The other day on Google wave Chris Chancey posted and interview he had with Dallas Willard. I found it helpful and several things that Dr. Willard had to say spoke to me so I asked Chris if I could post it because I believe there are lots of nuggets to think about from the oldest veteran out there to the kids pastor just starting out.
In case you missed it:
Here is Part 1
Here is Part 2
3. Is there anything the church can do differently to help the problem of “too few workers” in the present?
- Pastoral involvement
I believe that pastors, youth pastors, and other church staff members should keep a pulse on what is going on in the children’s ministry program. After all, that is there future. This will help you share the burden for children’s ministry and will effectively be discussed directly and indirectly by the staff and congregation.
- Put Children’s pastors in the pulpit
Another way to keep children’s ministry on the radar of the congregation is to preach in the main service whenever the pastor will let you. It would help people buy into your vision but would do wonders for the church body. Youth and children’s pastors see things the pastor will never see and would not understand if he did!
"Put Children's pastors in the pulpit"
I couldn't agree with this more. However, there are so many churches that hire ministry directors b/c of their administrative strengths. They're just the best at the making the kidmin thing run every week. That's a different set of skills from the kids pastor that can cast a compelling vision regarding kids ministry. There are lots of solutions to this, but it all boils down to a senior pastor that wants kids ministry and student ministry represented regularly from the pulpit.
I agree. I believe that at the beginning of a kidministry you need a administrative person but as more kids and families come you really need an articulate vision caster who believes and supports his/her pastors vision. The problem is many churches don't see the need for the kids pastor role to be more than administrative and we as kids pastors get bogged down we don't push vision like we need to.
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