When my two sons were younger, we spent countless hours playing with LEGO bricks—those small, colorful plastic pieces that come in various shapes and sizes. Over the years, our collection grew so large that we could build almost anything we imagined. We’d dump the container of LEGOs onto the floor and start creating, sometimes collaborating on a shared project and other times building solo. Those moments were filled with joy. But let me tell you, stepping on a LEGO brick in the middle of the night? That could test your patience like nothing else!
Years later, we discovered LEGO kits. Unlike our freeform creations, these kits came with specific pieces designed to construct a predetermined object, like an airplane or a race car. Some kits were simple, while others were intricate, but each required following a set of instructions to achieve the intended result.
Intentional Discipleship Process
This experience with LEGOs mirrors a key principle in kids ministry. You can randomly piece together programs and events, hoping they make a difference, or you can follow an intentional discipleship process with a clear, predetermined objective. Three words are critical here: intentional, discipleship, and process. You can fill the calendar with fun activities that kids enjoy and parents approve of, but without intentionality, it’s just random activity that may lack lasting impact.
Jesus modeled an intentional discipleship process as He prepared His disciples to establish the Church and share God’s love with the world—all in just three years. Two aspects of His approach stand out as a model for us today: His process was strategic and developmental.
In my early years in kids ministry, I felt compelled to offer a wide variety of events and programs. These were good activities, and kids and parents generally approved. But there was a problem: the events and programs were disconnected. I lacked a strategic process to prioritize or integrate them, which meant we weren’t maximizing our efforts or resources. All the “good things” we were doing were scattered, less effective, and not building on one another. Instead of a cohesive ministry guiding kids through a discipleship journey, we were working hard to execute isolated programs, leaving my team and me exhausted and frustrated.
Make Your Ministry Work Together
One day, while flipping through a magazine at a bookstore, I stumbled across an advertisement for an expensive, handcrafted wristwatch. The watch was stunning—and cost more than my first home (no exaggeration). What caught my attention was an “exploded view” illustration, revealing all the watch’s intricate parts as if it had been disassembled. This view showcased how each uniquely shaped component worked together toward a singular goal: to keep time accurately, and to do so with style.
The Holy Spirit brought 1 Corinthians 12:12 to mind: “The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ.” Many parts, working together.
Like that watch, our ministries have many moving parts. But we must ask ourselves: Are those parts aligned and functioning together to achieve a strategic objective? A strategic discipleship process considers all the factors needed to reach a predetermined goal and examines how those factors connect.
Plan Like Jesus
Jesus was intentional and strategic in every aspect of His ministry. He knew what needed to be accomplished, how it would be done, and who was needed to carry it out. Recognizing that not everything could be done at once, He carefully planned each step to disciple His leaders effectively.
An intentional discipleship process maximizes effectiveness and makes the most of every opportunity through strategic thinking—like clockwork.
Join us for the upcoming Developmental Discipleship Process webinar and learn how it builds on this strategic foundation to nurture kids’ faith.
Want to dive deeper? Sign up for our upcoming Community Conversation for INCM Members, where we’ll share practical strategies to create an intentional, impactful kids’ ministry. Become a member at https://incm.org/membership.
