Avoiding Recruiting Problems in the Nursery (and other Children’s Ministry Departments)

1. Avoiding Recruiting Problems in the Nursery (and other Children’s Ministry Departments) Prepared by Teachable Heart Ministries

2. The Most Common Problem • Not enough volunteers • This one problem will quickly multiply into a multitude of troubles • The single most serious problem in children’s ministry today is lack of volunteers

3. Have you unknowingly been communicating a “just leave it to the experts” philosophy in your church?

4. Some tattle tale signs… • Experts Only Need Apply- No staff meetings or training meetings scheduled and/or promoted, they’re just not talked about • Parent’s Not Welcome- Staff only beyond this point signs • Drop off Zone- parents are not registering their children but rather dropping them off at the door, drop them off and leave the spiritual training to the experts

5. More signs… • Sign your Kid up and Don’t ask any Questions- no parent’s hand book or material prepared explaining programs and volunteer opportunities, or it’s prepared but outdated and/or not being handed out • No one would put these signs up on purpose, and no one would want these to be the impression left on the parents • The signs may not physically be up- but signs are signs!

6. The first step in the right direction..Decide today to honor the Word of God

7. Get in line with the Five Fold Gift Ministry • Communicate clearly to the congregation how important it is for them to become involved • Ephesians 4:12,13 says that the purpose of the pastors, prophets, evangelists, and teachers are not to do all the ministry but rather to "prepare God's people for works of service so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in knowledge of the Son of God and become mature."

8. Offer Purposeful Ministry • Communicate your ministry plan, vision, and philosophy • Insure you have prayed and sought God’s will for your children’s programming • In other words, you should be able to easily list what you’re doing and why, and in what area or purpose does this meet how you minister to those God directs in your path • What needs does your flock have and how are you addressing them? • What are you doing on purpose?

9. The Because and Effect of Un-purposefulMinistry • BECAUSE “I don’t have time right now to find some-one to do that- it’s just easier if I do it myself.” • EFFECT- Un-purposefully building skelton crews • PROBLEM- doing to much • SOLVE IT- take a good look at your schedule and see what you can cut from it, plan ahead so you avoid rushed moments, delegate, delegate, delegate!

10. BECAUSE- “I can handle it on my own, I’ll just step in and wing it.” • EFFECT- Again your building a skeleton crew instead of team planning • PROBLEM- underestimating the problem • SOLVE IT- Choose the single person who has brought the most concerns to you for the program you are most concerned about. Prepare a meeting with that person and present all the resources you currently have for that department. Brainstorm problem solving and if lead by God communicate the responsibilities and role for that department head, you’ve either tackled a months worth of work or interviewed your newest leader!

11. BECAUSE- “We are committed to offering quality programming” • EFFECT- Intimidation. New people will be intimidated and not want to be involved. Eventually your team will not be able to keep up with need. • PROBLEM- disabling the body • SOLVE IT- Plan more family fun events where responsibilities are more fun based than Bible teaching based, recruit training mentors (experienced workers working with new workers for hands on training), communicate how your church trains ministry workers

12. We want Kids Church to be the best hour of their week!This kind of statement is meant to encourage children’s ministry workers to value the hour we spend with kids, it’s not the kind of statement that should be made to parents!

13. BECAUSE “We want Kids Church to be the best hour of their week” • EFFECT- Parents getting less and less involved, they will leave the spiritual training up to the experts. What happens the rest of the week? If parent’s aren’t getting the training in the church where are they getting the training to raise their children up spiritually? • PROBLEM- Accountability and responsibility • SOLVE IT- Family friendly churches, Family Worship services, Family Nights at the church, intergenerational classes, parent seminars, parent hand books

14. More Problems to Follow • Safety Concerns- not enough chaperones • Litigation- Law suits • Current trend warning- recruiting teens as helpers- teenagers cannot replace adults when it comes to being legally safe; they are not considered to have the same level of experience and abilities to deal with emergency situations. Take into consideration the danger to career and finances facing the church and staff for possible neglect before assuming your volunteer problem is over! • Accountability- to God for not instructing the parents in their responsibility

15. Ephesians 4:12 in Action • It should be presented first as a ministry opportunity, second as a scriptural responsibility to the body, and last as a responsibility because he/she is the parent of the child • If you do up a parent’s hand book all this can be explained and you can explain mandatory volunteering

16. Making mandatory volunteering in the nursery work… • develop a proper application form and use training mentors • one parent out of the family of each preschooler working one service each rotation. • Take into consideration single parents and their need to take a break from child care, they should be scheduled half as often, they don’t have a spouse to alternate with • Implement the policy that the nursery is there for them to personally use (to change diapers, nurse, etc.), but they cannot drop the child off for child care if they are not willing to work one service per rotation and fulfill their scriptural commitment to their child and the body of Christ.

17. Last but not least • Children’s ministry is family ministry • Being involved in children’s ministry equips you to discuss spiritual matters with your children. • Families should pray, serve, and worship together. Family friendly churches give them opportunity to do that • You are accountable to God to instruct, equip and edify the body, and you have to be purposeful in order to do it.