Attendance tells us how many children came, and that’s good and important to measure. But formation tells us who they’re becoming.
It was my first summer at this church, and preteen camp was rolling around. Each year, we rent out a quaint little camp and produce the entire thing—from the food to the chapel services and everything in between. Previous years showed attendance numbers between 50 and 60 campers.
This year, our overall church attendance had increased, and one event after another set the record for the “biggest one ever.” So, we prepared for 60+ campers.
I pulled up the list a few days before sign-ups closed, and a mere 20 preteens had registered to attend. Less than half of the usual attendance numbers. Ooff. Do we cancel? Do we pivot? Does this mean failure?
As I surrendered this outcome to the Lord, He gently shifted my perspective. What felt like failure might become a gift. With anticipation, I put my “Jesus-eyes” on. It seemed He wasn’t measuring the week the same way I was.
We planned and prepared with intention and vigor. From group games to snack shack to chapel, we sprinkled in moments of delight we hoped would create lasting memories and deeper formation in Christ. I expected a wave of kids would register last minute, but the number stayed fixed at 20.
I prayed for God to help our team steward this smaller number in a way that would bring Him glory and draw the kids closer to Him.
With anticipation, I put my “Jesus-eyes” on. It seemed He wasn’t measuring the week the same way I was.
The Measurables that Count: Children’s Ministry Outcomes
I am on the other side of that camp week now. And I can honestly say it was my favorite week of the year. Here’s why. These are the unexpected children’s ministry outcomes that made my week:
- One fifth-grade girl who never engaged on Sunday mornings and always chose to sit away from the group found her new best friend at camp. The following Sunday after camp, she sat in the circle with the group and even shared 4 different characteristics of God that she now knows to be true about Him.
- One fifth-grade boy who had a dad about to be deployed bent low on his knees at the prayer wall and found a safe and comforting Father to pour out his fear and worry.
- One fourth-grade girl who appeared to have it all together had the space to be vulnerable and share that she is afraid she’ll never be good enough for her family, friends, or God.
- One fifth-grade boy who came up to camp with a “too cool for anyone” attitude found camaraderie in our youth volunteers who befriended him, empowered him to lead, and modeled what it looked like to listen to and follow Jesus.
- And on the final night in chapel, the Holy Spirit prompted me to speak His words of love and identity over every single preteen, one by one. I spoke so everyone could hear how precious each child is to Him, and the small room became intimate holy ground. In this space with only 20 kids, each child was uniquely pointed to God with His words of love.
It was only 20 kids.
It was so much more than numbers.
Attendance vs. Formation
Attendance tells us how many children came, and that’s good and important to measure. But formation tells us who they’re becoming. Formation is the slow, Spirit-led work of becoming more like Jesus, and that’s the kind of growth attendance alone can never measure.
It was so much more than numbers.
In You Lost Me, David Kinnaman tells us that 3 out of 5 kids will disconnect from their faith for an extended period at some point after they turn 15. But what if we could shift our goals and strategies to defiantly push against this statistic?
I want you to close your eyes and picture a child in your kids’ ministry right now. What do you hope to be true about that future 21-year-old? What are your goals for your children’s ministry outcomes? Here are four outcomes we’ve started paying attention to. This list is not exhaustive, but each one is a target aiming at the kind of transformation we hope to see in our kids and families.
How to Guard Yourself from Ministry Burnout
How to Guard Yourself from Ministry Burnout
How to Guard Yourself from Ministry Burnout
Outcome #1: Our leaders are becoming more like Jesus.
We can’t pour out what we don’t have. Jesus says we know a tree by its fruit. If we want kids to experience Jesus, we must be experiencing Jesus too.
- Your greatest ministry isn’t what you prepare each week. It’s who you are becoming.
- The way we show up in the world directly flows from our internal life and walk with Jesus.
- Let your team know that their volunteer role in kids’ ministry is never separate from their spiritual growth.
- Create rhythms to disciple, pray for, and encourage your volunteers.
Outcome #2: Children know they belong.
Before kids are ready to believe they belong to God’s family, they need to know and experience belonging with God’s people.
- Learn names.
- Celebrate birthdays!
- Remember soccer games and grandparents’ surgeries.
- Pray for your kids throughout the week and encourage your volunteers to do the same.
- Let kids see your face light up when they walk in the room. They’ll know they matter and they belong there.
- Create spaces of safety and belonging through regular, consistent relationships with peers and with volunteers.
Outcome #3: Children know who God is.
Kids need to build confidence and trust in God’s unchanging character.
- Connect every lesson to God and His character. Ask, “What does this story teach us about who God is?”
- Help kids remember His faithfulness. Pause to remember and celebrate where God has shown up.
- Understanding God’s character builds a theology sturdy enough to hold our kids as they navigate hard things. And we know so many of our kids are holding hard things right now.
Outcome #4: Children are taking next steps with Jesus.
Our faith isn’t built on one single moment, but on a lifetime of abiding in and obeying Jesus.
- Build out a discipleship pathway that empowers you and your team to equip parents and help kids grow in their faith in intentional ways.
- Give kids and families clear opportunities to respond and take next steps.
- Mark the milestones! Celebrate!
- Encourage and support kids as they ask questions, doubt, and sift through this faith for themselves.
Healthy leaders create belonging, belonging creates openness, openness leads to knowing God, and knowing God leads to following Him.
Let’s ask, “How did we help a child take one step toward Jesus today?”
Stepping Toward Jesus: Children’s Ministry Outcomes
So, at the end of your Sunday, instead of asking:
- How many kids came today?
- Did we get through the lesson?
- Were the kids well behaved?
- Did everything go smoothly?
Let’s ask, “How did we help a child take one step toward Jesus today?”
Twenty campers didn’t break an attendance record. But up in those mountains, one girl discovered she belonged. A boy found a safe Father. Every child heard the voice of God spoken over their lives. These are the outcomes worth noticing and celebrating.
Attendance will always matter. But let’s refuse to settle for just counting heads if we never measure hearts being formed. Kids’ ministry isn’t accomplished in an hour-long service. It is developed over years and years.
In 15-25 years, the kids in your ministry will be moms and dads, teachers, electricians, and community members. What we hope to be true about each of them is that years from now, they will be faithfully walking with Jesus, living out their identity as a beloved child of God.
Those are the children’s ministry outcomes that really matter.
Like this article by Bekah? Read Recognizing the Voice of God in Your Everyday Life next.
