10 Leadership Tips for Leading in Children's Ministry

Everything rises and falls on leadership...and that includes children's ministry.

Here are 10 leadership tips for leading in children's ministry. 

Cast vision...continuously.

Have a clear vision for the ministry and point people toward it. 

This brings unity to the team and helps align the ministry to a common, God-sized vision. 

Don't forget that vision leaks. As I said, cast it all the time. 

Use the majority of your time pouring into others.

Remember this...it's not about what you can do...it's about what you can empower other people to do.  The biggest part of your week should be investing in your leaders.

Lead with integrity. 

Make sure your private life lines up with your public life.  In the last few years, we have seen many church leaders have to step down from ministry because of secret sin.  

Walk the talk.  Don't get taken down by secret sins. What is behind the curtain will eventually be known in front of the curtain. 

Have people who hold you accountable.  

Remember...the best way to be successful in ministry is to stay in ministry. 

Spend time with Jesus every day.  

Your first calling is to spend time with Jesus each day. Walk with Him. Read His Word each day. Ask Him to speak to your heart each day as you stay in close fellowship with Him. 

Don't get so busy working for Jesus that you don't have time to spend with Jesus. 

Time spent with Jesus is never wasted.  Out of your time spent with Him will come your anointing and the power of God working through you.  

Be good with kids...be great with leaders of kids.

Grow as a leader of adults. 

Read leadership books. Read emotional intelligence books.  Work on your people skills. Uncover your blind spots and work on them.

Take your days off and use your vacation time.

This will help you avoid burnout. It is crucial to take time off if you want to go the distance in ministry.  

I have an electric razor that is not working right now. Can't find the power cord that it plugs into. Hence when I turn it on nothing happens. Why? Because I haven't been able to recharge it. The same goes with your ministry. You must take time each day to plug into God and get recharged. 

Guard your heart above all else.

The Bible clearly states that your job as a leader is to guard your heart.

Guard your heart against bitterness.

Guard your heart against jealously.

Guard your heart against anger.

Guard your heart against disappointment.

Guard your heart against sin. 

Never arrive..always be learning.

No matter how long you've been leading...you should always be learning and seeking to grow.  Be very intentional about this.  

When you stop learning, you stop growing. Don't fall into the trap of complacency.

Don't use people to build the ministry...use the ministry to build people.

It's not about what you want from people.  It should be about what you want for people. 

Show by your words and actions that you care about your team members.  

You've heard this before...it's so true. People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care. 

Lead by relationships instead of trying to lead by title.  People don't follow a title...they follow someone they love and respect.

Be the children and family ministry champion in your church.

You should be the person who keeps children's ministry on senior leadership's radar...whether it's the pastor or someone else you report to. 

Don't be shy about communicating the needs and vision of children's ministry. 

You must be the squeaky wheel for children's ministry. It's your job. That's what they are expecting you to do. 

Yes...use wisdom and balance...but make sure you are the champion for children and family ministry. 

So...there you go. Those are my 10 tips.

What are some other tips you have for children's ministry leaders? Share in the comment section below.

p.s. Have you read my book "Lead Well in Children's Ministry?"  You can gets tons of more leadership tips in this book. It's available at this link. 

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The Number 6...Why It's Critical to Teaching Kids

Did you know the number 6 is a key part of effectively teaching kids?

Here's why. 

Studies show that if a child hears something one time in a month, they will only remember about 5% of it.

But...if a child hears something 6 times in a month, their retention rate goes up to 95%!

Here is a practical way to put this into practice. 

Each month, make sure you have the kids repeat your key teaching verse and truth at least 6 times.  If you will do this, you will see the verse and truth go into their long-term memory. 

When the verse and truth is transferred into their long-term memory, they will remember it when they are in college one day and are faced with temptations and attacks on the Word of God.   

Personally, I have kids repeat the key truth at least 6 times each week. I want to make sure they get it for life.  

Here's the cool thing...when I do this, it is amazing that kids can repeat the key truths and verses years later when I ask them to share what they've learned.

If you haven't checked out my curriculum series called Connect12, you should take a look at it. Connect12 teaches kids 12 critical truths over the course of a year...one truth each month. Take them through this curriculum and it will be embedded into their memory for life. 

You can see the curriculum and get a preview at this link.  It is great for small groups, large groups, and mid-week Bible study.  Try a month and watch the kids get it for life. 

6...remember this number...it can be a game-changer for the kids in your ministry.

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Should You Keep Doing a Program or Event? Ask Yourself These 5 Questions

Are you struggling with an event or program that you feel may have seen its better days?

Are you considering quitting a program or event?

Do you feel the passion for a particular event or program is slipping away? 

Here are 5 questions to ask yourself.

Is this a sacred cow?

Over the years, churches tend to get attached to certain events and programs.  It becomes a part of the church's DNA...whether it's still working or not. 

Use wisdom when you start talking about getting rid of a sacred cow. There is a method to getting rid of a sacred cow. I talk more about this in my coaching program. 

Are we doing this just because it's something we've always done?

Sister so and so started the ministry or program in 1965. We've been doing this ever since then. A few families in the church are heavily invested in this program or event. They will get upset if you try to change or drop the said ministry or program.  They may even quit the church if you try to change this. 

What worked in 1965 may not be working today. But they continue to prop it up because they value tradition over effectiveness. 

Does this ministry or event pass the blank piece of paper test?

What is the blank piece of paper test?  Here it is.

A year after the event or program, can you write down the names of people who have been reached and have become a part of your church family? 

I know a church that is going through this now.  They have a program that they have been doing for 9 years. The program is well attended each year, but families are not being reached through it. In fact, 9 years into the program, they can only write down the name of one family that has been reached. They are having some hard conversations about whether they should continue to do this program.

