How to Build a Kids Ministry Lead Team
Build a team that you love working with. Build a team that you feel confident in. Build a team that is full of people with different gifts all working together to disciple the next generation.
We asked on the Kids Ministry Circle instagram page what questions you had about building a leadership team within your kids ministry and you all asked SO many questions! I am going to try and answer them here and we have special downloads to see org charts and job descriptions.
Question #1: Where to start?
What a perfect question! Here are 4 questions to think through as you begin the leadership team process.
1. What am I doing that someone else can do for me?
2. Where would having another person be the most helpful (ex: Sunday mornings!)
3. Am I adequately caring for the amount of volunteers I currently have? Do I need help?
4. Who on your team is asking for more responsibility?
Questions #2: How to ask?
I have good news for you! You ask people to join your leadership team just like you ask for regular volunteers. You cast vision for a specific role and invite them to participate. The best part about this process is that there is a good chance these leaders have been serving alongside of you for a season. You already know they are committed to your mission & vision and now you get to explore together if they want to take on more leadership opportunities.
TIP #1: Your lead team does not have to be currently serving on your volunteer team.
Some of my best coaches have no desire to step into the classroom, but they are excellent leaders.
Questions #3: What are their roles or responsibilities?
This is where there is room for creativity. If you downloaded the leadership org chart, you can see that I prefer to run age specific coaches. Each age specific coach (ex: Elementary Coach, Preschool Coach) has the same responsibilities. If you wanted to build a leadership team that serves as a committee of sorts, they may all have different roles and responsibilities.
Here is how you can figure out what you can hand off. Get ready to make some lists!
Step #1: Create a list of everything you do and I mean everything!
Step #2: Create a second list of everything only you can do. (ex: Child dedication class, Baptism class, curriculum, create and protect the vision & mission)
Step #3: Create a list of the tasks you LOVE doing.
Step #4: Create a list of the things that DRAIN you the most.
Out of those 4 lists, you should be able to create a list of tasks that your leadership team can take on.
Here are a few other leadership positions you may want to think about:
-Curriculum Lead
-Volunteer Care Lead
-Check-in Lead
-Events Lead
Maybe you are asking…what is the difference between a lead and a coach? A lead is someone who is leading a specific area, and a coach is someone who is leading a team of people.
Question #4: How often do you meet?
Quarterly. 3 of them working meetings and one of them FUN!
Question #5: How long do they serve?
I have often created annual rhythms of checking in with coaches to see if they want to sign on for another year. Many of my coaches have served for many years.
Those are your questions and a pretty good place to start building your team. Be wise, bold, and confident in your asks. Gather people who will encourage you and cheer you on both publicly and privately. Gather people who are running after Jesus with everything they’ve got. Gather people who are fighting for the Gospel to move forward in your church, in your community, and across the nations. Leadership teams have brought so much life to me over the years and have carried me through some of the hardest seasons. They are worth it. Doing ministry alongside brothers and sisters in Christ is the best feeling in the world.