Well-Equipped Volunteer: Train & Grow Your Children's Ministry Volunteers

You have completed your brainstorming session and you have the bones of your vision statement. Now it’s time to write the vision statement for children’s ministry in your church.

It’s your job to take the things you have highlighted and/or the larger categories you have created and write in a single sentence. This could take a while to get it down to one sentence, but work at it. Making your vision statement a single sentence is important. A single sentence forces you to focus your dreams. Remember, you are making a target that all your children’s ministry volunteers are going to aim at. Make it focused.

If your vision statement is to be effective, it needs to be easily recognizable and easily passed on. A single sentence will help you to accomplish this.

When writing the vision statement it is important to do so from the children’s perspective. Ultimately, it won’t be a statement about your children’s ministry, but about the kids in your ministry. An example of a vision statement written this way is, “Kids who passionately love God and live out their faith in words and actions.” Beginning the sentence with “Kids who” helps to keep you focused on writing it from the child’s perspective.

So, on your whiteboard or flipchart write, “Kids who” and look to your brainstorming notes to complete the sentence.

Once you have your vision statement written in a single sentence from the children’s perspective, it’s time to evaluate it.

Evaluate your vision statement by the qualities of a good vision statement.

Inspiring

• A good vision statement is inspiring for the volunteers in your children’s ministry. Does your vision statement spur your volunteers on? Does it get them excited about what God can do in the lives of your kids?

Memorable

• A good vision statement is memorable. It is easy to remember because it is a single sentence, focused, and relevant to your kids, your volunteers, and your church.

Rooted in Scripture

• A good vision statement is rooted in Scripture. God’s Word is our final authority. Any vision for our kids should be based on the truth of God’s Word and express a love for the Word of God. “Every word of God is flawless; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.” Proverbs 30:5

In line with the larger vision of your church

• Children’s ministry is part of the larger ministry of your church. Your vision for your kids needs to be in line with the larger vision of your church. If your church has a vision statement, make sure that you and your team know it and write a vision statement that supports it. It’s okay if it’s not the same, but it needs to be heading in the same direction. For example, this kids ministry vision statement, “Kids who passionately love God and live out their faith in words and actions,” is in line with the vision statement of the church, “For God’s glory we will have maximum impact in our world by seeing lives changed in their depth of love for God and for people.” It’s not the same, but it is aiming for a similar target.

In the next post of this vision-creating series I will talk about the importance of getting the word out about your children’s ministry vision.

How do you develop a vision statement for your children's ministry? Part one - Brainstorm, Part two - Create a single sentence vision statement, Part three - Get the word out.