This past week I got the amazing opportunity to interview children's ministry general, Jim Wideman for our monthly webinar series. For this month's topic, we focused on building teams after Covid-19. As a global pandemic unexpectedly rocked the world, there is no doubt children's ministry teams across the globe took a hit. Jim showed up as expected in "spiky haired" fashion and empowered us all to embrace this "now normal" (no I didn't mean to say "new normal") and to refocus our attention on building our teams the right way.
After every webinar we've had, I have never neglected to stop and reflect on those pin points that really stood out to me. After three years of showing up every third Tuesday of the month, I can honestly say that God has used every guest to transmit vital wisdom into me that has helped me become the leader I am today. Jim was no different. To my surprise, Jim did not focus our time together on data. He didn't take us on a journey of analyzing systems. He didn't even give us a secret pill or magical formula that would fix all of our issues when it came to building teams. What Jim did give us was a recurring theme that spoke louder and meant more than any system, data, or secret pill ever could... and that was VALUING PEOPLE!
Valuing people is vital for any ministry that wishes to thrive in the future. It's no secret that we need people to do ministry. However, if we're not careful, in the hustle and bustle of ministry, we can find ourselves pushing for service week after week without understanding and appreciating the people providing the service. Children's Ministry leaders need to CONNECT with the people who co-labor alongside them and know them beyond their service to the department. If our teams don't feel a genuine sense of care and concern, our children and families may likewise feel deprived. Even more, if people are left feeling like nothing more than warm bodies filling a slot, our departments will crumble and our reach will be limited. We have to be intentional when it comes to valuing those around us. So...
Value people by caring about what's going in their personal lives.
Value people by showing an interest in their ministry aspirations.
Value people by trusting and believing in them.
Value people by investing in their growth and development.
Value people by appreciating them regularly and often!
Value people by recognizing when they need a break and giving them one.
So start putting your heart back into your workers today by Valuing People! If you missed the Children's Ministry live webinar on Building Teams after Covid-19 with special guest Jim Wideman, catch the replay below...
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