Ever thought about what it really means to create culture? When I served full-time in a church, a lot of my time was spent programming and staffing the (1) hour we had with the average kid each week… that’s less than 1% of a kid’s week? If kids are exposed to God thru church only 1% of their weekly time it must be a place they absolutely love.
We must work to create a culture that screams loudly the things we want kids to hear, and one that impacts the parents. After all, those parents (and kids’ peers/teachers) get way more than 1% of a kid’s time. If there’s anywhere to create culture, it’s in kids ministry!
EVERYTHING we do in leadership is either shaping a culture or letting culture shape us.
I saw this best as I stepped into a certain church culture as an outsider… a culture that, without a doubt, had been created by strong leaders. People knew what to wear, how to act, what to say, even key phrases to repeat. It was a bit scary, but fascinating at the same time! In this church, leaders earned trust so that when they led, everyone followed.
But there is a need for caution when creating culture… Leaders can leverage their influence to change behaviors in God-honoring ways and not so God-honoring ways too. As you seek to lead, keep your perspective in line and accountability close by, in order to only create a culture where God is glorified and where team members, volunteers, and kids are encouraged to live a life honoring to the Lord!