How to Develop a Children's Ministry
Church-going parents depend on children's ministers to provide a safe and enjoyable, Bible-based environment for their children. For some parents, the ability to attend worship depends on the availability of children's programs during the services. Others rely on the church to teach the Bible and to instill values that reinforce the message parents give at home. Fill a need for your congregation and for church visitors by developing a children's ministry.
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Instructions
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Write a plan for the children's ministry. Consider the classes you will offer and details concerning classroom space and overall budget. Begin the plan with a vision statement that spells out what you expect children to gain from the program.
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Decide on the starting date. Allow time before you begin the ministry to meet with the pastor and other church leaders to present your vision-plan for the ministry. Adjust your plan to fit the pastor's and church leaders' input and budget commitments.
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Choose a curriculum that is in line with your ministry goals and budget. Purchase a children's Bible curriculum at a Christian bookstore or network with other area children's ministers to locate used materials that you can borrow until funds are available to purchase a set.
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Recruit volunteers to help you in your ministry. Pass an interest questionnaire during the worship service or include one in the worship bulletin. Follow up with people who express an interest in helping with the ministry. Schedule a meeting with your team to designate the volunteer roles.
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Evaluate the most effective use of the space for your children's program. Break large rooms into smaller areas or "stations," based on age. Put one or two age groups together if you use smaller classrooms.
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Advertise the day that the program will begin. Write an informational flier containing details of the new ministry. Insert the fliers in the church worship bulletin for three consecutive weeks prior to the start date. Check with local schools to see if they will send home a flier inviting school children to attend your ministry program. Hang the flier on community bulletin boards. Place a free announcement in the events section of your local newspaper.
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Meet with volunteers on the day before you launch the ministry to set up the classes and answer last-minute questions. Be available to them throughout their service to the ministry. Offer helpers encouragement and recognition. Involve them in the ongoing ministry development process.
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Set up regular meetings with church leaders to report on the progress of your children's ministry. Offer statistics about the number of children attending the program. Provide examples of parental feedback about the ministry and detail new ideas or changes you would like to make to your original children's ministry vision-plan.
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Tips & Warnings
Pray for guidance during the development of your children's ministry. Invite others who share your vision to pray for the ministry. Start small and emphasize the quality of your program over the number of attendees. Stay within a tight budget by using recycled or donated items for craft projects instead of pre-made craft kits. Ask for snack donations.
Require a criminal background check for every person who volunteers in your children's ministry. Make sure you have the paperwork on file before any helper is allowed to serve in the ministry--no exceptions. Write the cost of background checks into your budget.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Praying little girl in green top image by Olga Sapegina from Fotolia.com
