Why You Matter In KidMin

I grew up in a Navy family. We moved a lot – Illinois, Maryland, Florida, Japan & California by the time my Dad retired when I was 10. I remember seeing Dad in his Navy whites and being almost in awe at the men who wore them. I guess you could say they were sort of heroes to me. Dad was certainly a hero and, though I didn’t know the details, I knew he was in danger every time he left our home in Japan to go to some remote place called Vietnam.

They were all “heroes”, but in reality, it was the uniform I admired more than the men (except for Dad).

Then I met Gary. Dad was the hospital administrator at Camp Pendleton just before he retired, and Gary came in after a tractor accident had left him with minor brain damage. Dad led him to Jesus and, eventually, invited Gary to stay with us before he was released to go home to Indiana.

I was 8 or 9 at the time, and having a military man in the home was pretty exciting. Gary took time to tell me stories of his service, went to see my little league games and, perhaps most memorable, bought me a guitar and taught me how to play (or at least tried to!). We memorized scripture together, too, and he went to church with us (he was like a sponge spiritually).

Eventually Gary left for French Lick, Indiana and, though we tried to locate him years later, I never spoke with him again. But he had left his mark on me. He made a difference in my life that no other military man had ever made (except Dad, of course).

Why was that? Because he invested in a relationship with me. He took time to get to know me. He let me get to know him. He gave me his time. He spent his resources on me. He encouraged me spiritually. He became a friend.

Gary wasn’t a “children’s ministry” leader – but he was a great children’s minister. Gary mattered to me because of the relationship we had.

And that is exactly when you will matter most in your children’s ministry – when you invest in relationships.

Curriculum is important. And so is environment. Program matters along with the resources you provide. Safety is obviously important, and engaging parents along the way makes a difference, too. All of these and lots of other things are essential to successful Children’s Ministry.

But nothing matters more than relationship. I admired all the men in uniform, and I am so grateful on this Memorial Day for their service and sacrifice for me and our country. But Gary made a real difference in my life because of the personal relationship we had.

Everything you do in Children’s Ministry is important, but the relationships are why you matter most in KidMin.