by Brian Dollar

After such an overwhelming response to last week’s post about my biggest change in Kidmin Philosophy from doing ministry as a “one-man-show” to a “team approach”, I had a ton of different questions regarding that same topic.  So, rather than choose just ONE question, I thought I would expand a bit on the reasons to approach Kids Ministry as a team.

I have made a decision that I never want to do ministry alone.  Whenever possible, I try to make sure that I have someone with me.  If make a home visit, I bring someone along.  When I am speaking at a conference, I bring someone with me.  When I am visiting a child in the hospital, I bring someone along.  Every chance I get I want to add to the ministry team God has called me to lead.

Reasons to have a team approach:

1)   Avoid Burnout

If you insist on being “the man” or “the woman” in your Kids Ministry, you will eventually come to the point where that is no longer effective.  You will wear out physically, mentally, or spiritually if you insist on being THE one doing the work of the ministry.

2)   Make Room For Growth

There is a limit to how many kids you alone can effectively reach.  If you don’t train and release others to do the work of the ministry, you have basically decided, “We are going to reach (insert number) of kids and that’s it!”  When you get to Heaven, you don’t want to have to say to God, “Well, I wanted to reach more kids, but I was a glory-hog who didn’t allow others to shine in their ministry gifts.  So, we had to settle for less.”

3)   Allow Others To Use Their God-Given Gifts And Talents To Build The Kingdom

When you insist on doing it yourself because “it will get done faster and will be done the way I want it to be done”, then you are depriving others from fulfilling their God-given potential.  Ephesians 4:11,12 teaches that God chose some to be pastors, teachers, apostles, evangelists, and prophets “to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up”.  As a pastor/teacher, your job is to “prepare God’s people for works of service.”  Are you doing that?

4)   Prepare The Kids Ministry For The Future

As much as it may come as a shock to you, you most likely will not serve your current Kids Ministry and church forever.  God may call you elsewhere or circumstances may arise that cause you to have to leave.  It’s not something you can always plan for.  How sad would it be if you were to leave not having ever trained or prepared anyone to sustain the ministry in your absence.  What will your legacy be?

5)   To Follow Jesus’ Example

When Jesus began his earthly ministry, He didn’t venture out on his own.  He assembled a team of twelve men to be involved in ministry with Him.  When Jesus said, “Go into all the world…” during the great commission, He wasn’t just speaking to 500 random individuals.  He was speaking to a ministry team.  If Jesus needed a team, who are we to think we should do any different.

The opportunity to minister to children is one of the highest honors and pleasures one can experience.  It’s also one of the most challenging.  So, why would anyone want to take the “solo route” and try to be a Lone Ranger in Children’s Ministry?  It’s ludicrous.  Besides that – even the Lone Ranger had Tonto.  🙂