{"id":32103,"date":"2022-09-10T15:56:28","date_gmt":"2022-09-10T20:56:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/5-challenges-and-solutions-to-getting-kids-ministry-volunteers\/"},"modified":"2022-09-10T15:56:28","modified_gmt":"2022-09-10T20:56:28","slug":"5-challenges-and-solutions-to-getting-kids-ministry-volunteers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/5-challenges-and-solutions-to-getting-kids-ministry-volunteers\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Challenges\u2014and Solutions\u2014to Getting Kids Ministry Volunteers"},"content":{"rendered":"
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rawpixel photo – Pexels<\/div>\n

By Bekah Stoneking<\/em><\/p>\n

Childhood is a crucial life stage. Kids\u2019 brains, skills, abilities, and perspectives develop at exponential rates.<\/p>\n

Childhood is also a season where spiritual soil is rich, too.<\/p>\n

Providing safe, loving, theologically-rich, and developmentally-appropriate spaces for children to learn about the love of Christ is vital to the life of the church.<\/p>\n

But with such an opportunity comes challenges. Ask any children\u2019s ministry leader what their top three challenges are; volunteer recruitment and retention is almost guaranteed to make the list.<\/p>\n

Hearing brothers and sisters say \u201cno\u201d to something so meaningful can be discouraging. Here are five common objections people have to serving in children\u2019s ministry, along with tips to navigate the \u201cNos\u201d and create a ministry culture where serving kids becomes an accessible and spiritually-enriching experience.<\/p>\n

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1. \u201cI don\u2019t have time.\u201d<\/strong><\/h3>\n

This objection takes many forms:<\/p>\n

The workweek is too busy to prepare a lesson.<\/em><\/p>\n

My kids have games on the weekend.<\/em><\/p>\n

Sundays are our only days to rest.<\/em><\/p>\n

Family, sabbath, and work rightfully demand our time. But as humans, our chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him. As Christians, we\u2019ve been saved from sin and brought into the family of God\u2014the church! Involvement in the life of the church is central to our identity.<\/p>\n

Kid\u2019s ministry leaders can make disciples of the adults in their churches, too. This includes helping them find a place to serve, exercise their spiritual gifts, and participate in the Great Commission by becoming disciplemakers, themselves.<\/p>\n

As you help new volunteers assimilate into your children\u2019s ministry, consider how to carry a portion of their responsibilities as they learn the ropes.<\/p>\n

For example, offering to prep for crafts or activities up front would allow them to devote time during the week to preparing to teach. As their study habits and time usage improve, they\u2019ll be able to carry a more complete set of tasks.<\/p>\n

Another idea is to delegate tasks to certain leaders. Since each classroom should be staffed by at least two adults, divide the preparation and leadership tasks between them.<\/p>\n

When we work together, not only is the load lightened and more manageable, but more people have ownership and buy-in of children\u2019s ministry.<\/p>\n

Go one step deeper:<\/strong> Evaluate your church\u2019s Sunday morning and adult discipleship schedules. If your church offers only groups for adults on Sunday mornings, you may be harming your kids\u2019 ministry.<\/p>\n

Adults will rightly want to protect their time in their own discipleship groups (and, you want your adults to be adequately fed before teaching kids). Consider how and when to offer adult discipleship opportunities outside of Sunday morning.<\/p>\n

2. \u201cI don\u2019t relate to kids.\u201d<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Some of us are just naturally great with kids. Some of us aren\u2019t. Others could<\/em> be good with kids, but might be worried they don\u2019t know what to say or how to act. This fear could make a person say \u201cno\u201d to kids\u2019 ministry.<\/p>\n

As you recruit men and women to serve children, take the pressure off of them to be \u201ccool,\u201d energetic, or funny. Reassure them they don\u2019t need a degree in elementary education or puppetry arts or have kids or nieces or nephews.<\/p>\n

What they do<\/em> need, however, is to be genuine, kind, and accessible. Encourage your church members to simply show up and be faithful and loving big sisters and brothers\u2014because, in Christ, that\u2019s exactly who they are to the children in your church!<\/p>\n

A genuine love for God, an open heart, and consistency always trump jokes and big personalities.<\/p>\n

Go one step deeper:<\/strong> Seek out the introverts, the gamers, and the bookworms in your church and ask them to serve kids, too. There are children with similar personalities and interests in your ministry who need these kind of role models!<\/p>\n

By recruiting diverse volunteers, you\u2019ll create heroes out of your church members, help your kids build friendships across the church, and help the volunteers become invested members of Christ\u2019s body.<\/p>\n

3. \u201cI don\u2019t know how to teach kids.\u201d<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Teaching is a spiritual gift and the ability to teach will be a requirement for many volunteers. But is this person actually bad at teaching? Or has he or she simply not yet developed their teaching skills?<\/p>\n

As you call new teachers into your ministry, consider not immediately asking them to teach, but verbalize how you\u2019ve observed them growing spiritually. Recall a comment they made during Bible study. Affirm the ways you\u2019ve seen them walk alongside their peers.<\/p>\n

Identify the teacher-like traits you see in them, casting a vision for how those qualities support your church\u2019s children\u2019s ministry efforts. Share your plans for training and equipping, and then<\/em> make the ask\u2014help them understand how their gifts may be used to serve your church.<\/p>\n

Then, offer a \u201ctrial period\u201d where a new volunteer shadows other leaders. Be available to support them along the way. Then talk at the end of the \u201ctrial\u201d about victories, questions, and plans for the future.<\/p>\n

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See also  The Group Most Likely to Still Be Missing From Your Church<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Go one step deeper:<\/strong> Curate a resource library for your volunteers. Have a commentary set available for checkout, gift your teachers with a great study Bible, make a playlist of theologically-rich songs, and use resources like Ministry Grid to provide additional study and training. As volunteers build good Bible study habits, not only are the children blessed, but your volunteers will also grow.<\/p>\n

4. \u201cI\u2019m not confident.\u201d<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The Bible is full of people who felt small and insignificant. Perhaps there was a time in your own ministry journey where you lacked confidence.<\/p>\n

As you share these stories with your potential volunteers, remind them of some great news: As Christians, we\u2019re indwelled by the same Holy Spirit as our mighty biblical heroes!<\/p>\n

Instead of viewing someone\u2019s lack of confidence as a \u201cNo,\u201d help your church members to view this hesitation as a chance to rely on the Lord, encouraging them from Acts 1:8 which says we will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon us and this power will equip us to be God\u2019s witnesses.<\/p>\n

Go one step deeper:<\/strong> Don\u2019t just give your recruits a pep talk. Offer practical ways to walk in the Spirit and cultivate confidence in Him.<\/p>\n

To do this, remember the acronym MAWL<\/em>: Model, Assist, Watch, Leave.<\/p>\n