One of my first and longest held memories is learning and singing “Jesus Loves The Little Children…”.    Even though that was many years ago, it has stayed with me throughout my lifetime.

Biblical studies show us that God considers children to be very important.  Proverbs 22:6 directs us to “Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old , he will not depart from it.”  Jesus impelled even the youngest children to be brought to Him.  Mark 10:16 states “And He (Jesus) took the children in His arms, placed His hands on them and blessed them.”   Jesus mentioned children 205 times in the Bible.

He took time with children.

He spoke to children.

He held children.

He made children feel important.

If Jesus made children such a high priority, it must be important for us today to treat children as Jesus did.

Interactions of a child in a loving and Christ-centered church setting can greatly impact the spiritual development of the child for a lifetime.  Being surrounded by sights and sounds and music that glorifies God can leave an eternal imprint on the life of a child.

So why is volunteer recruitment one of the top issues for KidMin Directors today?  We all know that eager and reliable volunteers can be difficult to find and at times even more difficult to keep.  That is why you need to develop a culture of excitement and enthusiasm in your ministry and not just hours to be served.

Show people that serving in Kids Ministry is an incredible opportunity to develop Christ followers.  Look for all ages, men and women, older and younger.

By recruiting in person, you can communicate the service opportunities and expectations and invite them to join your team.  When approaching a potential volunteer, enthusiastically share your passion for the ministry so they can catch your enthusiasm.

Ask a volunteer to “join a team.”  People don’t need another job, but they do need a place to belong.  Being a volunteer presents an opportunity to build community.  Create an environment where volunteers can know, care for and encourage one another.

Refrain from recruiting through need or guilt-tripping.  Often these recruits are just there out of obligation or just “filling a hole”.  A better way to recruit is surrounding yourself with people who share your passion to help children grow in their faith.  Don’t be afraid to ask people to serve but be prepared to explain what is involved.  Present volunteering as an opportunity to invest in the spiritual growth of a child.  It’s not that people do not want to serve, they want to know their service will make a difference.  They want to know if their time spent is a good investment.  Instead of babysitting children while their parents go to worship, we are investing in times of intentional discipleship.  We want to help children grow in the nurture and admonition of the Lord and know how he loves them and cares for them.

Building  relationships is a key factor for volunteers in Children’s Ministry.  Many times, people serve because someone they had a relationship with brought up the opportunity and asked them to serve.  The more people you connect with, the more possible volunteers you will have later.  Most often people do not know where to look to serve if they do not know there is a need.  As you encounter opportunities to share your passion and excitement about your ministry, mention your awesome team and the positive things being accomplished in the lives of the children and the workers/volunteers.

Appreciate the volunteers you have.  You can show appreciation through words of appreciation or small gifts  and cards.  To appreciate someone is to recognize his or her contribution and value.  When we appreciate our volunteers we are recognizing what they have done.  People need to feel that their hard work and dedication matters and we notice their efforts.  Let them know you recognize them not only for what they do but for who they are.  As a director, be visible.  Pop your head in the room, speak to teachers and children.  Greet them by name.  Let them see that you respect and appreciate them. Get to know your volunteers and pray for them.

Lastly and most importantly, DO NOT NEGLECT PRAYER.  Jesus understands our struggles in recruitment.  He says in Luke 10:2, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few”. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest field.