I, like many of you, am thick in the throes of raising active, athletic kids in the midst of ministry, marriage, and more. I constantly have dugout cheers reverberating in my brain with three softball players in our family. One of the most common cheers is “Go, Fight, Win!” This would be my cheer (and prayer) for you as a ministry leader in 2026 –”Go, Fight, WIN!”
GO – God and Others. Return to the Great Commandment (Matthew 22:37-40). First, love God. Then, love others. Actually put this into actual practice not just words. GO!
Fight – while there are some things simply not worth fighting for, there are a few that I would highly encourage you to fight for in 2026:
- Margin: ministry can feel never-ending. It is rare that you are asked to slow down or take a break. Being a servant leader though does not mean you make yourself available 24/7. Fight for margin. Maybe that means actually not responding to texts or emails on your day off. Go on vacation and actually unplug, completely. Take time to breathe.
- Family: yes, there are constantly families to care for in your ministry. But the most important family to care for is the one you share a home with. And, sadly & honestly, they are often the first ones to be sacrificed “for the good of others”. Date your spouse. See, hear, and express value to your kids. Plan and prioritize family time.
- Health: there are all kinds of health – spiritual, emotional, physical, mental – and frankly, you need to fight for all of them. Do you have tools to manage stress? How’s your diet? When are you in motion? What are you doing to grow mentally? Who can you emotionally process things out with? Find a practical way to improve your health in each category. Fight for your health!
WIN – finally, let’s have some WIN (What I Need) time to be more intentional in 2026:
Warm-up time to start each day. Just like stretches before a race, have some basic routines. Quiet time with you and God, not woven into curriculum writing or research, is key. Maybe a different face-to-face connect with a team member starts your day on the right foot. Knock out a handful of emails to get them off your plate and mind. Create some healthy warm-up time to start the day strong.
Ideation time is a necessity not a nicety. Block out 30 minutes each week to think, dream, brainstorm, and ideate. Give your brain the freedom to get creative. Seriously, put it in your calendar.
Network time can also feel like a nicety, but it is so important. Connect with someone outside of your ministry or department. Reach out to nearby church leader. Find other like-minded kidmin leaders like this INCM community to do life with. These connections are the lifelines that will keep you in ministry for the long haul.
GO, Fight, WIN!
Start 2026 off with a WIN by joining Liza Gant and Brian Dollar on our next free webinar, Leading Up: Developing Healthy Relationship with Lead Pastor. Brian will share practical steps every Kidmin Leader can take to create a strong connection with their Lead Pastor and/or supervisor – a crucial relationship for healthy churches!
Want to Go, Fight, Win even more in 2026? Sign up for INCM Membership and gain access to resources, monthly Community Conversations on topics that matter to children’s ministry leaders, support to keep you going, and so much more. Become a member: https://incm.org/membership
