Children's ministry has to go beyond simply serving children during their services to help establish a faith that lasts a lifetime. To do this, it takes a village.

Volunteers are very important, and it’s important for those in leadership to communicate the volunteer’s importance and appreciate all they do within the faith community. Here are some fun and creative ways for you to show appreciation to the volunteers in your children’s ministry and in your whole church!

The volunteers in our churches are my heroes in so many ways. They sacrifice their time, talent and treasure for the ministry. They are not required to be there, but many times they are more committed than those of us who are paid to be there. This is why I always want to ensure I am saying “thank you” and showing them proper appreciation. Here are six simple yet effective ways to show appreciation to your volunteers.

As ministers, it is often easy to sacrifice time with our families for the sake of our ministry. While being called to go out and do the work of the Lord, we must also remember the importance of nurturing the relationships of our families. Some ways to do that is to schedule time to be with our family. This article provides some practical tips that will demonstrate what Valentine's Day is all about to family ... and church volunteers.

Six questions that will help you evaluate your leadership training and leadership appreciation: What is something our team should celebrate this week? What is an area within our ministry that needs to be molded and tweaked? What is a responsibility I have or am doing that I need to train and equip someone else to do and begin letting go of? Which child or family within our kids’ ministry can we be there for EXTRA this week? Who was a life saver this week and went above and beyond? What is one reason I still love working in kids’ ministry?

The best encouragement is always done in person. Making the rounds of your classrooms is a critical part of encouraging your leaders. Never be afraid to pitch in to make someone’s job easier. A written note or a small surprise candy gift are ways to show that you care about the person who is ministering.