Revitalizing Children’s Ministry

Children’s ministry looks different than it did a decade ago. The strategies we should be using today are not the same as they were at the turn of the century. Recent studies show that anywhere between 58% and 67% of Christian parents today choose a church with their kids in mind. These numbers prove that even though kids may be small, they carry big weight when it comes to family decisions about where to worship. So how can you boost this vital ministry area of your church? Here are a few things to consider:

Create a space just for kids. If you have not already, find a place in the church that your children’s ministry can call its own. I have seen several churches that shuffle their kids off to the fellowship hall or a musty cinderblock classroom that they are not allowed to decorate. Maybe you have a space for kids that has not been updated in a decade. When was the last time those walls had a fresh coat of paint in bright colors? Is the furniture safe and appropriate for children? If you are not sure what types of things kids would like to see in their ministry space – ask them! Do not be afraid to have some fun. Walls can always be re-painted.

Examine your safety protocols. Parents want to know that they can entrust their kids in your care. Safety is a much higher priority than ever before. At bare minimum, every adult serving with students and children MUST pass a background check. Regular training should be conducted on proper practices. Create or tweak your check-in and check-out procedures. Inspect your entrances and exits. How hard would it be for a stranger to casually enter your classrooms? I always try to look through the eyes of a visitor. Would a guest feel safe leaving their kids with your team?

Evaluate your curriculum. When was the last time you looked at the options available for children’s ministry curriculum? Is it relevant and engaging while teaching Biblical truths, or is it the same Sunday School book that has been on rotation for the past 5+ years? Just because it has worked in the past or your teachers are used to it doesn’t mean it is the best option for the kids. Personally, I prefer an ongoing, subscription-based curriculum that ensures it is always fresh and relevant.

Enlist the best. Children’s ministry IS NOT for everyone, so don’t just allow any able-bodied adult to teach. Who are the captivating story-tellers in your church? Who carries the proverbial confetti in their pocket and is ready to celebrate at any moment? Who has the patience to love even in the challenging situations? Finding these key volunteers may even mean pulling them from their adult classes for a season.

Partner with parents. Even with the kids who attend church consistently, at best we would have 52 hours with them each year. The amount of time the average parent gets to spend with their child in a year is 3,000 hours. It quickly becomes obvious that we need to equip parents to be the main disciple in their children’s lives. Provide your parents with resources to connect what their kids are learning at church to conversations they can have at home. Offer parenting classes. Pull parents in when their kids start to ask spiritual questions. Create opportunities for families to have experiences together. In a recent poll by Arbor Research Group, 63% of respondents wish someone would provide family experiences they can attend with their child. Children’s ministry reaches the entire family, not just the children.

Put your money where your mouth is. Far too many churches short-change their children’s ministry when they build their annual budget. They will easily say, “kids ministry is important,” but it often ends up being the smallest line in the budget. If you truly value this ministry area, your budget dollars will be a reflection of that. If you have a children’s minister on staff, they will appreciate this more than you know. Realize that there is more to fund than just candy and glue sticks. Effective outreach and retention requires a financial investment.

These ideas just skim the surface of breathing life into your ministry, but they are essential. Prayerfully consider how your church can effectively reach the next generation in an ever-evolving culture. God will bless your efforts, and you might even get to sneak an extra piece of candy or two!

Danielle Disch is the children’s minister at Parkview Baptist Church, Tulsa and can be reached at ddisch@parkviewbaptist.org.

Similar Posts

How to Handle a Property Accident at the Church

“There’s been an explosion at the church!” Seminary prepares a pastor for many things, but no class, lecture, or seminar prepared me to handle the damage done to our church building when a compressed natural gas tank torpedoed through it, leaving over a hundred...

Revision…Revitalize…Ministry to Aging Adults

Oklahoma Baptist churches have been aging in demographic for several years. Part of the answer has been to program to reach younger people. However, in the course of doing this we likely overlook a valuable group of God’s people who need to be evangelized, discipled, equipped, and deployed for Gospel ministry: Senior Adults.

Pastors leading the church to be involved in Missions

More than Mission Minded, more than supportive of Missions, Jesus said to the early church leaders, “GO make disciples of all nation…” Mt.28:19. Most Pastors I know do encourage the church to pray and give towards missions. Putting our spiritual “boots on the ground”...

Rescuing the Old Testament from Children’s Ministry

We southern Baptist preachers often either avoid the Old Testament or relegate it to the kid’s ministry. As the professor of Old Testament at Your Oklahoma Baptist University, I engage with students who have an Old Testament knowledge that is severely lacking the “so...

Ministry is About Relationships

John Maxwell popularized the leadership quip “Everything rises and falls on leadership.” True enough. Hang around in ministry for a hot minute and you recognize that even leadership depends upon relationships. Oklahoma Baptists recently welcomed Ken Sande to our...

Stewardship Matters

In the mid-’90s, Paul Powell of the Annuity Board of the Southern Baptist Convention wrote a book titled “Taking the Stew Out of Stewardship.” While the book was well circulated, many pastors still find themselves in a “stew” regarding teaching and preaching about...

Using Emotions Wisely in Pastoral Ministry

In the last article, I began an examination of 8 essentials of core human emotions to harness their energy in practicing relational wisdom. There, we saw God’s design in our emotions, their complexity, and how they can drive our behaviors. Let’s turn our attention to...

10 Things I didn’t know that I didn’t know about moving from Student Ministry to being a Pastor

I’m sure my context is different than others after serving in student Ministry for just shy of 25 years. I felt God’s call to be a pastor and have served in that role for more than a year.

PAUSE (Pt. 2)

In my years of ministry as a pastor, some of the most important things I was a part of were meetings about the Bride of Christ. Working with committees, teams, staff, deacons to determine God’s will for the situation strongly influences the future of churches. Taking...

Giving Strength To And Gaining Strength From One Another

Something powerful happens when people and churches work together. Beyond our commitment to scripture and passion for the gospel, no other characteristic better defines Southern Baptists than cooperation. We combine our resources and coordinate our efforts to shine...