what our
readers said...
I was doing
mission work through the International Mission Board in Japan. Part of
my job description was "Children's Ministry." When I returned to the
states, I attended seminary and from a job board, learned that it could
be done full time. I know what rock was I living under! I interned at
a larger church part of the time during seminary and then after
graduation was called to a smaller church where I have been the
Preschool/Children's Director for almost three years. I have been
involved in children's ministry since being a teenager. I have seen lay
people in charge of the ministry. But until I reached seminary and an
area with a mega church, I did not know that some had been making this a
career. How fun. Now God is using me in this area!
Kim Campbell
Eastman, GA.
It was spring 1975.
Darlene and I had recently been saved and began attending a church in
Omaha, Nebraska. Just a couple of weeks into this new experience, our
pastor had the leader of the bus ministry get up and share. Pastor
Walker then gave a sort of altar call for those interested in helping
with this ministry. Darlene and I answered that call and have been
serving in children's ministries ever since.
Dick Gruber
Children's Ministries Specialist
Valley Forge Christian College
Children's Ministries University Online
I was a stay-at-home
mom and "full -time" volunteer at our church. When our Children's
Pastor left for another church, the Pastor asked me to be the new
Children's Pastor. I had no intention of becoming a Children's Pastor
but, fortunately, God did. He allowed me to grow up in a Christian home
and Christian schools preparing me for ministry. "If you want to make
God laugh, tell Him your plans." (Author Unknown)
Michelle Romain
Children's Pastor
Immanuel Baptist Church
Lexington, KY
My husband & I had just
joined a new medium-sized church that was looking for their very first
children's director. They began interviewing 2 months after we
arrived. I had worked for years in a part time capacity in children's
ministries at 2 different large churches, so I had some experience with
church work. My husband kept nudging me to turn in my resume, but I
kept resisting. I was volunteering, and the church was actually sending
me and another volunteer to CPC, which was perfect...I really had no
desire to work full time. The Sunday before we left for CPC, I sat in
the service without hearing a single word of the sermon. Here's how the
"conversation" went in my heart:
"I don't want this
job!" ...not my will but Yours. "I'm not responsible or
mature enough." ...my grace is sufficient for you. "I will fail!" ...my
power is made perfect in weakness. "I can't manage 5 kids
and a full time job!" ...I can do all things through Christ who
strengthens me. (my friend said that's
what I get for memorizing Scripture!!)
Then we went to CPC and
from the front row I heard Max Lucado talk about facing your giants.
ugh! We left that session and called the pastor. I recently celebrated
my 1 yr anniversary as the Children's Director and I am loving it!!
Cari B
Cypress, TX
I was decorating the
bulletin board in our "threes" classroom with another volunteer (who
happened to be the wife of one of the associate pastors).
She said, "God woke
me up this morning and told me you were supposed to be our new
children's pastor."
I said, "Well, if
I'm supposed to be our new children's pastor, why didn't God wake me up
instead?!"
That short
conversation was the beginning of my journey four years ago when I
became Director of Children and Family Ministries - and I didn't even
know what Family Ministry meant!
Lou Ann Pence
Director of Children & Family Ministries Vale Community Church
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I was in college
studying to go into elementary education and wanted to coach football. I
was sitting in chapel and they were talking about Jonah. I have heard
the story a million times, but the Lord revealed to me during that
sermon that I was Jonah running away from his purpose for my life. I
finished up that semester and changed my major to children's ministries
and I wouldn't want it any other way.
I got involved in
Children's Ministry because of my passion for cooking. My wife and I
started helping in our churches kids cooking class. Before long we
became the leaders of the cooking class. We did this for about four
years and as we did our love for children grew more and more. About that
time our Children's Pastor left to pursue other things. My Pastor asked
my wife and I if we would consider taking over the Children's Ministry
we said yes! We've been overseeing since 2004.
