A few days ago I posted an article called Why Is Children’s Ministry So Hard.

I talked about why Children’s Ministry is, in my opinion, the most complex ministry of the church. For these reasons it is a very difficult ministry to lead. It’s one of the reasons why leadership matters in Children’s Ministry.

But there’s another side of the page. This says that, in reality, Children’s Ministry is fairly simple and straightforward. It’s not that hard. I’ve come to this conclusion with my own experience serving in many different environments and working with hundreds of churches around the country (around the world, in fact).

Leadership matters in Children's Ministry. #KidMin #FamMin Click To Tweet

With all the complexity, KidMin really comes down to pursuing three initiatives. Those three initiatives are:

1. Engage children for life change (spiritual formation).

In the end, what we are doing at church is all about discipling children, right? We want them to grow spiritually, which necessarily means changing. But that’s not going to happen if we don’t engage them.

Ultimately, Children's Ministry is about discipleship. That won't happen if we don't engage them. #KidMin #FamMin Click To Tweet

2. Develop leaders to build relationships & invest in families.

We say it over and over again here on this blog: Ministry always happens best in the context of relationships! This idea, plus the idea that our number one job as ministry leaders is to equip and develop other leaders, is central to being successful at what we are trying to accomplish. Yet so often we allow our focus to be diverted to less important “busy work”. We also teach our team to do this by NOT equipping them to build relationships.

Our number one job as ministry leaders is to equip and develop other leaders. #KidMin #FamMin Click To Tweet

3. Equip parents to disciple their children in the home.

The bottom line, whether we want to admit it or not, is that those of us who serve in Children’s Ministry are secondary in the spiritual lives of kids. It’s their parents who matter most in this area, period. So why don’t many of us equip parents to invest in their children spiritually? Studies show that most parents believe it is their responsibility, but many just don’t know how. So what’s your plan for doing this?

Those of us who serve in Children's Ministry are secondary in the spiritual lives of kids. It's their parents who matter most in this area, period. #KidMin #FamMin Click To Tweet

Yes, Children’s Ministry is hard. It’s complex, demanding and exhausting. But, in the end, it’s pretty simple. It’s just that we allow ourselves to get distracted by the complexity instead of focusing on the real vision.

There is no denying that each of these can be daunting tasks. They are all complex initiatives. But sometimes we lose track of the bottom line. Sometimes we fill our agenda with our to-do list instead of our purpose.

Sometimes, whittling it down to what we are really all about makes things a whole lot easier.

What would you add? Please share your thoughts in comments below.