Children’s ministry directors and kids’ pastors commonly struggle with a key question: how can I meet the expectation of attending main service while also managing my ministry responsibilities? This tension, whether self-imposed or coming from external pressure, can quickly lead to burnout and overwhelm. How can you be in two places at once?
To address this, let’s begin by reframing our perspective: what if, as leaders, we truly considered the weekly work of kids’ ministry to be authentic church, fully recognizing its value and significance in the life of our community?
What if we set aside the guilt of not attending the main Sunday service and invest ourselves fully in the Sunday church service we are leading?
I’ve spoken with many children’s ministry leaders who say, “I didn’t make it to church today.” If this sounds familiar, I want to encourage you:
You did make it to church, and God saw you.
With just a few small shifts in perspective as leaders, we can ease tension, remove guilt, and show up fully in our ministries and church services.
For the word of God is alive and powerful.
Hebrews 4:12 (NLT)
Children’s Church Is Church
I want you to read that again out loud.
Remember, kids’ church is a full church service. Whether you have prayer, worship, Scripture reading, a lesson or sermon, communion, a response, and possibly a challenge—you are experiencing church. These moments can be found in both children’s and adult services.
Much of what takes place in children’s ministry mirrors what takes place in the Sunday church service. However, maybe even more community takes place in children’s church or Sunday school with the space for dialogue and relationship building.
This perspective shift shows that everything you do in kids’ ministry is church. Even the toddler room offers a complete service.
These spaces, full of children, are full of church. Sometimes, though, we just see them as services for kids. That is where I want to challenge you.
The Scriptures Shared in Children’s Church are Alive
If the Word of God is powerful, transformative, and cannot return void, then even a simple lesson about Noah’s Ark can teach, correct, and challenge all who are listening—including the adults in the room.
Let’s look at Hebrews 4:12 (NLT). It says, “For the word of God is alive and powerful.”
Sometimes I am convinced we read it like this; “the Word of God is alive and powerful, only when it is deep, complicated, and read to adults.”
Yikes.
The Word of God is alive. The Word of God is powerful. As you read the script, read the Scriptures, or tell the Bible story, you are preaching the good news of Jesus.
Before each kidmin service begins, pray for the power of His Word and His Spirit to be upon you, and for you to receive fresh revelation and wisdom from the Word of God.
James 1:5 (NIV) says, “If any of you lack wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.”
Children’s Worship Is Worship
Now let’s look at Psalm 150:6 (MSG),“ Let every living, breathing creature praise GOD! Hallelujah!”
The time you have with children for worship is true worship. God doesn’t specify age in this verse. Worship comes from the heart and is so much more than a song.
The lack of a stage, lights, or haze does not diminish worship in the kids’ room, just as it does not diminish worship in the Sunday service. Egg shakers, hand motions, or bubbles don’t lessen the authenticity of the worship.
Movement during worship in song helps children connect with the songs’ theology, it is as important as adults raising their hands and saying amen.
Play those songs during your week and focus on the words. Make them a prayer or a declaration as you sing with the kids and watch your praise and worship time become a meaningful, sacred moment.
Utilize the worship portions of your curriculum—including the reflection times and maybe even worship response. Reflect on those things throughout your week, just as you encourage the children in your ministry to.
Children’s ministry is church.
Learning with Children Is Church
Entering the sanctuary is not a marker of church attendance or transformational growth. And while it’s a gathering place for the body of believers, you can have church experiences outside of the sanctuary.
When you serve in kids’ church, you live out the Scriptures in a tangible way.
If you have helped a little one, led worship with song, or given a lesson, you have unleashed the promises of God. If you rocked a toddler in prayer, led story time for three-year-olds, read from a picture Bible, or taught a small group of 4th and 5th graders, you experienced the kingdom of heaven and were fully in church.
His Word Is Fulfilled
The Scripture you gave to that child is powerful and cannot return void when it is from God. God’s Word will always accomplish what God’s will is.
Isaiah 55:11 (NIV) says, “[S]o is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”
We know the Holy Spirit is within every person who follows Jesus as Lord, and we know that Jesus delights in His little ones learning about Him. The Holy Spirit is very present as God calls each child to Himself. Submit your children’s ministry to Him.
We are reminded who the kingdom of heaven belongs to in Matthew 19:14 (NLT). Jesus says, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.”
So, when you teach a child the way of God, you are in obedience. Follow Jesus, share His good news, and then watch Him do the things that only He can.
Be reminded that when you serve the least of these, you serve Jesus. We learn this in Matthew 25:40 (NIV) when it says, “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”
What About Personal Growth in Children’s Ministry?
You might still ask, what about my spiritual nourishment and growth?
I recognize that even after we have removed the guilt of not going into service, and even when we have changed our perspective on kids’ church as church, we still need age-appropriate spaces for accountability and growth.
There are many opportunities for you to focus on your personal spiritual growth.
Small Group
Attend regularly and go all in with the relationships in it. Friendships in community will keep you accountable and grounded.
Bible Study
Start a focused study of a specific part of the Bible, delving into its meanings and commentaries. You can do this in your small group or outside of it. Maybe include your team too!
Personal Quiet Time
Make this time non-negotiable. The morning is a great time to read and pray while having your coffee. Find what works for you—school pickup line, in your car, or at your kitchen island. Maybe night works best once everyone is sleeping. Find what works for you and take time to meet with God. From Him everything else flows.
Podcasts and Worship Playlists
Use your drive time or exercise time to listen to a teaching podcast or to sit in worship.
Online Service
Watch your church’s service online each week during your lunch break or in place of your TV time one night.
Attend Another Service
Some churches have Saturday night or Friday night services. If you know you will be in the kids’ church on Sunday, you can attend another church when not serving. Or if your church has multiple services, maybe there is a way for your volunteer rotation to fit you into one.
Making an Impact in Your Children’s Ministry
This guide was created to help you dive into some of the topics facing your ministries today and lead into why your curriculum matters and how to choose the right one depending on your needs.
Making an Impact in Your Children’s Ministry
This guide was created to help you dive into some of the topics facing your ministries today and lead into why your curriculum matters and how to choose the right one depending on your needs.
Making an Impact in Your Children’s Ministry
This guide was created to help you dive into some of the topics facing your ministries today and lead into why your curriculum matters and how to choose the right one depending on your needs.
Jesus Sustains
Serving in children’s ministry doesn’t mean you’re missing church, but it also means you should intentionally make space for your personal spiritual growth. That’s always true whether we’re serving the Body of Christ on a Sunday or not. Especially as leaders: the worship leader needs worship and community outside of Sunday morning. The pastor needs worship and community outside of Sunday morning. The list goes on.
We lead from a place of connection with God, of being in the vine. There is no other way to serve the church.
It’s the same for every attendee—we are each responsible for our time with God during the week. Sunday service does not sustain us; rather, it propels us into deeper study and community. Jesus is the only one who can sustain.
The point is that serving kids, even if the content or setting feels simpler, is as meaningful and valid as attending church in the main sanctuary. Jesus tells us to be like children, remember? Children’s ministry is church.
This Sunday if you are asked, “Did you make it into church today?” say, “Yes, God was with us in the children’s ministry and it was good to be in His presence.”