Nolan Hing
Kidz World Director
Solid Rock Ministries
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii
I had been married for about 2 years and had been a Christian for about
3 when our Children's pastor died of a stroke. The senior pastor wanted
to shut down the children's ministry temporarily and my wife and I asked
him not to while we were on vacation in Brazil. When we returned we
began ministering to children without any prior knowledge of children's
ministry. That was 1989 we are now full time children's pastors and
training others to take our place again.
Pastor Rick Carrillo
It was 1971, (I was
19 years old) and my mother's church decided not to "bother" with a VBS
that year. I was outraged! How could they NOT have VBS? So, I jumped
in, pulled some stuff together, and we did 5 days on how Jesus called
his disciples. Parent's night was great! I've been in children's
ministry in some capacity ever since. God bless!
Connie
I became senior
(solo) pastor in 1990 of a 80 attendance church in central California
where we started Awana, Summer Trips and camps for youth and elementary,
but I also attend senior adult lunches, etc.
during the week.
About 3 years after being there, one of my deacons said I was more like
a children's pastor than a senior pastor. I was out with the kids,
teaching the kids (I had asked the deacons to teach Wed PM so I could be
in Awana), etc. God used an intended slight to push me to consider CM.
After I left that position to continue my studies, I have really only
looked at CM positions since then. I have thoroughly enjoyed
ministering to children and their families ever since.
Art Brown,
Children's Pastor
First Evangelical Free Church
Onalaska WI
I was a stay at
home mom of 3 young daughters when my husband of 19 years died suddenly
of a heart attack at age 42. After the shock and a couple of years
regrouping I started working part time singing with preschoolers. A job
I should have loved, but God had other plans for me.
I was asked to fill
in for a few months while our church was looking for a new children's
director. I did that for a few months when God really put it on my heart
to apply for the position full time. It was a huge leap of faith but I
had a huge passion for reaching children for Christ.
It had made a huge
difference in the lives of my children when their dad died, that they
learned and knew from their Sunday School teachers, VBS teachers, etc.
with reassurance where their dad was and that Jesus would always be
there for them. I have expressed that many times to my Sunday school
teachers that you never know what is going on in the lives of these
children, and how you can make an eternal difference in their lives. I
have now been a children's director for 9 years and still have that
passion and first hand knowledge of how important this ministry is to
the families we serve.
Nancy Van Diest
FPC Roseville
When our children's
ministry director asked me to co-direct VBS with her, I thought she was
nuts. I was a stay at home mom back in 1997, a "new" Christian, had
never participated in VBS. What was she thinking? Well, I really had
to step out of my box, took the call and continued to direct VBS for the
next 7 years as a volunteer, and I am now the Early Childhood
Coordinator in Children's ministry at our church. Who knew? God, of
course! I love my job!
Karen Clark
Early Childhood Coordinator
St Peter's Lutheran Church
The neighborhood where our little church was had become very "bad". A
compassionate man in our church began talking to few kids who were
always hanging out near the church. Realizing they were hungry, he would
bring breakfast to them on Sunday. As the word got out, more and more
kids came. The church began "Sunday Morning Breakfast Program". It
didn't take long to realize that we needed to give more than food. Out
of sheer desperation I asked to Lord to give me a plan - no coloring
pages or fruit loop necklaces - but something that these kids could hold
to in every circumstance. Guess what? He did! I was hooked! I am now
in full-time ministry and just as excited about changing kids lives as I
was in 1992.
Donna W. Jones
Children's Pastor
The Capital Church
I noticed my 10 year
old nephew was in service every other week. He was an ornery little guy
so at first I assumed he was sent out of Kids Church. But when I
questioned him I learned that there was no one willing to teach the
4th-6th grade Kids Church more than every other week.(this in a church
of
500) I volunteered
my unwilling husband and I for the open weeks and soon the other couple
quit and we were teaching every week. A little later the ministry team
working with the younger kids quit and we were the Directors of
Children's Ministry. My unwilling husband became a clown and my best
puppeteer. I went back to school and received ministerial credentials
with the Assemblies of God in 2001. My 10 year old nephew will turn 25
this year. So much for "We only need you every other Sunday"!
