Equipping
Church for Everyone 11 Ways to Engage Your Kids and Families in Ministry By Allison Casillas, Arlington Seventh-day Adventist Church Children’s Ministries Pastor As a church, we want our kids to grow in relationships with Jesus. We want them to know that God loves them and that there is a place for them within His family. Sometimes it is hard to communicate these things to kids in effective ways. In my experience as an educator and principal, and now as a pastor, I’ve found the following approaches to be effective in reaching and engaging kids and their families in ministry. We want to partner with families in a way that acknowledges their everyday lives while helping them to become more intentional at home and more connected to a community of faith. We want every child to feel loved and secure within the body of Christ.
Creating an Environment Well-decorated rooms and intentionally-themed programs are wonderful. Kids feel valued when there is a unique environment that they recognize is for them. If Vacation Bible School (VBS) is the annual evangelistic event for your children’s ministry program, go all out with the whole church. Make VBS a part of your corporate worship and don’t be afraid to disrupt even the platform look for this special time. It’s great when kids are able to participate in the creation of their space. Whether they choose colors, set-up classroom verses and themes or create artwork for display, kids’ engagement in the process creates a sense of belonging.
Make It Real People struggle when the things they learn don’t have a practical tie to their everyday lives. This is why it is so important to involve kids in what the body of Christ looks like in action. The most important environment we can create in a church is a relational one where kids feel like they are important and are active participants in what they experience. Kids can do anything if we’ll take the time to train them. Whether it’s running media, taking offering or being a greeter, trusting kids to use the talents the Spirit has given them has an impact on how they see both the church and God.
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