Article: Tips For Running a Successful Children’s Ministry

Article: Tips For Running a Successful Children’s Ministry

John and Tope Onuminya

There are many things that go into running a successful ministry but in today’s presentation, we will be focusing on 3 tips that we believe will be helpful.

For each of these tips, it is essential that you practice being intentional and consistent in their application.

• First Love God Before Teaching About God:

Matthew 24:34-40 let’s us know that we must love God with all our heart, all our soul, our mind and all our strength. This is the first and most important commandment. The second commandment is just like it. We are to love our neighbours as ourselves. The first concern God has for us is our relationship with him. Do you love God more than anything else? Are you passionate about him? Do you enjoy meditating on his word? Do you enjoy just being with God?

God must be our number one love and passion. We can teach what we know but we duplicate who we are. Would you be happy if your child turned out exactly like you? This should give you an idea of where your love for God stands currently.

Regardless of where your love for God is now, you need to be intentional about building it and consistent in working on it. How have you built relationships with those you have close relationships with? The same needs to be applied to your relationship with God.

• Love The Kids:

Recently, one of our pre-teens celebrated her birthday. We actually forgot to call her on her birthday and when we saw her in church, I went up to her, hugged her and apologized. She told me she was upset with me but after my apology she forgave me. She was bold enough to be so open because we had created an environment where our kids feel open with us. We try to make them feel special in class. We visit their homes, discipline when discipline is needed, celebrate their birthdays, and plan times to spend time together. We do all we can to ensure that our kids know they are special and that they are loved.

It is also very important to ensure that we do not compare our children to anyone. Many women feel that they are not beautiful because of comparisons, men feel inadequate because of comparisons, however we must make every effort not to make our kids feel insecure by comparing them. God commands this of us and we need to obey.

• Learn and Implement:

God expects us to be people who learn. Leaders are learners. Search the word of God for guidance. Ask people for advice, read books, listen to audio books, go for seminars, listen to podcasts and much more. Intentionally and consistently do all you can to give your best by getting the best ideas and implementing them in creative ways. You will be better off for it and your ministry will definitely be better for it as well.

In all this, we need to ensure that we are actually called to be kid’s kingdom leaders. If we do all we can to ensure we have a great ministry but it is not what God has designed us for then we have failed. The aim is to do what God has called us for because everyone is designed for something specific. Find out what you are designed for and spend your life living for it.

Some Practical:

• Encourage the kids to be real.
• Liaise with the parents. Give feedback about the kids and get more information about the kids.
• Visit their homes.
• Teach them to plan and save.
• Help them choose good mentors.
• Be sensitive to their words, actions and dig deep to the root.
• Let them lead various projects.
• Teach them to give and understand the reality of life.
• Pray for them individually on a regular basis.
• Plan and follow through.
• Reward and celebrate excellence.
• Be exemplary and integrous