One of the first children’s pastors I ever mentored called me within the first 3 weeks of taking a position and uttered these words to me: “Children’s ministry is hard.” There is a lot of truth to that statement.
As a children’s pastor, or director of a children’s church program, you have a lot of responsibilities. First, you have to be prayed up and ready to invest in the lives of not only your children, but their parents and the team that has come alongside you to minister to the children in your program or service. You have to be certain that the material that you’re using to teach your children is Biblically sound as well as engaging. You have to be ready to present that material, often with a craft or a creative object lesson, in an exciting manner while being sure you have created an environment where kids feel safe and have the opportunity to experience the presence of Jesus. You must make sure that your children’s ministry team is happy and doing what they need to do, where they are supposed to be doing it; make sure that everyone has all the materials and supplies they need to do what you have them to do. Guess who needs to be sure that happens? That’s right, ultimately, it’s you! You have to manage problem children and sometimes difficult parents, all while keeping the other kids happy and safe. I have not even mentioned all the additional events, holiday programs, and outings not included in your Sunday and Wednesday routines. It can all be overwhelming and far too many called, talented, and anointed leaders just give up.
Let me share with you what God laid on my heart to say to my dear young friend mentioned above; I believe that this is something that every person who has chosen to answer the call to minister the gospel of Jesus Christ to His youngest disciples needs to hear. Honestly, I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve encouraged myself with these very words: What you have been called to do is too important to quit. You are on appointment from God. He has placed you where you are for a reason. The children that you are serving belong to God. Your success in ministering to His kids means more to Him than it ever could to you. He crossed the universe and allowed Himself to become His own creation when He was born as a baby; then grew in wisdom and in stature to become a man where He revealed to us the heart of God; then gave His life all to save the kids in your grogram from the pain and destruction of sin. He placed you where you are, at this time in history, to lead the children He has placed in your care into a relationship with Him and into salvation. Your success means that His precious kids will be eternally changed and rescued from the ravages of sin. You may love kids, but I promise He loves them more! All that to say this, Jesus didn’t promise that the adventure He has called us to would be easy. Additionally, you are opposed by the Enemy. What Jesus did say is that He promised He would give us the strength that we need and to equip us to accomplish the great mission He has called us to. “May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” (Hebrews 13:20-21)
Take heart, dear friends. Never forget you’ve got this because He’s got you!