This post was written by Melissa Hendrickson, an INCM Blog Team member. Time management looks different for everyone, but these three rhythms can help simplify any schedule. 1. Yearly Planning When thinking about how best to manage your time, it is helpful to begin by mapping out what the year ahead will look like for …
I have been a volunteer in the Children’s Ministry at my church for 9 years. Yes, I have a calling and a passion for the discipleship of kids and families, but knowing the benefits of volunteering is what keeps me coming back. I’m not talking about the gift cards or the journal or bookmark that I get at the Kick Off Training. I am talking about some key points that every person in your congregation should know about how volunteering in your ministry will change their life. Your volunteers might think they need to have all the answers or know the bible inside and out.
A myriad of qualities are needed when it comes to running a children’s ministry, but these five are key. 1. Great Leaders are In Love with Jesus. It might seem obvious that someone leading children and their families should be in love with Jesus, but we can’t take this quality for granted. It can become easy to fill our time doing things for Jesus and miss out on being with Jesus. If we desire to lead well, we must lead from a place of love. We need to know how deeply Jesus loves us and reflect that love toward those we lead.
Building relationships with families can be tough when we are only seeing kids, parents, and caretakers about once a month.
We can blame COVID, club sports, or summertime schedules, but the bottom line is the same – there are kids and families who just aren’t as consistent at church as we would like.
So, what can we do about it?
This article will help you think of new ways to reach the inconsistent family so they feel connected and you have a game plan for when they visit.
I’ve often wondered: Why is attending Church so hard on a family? Take a look at all the ads we see about how the family might spend the weekend. We see boat trips, beach trips, ball games, and meals together. The world says weekends are times to be, play, and stay together. But the church has created a different experience. At church, kids are placed in four separate ministries, with multiple different leaders, and so many different rules and regulations. In this article, we’re going to discuss how to create a more cohesive family experience for leaders to enact so families find themselves in the church over a lifetime.
This article is for the small church leader who is contemplating the wins and opportunities for this coming year especially when it comes to discipleship through weekly lessons, particularly through short-term curriculum for small churches. Here are the 10 reasons short-term curriculums might be a great alternative for you!
This post was written by Cera Talamantes, a member of the INCM Blog team. Christian Spiritual Practices are habits that help people grow their spiritual muscles stronger and create the opportunity to come closer to God – internally and externally – as they mature in their relationship with Him. They are vital to pass on …
VBS is typically an action-packed, week-long experience where kids encounter the love of God through stories, worship, games, crafts, and activities. Maybe you’re starting your own church VBS for the first time, or you’re looking to refresh the experience after many years of learning. As you go into the VBS planning conversations, knowing these 5 things can help prepare you and your team to begin planning for VBS, with no prior experience needed.
Ministry can be challenging work. There is always a lot to manage. Despite our best intentions, we can find ourselves tired, depleted, and overwhelmed. If you’re in this spot, we want this article to be an encouragement to you. When we don’t find the right rhythms, keep boundaries, or have people to go with us, ministry can knock us down or, unfortunately, take us out.
If you’re like me, you’ve worked in environments where your ministry is in a silo. Each one is working for the mission but has little to do with the other’s plans, goals, or dreams. However, the best churches, the communities that value every person – kids from birth to 101, do their best to find connections from one ministry age group to the next. Collaboration between ministries is the best way to achieve a greater long-term impact in the lives of the kids and families you serve.
The International Network of Children’s Ministry. Connecting children’s ministry leaders to what they need to shape the church of today and tomorrow.
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