Child and Youth Ministry Casserole - Essential Ingredient 3

I know someone who liked to drink Swiss Chalet sauce right from the little styrofoam takeout order cup. If we didn’t use all of ours with our meal, he would willingly guzzle it. Now, I’m all for sauces, but they need to be incorporated into something. They really pack a punch on their own, but once stirred into the other main ingredients they mellow out, join everything together into a single dish, and provide a delivery system for the spices to reach and meld with all the other parts of the casserole.

Our third ingredient is the people in the trenches, those who are actively integrating the vision for child and youth ministry into the life of the church through their leading and teaching. Some of these people are likely the same people as those who decided on the vision. This is great, because they understand the spices being added and when that is happening and why. They are the best advocates you can have for the vision and they will spread it in all that they do.

For those not part of the special task force or vision committee, it is essential that they understand the decisions made, the steps outlined to move forward, and the importance and expectations of their role. Many denominations have a policy surrounding screening of volunteers and adhering to it is essential for all ministries with children and youth. This includes proper placement through knowing the person’s gifts, police checks, orientation and training, and ensuring a good ratio of leaders to kids or youth.

It is important to support, nurture and encourage your volunteer team, looking for more to add to its numbers so that no one is overwhelmed. Eating pasta without enough sauce is not fun. Too little sauce gets stretched too thin and can’t cover everything evenly.

At the same time, it takes wisdom to know how much is too much sauce, overwhelming your dish. We’re not making soup here, much as I love soup. This can happen with particular well-loved ministries where an “all hands on deck” announcement can result in too many helpers coming, stepping on each other’s toes and getting into conflict or people feeling bored because there is nothing to do. For each ministry, keep tabs on whether you have too little or too much sauce.

You may be blessed to have a dedicated staff member for child, youth and/or family ministry. If so, it is important to have a solid understanding of realistic limits and boundaries around what is this person’s responsibility vs. the minister’s vs. the volunteers’ vs. the overall church leadership’s. This needs to be communicated clearly to everyone to avoid burning out one of your best assets.

Thank God for your volunteer team and pray for them regularly. Ask the congregation to do this too. After all, without them, you’re just a bunch of veggies and meat bashing around in a pan. They really do something amazing to behold, and make your vision a reality.