Go to any of the premier church staffing agencies and you will find dozens of open positions for children's pastors and directors. There is a void of leaders who are giving their entire ministry to reaching and discipling children and equipping parents.
As never before, we need to pray that God will raise up people to help churches reach and disciple the next generation.
I believe children's ministry leaders are some of the most important staff members in a church.
Why?
- Children are the greatest mission field. We know that up to 85% of people who come to Christ do so before they turn 18. There are over 74 million children in the U.S. and over 2 billion worldwide. Why would we not support "missionaries" who are called to reach them?
Investing in people who can help a church or ministry lead the charge in reaching children just makes sense. A lot of sense.
We know Timothy was a great leader in the early church. How did this happen? What caused Timothy to grow up to be a church leader? The answer is found in 2 Timothy 3:15:
"Since childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise unto salvation through the faith that is in Christ Jesus."
We need leaders and parents who will strategically teach children from an early age about living for God. We need leaders who will equip and partner with parents to disciple their children.
- Children will bring blessings to a church. Check out the truth coming out of this verse in Mark 9:37:
"Whoever receives one of these children in My name receives Me. And whoever receives Me receives not Me, but Him who sent Me."
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When a church makes children's ministry a top priority, the church is ushering in the blessings of God. When a church hires a children's pastor/leader, it is making one of the best hires it can make.
- Children are crucial for the growth of a church. Here's the cool thing. When you hire a children's pastor/director, you are setting your ministry up for growth. As the children's pastor/director sets up the ministry to reach children and families, the church will experience growth. We know families go to church where their children enjoy being. A growing church will have children dragging their parents to church. A declining church will have parents having to drag their children to church.
The difference in the above two situations: A children's ministry leader who leads the charge to reach the next generation.
- Children's ministry leaders can help equip and encourage parents to lead their children spiritually. We know parents are the greatest influence in a child's spiritual life. When you hire a children's/family pastor, you are emphasizing this and encouraging parents to disciple their children. A children's pastor/director can help with strategies and planning for this.
- Children must be reached and discipled if a church is going to have a future. A church without children is terminal. That being said, one of the most important roles in the church is a children's pastor/director who knows this and leads the church to make children's ministry a top priority. When you hire a children's pastor/director, you are making one of the best investments you can make for the future of the church.
Would you pray with me that many more people will hear the call of God and invest their lives in reaching children and families? Pray with me that churches will see the vital importance of having someone who can lead the church to reach and disciple children and their families.
Perhaps God is calling you to give your life to reaching the next generation.
Look what D.L. Moody, the great evangelist of years gone by, said about this:
"If I had my life to live over again, I would devote my entire ministry to reaching children." 
Dale Hudson is a ministry builder. As a children's pastor, he has helped build some of the largest and fastest-growing children's ministries in the country. At Cross Church, he led the children's ministry to double in size. At Central Christian Church in Las Vegas, he helped the church grow from 8,000 to 16,000 in four years with the majority of the growth coming from reaching unchurched families.
For the original article, visit relevantchildrensministry.com.
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