My daughter wanted to
attend VBS at our church but she was only 3 years old. There was a
special class offered to the younger children of the VBS workers, so I
volunteered to "help-out". On Wednesday, the teacher I was helping
decided that I should take the lead on Thursday and teach the lesson on
Thursday. On Thursday I found myself standing on the piano stool telling
about Zacheaus climbing the tree to see Jesus. I looked down at that
class of 5 year olds with their kool-aid mustaches and I fell in love.
My daughter is now 25 years old. Been in Children's Ministry 22
years and I'm still in love with my kids.
Karen Isleib
Director of Children's Ministries,
River of Life Christian Fellowship
Tolland, CT
I had been Associate
Pastor at the church I am now serving for 13 years when God called me to
children's ministry. I was offered a new job with our church
denomination with a much larger pay package and would be traveling in
North America and the Bahamas. As I was praying through this job offer,
God impressed on my heart that I was willing to serve God in this
prestigious position, but was I willing to just be obedient to God? What
God wanted me to do was to resign my position as Associate Pastor and
reapply as the Children's Pastor! That was two and a half years ago, I
am having the time of my life!
Scott Thompson
Children's Pastor
University Parkway Baptist Church
Johnson City, TN
In 1986 I was watching
Christian TV one day and listening to the testimony of how a witch got
saved by simply hearing children sing "Jesus Loves Me" at the park. I
was into witchcraft myself at that time. After her testimony, I called
the prayer line and surrendered my life to Jesus Christ never to go back
again. Little did I realize two years after I would get involved in
Children's Ministry and become a pastor down the line. It's been almost
22 years since then and I'm still reaching children for Jesus and
training many workers to reach children as well. Little did I also know
that my daughters who I was involving in witchcraft back then would also
be delivered and teach children about the Lord as well.
Pastor Maria Montesino
Marion Oaks A/G
Ocala FL
I was in the shower
when God hit me with these words."I want you to be a children's pastor".
I had no clue what a cp was. later that evening I told my wife what had
happened and she had mentioned that our sp was looking for a cp and it
was supposed to be us. That Sunday we told him what God had said and he
confirmed it. So we were off and running. That was in 1997 and we never
looked back. God equipped us as soon as we stepped into our calling, not
before.
Fred Starck
My
husband and I have always had a passion for kids, and we have 4. But we
were just teachers for Kids church, then when our senior Pastor resigned
and went to plant another church, he announced to the whole church that
the people who were currently over the Kids Dept. were talking with my
husband and me about taking over that aspect of the church under the new
Pastor. But no one had talked to us yet.....So how do you say "no" when
it's already been announced to the whole congregation??? That was
alright with us though, because we are so privileged to get to do what
we love to do. And that's share Jesus with young ones that are eager and
hungry to know!!!
I felt called to the
ministry at age 16 shortly after giving my heart to Jesus. At first I
thought I'd be a Senior Pastor or maybe a Youth Pastor.
I proceeded to go to
North Central Bible College in Minneapolis, MN. A year and a half into
college I was asked to do a summer intern for children's ministry at a
church. Ten years later, I was still at this church doing Children's
Ministry. In 2003 I moved to Rapid City, SD where I am the Children's
Pastor at First Assembly of God.
Paul Anglemyer
Children's Pastor
First Assembly of God
Rapid City, SD
I was leading a
small women's prayer group and writing my own worship songs when our
Children's Director approached me to help out on Wed. night's at church
by writing some skits for the kids. That grew into larger productions
as well, and puppetry too. That was six years ago. We've recently
moved to the San Diego area where I just started teaching 4th and 5th
grade Sunday School. The church is small and doesn't even have a
Children's Ministry Director. We have a large Arab population in this
area, and all of my kids are from the Middle East - mostly Iraq. I
definitely have my work "cut out for me". I think my I'm going to be a
very busy woman.
