The heat that helps ministry rise comes from people—because they provide the energy needed to make things happen. And as with any recipe, it's not simply a lot of heat that's needed—it's the right amount at the right time. Too much workload on too few people will result in burnout. And just like cooking in the kitchen at home, by the time my smoke detector wails the damage is done. On the other hand, too little work for too many people … will never happen, so don't worry about it!

Before you concern yourself too much with the thermostat, keep this in mind: ministries don't thrive simply because they have a lot of people—they succeed because the right people are in the right places. This idea comes straight from the Bible, most notably the entire chapter of 1 Corinthians 12 where Paul describes how a variety of spiritual gifts are given to people at God's discretion, with the intent that they all will work together as a church body.

I believe many children's ministries ...