A week ago, we discussed Four Reasons NOT to Put Student’s in the Children’s Ministry. In it, we went through four of the wrong reasons to use middle school and high school students as leaders in the children’s department. Today, here are four beautiful ways we have found to be successful at Shelbyville Community Church.
1. Choose well – Choose the students who are ready. We look for students who are
- Available – We don’t focus on the students who are maxed in their schedule. We look for those with some time to invest.
- Known – Children’t ministry is NOT a place for new students to “hide”. A student has to be known by many adults before they can serve.
- Committed – Students must be involved in the life of the church, so that they can stay healthy as the give of themselves.
- Imperfect – We want to develop young leaders. We try to discern untapped abilities and amplify them.
2. Place strategically – Don’t confuse students for the mouse on your computer. Students are not “plug and play”. You have to consider their maturity, gifts, abilities, and experiences and place them accordingly.
3. Train them – Our children’s pastor has specific training meetings with our student leaders to give them tools, listen to them, and pray for them with their specific needs as young leaders.
4. Let them lead – Do NOT assign them to babysitting. Give them real responsibility, with adult mentors standing back to support and coach them. Let them run, but don’t abandon them.
These are some of our core values. I’d love to hear from you on yours. Where have you succeeded? Where have you struggled?
JasonChenoweth.com 