Children’s Ministry Models (Summary)

The lead pack was made up of world class runners all competing in the 2017 Venice Marathon.

They were from all corners of the world, and they had just passed the 22-mile mark. They only had 4.5 miles left and the real racing was about to begin.

The motorcycle police officer was leading the pack, video cameras were rolling on the news vehicles and chase cars. In that moment, the entire race was tossed upside down. The motorcycle policeman had actually turned off the course to be replaced by another and the lead runners had followed. They were leading the race, but on the wrong course.

Two problems became apparent as the runners turned and retraced their tracks back to the original course. The course was suddenly longer for these world class distance runners, specifically by the amount they had run up and back on the wrong road. Secondly, they were no longer leading and with four miles left could not make up the time and distance.

A local Venice runner who knew the course by heart won the race amidst the chaos. Some runners admitted they were focused on their position in the pack, pace, hydration, and end of race technique. They never considered they might be on the wrong road. The fastest runners were leading, but in the wrong direction.

This can often be the case in the ministry world, especially in cultures where pragmatism is a core value, such as in the US!

Nowhere is this more apparent than in the children’s ministry world. In some ways this is completely understandable for at least three reasons. 

3 Reasons Children's Ministers May Not Be On The Right Road

Survival

Many children’s ministry leaders are just trying to make it from Sunday-to-Sunday. They often are not supported by the church leadership.

Finding committed leaders/teachers/disciplers is always a challenge. Choosing curriculum, decorating rooms, keeping children engaged, security issues, parent partnership, and program ideas are the staple items in children’s ministry social media groups.

The average children’s ministry director does not feel like they have the luxury of thinking about ministry philosophy, biblical ministry principles and a “Theology of Children’s Ministry.” Survival is the order of the day.

Assumptions

So many children’s ministry leaders have come out of the educational world, having graduated from the university, and having taught in the school system.

Coming from that background there are a host of assumptions about proper teaching and learning. This influence goes all the way back to England and the modern Sunday School movement.

Many of the qualities of school education such as right/wrong answers, memory work, competition and teaching techniques trace themselves to the educational system.

In this paradigm, Bible passages are gathered to make it appear that the “philosophy of children’s ministry” is biblical, but the true roots lie in the secular educational arena.

Bigger is Better

The final factor is the tendency to idolize large churches with thousands of children in the children’s ministry. “Whatever they are doing is obviously successful,” the thinking goes.

Many children’s ministry leaders want that kind of ministry impact, and they adopt the practices of these large “teaching churches” including curriculum, programming, staffing and even the furnishings of the model church.

For many, there is no need to think through a biblical philosophy of children’s ministry when it’s obvious that these large churches are having an enormous impact and should be emulated.

The combination of these factors, sometimes experienced concurrently by a children’s ministry leader has created a vacuum in biblical thinking on the matter of how we do children’s ministry.

Are we on the right road or have we turned and are running with excellence but on the wrong road? 

The Five Common Children's Ministry Models

Over the last few weeks, we have examined five common children’s ministry models.

In each case I have attempted to affirm that which is biblical in each model was well as the positive impact the model has had in the lives of children for Christ’s sake. They are summarized below.

Information Model

Key Elements:

• Bible Content
• Bible memorization
• Evangelism
• Incentives and Competition

Strengths: A model focused on teaching “truth” and believing in the life changing power of God’s Word.

Comments: We all know it doesn’t matter how creative, engaging, applicable, or otherwise awesome your teaching is if you aren’t teaching the truth.

Five Smooth Stones Needed:

• Experiential Bible teaching
• Discussion
• Response Activities

Participation "Fun" Model

Key Elements:

• Active Learning
• Specialized Volunteerism
• Fun/Engagement
• Seeker Sensitive Evangelism

Strengths: This model emphasizes relationships and active learning.

Comments: This model prioritizes helping children want to return to church, find meaningful relationships in church, and experience Christian joy.

Five Smooth Stones Needed:

• Experiential Bible Teaching
• Truth
• Discussion
• Response Activities

Experiential Model

Key Elements:

• Praise and Worship
• Prayer
• Service

Strengths: Focuses on bringing children into active engagement with God.

