Developing the art of giving it away is vital in Children’s Ministry. It’s called Delegation and without it you are setting yourself up for failure for sure. Children’s Ministry leaders must not minimize the importance of entrusting those around them and giving them the authority to carry out various tasks in the ministry. It is this very model in which Jesus used to get the gospel message out to Judea, Samaria, and the outer most parts of the earth. If the word made flesh deemed delegating as a necessary component for successfully carrying out his mission, shouldn’t we? As Children’s Ministry leaders, like Jesus, we too must believe in those whom God has sent us and make the investments necessary to equip and empower them to carry out their assignments in the earth.
Unfortunately, even our best efforts to delegate can be tainted for several reasons. Constant pleas that go unanswered leave us feeling discouraged. We say “no” for others whose schedules we perceive to be too demanding. Maybe we’ve been burned just too many times by “Flaky Felicia,” “Lazy Larry,” or “One Trick Pony Wanda” and at this point we're convinced that it would just be easier if we did it ourselves. There’s only one problem with that…YOU CAN’T DO IT ALL BY YOURSELF!…because you weren’t created to.
Here’s what happens when we don’t delegate. We limit our reach and effectiveness in ministry because everything is based off of only one part of the body. People can’t grow in their giftings because we deprive them from the opportunity to serve which leave them feeling isolated and useless. The end result, people leave and more often than not, they are not shy about telling their story to others, leaving it even more difficult for you to recruit in the future.
Listen, I get it. Delegation is not as easy as it sounds. Especially if you are apart of a ministry where people aren't exactly banging down the door to serve. Know that where you are today is not where you have to be tomorrow. Remember, delegating well is a skill which means it's an area we all have the ability to grow in. Check out these 7 practical steps on healthy delegation.
Be Prayerful - Remember, God cares about your need even more than you do. Pray to the God of Harvest to send the right laborers. Tell yourself, God has appointed and anointed people to help me. Don't and I mean don't fall into the trap that no one cares and that no one will help. It's a self fulfilling prophecy. Call it the science of faith. At the end of the day, if you don't believe you can recruit workers, then you won't be able to recruit workers!
Make a Skills Inventory - Stop being broad about what you need. "Help" is not an acceptable answer. Have a clear understanding of exactly what you need. Make sure roles and responsibilities are clarified through clear job descriptions.
Build Relationships & Share Networks - Build relationships is a given! But the truth is, you can't be friends with everybody! Maybe the creative pastor is friends with someone who would be a better fit helping you or maybe you know someone who would be great helping them. My point...Don't be a people hoarder! Give and it will be given to you! Avoid competition and embrace collaboration.
Evaluate the task and the recipient - Ask yourself, is this person a good match for the task at hand? Are they placed appropriately? Inappropriately? Do they have the resources they need to perform the task well?
Don't Over-burden or Under-utilize - Be thoughtful with the people you delegate to. Look for signs of burnout or underutilized giftings. Protect people who you know struggle saying "no" to your requests. Remember, God won't put on others more than they can bear. We shouldn't either. Equally, we should make sure we are pulling people off the sidelines, becoming aware of their gifts, and finding ways to affirm their callings.
Show Appreciation - Never forget to say Thank you!!!!! Call out specific instances when possible and personalize. Generic Thank you's lose their potency. Always make it personal and authentic.
Consider resources that make delegating easy - Ask yourself these questions. What apps, social media platforms, or other resources am I using to easily let people know...
there's a need?
When they need to serve?
potential resources they need to perform well?
Remember, Delegation is an art, and if done well has the power to transform lives!
So what steps did you find helpful? For even more on this topic, check out the replay of this month's webinar on The Art of Delegation. https://youtu.be/BoeadUEpy6M
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