Program comes in all shapes and sizes. Weekend program. Midweek program. Special events. Children’s Ministry offers many variations.
As different as they are, however, I believe these 5 “essentials” should be part of every one of them. Every program should be:
1. Child-centered
This means that everything we do in our ministry is safe, attractive & age-appropriate in every way.
2. Application-oriented
Everything we teach in every area is easily understood & applied in practical ways in the child’s everyday life. For example, the story of David and Goliath is a great, fun story…but how does a child apply it to their life in a practical manner? Do they understand what that looks like so they can go home and apply it effectively?
Or was it just a fun story to tell using the tallest man in the church to play Goliath?
3. Relational
As I’ve said so many times, everything happen best in the context of relationship. That applies to children’s ministry also! So our ministry should be built on strong, positive & on-going adult/child relationships. And we need to be intentional about creating an environment that facilitates these relationships.
4. Creative
I am one of the least creative people I know! But that doesn’t excuse the fact that my children’s ministry should be dynamic & attractive to children & incorporating many different forms of communication. So how do I fix that? I lean on others, find creative people, cast the vision, and let them run!
You’d be amazed at how creative people can be when they understand what you are looking for and have the freedom to create it themselves!
5. Fun
“FUN” is not a four-letter word! So don’t treat it like that! Our children’s ministry should be a place a child wants to come to & would be happy to invite their friends. Fun is the language of children, and if your ministry isn’t fun, you can be pretty sure it isn’t impactful, either!
