The week between Christmas and the new year is generally a time when we look retrospectively at the year which is about to end. As we look back at 2020, I see two main lessons that we learned as we endured a global pandemic. My concern is that many will forget these lessons and go back to ministry as they knew it before local governments began to react to COVID-19. First…
Families are busy.
When the pandemic hit the United States and local governments began to close schools and businesses, it impacted families in many ways. Children’s ministry leaders began to realize that families are busy. The truth is, families have always been busy. They have work, family responsibilities, their children’s schedules to work around, church, and a myriad of other activities that eat away at their time. The pandemic simply shuffled those activities and families selected what was most important to them.
How often do we hear children’s ministry leaders speak poorly about parents because they do not disciple their children “our way”?
How often do children’s ministry leaders complain about volunteers?
These are the same parents that many gave a “pass” to during the pandemic because they realized that parents were busy (even though most activities that normally filled their schedules were now cancelled). When the pandemic is over and life is “back to normal”, will you remember that families are busy?
How can we help busy families? Here are some thoughts:
- Do not expect all families to be at all events
- Remember that volunteers need a day off every now and then
- Seek ways to partner with parents, providing them resources to use at home with their children
- Encourage parents
- Do not speak poorly of parents whether in public or private. Speaking negatively fosters a toxic atmosphere.
A Go and Serve Ministry vs a Come and See Ministry
Prior to the pandemic, many ministries were “come and see” ministries. We encouraged people to come to the church to participate in what we had planned. We made our ministries like Disney, and now Disney was closed, they could no longer come.
Many adjusted and began to take their ministry to the families. Dropping off kits and activities, providing lessons online, and so many other ways as they transitioned to a “go and serve” model of ministry.
As ministries begin to re-establish “in-person” meetings, many of the “go and see” ministry that they did are now falling by the wayside. Ministry is going back to requiring people to come. Some were concerned about the ones who had not yet returned that were once reached during the pandemic but were not being reached now since they began meeting in person. When questioned, the children’s ministry leader had stopped going to them and now expected them to come.
The reality is, that to continue to “go” as ministry returns to pre-pandemic programming takes a lot of time and effort. Many ministry leaders simply do not have the time. Why? Because they are busy. Which leads us back to the first point… families are busy… even yours.
How can we maintain a “go and serve” ministry?
- Maintain online content
- Provide parents resources
- Recruit others to “specialize” in this area
- Encourage small group leaders to reach out to families
You can only do so much, you are human. Do not do more than you are able (unless God leads you and He complements your ability). Do not compare your ministry to what others are doing. This post is not to say that you are failing, it is to initiate your thinking in what ministry will look like post-pandemic. Will it return to be the same as it was pre-pandemic, or will the pandemic cause you to rethink ministry and how to reach those who are not able to attend for whatever reason?
Will we remember the lessons that we learned during the pandemic, or will they be forgotten?
Seek God to see where He is leading you and your ministry.
