Your Kid’s Ministry Safeguarding Policy will state that your Church is committed to the safety and well-being of all children, young people and vulnerable adults.  In other words, keeping children safe is everybody’s responsibility.  This is a good example of leading at every level.  It’s a term I only read recently but the military and the corporate world advocate it.  Since then I’ve been thinking a lot about leadership and my leadership experiences. 

Some people are natural leaders but experts say anyone can be trained to lead by learning what are called soft, transferable skills.  Skills that are not necessarily dependent on age, education, personality or position. 

Every Leader Needs to:

• Motivate and inspire others
• Display integrity and honesty
• Be a problem solver
• Be committed and achieve goals
• Be a good communicator
• Promote teamwork
• Build relationships

Many people who serve in Kid’s Ministry demonstrate these leadership skills and may not realise it!

Accidental Leaders

How many people do you know were asked to become Kid’s Pastor or Leader because there was no one else?  It’s very common in smaller sized Churches and in most cases these accidental leaders do an amazing job.  They’ll be the first to tell you how God inspired them, how the Holy Spirit helped them and how much they grew! 

Formal Leaders 

But what if any of your volunteers want to formally develop into leadership?  They’ll need a mentor, a way of receiving feedback when they’re carrying out practical tasks (‘prac’), and training through a provider.

Leader of the Every Level Leaders!   

Wow, try saying that fast five times!  As the leader of a Kid’s Ministry, I had the terrible habit of trying to accomplish everything myself.  I lived by the motto, ‘If you want something done properly do it yourself.’  That was fine when I was an accidental leader or an informal one in charge of a small family-sized Kid’s Ministry.  But it was near impossible when I led a large, multi-department, multi-service Kid’s Ministry.  I had formal leadership training by earning a Certificate in Children’s Education and demonstrated many leadership qualities such as commitment, creativity and motivation.  However, when it came to communication, delegation, and feedback, especially negative, I lacked the necessary leadership skills.  (Shout out to all my fellow shy introverts!)   I realised that I make a great second in command.  For me, it’s that perfect blend of informal and formal leadership where I am the most effective.

No matter what kind of leader you are, ensure your volunteers understand the importance of their leadership role, accidental or otherwise!  Understanding the importance of what they are doing for the Kingdom of God means they will take personal responsibility to ensure your Kid’s Ministry is a safe and nurturing place. They will lead at every level.