Comments: A model that has helped children exercise their faith and experience God in fresh and beautiful ways.

Five Smooth Stones Needed:

• Experiential Bible Teaching
• Bible Truth
• Discussion

Media Engagement Model

Key Elements:

• Video Characters
• Video/Digital Curriculum
• Leader Focus

Strengths: Video and other technology, culturally relevant, engaging, impacting children in the society they are living in.

Comments: A cultural resonance that is unique. Significantly, many children receiving teaching through this model want to come to church!

Five Smooth Stones Needed:

• Experiential Bible Teaching
• Discussion
• Response Activities

Contemplative Reflective Model

Key Elements:

• Environment
• Repetition and Ritual
• Worship

Strengths: A model taking the spiritual life of children seriously, recognizing children truly can ponder and think about God.

Comments: Offers a fresh alternative to the “entertainment” elements of US culture that have found their way into so many children’s ministries.

Five Smooth Stones Needed:

• Experiential Bible Teaching
• Discussion
• Response Activities

The Five Smooth Stones For a Life Transforming Children's Ministry

Most of us are using a hybrid, a blend of these different approaches. However, I have argued that each of these models should be evaluated against the clear biblical principles outlined in Deuteronomy 6:4-9. 

I am not suggesting that we have cornered the market on children’s ministry principles in the Bible, but I am suggesting that there are five qualities (Five Smooth Stones) that are essential for a life transforming children’s ministry.

And these Five Smooth Stones are in a passage where God is speaking directly about how-to carry-on children’s ministry. 

As such, any children’s ministry should examine their ministry to make certain that these five qualities are found in the curriculum, teaching techniques and overall ministry to boys and girls.

They are the road signs telling us we are on the right track! Those five principles are as follows:

Relationship

Transformational children’s ministry is relational ministry. In a relationship time with their leaders, children experience for themselves the amazing love of Christ.

They also learn from their leaders’ example what it looks like to live with Jesus as the Lord of every aspect of life.

The Holy Spirit works through these honest, caring relationships that ministry workers develop with the children to bring life change and genuine transformation. In addition, the children form healthy relationships with each other, as modeled by their leaders (Deuteronomy 6:4-6).

Experience

Experience is a crucial element of the learning process, and experiential teaching helps connect biblical truth to the children’s real life.

Experiential teaching engages both the heart and the mind of boys and girls and prepares them for what God wants to teach them today. (Deuteronomy 6:7)

Truth

Children need to hear Bible Truth—and they need to hear it repeatedly. After all, the Word of God is more than a collection of stories, doctrines, and ideas. It is life-changing truth that teaches us who God is and who we are. 

The Bible is the handbook for living the life God intends for all children. Its truth stands at the core of God’s transformational work. (Deuteronomy 6:7)

Discussion

Connecting the Word of God to the children’s real life is essential to our being able to effectively minister to them.

Transformational children’s ministry means that the workers engage the children in discussion of the Truth of God’s Word and, in that context, about the challenges they face at home and at school.

Encouraging children to talk about what God’s Word says about specific aspects and certain circumstances in their real life helps them understand the Bible and come closer to experiencing its relevance. (Deuteronomy 6:7)

Response

Helping children respond to the truth revealed in God’s Word is every teacher’s goal.

So transformational children’s ministry makes sure that children are given the opportunity to respond to God’s Truth in personal, practical ways.

This putting into practice what they learn is the next crucial step on the path toward life transformation. When we keep on responding to God’s truth, He changes us. In fact, He transforms us into the likeness of Christ! (Deuteronomy 6:8-9)

As a children’s ministry leader its crucial you stop from time-to-time and examine the “why” and “how” you are doing ministry and do so with a fresh biblical perspective.

Look at these two questions:

1. How are we doing ministry now and what are the principles and values behind our children’s ministry?
2. How does our children’s ministry stack up against the Five Smooth Stones in Deuteronomy 6:4-9 and other key children’s ministry principles in the Bible?

None of us wants to be the runner who is leading the race on the wrong road.