If we are to grow an effective ministry, we need to shift our expectation from discipling children to equipping others to disciple children. We need to learn to be good conductors, not composers.
We seem to be good at making little consumers in our churches. Kids who are used to being served rather than serving, receiving rather than giving. How do we move them from passive consumers to active contributors?
How do we as Christian parents, grandparents and carers help our children not only make sense of what’s happening, but deepen their trust in God during this pandemic?
What turns someone, clearly gifted with children, to feeling lost and insecure after stepping up to lead the children’s ministry in their church? Why do they begin to doubt their long-term future in this role?
If a church has children, then it has a ministry to children - even before any program is established, any leadership team raised, any curriculum sourced, any resource bought. And the primary way a church establishes an effective children’s ministry is by equipping the primary shepherds of children - their parents.
It’s not like it’s a choice... character vs. competence... both are important... but the order is important. Character must come before competency. Growing young disciples requires disciple makers who are themselves growing.
The most common mistake people make in working with volunteers is thinking that a low bar is the best way to get people onto a ministry team. The second mistake is thinking that a low bar is the best way of keeping people on your ministry team.
