How Volunteering in Children's Ministry Will Change Your Life

Although I adore children and am basically five at heart, I never really thought I’d go into children’s

ministry. I had a laser focus on youth ministry -- it was all I thought about at night and all I ever

wanted to do. More than anything else, I knew I was called to youth ministry. But this past year,

thanks to the Holy Spirit, Beth Locke, and Jessica Stafford, I took a “detour” from my full-steam-

ahead youth ministry track.** Best detour I ever took. I stepped into the world of kids’ ministry, and

although I am now transitioning into a more youth-oriented role, I know I will never be able to step

out of this rushing river. Kids’ ministry has captured my heart and changed my life. As I’m reflecting

on my own experience, I thought I would share with you how stepping into kids’ ministry could

change YOUR life (and why you totally need to do it!):  

1) You’ll have fun filled memories: Squishing play dough, running around the church on a

scavenger hunt, driving a car full of preteen girls through Lion Country Safari… Kids’ ministry is just

a blast. It just is.

2) You’ll lose your pride: It’s really hard to maintain pride when you are rolling on the ground,

climbing over chairs, and jumping over puddles to find that lost sheep. Or when you are belting out a

tune while doing what feels like ridiculous hand motions. Or when you are trying to tell a Bible story

and a kid is poking your shoe saying, “Squishy!” But I think all of us could use to lose our dignity

once in awhile.

3) You’ll learn patience: About fifteen minutes into that story about the cat who died three years

ago, you’ll learn the true meaning of patience. You’ll learn to invest hundreds of seemingly

meaningless moments for the sake of the moments that matter for the rest of eternity.   

4) You’ll make friends: A special kind of bonding happens when you are leading a small group with

another volunteer, and a student announces that she doesn’t believe in God. A bond forms as you

navigate that conversation with the student, seek to show her all the love you can, and pray for her

together. A friendship is cemented as you watch that student discover God’s incredible love for her

and decide to get baptized. Serving together forms friendship.

5) You’ll become a hero: The truth is that when you step out of the pew and into a child’s life, you

alter their future. They now have someone who believes in them. They now have someone who will

show up consistently for them. They now have someone who will show them the tangible love of

God — someone who will take it from the words they read on a page, and translate it through a face

that lights up when you see them, a hug that holds them tight when they are sad, and an ear that

tells them the words they say matter. Hopefully parents do all this, but unfortunately in many

households that is not the case. For the households that do, how powerful is it to reinforce what they

are learning at home in the church? Double the influence. Every kid needs someone who will

consistently show up in their chaos. Every kid needs a hero to look up to, and despite your

brokenness and flaws, you can become that hero in a kid’s life.

So there you have it. I dare you to try children’s ministry. I dare you to pursue fun filled memories, to

challenge your pride, to deepen your patience, to create friendships, and to become a hero. Not only

will serving in kid’s ministry change your life, it will change the life of a child forever. And that is worth

an hour of your Sunday morning.

(** I believe every youth minister should be actively partnering with their church’s children’s ministry.

1) This is the most accessible serving opportunity for your youth. 2) Before you know it, those kids

will be students in your ministry. Make your face a familiar one.)