Last week I talked about the first five commitments of a kidmin that’s more than babysitting. I got a lot of positive feedback about them (at the risk of tooting my own horn, which is difficult, especially since my car is currently in the shop).
So it seemed only fitting to wrap up the series with the second half. Otherwise it would just be the “5 Commitments of a Kidmin That’s More Than Babysitting” and that just doesn’t have as much pizazz as 10, don’t you think?
So here they are:
6. Align with adults
If your adults have a killer weekend service targeted to seekers, make sure your kidmin weekend service is awesome for those seekers kids. If your adults are in small groups, plug your kids into small groups with other kids. If your adults can volunteer for a ministry, create opportunities for your kids to serve. This shows that you’re a team player, which senior pastors love. It also gets everyone at your church on the same page. And it shows your Kidmin is ready to be taken seriously in the life of the church.
7. Do more than just the weekend
If all you do is the weekend it really makes sense that people would only consider your Kids’ Ministry as just babysitting. Provide outreach opportunities as entry-point events for kids to bring their Not-Yet-Christian friends to church. Develop yearly programs that kids and parents can attend and serve at together. Establish discipleship-oriented classes to teach kids how to use their Bible. Don’t let kids grow up thinking that church is just that thing they sometimes do on the weekend.
Click here for 8 tips to help plan your Kidmin calendar.
8. Have margin in your calendar
As important as it is to do more than just the weekend, don’t go overboard. It’s better to do a few things really well then a lot of things badly. Remember your Kidmin Calendar affects more than simply you and the kids. It implicates their parents by default because they’re the ones who have to act as chauffeur and broker for everything their kids do. Going light on the extracurriculars will ensure happy parents, who actually WANT to bring their kids to your stuff.
9. Over communicate
Had a kid accept Christ? Brag about it at your next team meeting. Had a record attendance last weekend? Email the staff to share how God is growing the Children’s Ministry. Have a volunteer who went above and beyond? Point them out at your next volunteer gathering and spotlight them to your senior pastor. Good things are happening in your Kidmin. Don’t be shy about letting people know it.
10. Are sometimes about babysitting
Let’s be honest about this one. Sometimes we do provide babysitting services, and that’s OK. Maybe it’s watching the kids for your worship team’s practice each week. Or watching parents kids so they can attend their recovery group or ministry team meeting. It may even mean watching the senior pastor’s kids so he can make hospital visits. There’s nothing wrong with being “just” babysitting here. We’re enabling the church to succeed with the work of the gospel. And that is always more than babysitting.
What would you add or change about these 10 commitments?
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Jeff McClung 