Have you ever felt frustrated while serving in Children’s Ministry? It’s ok…you can answer the question, I won’t tell anybody. I’m not a prophet but I’m willing to guess that the answer is a resounding “YES!” If you’ve never had this feeling of frustration creep it’s way in during your midweek lesson, during which your students have decided to declare a goldfish cracker war, sooner or later it is going to happen. Let me just pause, and say, “It is okay!” There is nothing wrong with you and you have not lost your passion for children. Now, if this feeling of frustration becomes a regular occurrence, it might be time for some good ole’ self-reflection…and to get rid of the goldfish crackers.
So, even if you haven’t dealt with the furry frustration monster lately, it’s always important to ask this question: “Why am I in children’s ministry?” Going back to the “why?” of what we do on a weekly or monthly basis can be painful but it’s necessary. Asking this question causes us to push past any comfortable motions and façade in order to find our true passion and burden, which led us to get involved with children’s ministry in the first place. Being in touch with your “why?” will cause you to minister with passion and effectiveness. It will also make that furry frustration monster seem more like a pom-pom that accidentally got glued to your shoe during craft time.
So, what’s your “why”? Well, that’s up to you. Your “wh?y” has to be linked to your specific passion and burden for kids. Even though it might look a little different than mine, or the teacher in the next classroom, it’s important to know your true motives. How do you define your “why?”, you ask? Here are a few steps that you can take right now:
- Pray
Ask God to show you your personal “why?” in prayer, fasting, reading the Word, etc. Spend some quality time with the Spirit and ask that your personal “why?” for being in children’s ministry be revealed.
- Recognize the specific need you fill.
It’s time to recognize you have something of value to bring to your local children’s ministry. Whatever your talent, passion, or skill might be, it can be creatively used to reach your kids. Take some time to sit down and figure out what exactly that might be and how it can be utilized in your church’s ministry. If you’re having a tough time figuring this out, ask your children’s pastor or a close friend to give your feedback on what talents or abilities they recognize in you. When you can identify specific areas you bring value to, it will make your passion and “why?” that much clearer.
- Know your “why?”…Now it’s time for “what?”
Once you identify your personal “why?” it’s time to apply this to the “what?” With every lesson you teach, small group you guide or action song you lead, ask yourself, “How can I make sure I am fulfilling my “why?” with this opportunity today?” When your “why?” fuels everything you do, your “what?” will become that much more effective. It’s time to rip those glued pom-poms off your shoes, and put them back in the craft closet where they belong. Look at your times of frustration as opportunities to find your “why?” in serving and your ministry to children will never be the same.