Norma Jean Dalton
Heartland Community Church
El Cajon, CA
In a small country
Church in Southern Maryland, my mom had my brother and I help her as she
directed the children's ministry at our Church. From Puppets to snack
helpers, we did it all. Then I find myself creating shows and telling
Bible Stories to an imaginary audience. Once in High School I looked
for every possible way to learn how to share with kids. After college I
was asked to intern on a pastoral staff. The rest...is history. For the
last 18 years I have loved kids and shared Jesus with them. 18 Years -
June 2008! Praise God!
Andy Ervin
Fredericksburg, VA
I went from
executive business lunches and life on the fast track to a complete halt
one day! Sitting in my office starting my day off with prayer I felt a
sudden MAJOR shift, (God said- your done here & called me to Children's
ministry). I quickly quit my job & jumped right in to an immediate
position that just so happened to be open. Yep, went from high heels &
suits, to poopy, snotty pants & sneakers within 2 weeks! That was 7
years ago and I still love every minute of it!
Lisa Avery
Calvary Chapel Worship Center
Being newly saved, I
would volunteer some time to do things around the church on Saturdays.
One of those things I would do is set up classrooms for children's
church. I was amazed at the measure of effort that was gone to appeal to
children. The children's pastor told me to visit during a Sunday service
and so I did. Seeing the children respond to God helped me simplify my
faith and grow. I grew in my ability to see God through the eyes of a
child and that consumed me. Now I am in my eighth year of full time
children's ministry and still loving it!!!
I have served as a
youth pastor, assistant pastor, interim pastor, senior pastor, Christian
education director, and now for the past 3 1/2 years as a children's
pastor. I've been in the ministry for 30 years and I tell people who
ask me why I became a children's pastor, that God graduated me to the
most gratifying, exciting, and rewarding position that I could ever
have!
My dad
started a church in 1979 and asked me to take the children's ministry.
I told him I didn't even like kids but would do it until someone else
came along. Almost 30 years later I'm still ministering to kids and I
love it!
Ronnie
Caldwell
I came from
Tennessee to Canada 10 years ago because I was battling cancer - I knew
I had a call on my life and although I had always loved children and
been called a kid magnet - I never thought that Kid's Ministry was what
God wanted me to do. When the pastors of our church needed someone to do
Kid's Church (there were only 2, two and a half year olds at the time -
they asked if I would do it. I only did it because they had a need and I
wanted to serve them any way they needed it - Along the way God
developed in me a Pastor's heart for children and right now I am serving
as the principal of our Christian school as well as the Children's
Ministry pastor - and LOVING it!
Catherine Jobin
Principal/Christian Victory School
Children's Pastor/Christian Victory Church
2 months after my wife & I got married we volunteered in the Kidz
Krusade tent while the adults were having revival services, we never
left the children's ministry. Almost 14 years later, we're still
married, and still serving in our Children's Ministry. We have also
served in married's ministry and choir, but investing in children has
paid HUGE dividends in our own (4) children. My first career as a sales
engineer spanned 14 years. We followed His leading, into full time
ministry 4 years ago.
When I had my children
I quit my full time job in corporate America and was searching for my
place. I volunteered for Sunday School and VBS for a bit of
stimulation. After a couple of years talk began about a full time
children's ministry position. I expressed an interest at the time but
only if it would be part-time. Well, the position got hung up in
committee and I found a job working for my brother-in-law. Over a year
later my youngest child was getting ready to begin 1st grade and go to
school all day and my job was going through some difficulty with family
struggles and the stability of the company. I told my husband that if
the company didn't get a contract that I thought God was telling me to
leave. One day after they did not get the contract, my good friend
called to tell me about the new position at church as a part-time
children's ministry coordinator. I felt like God saved this job for me
for just right time in my life.
Jamie Barwikowski
First Presbyterian Church
Children's
Ministry Coordinator
Our children's
Pastor called me out of the blue one day because he didn't have anyone
available available to attend a VBS fair. I was available so I went,
which led to my friend and I taking on the VBS that year (and the next
year) which led to us stepping in as children's ministry directors when
that Pastor stepped into another role in our church. It has been 3 1/2
years and lots of ups and downs, but serving our God by serving our kids
is the best way to serve! Sometimes I wonder what made him call me that
day instead of someone that was more involved or that he knew more, but
I know it was God giving me a swift kick in the direction He wanted me
to go.
