The Biggest Dangers to Your Children's Ministry - Danger #5

Over the years I've served in Children's Ministry, I've had the opportunity to serve in churches where the Children's Ministry - and the church - were effective! Ministries where it was a blessing and joy to serve! Sadly, I've also served in churches where this was not the case. 

As I look back on the years of ministry and the churches where I've served, there are five things which stand out to me as the, "Biggest Dangers to Our Children's Ministry"; today I'll write about Danger #5 . . .

I absolutely believe selfishness is a big danger to Children's Ministry. So, how does, "selfishness" show up in Children's Ministry; or the church as a whole? Consider the following places where you might see it . . .

• When adults will not volunteer to serve. While there certainly are adults who have legitimate reasons not to serve in Children's Ministry - they may be serving in other places and are not available, they may have health issues, they may not have the gifts or temperament for serving with children, etc. - there are adults these things do not apply to and these adults do not serve because of selfishness. They do not want to give their time to serve the children. They may feel like they have better things to do with their time or their time is their own and they do not want to spend it serving in the Children's Ministry.
• When other areas of the church get the attention and funding and Children's Ministry is, "at the bottom of the totem pole".
• When people serving in the Children's Ministry have to have things, "their way or no way".
• When the Children's Ministry becomes all about a certain person or people.

These are just a few of the ways selfishness might show up in your Children's Ministry and when it does, it is a big danger to your Children's Ministry.

So, what do we do about the Danger of Selfishness? I believe there are only three things we can do . . . 

• Pray! Pray and ask God to protect your ministry from selfishness. Pray and ask God to show you whenever and wherever it shows up. Pray!
• Call it out! Identify it and call out those who are being selfish - call out yourself whenever you are selfish, too.
• Be on guard for it! Watch and watch and watch for it and act quickly whenever it shows up!

Selfishness will stop your Children's Ministry from being effective . . . it is a big danger; so be on guard, call it out and pray because there is no room in any Children's Ministry for selfishness.