Other Challenges:

Budget Blues:

One hindrance that can discourage anyone wanting to help with Children’s ministry is what I call budget blues.  Budget blues can be a variety of problems that stem from a tight budget, whether it is a church budget or an individual one.

At the time I was heading up Children’s Church, our household budget was very tight and I couldn’t afford to consistently buy craft supplies for the ministry, though I loved helping out and making crafts for the children to do.

At this time I was also working full-time and couldn’t get to the craft stores before they closed.  Between the financial tightness and the time challenges, it was difficult for me to get the needed supplies.

Our church policy at that time was for the teacher to purchase the supplies and get reimbursed by the church.  However, our church treasurer, who volunteered his time, only came to his office on Monday mornings when I was working at my job.  It was a real challenge to catch up with the treasurer and get reimbursed.

The time challenges, my limited budget and the church policy hindered me greatly and I became discouraged. I was not the only teacher struggling with these issues, and I hoped something could be done to help ease the struggle.

We eventually set up a supply room in the basement of our church and kept a minimal stock of regularly used items so the teachers could have some resources to work with.  The store-room seemed to help quite a bit.

Schedule Omission:

When I was first led by the Holy Spirit to start Children’s Church, I was blessed to hear that parents were praying for some activity or program for the small children to do during the adult worship service.

I was also blessed with a large number of teenagers who volunteered to help me with the younger children. Therefore, I posted a schedule out on the bulletin board in the foyer so each teen would know the date they were scheduled to help.

I had a difficult time coming up with adult helpers. Therefore, each week I would have to call people and line up adults to help.  Frequently, a good friend of mine, who is also a Certified Nurses Aid, would help me.  I always had at least one other adult working with me and helping supervise between 25 and 30 children.

When I made the schedule for the teenage helpers, I didn’t think to list all of the adult helpers on the schedule.  Therefore, some of the parents complained and questioned whether or not I had adults helping me.  Yet none of them volunteered to help or came down to the room to see what was going on.  They complained, not even knowing what was truly happening.

So if you make a schedule of helpers for your ministry, be sure to list everyone involved, especially your adult helpers.  I didn’t realize this would be a problem but no matter how hard you try to think of everything, something seems to slip through the cracks.

But be encouraged because the Lord is always watching and he covers the class, including the cracks.  Nothing gets past His loving hand of protection.  The more challenges I went through, the more the Lord assured me of His love and hand of protection over me and the children.  Seeing God’s hand of protection in action was a blessing and encouragement to me.  It helped me learn to trust God more.

I’m grateful for the years the Lord allowed me to work in Children’s ministry.  Every time I see one of those children accept Jesus and get baptized it brings tears of joy.  I loved those children and I’m grateful the ministry is still continuing on even though I’m no longer involved.  There is nothing more important that sharing the gospel with others and reaching lost souls with the hope of Jesus Christ!