If you can't write down the names of people who have been reached and discipled, then maybe you should try something else that will help you reach kids and families.

How are people voting with their feet? 

Is the program or event well attended?  Is attendance declining?  Are you only continuing because of a small group of people who value it? 

People vote with their feet.  If they are voting "no," then why would you continue to perpetuate it. 

Attendance factors should be tracked and regularly evaluated.

Is this program or event causing us to be busy but not effective?

There is a difference between being busy and being effective. Just because you are busy doesn't mean you are effective. 

Sometimes the best thing you can put on your calendar is eraser marks. 

Less truly is more. You can do a lot of things mediocre or you can do a few things with excellence. 

Every year, I challenge you to sit down and take a hard look at all of your programs and events. Ask yourself these five questions. Make changes where changes need to be made.  Remember...the Gospel is unchanging...but methods are ever-changing. 

Don't get stuck in the past. Have the courage to make changes that need to be made. Be willing for a few people to get upset so that the ministry as a whole can move forward. 

We are on an urgent mission...to reach kids and families with the Gospel and to see them discipled.  We can't afford to waste time and resources on unproductive ministry. 

Dare to ask these 5 questions about everything you are currently doing and be willing to change as needed. Remember...the last 3 letters of trend is end.  

End what is not working. It might just be what you need to do to see God move in a new and fresh way.

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7 Keys to Keeping Volunteers Long-Term

Do you have constant turnover in your children's ministry volunteers?

Do you want to see your volunteers go the distance with you?

Do you get tired of having to replace volunteers who have quit? 

Do you want to strengthen your volunteer team? 

Here are seven keys to keeping your volunteers long-term.

Build relationships.

How long volunteers stay is directly related to the depth of the relationships they form with you and other volunteers. 

At one of the churches where I served, I oversaw nine campuses. I would regularly go and visit the campuses during weekend services. At one of the campuses, I noticed that every time I went to visit, there were lots of volunteers and the volunteers were smiling and happy. 

I ask the director of that campus what she was doing to keep her volunteers happy and serving with joy. Whatever she was doing was working and I wanted to pass it along to the other campuses. 

Here was her response. She said, "I don't have volunteers...I have friends."

In that moment it became crystal clear. Her volunteers were happy and committed because she had built a friendship...a relationship with them.  

Let me say this one more time. If you want to keep your volunteers...build relationships with them.  

Put them where they need to be.

Have you ever asked a new volunteer where they wanted to serve and they said "wherever you need me." 

The temptation is to place them where you need them. But that often doesn't work out. 

Here's the answer. 

Instead of placing volunteers where you need them, place them where they need to be. 

Where they need to be is in a role that aligns with their gifts, talents, and interest.  Sit down with them and find out where they really want to serve.  One month after they start serving, connect with them and find out if they are enjoying where they are serving. If they are not enjoying it, then help them find another role that is a better fit. 

Put them in their dream job. 

This ties in to the previous point. You want to help people find a role that they are passionate about. A simple way to help them uncover this is to ask them this question.

What is your dream job in children's ministry?  

Once they tell you, place them in that role. When a volunteer gets in their sweet spot, they will enjoy serving.  When a volunteer gets in their sweet spot, they will thrive. When a volunteer gets in their sweet spot, you will see smiles instead of frustration.

Shepherd them well.  

If you lead well, you will become a shepherd for your volunteers. They will look to you for spiritual support, care and prayers. They will come to you with prayer requests, and spiritual needs. 

Embrace this. 

Pray with them. Cry with them. Go to the hospital to visit them. Support them. Remember...volunteers don't care how much you know until they know how much you care.

Empower them.

Invest in them. Train them. Trust them. Give them responsibility and let them run with it. Don't micromanage them. Believe in them.

Remember this - Don't use volunteers to build the ministry. Instead, use the ministry to build volunteers. 

Challenge them.

Volunteers want to grow. Give them opportunities to do so. As they grow, give them more responsibilities and provide them with feedback that will give them clear steps to get to the next level. 

Here's an example. 

A volunteer starts out as an assistant in a preschool room. 

As they prove themselves, challenge them to become the leader in a preschool room. 

As they continue to grow, place them in a leadership role that oversees other volunteers.

A next step would then be to place them over an entire hallway of classes. 

When a staff position comes open, offer to bring them on board.

At one of the churches were I served, we had 72 children's ministry staff members. Out of the 72, only 5 came from the outside. 67 of them started out as volunteers. As we challenged them and saw them grow, we placed them into staff roles. 

I first met Tracy at a guest reception after a church service. I saw potential in her so after the reception I invited her to see our children's ministry facilities. Long story short, she started volunteering. Then she moved into a part-time role in our preschool ministry. As she continued to grow, I gave her more responsibilities.  Today she is the children's director at a church campus of 12,000 people.  

I believe when you invest in people and challenge them to grow, they will respond and God will use them in a great way.  

Communicate well with them. 

I often say this. 

Don't expect your volunteers to shine on Sunday if you've keep them in the dark all week.  

It is important to keep your volunteers in the know. Don't catch them by surprise when it comes to making big changes, dates and plans for events, and weekly need-to-knows. I communicate with my volunteers every week through email, text messages, and phone calls. 

p.s Here's a bonus tip.

Appreciate your volunteers. Say thank you on a weekly basis. Write them a handwritten thank you note. Give them gift cards to Starbucks. Brag on them. 

Stats show that 65% of volunteers have never heard the words "thank you."  This is not the way to keep volunteers long-term. 

As you put these keys into place, you will begin to see less volunteer turn around and they will stick around. 

Your turn. What are some keys you have found to keep volunteers long-term? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.

p.s. Have you read my book "The Formula for Building Great Volunteer Teams?"  In this book you will get lots of more tips on leading and keeping volunteers. It is available at this link.  

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