Hey! My name is Bill Emeott and I have the privilege of serving alongside the CentriKID team here at LifeWay. I serve as the Lead Childhood Ministry Specialist and have been in that role at LifeWay for 8 years. Before coming to LifeWay I served as a Children’s Minister in the metro Atlanta area for several years. Currently, I’m a 4th grade Sunday School teacher…. AND LOVE IT!
Below, you will find five things I believe every Children’s Minister should know! These are things I learned the hard way… so, consider my experiences and maybe you won’t have to “stump your toe” on these commonly made mistakes.
- Take Care of Yourself. It’s so important that you take care of yourself physically, spiritually, emotionally, and mentally. You can only give from your emptiness for so long and it will catch up with you. FIND THE TIME to stay connected to God. FIND THE TIME to exercise. FIND THE TIME to socialize with other growing ADULT Christians. FIND THE TIME to learn and stretch your mind. If you don’t take care of yourself, no one else will.
- Know What You Believe and Why You Believe It! Make sure you’ve considered some of the major issues in Kids Ministry (Children and Salvation, Children’s Worship, Curriculum, Activities) and know what you believe and why you believe it. You will be challenged along the way, so make sure you’ve considered why you do what you do. It’s a lot easier to lead when you know where you’re going!
- People are More Important than Programs. Invest in people (the kids, the teachers, the parents) and allow the programs, policies, and procedures to minister to the people. At the end of the day… it’s all about relationships. Programs minus people equal nothing.
- Organization is Your Best Friend! No one wants to be a part of an unorganized mess. Have fun, but be professional. Don’t be known as the “slacker” minister. Make sure you think through your goals and implement them with organization. At the end of the day, you’ll accomplish more and rest better!
- Give Away Your Ministry. Once you get organized, work your organization. I’ve been known to say, “Only do what only you can do.” Don’t be lazy, be a team player, but give it away. God has called us to equip the church to do the ministry… not do it all by ourselves. Multiply the ministry that God has called you to through the team He has given you.
There are a lot of other things that I wish I had learned early on… but these are just a few that stand out for me. I pray that you’ll take the time to consider this list, add a few of your own and get busy doing the Kingdom work God’s called you to.
Follow me on twitter (Bill_Emeott) or follow me on the Kids Ministry 101 blog. I’ll look forward to following you, too!