This week’s featured download is an orientation guide (all of which are on sale this month) for children’s ministry directors. One common challenge in that role is handling parental expectations, which often show up as suggestions–”try this curriculum” or “what about a Christmas program?”. Below are some questions to ask of any ideas proposed for your children’s ministry.
Does it fit with our mission statement? If the idea doesn’t fit your mission statement, propose that a small group or other ministry incorporate the initiative.
Do we have gifted and called people to support the new idea? Someone must lead every initiative, and success depends upon God’s gifting, not man’s brainstorming.
Is our facility set up for this? The idea may not be feasible if it interferes with other ministries in terms of space, time, or leadership.
What resources would be needed? Budget and storage space may be a factor.
Who will provide oversight? In every ministry, leaders are needed. Is there someone willing and able to take responsibility for the new idea?
Can our current staff handle the additional responsibility? Look up the leadership ladder in the church. Does the person at the top have the ability to take this new initiative under his or her wing? Or would implementing the idea require the church to hire someone new? Sometimes, it’s worth it to hire someone to take on a new initiative, but everyone suffers if the staff of the church are stretched too thin.
If the new idea passes all of the tests above, implement it on a trial basis. Try it for a month, and use that experience to learn what changes would be necessary to do it long-term. If you discover it’s not feasible, communicating from the beginning that it’s a trial can prevent hurt feelings when you have to discontinue the idea.
Excerpted from Cultivating Cooperative Communication with Parents.
