I am reposting this because I am working through this book again over the next few weeks and I am looking forward to having some fresh eyes as I look at the study again. I hope to gain some new perspectives as we are heading into a new ministry year this September.
I am really excited to start this new year off by joining many other kidmin and youth min. leaders (last time I checked it was over 900), as we read through Creating A Lead Small Culture together through an online book club. I have already read through this book once fully and the second time was a brief synopsis for another leader in a smaller church looking to implement Orange philosophy and the 252 Basics curriculum into their program. The book is full of great tips on how to connect your leaders with the kids they serve on a deeper level and how they can partner with parents so that together they can create more opportunities for spiritual development and deeper understandings on how God is at work in their lives everyday.
“Every kid needs to be known by someone and to belong somewhere.
Most leaders agree. That’s one reason for a shift in the way many churches are discipling their kids and teenagers. Think of it this way: connecting kids and teens to a consistent leader who believes in God and believes in them is something the church can do that nothing else in culture does.”
Here is how my next eight weeks are looking.
*I will be starting again on Aug. 12 and going until Sept. 13.
As I started Session One today I have already had a couple questions jump out at me and cause me to strongly reflect how Life Groups (We use Life Groups instead of Small Groups in the hopes that these groups will continue to grow together and do life together), function in our kidmin department.
The very first question is a tough one for many leaders because they simply want kids and parents to attend everything possible that happens within the church walls.
If kids only show up at church one time a week and experience one environment or participate in one activity, where would you tell them to go?
Wowzers, yep they said what every leader dreads to ask, or even think about. The thought that a family or a child might only pick one of the many great things that your ministry does. I have been wrestling with this question for months now:
How do we plan our ministries better to help families leverage their time together so that they spend more time as a family?
Think about it:
Kids ministry is one day, or night,
Youth Ministry is on one or two other nights.
Men’s ministry happens,
Women’s Ministry is another,
and church is on Sundays,
oh yeah don’t forget about after school activities and extra curricular activities.
Add all those days up and well you have one very exhausted and overwhelmed family.
“Your greatest asset to building faith in the next generation is not your Bible study, worship band, facilities, or budget. The most valuable resources you have to help people see God are the people in your church who know God. ”
How do you react to that statement? With relief? Hesitation? Excitement? Explain Why?
What are your biggest obstacles when trying to connect every kid with a consistent adult leader?
What are some of your ideas so far for overcoming those obstacles?
Those are the main questions that I am going to be wrestling with this week. I want nothing more for my kids in our kidmin than for them to experience God through the caring adults that are in their lives. That is how they will understand who God is, how we works in their lives, and how He loves them unconditionally. By learning about God in a relational context I hope that our kids learn about a relational God that wants to have a consistent two-way relationship with them.