How to Prepare Children for a New Youth Minister

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Children grow to love the person who ministers to them at church. But many youth ministers grow beyond the role of ministering to young children and move away to become a minister to a full congregation. In the midst of celebrating the minister's success, it's important to manage your children's understanding of the change. This way, they'll accept a new youth minister and grow to love that minister, too. Read on to learn how to prepare children for a new youth minister.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Step1

Introduce the change at home first, not at church. Sit down with your children in a quiet time at home to let them know that their minister is leaving. They'll likely be upset, but try to temper their grief with the joy that the minister has achieved such success.

Step2

Let them ask questions. They may be confused, so let them ask any questions to clarify what's going on. This way, you'll understand what's made sense to them and what you need to help them grapple with.

Step3

Give them time to accept that the previous minister is not returning. Typically, a minister leaves and there is a time lag before the new minister arrives. Have the children continue to attend to church to see that the work of the church goes on despite changes in ministerial leadership.

Step4

Introduce the new minister in a casual setting. It can be intimidating to meet the new minister. Try to arrange a play day at the park or a casual supper to introduce your children to the new minister. This way, the minister can seem more human and part of every day life. If you introduce the children at church, the minister is likely to be formally robed, which can be off-putting for the kids.

Step5

Talk to your children about the new minister after their initial meeting. Ask them what they thought, give them space to ask questions and review the minister's character with them. It's important to honor their feelings of confusion, joy or hesitancy in meeting this new person. Support them in the transition by giving your children a chance to dialog with you about how they felt meeting the new minister.