Team Leaders, How’s Your Team?

Team Leaders, you have a special role in serving alongside and leading a team of children’s ministry volunteers in your classroom. Here are five practical ways you can connect with your teachers, small group leaders, worship leaders and helpers in order to develop stronger relationships and support them through the school year. Try one or more ideas to show them Christ, encourage them in their role in your class and to challenge them to let Christ be seen in them.

1. Weekly Pre-Class Prayer and Preparation

Encourage your team to arrive 10-15 minutes before you start welcoming children into the classroom. This gives you time to talk with your team about what will be happening during class, give any last minute instructions for the morning and most importantly, pray for the children in your class to have minds to hear and hearts to respond to the truths they will be taught that day. It is also a great time for your team to share personal prayer requests and pray for any families in the class who have requested prayer. Arriving early also gives teachers times to finish setting up visuals and review their lesson material one last time, and for small group leaders to set up their tables and be ready to welcome the students.

2. One-on-One Touch Points

Aim to chat with one or two of your team members one-on-one each week for just a couple minutes. Check in on how their morning went, encourage them on something they did well, give them advice on what they could improve on and ask if there is anything else you can do to support them in their role.

3. Occasional Post-Class Debrief

Gather your team together after class for 15-20 minutes to discuss how things in class are going. This is especially helpful to do for small group leaders several times in the first couple months of class, and then occasionally through the rest of the year. This is a good time to discuss as a team what is going well in your class and what struggles your team is facing. It is neat to see team members help one another with ideas as well as see ways they can support each other with prayer.

4. Evening of Encouragement

If your team is feeling weary midway through the year, it can be refreshing to invite your team an evening of encouragement—bless them with a devotional, worship together, share evidences of God’s grace you have seen in the classroom and pray for strength to continue serving your children well. This can also be incorporated with the next idea.

5. Sunday School Social

Enjoy getting to know your team and their families! Children’s ministry is a great way to get to know others in your church and develop a community with the people you serve alongside. Help your team bond with each other and strengthen teamwork by planning several social gatherings during the year. Some ideas include a family picnic or fall bonfire, going out for coffee or dessert, hosting a couples dinner or a dessert evening in your home, having a potluck or ordering in pizza after class.

Bonus Idea: Feed Your Team

An easy way to show love to your team is to treat them to every once in a while just for fun. Celebrate a perfect fall day with some apple muffins, encourage conversation during a post-class debrief with cookies or help your team prepare for an especially busy morning with strong coffee and chocolate.

Don’t worry, you don’t have to do it all at once. Whichever approach you take to connect with your them, be sure your team knows that they are loved, prayed for and appreciated as you work together to help the next generation know and cherish their Savior!