Are you a children's ministry leader on the edge of burnout? Do you find yourself working harder and harder to tame the chaos?Mark De Vries and Annette Safstrom know how you feel. Flash and fizz can be effective at attracting young families, but without sustainable systems beneath the unforgettable moments, the impact is almost always short-lived. In this practical resource, you’ll learn how to recruit volunteers, partner with parents, navigate politics, and care for your own soul instead of frantically scrambling to do it all yourself. Sustainable Children’s Ministry will help you build a ministry foundation that will still be standing long after you are gone.
Зміст
Introduction
1. From Chaos to Clarity: What’s So Different About Sustainable Children’s Ministry?
2. The Workhorse Syndrome: Moving Beyond a Do-It-Yourself Ministry
3. Beyond Goldfish and Bubble Machines: A Different Way of Doing Children’s Ministry
4. Measuring Up: Knowing What It Takes
5. Building Your Ministry with Simple Machines: The Essential Systems for a Sustainable Children’s Ministry
6. From Pearls to a Necklace: Putting the Pieces Together
7. Seeing What Others Can’t—Yet: Clarifying Your Vision
8. The Delegation Dance: Building Your Ministry Partners
9. Beyond Rotation: Building Your Dream Team
10. Beyond the Victim: Swimming in the Deep Waters of Church Politics
11. Children’s Ministry Is Family Ministry: A Recipe for Turning Parents into Partners
12. More Than Planning: The Essential Systems of Chaos Management
13. Your Ministry Marathon: Preparing Yourself to Go the Distance
14. Finding Your Bounce: The Inside Secret of Sustainable Children’s Ministry
Acknowledgments
Appendix A: Communication Plan
Appendix B: Sample Goals and Benchmarks
Appendix C: Sample Values Statements
Appendix D: Core Competencies Samples
Appendix E: Resources for Parents
Appendix F: Preventative Maintenance Calendar
Appendix G: Systems Checklist
Appendix H: For Reflection and Discussion
Notes
Про автора
Annette Safstrom is a senior consultant, speaker, and trainer with Ministry Architects and has served in children's ministry for over thirty years, including as director of a rapidly growing children's ministry in Texas. She speaks at a variety of children's ministry events, including the Children's Pastors Conference and Group's Kid Min Conference. After graduating from Bible college with a certification in children's ministry, Annette earned a bachelor's degree in psychology from Texas A&M University and a master's in research psychology from Southern Methodist University. She and her husband, Kevin, have two children.