Churches must consider how to best structure environments so kids can learn to follow Jesus better. Consider how you structure your content and context as you minister to them.
The goal of kids ministry is to align with the churchwide strategy and assist parents with making young disciples who take personal responsibility for Kingdom activity. Ministries must focus on the needed areas of development and prioritize the comprehension of the gospel at this pivotal age.
Train up a child in the way he should go: And when he is old, he will not depart from it.
Proverbs 22:6
If we can inspire them at this age about following Jesus, there is no telling where they might be at different milestones in their lives.
Large Groups
- Unique Environment—As this time is structured, consider that these kids will most likely be in a smaller group format and a lecture-type sermon that morning. That fact alone means that the larger gathering needs to be unique from both. If there is too much discussion, it is like a smaller group. If there is too much lecture, it is like a sermon. We should not feel pressured to treat this time as a mini-worship service but something completely different.
- Exciting Content – We are sharing the most life-changing message with some of the most incredible children in the world. We ought to be lively and eager while we do it. Set the tone with joyful and hopeful presentations.
- Considerate Questions – With new kids in the room all the time, we must be cautious about the questions we ask. If children share something sensitive with a room full of other children, it can cause many issues. It is best to save prayer requests and thoughtful questions for the smaller group.
Small Groups
- Group Leaders – Group leaders will deepen relationships in these ways:
- Get-Together – Organize a fellowship once a quarter outside the regular meeting time to deepen relationships.
- Go Out – Organize a ministry or mission opportunity for your group to engage once a quarter.
- Next Up – To develop potential leaders and raise the bar for all, have someone other than the regular facilitator lead the group twice within a quarter. It can be the same person or someone different each time, but it forces us to operate according to what we believe about discipleship. You can also include consistent and mature kids to help out in areas of the study.
- Group Members – Group members will do their part to consider this a group – not a class – by interacting with one another throughout the week.
- Pray – Take time to pray for at least one group member by name every week.
- Encourage – Take the initiative to encourage one group member every week, and alternating the person is preferred (at school, at Midweek, etc.).
- Share – Take what you learned in group or worship, and share it in some way with one person each week.
Travis Agnew serves as the Lead Pastor of Rocky Creek Church in Greenville, SC. His most recent book is Just (About) Married.
