5 Ways to Invest in Your Ministry Leadership

Introduction

In 2022, Barna released the study Children’s Ministry in a New Reality. We’re guessing that their findings won’t shock you, but they might make you feel less alone. Here are a few of the stats that stood out to us:

The children’s ministry leaders we talk to are often doing incredible things to serve their communities with little training or outside support. They are making long-term investments in the lives of children and families, driven by a deep love for Jesus and trusting him for the outcome. Do you identify with these ministry leaders?

Your to-do list is long and you are responsible for so much, but making the decision to connect to other ministry leaders and to invest in your leadership development is a generous gift you ought to give yourself and your church. Here are five ways you can invest in yourself as a ministry leader:

1. Find a Mentor

Find a colleague a bit further ahead in children’s ministry to mentor you. If you want to go the informal route, you can think through your network and come up with someone or connect to denominational or regional groups. An abundance of formal mentoring and coaching resources are also available, including INCM Mentoring.

2. Connect with Peers

Your denomination may have a Facebook Group and/or annual gathering for children’s ministry leaders, or you may be able to find or start a local group for children’s ministry leaders in your area. This could be as simple as meeting at a local coffee shop for an hour or two each month to talk over an article, podcast episode, or current ministry challenge.

3. Join a Ministry Cohort

CFC has ministry cohorts beginning this fall. These cohorts are an opportunity to collaborate with other children’s ministry leaders and to learn from experts in the field.

4. Consider a Certificate or Degree

This may seem intimidating, but it is an excellent way to fill your bucket and enrich your ministry. The Educational Ministries courses we offer at TEDS are theologically rich and practical and just eight weeks long. You will be able to directly apply what you are learning to your ministry context.

5. Connect to Resources

With all the work you do, hunting down reliable resources for your own growth, development, and enrichment can seem daunting. CFC wants to be a reliable hub for resources that will empower you to journey in faith alongside the children in your church. Through blog articles and podcast episodes, we hope to inspire and encourage you as you minister with children. Through our toolkits, newsletters, and Pinterest boards, we hope to curate ideas, resources, and tools that you can use to minister effectively wherever you find yourself. Through cohorts, consulting, and conferences, we hope to connect you with ministry colleagues and professionals that you can’t wait to collaborate with. Sign up for our newsletter today for regular updates and reliable resources.