The Goal of Children's Ministry: When Veggie Tales is OK

We've all had days were screens was the best we could offer in children's church. And that's OK!

Maybe it's longer than a day and it's a season of screens. That's OK, too. Sometimes the best we can offer is loving babysitting. But loving care is still ministry.

Love is the purest form of the gospel and it really is ENOUGH.

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:34 - 35 (ESV)

One day when I was teaching Sunday school, the class fell apart and the lesson didn't happen (and I wrote the lesson!). I felt discouraged because I knew the children deserved better.

I heard a still, small Voice ask, "Did you love a child today?"

"Yes," I answered.

"Then, you have done your job," He said.

And I've thought about that every Sunday since then.

If you've loved a child, you've done your job.

This became one of my mottos in children's ministry. I'd ask my teachers this question if they came in frazzled or embarassed if they hadn't finished a lesson. "Did you love a child? It's OK."

Loving childcare can be ministry

The most important thing we can give our children is an encounter with Jesus. Sometimes - and usually, the first way - that our children encounter Jesus is through our overflow of Him. His spirit in us ministers to them through us. His power is so much bigger than our capacity (thank goodness!).

It used to trigger me so much when people would call our children's ministry "the child care" of oTrue Life. It felt like such a dishonor to the time I spent training our volunteers, praying over the rooms and planning lessons. Our work was ministry.

Then, I had my own kids. I realized what a life-saving blessing it is to have loving, empowered, safe child care. True Christ-followers who would dedicate their time and energy to loving my little ones when I couldn't or needed a break. That's when I realized that children's ministry and loving childcare don't have to be at odds. They can compliment each other and serve different goals.

Our welcoming smiles, hugs, and well-meaning jokes show children the Father's heart and evangelize to them in a powerful way. Even if the only Bible after that is read to them on a screen with dancing vegetables.

If the best you can do for the children in your church is Yippee down the hall with a safe, loving volunteer - that's OK!

God's love is enough.

you're the best leader for your kids!

I think and hope that if you've read this far, you do want more for your children. You want them to not only experience God's love through you, but also experience God's love to themselves and others! Raising world-chagnes and Jesus-followers requires intentionality. It requires training and teaching and eqipping, just as Jesus did with his disciples. We can't sit back and hope that they figure it out. We need to lead them in the way that they should go. Discipleship requires modeling and teaching.

If that's not possible for you today, that's OK. When you're ready for a little more, know that we have curriculum for you to help you get to that next level. Our lessons are designed for ministries with busy volunteers to pick up and teach that day. To find out more, click here: Treehouse Curriculum.