Ministry Involvement FAQ
As you consider serving in Children’s Ministry, one or more of the following concerns may arise:
I don't think my child can handle being at church for both service hours. He will miss naptime, will get hungry or will become bored.
Initially, it may be tough on young children, but with consistent training and positive attitudes from the parents, they should quickly adapt to the change in their routine on Sundays. Many times, these kids will take one longer afternoon nap. Ultimately, children pick up on our attitudes as parents about church involvement. If parents have a good attitude about staying for both service hours, our kids will begin to understand how important church life is to our family and will develop a positive attitude toward church. In our nursery classes, snack is provided both hours. Preschool and elementary classes are served snack at the conclusion of the 1st hour service. Our children’s ministry team plans a variety of different modes of presentation, activities and formatting, making each service hour unique.
We cannot commit to serving because we travel out of town frequently or we are too busy.
There are some ministry positions at HCBC Leander in which you can serve on a rotational basis or during the week; however, in Children’s Ministry, we believe in building intentional relationships with kids that will maximize our influence in their lives. Kids need to know that they can count on their small group leaders being there every Sunday. We all make time for what is most important to us, and each family has to evaluate the importance of attending and serving on Sunday mornings. Before you commit to any ministry area, make sure to evaluate your priorities and your availability.
I don’t know enough about the Bible or I am not good with kids.
Feeling inadequate is a common feeling when God asks you to step out of your comfort zone, prompting you to trust Him and grow spiritually. In Deuteronomy 6, Moses commands not only parents, but all followers, to be intentional about transferring our faith to the next generation. Our children’s ministry leadership team provides the necessary training and support that you need so that you are equipped to serve in your ministry area. It’s not so much about what you know as it is having a willing heart to build authentic relationships with our children, the future church.We believe that when you stretch yourself to serve in ministry, God will use you to make make a difference in ways you may not have imagined.
My life and my circumstances are just too difficult to serve in ministry.
Jesus tells us that we will experience hardship as we live out our life here on earth. What we do during those difficult times can be pivotal moments in our spiritual growth. It is during these hard times that we need to stay connected to others in the body. Our tendencies are to avoid ministry or take a break from ministry when life gets hard, but many times, once we do, we fall out of the routine of church life and disconnect from the body of Christ. Serving in a gift-based ministry can help us stay connected to other believers and grow spiritually, even during tough times.
Serving in ministry will take away from our family time.
As a church, we believe that what happens at home is more important than what happens at church. However, the family needs the church and the church needs the family. This combination of influences is what allows us to make the greatest impact. Parents are not hurting their kids by serving in ministry. In fact, they are doing just the opposite – helping their kids learn very early in life how important church involvement, serving and living for others is to healthy spiritual growth. For most families, the commitments that negatively impact "family time" are not the ministry commitments on Sunday mornings, but other activities and choices. We encourage families to constantly evaluate their schedule in light of what is most important to them.
If you are interested in serving in Children's Ministry or have further questions, please contact our office.