PURPOSE | VISION

At Bethel Christian Church, we believe that the kids ministry team is a vital part of the ministry of this body of believers.

• Members of this team should view their function as ministers of the gospel. Therefore, those who serve on the kids ministry team should view their role as a calling from God.

• Membership on the kids ministry team is a position of leadership in our church. The primary function is to teach children the truth of Scripture and raise up the next generation under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. “We will not hide these truths from our children; we will tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the Lord, about his power and his mighty wonders.” (Psalm 78:4).

• Every member of the kids ministry team must possess a heart for the next generation. Therefore, members must continually strive to lead with a pure heart before God and others.

 

The vision of the NextGen Pastor is to raise up spirit-empowered disciples and life-long followers of Jesus in these key areas:

• Bible: Disciples love and understand God’s Big Story. They begin to trust what God’s Word says, obey it, and understand that God made them for a purpose.

• Holy Spirit: Disciples are born again, understand that the Holy Spirit is God, understand His roles (Comforter, Teacher, etc.), sense God’s presence, and are beginning to learn how to hear God’s voice and exercise their gifts.

• Prayer: Disciples learn to connect to God through prayer by talking to God, listening to God, and expecting Him to move. 

• Mission: Disciples know God uniquely designed each person and has a plan for them. They seek to share their faith, discover their purpose, and care for others. They develop an awareness, love, and appreciation for all people

• Worship: Disciples experience God as they begin to respond to Him in worship, showing how much they love Him and want to obey Him. They understand that God is worthy of their worship because of who He is.

• Service: Disciples understand the meaning and importance of serving and understand that God has a plan to save all people so they may serve Him and each other.

• Generosity: Disciples develop a heart of compassion for all people that leads to generosity and learn to freely share possessions and God’s love with others.

GUIDELINES | REQUIREMENTS

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1. KIDS MINISTRY TEAM CULTURE

• Encouragement: As a team, it is vitally important that we encourage one another as we grow in our talents and giftings. We must never embarrass other team members by snide remarks or by participating in gossip. Our words will be kind. A critical spirit does not honor God or lift people up and will not be tolerated.

• Unity: We must be united. When we have an issue with someone, we dedicate ourselves to following the steps in Matthew 18 to resolve it. 

• Excellence: We dedicate ourselves to anointed excellence. We will pray for God to move in our kids ministry and we will commit to arriving prepared and ready to go when it is our day to serve. We also commit ourselves to growing in our giftings by participating in leader training and development when it is made available.

• Supportive: As members of the kids ministry team, we will support leadership. Although we may not always minister in our preferred fashion or stay within our comfort zone, we will continue to bring unity and show maturity by supporting our leaders. A complaining spirit breeds division and will not be tolerated. If a team member is ever confused, discouraged, or unhappy with the way things are going at a given time, they are encouraged to speak with the NextGen Pastor or Lead Pastor only.

• Be Fruitful:  The children we minister to will follow our lead and model what they see. Each member must produce and exhibit spiritual fruit as evidence of a life lived for Jesus and directed by the Holy Spirt. “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!” (Galatians 5:22-23)

• Communication: As a kids ministry team member, good communication fosters strong relationships, builds trust, promotes understanding, facilitates collaboration, and helps resolve conflicts. 

 

2. LIFESTYLE

• The kids ministry team is a highly visible ministry in the church. Each team member must always see themselves as representatives of Jesus Christ and the church. Therefore, participants must be born-again believers in Christ, and their lifestyle must resemble that of a born-again Christian. We protect our testimony by abstaining from anything that can damage our identity in Christ.

  • We are not involved in ungodly, sinful relationships.

  • We are not given over to substance or alcohol abuse.

• Each member of the kids ministry team must life a lifestyle of daily devotions, prayer, and worship. Our day to serve should be an overflow of time spent with God throughout our week. We cannot give what we have not received. 

 

3. TALENTS & SKILLS

• One does not need to be a credentialed minister or a pastor to serve on the kids ministry team, but God honors the discipline of preparation and being ready to go when it is your day to serve. “Failing to prepare is preparing for failure.”

• Qualifications: Follower of Jesus, motivated by a desire to serve the church, a humble spirit, an ability to learn quickly, and a love for the next generation.

 

4. SCHEDULE & COMMITMENT

• Schedule: For the most part, kids ministry team members will have a set day/week to serve. For example, you may be on the schedule every 2nd Sunday of the month. The schedule is subject to change for special services, events, conferences, etc. You are only required to serve on your scheduled day/week.

• Commitment: Kids ministry team members should be actively involved at Bethel Christian and dedicated to the vision and the leadership of its pastors and other leaders.​

5. ATTENDANCE & PUNCTUALITY

• Attendance and punctuality are significant factors for being a member of the kids ministry team.

  • Members should arrive ready to serve on their scheduled day at least 15 minutes prior to their scheduled start time. 

  • Poor attendance and showing up late demonstrates a lack of discipline and honor for the team, this ministry, our church, and the families we serve.

 

6. ATTIRE

• Kids ministry members must dress properly. Although we recognize that God does not judge us by outward appearance (1 Samuel 16:7), proper attire communicates excellence. Consequently, members are encouraged to be neat, clean, and appropriately dressed for all services. Kids Ministry shirts should be worn on your day to serve. 

• Inappropriate dress for kids services/classes includes sloppy or revealing clothing or questionable logos. 

 

7. NEW APPLICANTS & WAITING PERIODS

• Anyone interested in serving on the kids ministry team must have attended faithfully for at least 6 months. They also must have attended the Church Membership Class.

• Anyone interested in serving is encouraged to schedule an appointment with the Nextgen Pastor to discuss the guidelines and expectations presented in this manual. 

• New applicants to the kids ministry team will be required to complete a formal kids ministry application, background check, and attend at least one kids service/class before joining the team.

 

8. SCHEDULE CONFLICTS

• Each kids ministry member will typically be scheduled once a month based on their availability. 

• If a member cannot make it on their day to serve, they must notify the NextGen Pastor and/or ministry coordinator in advance, if possible, so that proper adjustments can be made.