Important Truths About Leading - Be Thankful & Show It!

When it comes to being a leader in Children's Ministry, there is certainly no shortage of important things for you to focus on, but one very important thing often gets overlooked - being thankful and showing it. We are often focused instead on all we, "need" . . . and in Children's Ministry there is no shortage of things we "need". We need volunteers, we need resources, we need volunteers, we need to focus on safety, we need volunteers, we need to think about the budget . . . did I mention we need volunteers???!!!

Well, yes, in Children's Ministry there are many things we need, but we absolutely must be sure we take time to be thankful and show it to God and to the volunteers we have! First of all, let's consider being thankful - and showing it - to God!

We do not hesitate to pray and ask God for the many things we need - especially volunteers - and this is what we should do! God says to pray and ask for laborers - and other things we need. But, just because the Bible tells us to ask, it does not mean we should not be as focused on thanking God for answering our prayers as we are on asking Him for our needs. 

I love holding Prayer Walks through your Children's Ministry classrooms and involving families and church members in praying for the needs and the coming year of ministry. But, I also think holding a Thanksgiving Walk would be an awesome thing for a Children's Ministry to do. You could even time it for the end of November and ask classes to make posters to hang in their rooms showing how God has answered their prayers. As families and church members move from room to room, have bookmarks for them to pick up which share things they can thank God for!

This is just one way you can be thankful and show it - there are many more! How have you showed your thankfulness to God?

And, don't forget to regularly and creatively thank your volunteers! These people do not have to serve, and yet they do. Be sure you thank them in person and by doing special things to say thank you - such as giving them each a banana with a tag which says; "We are so thankful you are part of our 'bunch'! Thank you for serving in our Children's Ministry!" Or, give them a small bag of M&Ms with a tag which says; "You are magnificent & marvelous! Thank you for being part of our Children's Ministry team!".

Make a point to thank your volunteers at least once a quarter - and have fun doing so! How have you thanked your volunteers?

An important truth about leading; one which may be overlooked, is it matters if we are thankful and show it to God and the volunteers who serve. Being thankful is all about our heart, so why would we not want to be people who are thankful and who freely show it?