked if they could throw a baby shower for Baby Isaac. We had the most fun creating a fun welcome for Isaac as we talked about God’s promises. Let kids ask questions and throw out suggestions—they will always surprise you. 

Kids want to be loved.

Kids like to play tough sometimes, but they all want to be loved. I teach girls right now, so they love to run up and give me hugs when they see me and I always want them to know how much I care about them. We talk a lot about how much Jesus loves us and wants what is best for us, but even if they haven’t grasped how much Jesus loves them, I can make sure that they know how much I love them.

Christmas, Teacher Appreciation, Volunteers
Volunteers

3 Ways to Make Volunteers Run Away (and How to Keep Them)

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Discipleship is a team sport, and that means every kids ministry needs a strong support system of volunteers. But volunteers need support too. Today’s post has three ways to get your volunteers to run away from serving in your kids ministry (and of course, some ideas about how to make them want to stay.)

You can make your volunteers run away if you …

1. Never explain the “why” when things change.

What you do is always changing. When it does, just keep the reason for the change a big secret, and your volunteers are sure to lose interest over time. For example, maybe you implemented a new check-in policy for safety, and parents no longer walk all the way to their child’s classroom to pick them up or drop them off. If you communicate with volunteers that safety is the reason for your change, they may become more invested and stay longer. If you want to see volunteers hit the road, just keep the reasoning to yourself.

2. Always are a last minute planner.

The best volunteers love to make themselves available to help out when things change at the last minute. To make sure they abandon their roles as volunteers, don’t do any long-term planning. When everything is planned at the last minute, people will be sure to burn out, or just not show up. Long-term planning and communication makes it possible for volunteers to make serving at church a sustainable part of their lives.  Keep them on their toes by planning everything late, and they’ll be gone so fast you’ll forget they were ever there.

3. Never say thank you.

This may be the most important step. If you make sure volunteers never know that you appreciate them, they’ll make sure to find something else to do. When people feel personally appreciated, they’re more bought in, so be careful not to recognize anyone for their individual contribution. Volunteer appreciation events are a huge no-no. These will keep people engaged and help volunteers build meaningful relationships with each other, and even with you! Just keep your head down and don’t say anything, and the exit doors will start swinging.

All kidding aside, imagine how discouraging it would be to volunteer and serve in a ministry that did all these things consistently. Unfortunately it can be all too easy for us to lead this way in kids ministry, even when we don’t intend to. But when we are intentional to explain the why, plan in advance, and say thank you, we can build great teams.

Proverbs 22:6 reminds us to “teach a youth about the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.”  It’s so much easier to do this as part of a team, so go invest in one of the volunteers from your ministry this week.

Logan Meek serves on the CentriKid Camps team. Logan began serving with Student Life and LifeWay after spending two years as a Sixth Grade teacher with Teach For America. He believes in the importance of strong kids ministry to help kids build strong spiritual foundations.

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