God sent Jesus to invite each of us into the only relationship that offers eternal life.
Beep…Beep…Beep. It was the middle of the night when the sound woke me from my first minutes of deep sleep. The noise was insisting that I become aware immediately of its notification.
The alarm sensed smoke, which meant there was potential for fire! Thanks to the alarm, I had time to act and protect my loved ones. Fire alarms aren’t the only alarms that have protected me though.
After serving five years as children’s pastor in my church, my motto had become “Build it big. Make it fun. And Kids will come!” I loved children’s ministry programs. They were attractive and effective for reaching high numbers of participants, which made my church board happy.
But, eventually, an internal alarm in my heart from the Holy Spirit was warning me. The Spirit was warning me that if I didn’t seek God’s wisdom and take action to protect God’s loved ones, they would be lost.
I began to wrestle in prayer with God about how He viewed my programs versus my perception of the programs. To be honest, Jacob might have had an easier time with a dislocated hip during his wrestling match with God (Genesis 32:22-31). Wrestling with God was not an easy task. He began to remove the worldly lenses from my eyes and reveal where I was falling short.
Personal Relationship Over Everything
God’s ultimate desire for every child is a personal relationship with them. He longs for a deep level of intimacy where every individual feels known. A relationship where He calls each child by name. He reveals each child’s potential, shares His promises, and sets each child on a path toward His greater purpose.
Jesus always acted in accordance with God’s heart for relationships. He focused on seeing those around Him, listening to them, and inviting them into the kingdom. Jesus’ sacrifice in John 3:16 tells us He did everything God asked so that everyone might have a relationship with the Father.
As leaders, our daily tasks can consume us, leading us to forget about the true purpose of our work. And that’s a relationship that leads children and volunteers toward God.
Without strong connections, our programs will fail to leave a lasting impact on lives. God didn’t send Jesus to be a billboard smile or to establish the name “JESUS” as the perfect response to all questions.
He sent Jesus to invite each of us into the only relationship that offers eternal life.
Jesus modeled that building personal relationships is the most important aspect of our work.
Ministry Invitation
The first internal alarm beep reminded me to consider the invitation of my ministry. No one wants to be invited to a party and arrive just to be ignored. How do you model to your volunteers that they are known?
The way you establish connections can influence how your volunteers interact with the children and families in your ministries. They will likely model their relationships based on yours. Prioritize relationships over programs. Get to know each child—learn their interests and stories and show that you care about them as individuals.
Be open and vulnerable to share your life and prayer requests with others. Take time to review how you offer invitations to your ministry and programs with your words and spaces.
Does your invitation invite people to be truly seen and known?
How to Get Heard and Supported by Your Church Leadership
How to Get Heard and Supported by Your Church Leadership
How to Get Heard and Supported by Your Church Leadership
Entertaining Is Not Sustaining
The second internal alarm beep woke me to realize entertaining is not sustaining. The entertainment world is constantly unstable—shifting and morphing into the next “thing.” The definition of sustain is supporting or strengthening.
God, who never changes, wants us to do ministry work by sowing the seeds of His love. We should nurture these seeds so that they grow into a meaningful relationship between each child and God.
To alleviate my inner alarm, I walked through my ministry spaces and prayed for God’s guidance. I needed His guidance in developing programs and creating an environment that encourages the growth of faith.
I prayed for God’s guidance to reveal any distractions I may have unknowingly created that hindered relationships.
How are you sharing the story of children who have discovered that God’s promises are real and how their faith has grown and changed their lives?
In which areas of ministry have you noticed positive results from your efforts to build relationships and attract guests who are accepting Christ’s invitation and inviting friends?
Alarms Save People
We have all learned the beeping of an alarm directs us to protect and save people. The first priority is the people. We should leave behind everything we own to save them. Jesus’s sacrifice on the cross redeems our lives. He offers us more beauty and wealth than we can imagine in the promises of heaven.
As I wrestled with God, the alarm warned me that, as caretakers of relationships, it is important to prioritize honoring and reflecting on the significant work done on the cross, rather than getting caught up in distractions.
In today’s fast-paced world, it is so easy to lose yourself in the latest trends and programs. This is true especially when it comes to children’s ministry. However, Jesus modeled that building personal relationships is the most important aspect of our work.
As we take the time to get to know each other and truly connect, we create a safe and loving environment where faith thrives.
So, let’s remember the sacrifice that Jesus made, and honor Him by focusing on what truly matters—the people around us.
Let’s continue to prioritize relationships over programs, and watch as our ministries grow and flourish in new and unexpected ways.
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