Are You Ready?

Fall ministries are about to begin and you may very well be working this week to be certain you have dotted all your "i's" and crossed all your "t's". You may be connecting with your volunteers to thank them for serving this year, let them know where/when you need them to be, and to answer any questions they may have. You may be double-checking your curriculum to be certain you have everything you need. There are so many things to do, but have you made certain you are ready for one very important group of children in your ministry? The children who come only "IF" they choose to come. These are likely the children who come with their grandparents because their parents no longer go to church. Are you ready for these children?

Do you know which children in your ministry come with their grandparents? Do you have a plan for following up with them when they do not attend? Are you committed to making certain they know they are wanted and welcome in your ministry and missed when they are not there? Have you connected with their grandparents to let them know you understand how difficult it is when grown children turn from their faith and when grandchildren only want to come to church off and on? Are you ready for this important - and growing - group of children in your ministry?

Of course the children who come to church with their parents are also important, but they will be there pretty much every week because their parents say they will be there. Of course it matters for you to let them know you are happy they are there, but the children who come with their grandparents are on the edge. Will they turn away from their faith like their parents? Will they stop coming to church? Will they become "lost"? Will they decide it doesn't really matter if they go to church because no one really knows them there and they do not really care if they are not at church?

Are you ready for these children? What do you need to do to be ready for them? Consider the following . . . 

• Identify who these children are.
• Connect with their grandparents.
• Make sure they are in groups with children who are friendly.
• Let their small group leaders know who they are.
• Commit to follow back every Monday and Thurday - go over the attendance list from Sunday school on Monday and from Wednesday night on Thursday and follow back.
• Make sure your Children's Ministry is a place where children (especially boys) want to be. No, you do not need to make it a "three-ring-circus", but be certain it is not boring. Engage children, make your ministry "the place" where children want to be. 
• Make it a place where all children feel like they belong. Remember, children in your ministry who come with their parents likely already know the other kids, as their parents may be friends and they may get together outside of church. This is likely not the case with children who come with their grandparents.
• Find prayer partners who will commit to pray for these children - and their grandparents.

Are you ready?