How to inspire your church with the joy of children’s ministry

Look for ways to involve children and young people in serving roles at your church

Up until the start of this year, the lead-up to the contemporary morning service at our church was always the calm before the storm for the kids church leaders. We would arrive early, shut the doors, make final preparations, and pray for the morning. It was all very civilised.

But somewhere along the way, that has changed. Actually, it is probably fair to say that it has evolved.

Our children are getting older, and with that has come a change in church family dynamics.

A number of families arrive early for church, and so the children will come in and often help us prepare for kids church. The members of the early morning congregation are in the room next-door, enjoying post-service fellowship over coffee and raisin toast. The children duck and weave in and out of the morning tea room just stopping long enough to have a piece of raisin toast and maybe some conversation. It is a hive of activity.

It is these noisy, chaotic, and beautiful ‘moments in between’ that I love the most. And as I stood amongst this scene last Sunday morning, the lyrics to that great Sister Sledge song ‘We are family’ came to mind.

But it doesn’t stop there. Just before the 10:15am service, the members of this congregation (young and old) collect their name tags and a service outline and head into church. We all stand for the call to worship, and then we participate in church together. After a time, there is the opportunity for the children to head out to kids church.

Children in our church are loved, respected, and provided for

At our morning services we don’t need to work hard to promote the children’s ministry. Children are seen and heard, present and involved. It’s easy to promote the children’s ministry when the children are there amongst you!

But how do we promote children’s ministry to the wider church community?

I believe this is a vital question not just because children are the future of the church, but because they are a vital part of our church—here and now!

I don’t think that there is any silver bullet when it comes to promoting children’s ministry in your church, but here are five suggestions that could help:

• Create a communication plan to promote the children’s ministry to your church with your senior minister.

• Look for ways to involve children and young people in serving roles at your church.

• Give children’s ministry leaders a platform to share specifically how God is working in the lives of the children and young people.

• Give time and space to praying for the children and young people in your church.

• Encourage your leaders to share with each other how they see children growing in their faith.

What are some ways that you could raise the profile of children’s ministry in your church?