Three things I wish I’d known about training children’s ministry leaders

Running an after-school kids program was definitely a highlight of my first ministry role. I loved the opportunity to prepare activities that the children could rarely do at home (parents wouldn’t be that crazy). I loved being able to teach the Bible in creative ways and dig deep with the kids in small group time. It was noisy, chaotic and always exhausting but also a joy to see young disciples grow in their knowledge and love for Jesus and take up the challenge of telling their friends about him.

A growing leadership team was also a joy but working out how to train and support them was an area I never felt confident in. Here are three things I wish I’d known back then about training children’s ministry leaders.

1.       Run the training

I had a leadership team full of servant-hearted parents who had little time or interest in extra events like kids ministry training. I saw their generosity in stepping up to lead when they were already so busy and felt I couldn’t ask more from them. Most of them were also older than me and had done a fair bit of ministry training during their uni years. What could I offer them? Then there was the question of the type of training I would run and finding time to prepare it in a week already full of other tasks and responsibilities. When I did try to run a team meeting, often many leaders were unable to make it. It was discouraging – and maybe this is your current situation.

But I now realise that I should have run training anyway. I unwittingly perpetuated a culture of leadership that didn’t value training. Ministry to children involves teaching God’s word to some of the most vulnerable people in our church community. Our mindset should surely be that we always seek to grow and improve our discipleship of these young people.  It is part of our own growth as disciples. Yet I failed to see the disconnect between this perspective and the absence of regular training for my leaders.

I suggest that you run training anyway. Yes, only half the team might turn up for the first few times but keep doing it. Map out dates for training across the year and communicate them early and regularly with your team. Provide a range of training options (in-house, a regional training day, an online or in-person conference, combined training with a neighbouring church). Commit to a long-term goal of creating a culture amongst your leaders that training is ‘part of what we do here’.

And in those moments of discouragement, when people don’t show up, know that your heavenly Father sees all your efforts for his glory.

2.       Junior leaders need more from you

Junior leaders (under 18s) are a wonderful blessing to any leadership team. They often connect more easily with the children and bring fresh energy and enthusiasm. I loved having junior leaders involved but it was hard to know what they needed from me. Asking, “How’s it going?” or “Everything going ok?” would be answered with a smile, a shrug or “Yeah!”. It was only later on that I might hear from another leader that they were struggling to manage their small group or feeling confused about giving a talk.

I now have the perspective of a parent, as my own teenagers step into positions of leadership. They appear confident and thrilled to be involved, but they are sometimes completely lost in the preparation and unsure about handling the Bible correctly. It’s been a joy tinged with anxiety at times to see them learning what works and what doesn’t through trial and error.

This is always part of the journey but I do wish I’d realised that my junior leaders needed more support. It might not feel efficient to invest so much time in junior leaders, but it is effective in the long run. The kind of training and support you offer junior leaders will depend on your context but here are some ideas to get you started:

-            Have regular one to one check-ins where you ask set questions (so you both know what will be asked). Make it easy for them to ask for help.

-            Run specific training on areas where you are asking junior leaders to have a go. Just because they’ve heard a lot of Bible talks doesn’t mean they know how to prepare one.

-            Pair them up with a more experienced leader for prayer, encouragement and possibly help with preparation.

-            If Leaders in Training (LIT) camp is part of your leadership training pathway, make the most of it by visiting during the ‘Taking it home’ session and being familiar with what they are learning so you can encourage them to practise and consolidate their skills.

Junior leaders are such a precious blessing. Caring for them well might be time-consuming but it is worth it.

3.       Good training moves from ‘why’ to ‘how’

It’s tempting to always stick to the practical aspects of training leaders. We see and feel the need more intensely. But the ‘why’ that stands behind our practice has far-reaching influence. For example, being convinced that teaching from God’s word is non-negotiable is something we don’t want to assume. The best kind of training includes both the ‘why’ and the ‘how’: why we put time and energy into this ministry, why we do group management a particular way, why we prioritise certain activities over others.

It's also a way we can encourage our team to be leading from the heart. Ultimately, it is Jesus who is our motivation, so we lead out of love for him and all he has done for us. We serve with the joy of our own salvation, as disciples who want to see more people (of whatever age) know the grace of God in Christ Jesus. Taking our leaders back to that truth is our privilege as team leaders and helps us all continue to serve faithfully.

These are three things I wish I’d known as a younger ministry worker. If you took a step back from your current practice to reflect on what’s working or not working in training your leaders, what might you like to change?

Youthworks Ministry Support offers a range of options to support you in training your leaders. Here are just a few:

-            On-demand training – details here

-            Regional training days – talk to your regional advisor

-            Training Ministry Teams – subscribe to access training resources you can use with your team anytime

Subscribe to our Effective Ministry e-newsletter to hear about upcoming training events and lots more.