Nicole Heck
Wooded Hills Bible Church
My church needed
someone to teach the 4-5 year olds. I was 15 years old (The year was
1981), had no experience, they threw me in. I have not left since. I
am now and the Children's Pastor at my church!!!
Olga Brandenberger
Children's Pastor
Church of the Revelation
Bronx, NY
Growing up
children's ministry was boring which in turn made God and the Bible
boring to me. When I was in 12th grade I decided that I didn't want kids
bored in church and committed my life to helping kids to understand and
know who God is and that God is so they can know who they are in Christ
- and to make church and God FUN!
Scott Kinney
Children's Minister
Seacoast Church
Mt. Pleasant, SC
I went to church one
morning with four kids. The church's children's area was flooded, and
kids of all ages sat upstairs with over 2,000 adults in the main
service. I couldn't concentrate as kids were bouncing everywhere. I
thought I should leave and at least take four kids off their hands. I
heard a small voice in my heart say "maybe I could help". I proceeded to
take children of all ages from every row and we gathered in the far back
of the room. I shared a message about Jesus that was wild and crazy. I
woke up the next day with a phone call from the Senior Pastor asking me
when I could start. It's been six years and I am still in full time
children's ministry.
The church that I
attend hasn't had a children's church for years! At the time, I was
over the children's mission organization and since our attendance was so
low on Saturdays one of the other worker's suggested that we do this on
Sunday morning. We have grown from 20 to 80 to 100 children. Now we
are in the process of adding the nursery to our ministry. All I can
say, Gods word will never cease... God Bless everyone.
I grew up in a home
where drugs and alcohol were no "big" secret.
My dad did different
drugs and my mom was an "occasional" drinker. It is strange looking
back, I can remember men being around me at such a young age, strung out
on drugs. But God never allowed anything to happen to me. It scares me
now looking back because 2 of those men that i was around so much, are
now in jail for molesting children!
Anyhow, when i was 6
yrs old, there was a couple of people who would come door to door and
invite people to church. Well, my dad would never let us open the door,
and we were made to not move or say a word until the men at the door
were gone. Well, one Saturday I had just happened to be outside playing
when the men came, and I let them in our apartment to talk to my
family. I insisted my parents let me ride their church bus to church.
They agreed to let me but under one circumstance. I had to get myself
up and dress myself if I wanted to go! I was only 6! But I did. There
is no telling what I looked like when I got to church!
Well, the church that I
went to had a real good Children's Church program. Back then it was
pretty much a fly by the seat of your pants program!!! But i loved it.
They taught me about Jesus, and that Jesus loved me!! They made me want
to come back. And I did! I never would miss, and I wanted to be on the
front seat every week!! I didn't want to miss anything.
As I grew older I
stayed in church. I didn't miss for anything. When I was 11 yrs old my
mom got saved, and I was 17 when my dad got saved. My heart was so
happy!
Then, when I was 16 I
was asked to teach a Sunday School Class! I taught that was so cool! I
put my all into that class. Then I was asked to teach a children's
church. I loved working with the children. It seemed that no matter
where I was children flocked to me! My parents would be amazed because
we could just be shopping and little kids would come up and hug me and
talk to me, or wave at me.
I feel like God reached
me when I was a child, so that I would have compassion for children.
So, many people don't think that children are important, but I know they
are. I was a child at one time! And I was important enough to God,
that he sent his people to capture my heart!
So, now I am at a
church I have been at for 5 yrs. I have been children's director for 3
of those years. And it just keeps getting better and better!
We just started using
Big City Studios about 4 weeks ago, and the children love it. We are
planning to start an outreach in our area, so please pray for that. And
I am praying that our church grows. I want to be full time Children's
Pastor, that is the desire of my heart and I know God has given me
that desire!
Thanks for all you do!
Cristy Miller
Kids In Action
Children's Director
Matthew 10:42