Many grace-teaching churches are just beginning children's ministries. Structural examples and ideas are provided that might help in designing a ministry for your kids.
The first step in building your ministry is to determine your need. Ask yourself practical questions such as:
1) How many children do we have?
2) What ages will we minister to?
3) Will the children's ministers rotate on a schedule or will the same ones teach each service?
4) How often will we meet?
5) How long is each service?
6) What types of things will engage them? Do we need lots of flash and flair, a simple snack, games, puppets, etc.
7)What is our vision and goals for our children's ministry? (Although this is unique to the Children's Ministry, the vision will fall within the vision of the Pastor for the entire ministry.)
Answering these questions will determine the design of your program. Children's ministry should be thought of as a church within a church. There are many types and structures of children's ministry. Instead of patterning yours after another one, seek the Lord in what would best meet the needs of your children.
To get you started on some ideas and to show an example of the structure of a children's church, Living Hope Church's R.E.A.L. Church program is outlined as follows:
R.E.A.L. Church
Moto: “Big Church for Little People”
Vision and Goals:
Revealing the Goodness of God
Engaging, Relevant and Safe for Children
Agape Ministering
Laying a Foundation for Life
Mission Statement:
To age-appropriately teach children of the goodness of God in a safe, fun, engaging, and unconditionally loving environment that will serve as a foundation for life and to provide leadership, ministry, and character development opportunities for children as well as those who minister to them.
Class Demographics:
Infants: Each church service. Provides basic infant care. Minister in praise and worship songs and quiet time. (More on "Quiet Time" to come.) Report cards indicating diaper changes and any other issues provided to parents. Rotating teacher and helper schedule.
Toddlers: Each church service. Provides social atmosphere and introduction to church concepts. Minister with praise and worship, prayer and laying on of hands, quiet times, age appropriate games and activities, snack and play time. Lessons include basic Bible stories and concepts of God such as “God made animals.” Can grasp God's love with their hearts. Rotating helper schedule. Consistent teacher to help children of this age have an easier transition away from parents.
Preschool: Each church service. Provides snack and some play time. Praise and worship, prayer ministry time with laying on of hands, giving time, quiet time, Bible lessons and a deeper understanding of God and Jesus. Age-appropriate lesson games and activities. Can grasp concepts of God's grace, love, peace and righteousness even though may not verbally be able to reiterate. Rotating teacher and helper schedule.
School-Age on Sundays Service: Sunday morning service. Kid-sized church. Children taught to serve each other in helps and prayer ministry. Praise and worship, giving time, prayer ministry with laying on of hands, quiet time, Biblical lesson with object lessons. Fellowship and fun with games and activities. Can grasp concepts just as adults can especially if broken down for them. Rotating teacher and helper schedule.
School-Age for Midweek Service (We called this Club Hope): Mid-week service. Leadership, Life Skills and Biblical Lessons. Each year, children vote on their club officers; president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, activity leader, service leaders. Each office has a specific job. Club meeting at the beginning of each class then followed up by a lesson with the purpose of teaching God in everyday life. Lesson might include sewing and reaping/gardening, characters development, public speaking, etc. Club does service projects such as church maintenance or raising money for missions, and fund raisers such as selling produce grown in their garden. Consistent Club Leaders. End of year award ceremony where the officers demonstrate their leadership abilities to the church then adult leader gives awards for skills such as leadership, service, sportsmanship, etc.
Developing Policy and Procedures:
It is important to have written policies and procedures for children's church. This provides structure and serves as an instructional guide for teachers and helpers in the children's church. Structure and consistency is important to children to help them feel safe and secure. This security allows for comfort in learning and freedom in worshiping. Policies might include:
1) background checks/application process for adults working with children.
2) What to do in case of fire.
3) The order of the service.
4) How to take up their giving.
5) Filling out Accident Forms.
6) No Cry Policy.
7) Disciplinary Action.
8) Bathroom policy.
9) The vision and mission statement for the children's church,
etc. etc.
Policies should be approved by the Pastor. After all, this is ultimately his or her responsibility. Don't ever forget to honor that.
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