The Kids Ministry Secret Sauce
What’s this about Kids Ministry Secret Sauce?! You might wonder. Alright, let me start by saying this: There is indeed such a thing as Kids Ministry ‘Secret Sauce’ because I just made up the term. So it now exists because I’ve put a name to something real and true that I’ve come to understand after a long time of working with kids. The thing about sauces is that they make everything better. McDonald’s has locked down their Big Mac secret sauce and we all know somebody who has a killer BBQ ribs sauce that is to die for. My point is this: The sauce is the thing that makes the main thing even better. The more you have of it, the better it is.
When it comes to Kids Ministry, I’ve learned that the secret sauce is this: Relationships. Trust me, I’m here for excellent services and programming. The lesson and teaching, worship and singing, games, crafts, all that stuff in super important. It’s the main thing. But the relationships that we have with the kids is the secret sauce that makes everything so much better. It’s the seasoning that goes on top, in between, underneath, all around. It adds flavor and brings everything together. The more you have of it, the better it is.
So let’s talk sauce ingredients, shall we? Knowing kids names. Genuinely listening when kids are speaking and engaging in conversation with them, talking and listening to what they have to say, not just talking at them. It’s showing interest in what they are interested in. Is it Legos? Minecraft? Is it a new glitter slime they made? Or their love of capybaras and making up imaginary stories? It’s playing and laughing; being silly and being a fun grown-up to be around. It’s noticing facial expressions and changes in moods; it’s being sensitive to notice feelings of excitement or sadness. It’s encouraging the gifts, talents, skills and strengths that you see in them. It’s seeing good things in them, catching them doing good things, bragging on them and giving them compliments that build them up. It’s correcting with patience (and maybe a lot of deep breaths), love and kindness. It’s generously offering to give them high fives, smiles and hugs whenever they want them. It’s being a safe person for them to be around. Someone who is consistent and stable.
When you’ve got lots of the secret sauce you’ve got lots of influence and impact. Here’s the thing, when kids know that you love them, that you see them, that you care about them and that you listen to them, they are far more open to listening to what you have to say and any lesson you have to teach. I’ve seen it time and time again. As Sunday School teachers, understand that our kids care about what we have to say when we have shown over time how much we care about them.
Now you may be thinking: “But there’s not enough time on a Sunday morning for all that!” And you’re right. Which is why this is the secret sauce and not the common sauce. What I’m talking about doesn’t just fit nicely into the Sunday morning church stuff; it’s got to ooze over into real, everyday life. What does that even look like though? It might be showing up at a ball game to cheer their team on. It might be going to a dance recital or watching a piano performance. It might be inviting a family over to your house for a meal and game time together. It might be having a group of girls over to your house for a movie night. It might be sending out handwritten birthday cards or stopping by the hospital for a visit after surgery. It could be a lot of things that are unique to you and the kids in your Sunday School.
Listen, I don’t make up the sauce rules. I’m just telling you that there is a Kids Ministry secret sauce and this is the stuff that it’s made of. Real relationships. Real care, real interest, real love poured out generously, oozing out the sides and maybe making things a little bit messy. But it’s the secret stuff that truly makes Kids Ministry life-changing and impactful.
