This month, we want to encourage you and the leaders of your children’s ministry team to focus on equipping the voices the kids in your church need to develop an authentic faith. Think about these questions: When you think about the kids in your church and what they are listening to as they grow and develop, what comes to mind? Are they listening to people they follow on social media, their peers, or other worldly influencers? Or do they have a few people speaking into their lives who are the healthy voices they need? There is no doubt that we live in an age where there are tons of voices speaking to this generation. As leaders, we certainly want to empower parents as the primary voice of influence for their kids, but as their kids grow and begin to live more and more in the real world, both positive and negative voices emerge. Friends, teachers, coaches, neighbors, and extended family members all have influence over our kids. In order to grow up to be healthy mentally, emotionally, and spiritually, the kids in our church need to hear solid, encouraging voices that can help them build a foundation of faith that can sustain them for the long term.
In this month’s Coaching Video, we talk to you and your team about the importance of surrounding kids with helpful and healthy voices that will encourage them in their spiritual journey and point them to a real and growing relationship with Jesus. As children’s ministry leaders, we have the opportunity to be more than just someone who runs the programs at church; we are a real voice of hope to the families we get to lead. Our hope is that as we build relationships with kids, they will be more likely to trust us and open up about the real issues they are facing in their lives. When that happens, we have earned the right to speak into their lives and help them process their life, thoughts, and faith. We can also work towards developing a strategy to train other influential people who will be speaking to our kids. When parents see us (and our church) as allies in speaking truth to their own children, the relationships grow, and the ministry deepens.
The truth is kids need tons of encouragement, and the best way we can give them the encouragement they need is through healthy relationships that speak truth and love. As they continue to build their identity and settle on who they are, the voices that are in their lives really matter. As children’s ministry leaders, we have the privilege of being a trusted voice and facilitating relationships that can help build other trusted voices that they will need to listen to for years to come.
Click the image above to watch the video or click HERE!