Scripture designates parents as the primary religious instructors in a child’s life; at the same time, research suggests a child’s relationship with God develops best when parents have a faith community reinforcing the family’s Christian values. In children’s ministry we are in a unique position to provide an environment for families to feel a strong sense of community.

If you’re in children’s ministry you know the importance of healthy role models, community, and giving children a sense of security. In fact, a recent post by Portland Leadership revealed some new scientific evidence regarding the increasingly large void of community for America’s children.

Children’s pastors today have more resources than ever before to reach children who live in the shadows of the steeple. However, based on the stories I hear children’s pastors tell about their summer outreaches, I get the feeling we are missing the mark by only reaching kids who are already attending other churches.

Summertime is here and that means it’s time to get outside the walls of our churches and start impacting the kids of the community. Outreaches have the potential to unite your team around a common vision, bring new volunteers into play, and even help you develop deeper relationships with the core members of your team.