Your Children's Ministry To-Do List

With all the things on our to-do lists, it can be really hard to decide what is most important in our children’s ministries. Whether deciding on priorities for programming or volunteer training, there’s just so much to do.

But there is one practice that should come above everything else.

Jesus replied, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.” This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.
Matthew 22:37-40 NLT

Children’s Ministry To-Do List

What is the most important thing you can do for the children, parents, and volunteers in your ministry?

Love God and love people.

While ministry can be complex at times, Jesus laid it out for us so simply.

And while there are many ministry models we can adopt … and all kinds of variations of those models … even variations within variations, there is one thing that has to come first.

Love God and love people.

two young adult friends laughing — Credit: Getty Images/Stone/Tim Robberts

Above All Put on Love

As children’s ministry leaders, our lists are full.

There is curriculum to order and teach. And there are so many available! There are different emphases and lessons and styles. But with each one, our goal is still love.

Love God and love people.

And sometimes leading puts so much pressure on us. It can really get to us and effect our interactions with our leadership, the parents we serve, and the volunteers we walk alongside. We have to prepare, recruit, train, shepherd, partner, and support.

Our lists are full of development and finding the right tools and resources available. Our calendars are scribbled on, and our desks are overflowing.

The to-do lists for us could go on and on (and on and on and on, really).

But the most important thing we could and will ever do? Love God and love people.

The other realities will still exist, but they should come second to love every single time. So, take a deep breath, take some pressure off, and remember Jesus’ command: Love God and love people.