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Category: Leadership

Love Is More Than Being Nice

Children’s ministry leaders talk about love constantly. Love kids. Love families. Love your team. But biblical love is far deeper than simply being nice. The Fruit of the Spirit begins with love because love shapes every other fruit. Joy, peace, patience, kindness, and the rest all flow from a heart transformed by God. Galatians 5:22 says: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. And Jesus raised the bar even higher in John 13:34: A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. That kind of love changes how we lead. Love changes how we speak to volunteers when they make mistakes. Love changes how we respond to difficult parents. Love changes how we treat exhausted team members after a long Sunday morning. Love notices people. One of the greatest leadership traps in ministry is becoming so focused on programs that we stop seeing people. But healthy ministry grows when leaders intentionally put people ahead of productivity. Kids notice this too. Children may not remember every lesson we teach, but they absolutely remember how we made them feel. A child…

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Stop Holding Up the Rock

I snapped the photo below of my friend Zach while hiking in Yosemite. At first glance, it looks like he’s holding up a massive boulder. His face says it all—strained, burdened, fighting to keep the weight from crushing him. Of course, He’s not really holding up the rock. The rock is holding itself up. But isn’t that exactly how ministry can feel sometimes? There are seasons when it seems like we’re carrying everything. Recruiting volunteers. Writing lessons. Scheduling teams. Solving staffing problems. Ordering supplies. Managing budgets. Answering parent emails. Training leaders. Following up with guests. Planning events. Putting out fires. Preparing for Sunday while already worrying about next Sunday. The list never seems to end. Before long, we begin to feel like the success of the ministry rests entirely on our shoulders. We start pushing up against the weight of it all, convinced that if we stop for even a moment, everything will come crashing down. Yet God never asked us to hold up the rock. In fact, Scripture paints an entirely different picture. Psalm 46:1 says, “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” A refuge is not something you carry. A refuge is something that…

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Helping Kids Shine Their Light in a Dark World

Most kids do not think of themselves as influencers. They are just trying to figure out life, friendships, and where they fit. But the truth is, every child is already influencing the people around them, whether they realize it or not. This week we are helping kids understand something simple but powerful: their life is a light, and they can shine for Jesus. Light does not have to be big to make a difference. Even a small light stands out in the dark. It guides, it reveals, and it points the way. That is the picture we want kids to see. They do not have to wait until they are older to make a difference. Right now, through their kindness, their words, and their actions, they can point people toward Jesus. We see this in Peter’s life. After failing, he was restored and went on to boldly share his faith. God used him to impact thousands. That is what God does. He takes ordinary people and uses them in extraordinary ways. So we help kids make it personal. Think of one person. One friend, one classmate, one neighbor. Someone they can pray for, encourage, or invite. Because shining your light…

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The Small Choices That Shape a Child’s Future

Every child is making decisions all day long. What to say. How to respond. Who to follow. What to hide. What to admit. Most of those choices feel small. But they aren’t. Because small choices don’t stay small. They stack. They build. They quietly shape direction. Scripture reminds us to pay attention to the path we’re on. Not just where we are—but where we’re headed. And that path is shaped by the choices we make. That’s why this week in our ROCK SOLID series, we’re helping kids understand something that many adults are still learning: You don’t drift into a good life. You choose your way there. One of the most helpful pictures we used is a helmet. Kids understand helmets. You wear one because what’s inside matters. And the Bible tells us to guard our hearts—because everything flows from it. In other words, what’s happening inside a child—their thinking, their decisions, their responses—will shape everything about their future. So we told them: Put a helmet on your heart. Protect your choices. Protect your direction. But we didn’t stop there—we gave them something they can actually use in real life. When you’re faced with a decision: Stop – Stop before…

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The Friends Kids Choose Will Shape Their Faith

Every child is climbing. Not a literal mountain—but something just as real. They’re navigating friendships, choices, influence, and identity every single day. And whether they realize it or not, who they’re tied to matters. This week in our ROCK SOLID series, we’re teaching a truth that will impact kids long after they leave our ministry: You are only as strong as the friends you choose. That’s not just a clever phrase. It’s a spiritual reality. Proverbs reminds us that walking with the wise makes us wise—but the companion of fools suffers harm. Kids may not quote that verse, but they live it every day at school, on the playground, and in their neighborhoods. Here’s the challenge for us as ministry leaders: We often focus on behavior… when we should be paying just as much attention to influence. Because behavior is often downstream from friendship. If a child is constantly surrounded by negativity, pressure, or poor choices, it will shape them. But when they’re surrounded by encouragement, truth, and godly influence, they grow stronger. That’s why this week isn’t just about choosing good friends. It’s about becoming one. We introduced kids to a simple way to understand what a true friend…

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Plan on Detours

We make plans because planning is wise. Proverbs 16:9 says, In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps. God never intended us to drift through life without thought or direction. Planning matters. Preparation matters. Wisdom matters. But followers of Christ plan with open hands. Why? Because we know our plans are not ultimate. God is. And when our plans change, break, stall, or take an unexpected turn, it does not mean everything is falling apart. It may mean God is redirecting, refocusing, and refining what we thought was the way forward. Change is rarely enjoyable. Sometimes it is inconvenient. Sometimes it is disappointing. Sometimes it is downright painful. But Romans 8:28 reminds us that God is working in all things for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. Not just the easy things. Not just the successful things. All things. Jeremiah 29:11 reassures us that God’s intentions toward us are good. He is not careless with our lives. He is not improvising in panic. He is the Designer, the Author, the faithful Planner who sees what we cannot see. That is why we can trust Him on the…

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