As summertime approaches, you are probably planning your summer outreaches and ministry events. Summer can be very busy in the kidmin world, so it’s important for us to have an attack plan before June 1st rolls around. As vital as the event itself is to plan, it is equally crucial to have a plan of attack to get all those kids to come back to church on the weekends.

If there is one thing children’s pastors don’t need, its another program to manage. However, a summer outreach can be one of the greatest investments of time because it results in kids coming to know Christ. So how can church leaders plan a summer outreach with excellence but without spreading themselves too thin?

A friend of mine, Joseph Britain, who has worked in the church world for over 30 years tells me often how the church has a knack for over-booking the calendar. When it comes to using our time in serving, he says, “Well it’s only one time a year…all year long!” Pastors in particular are often not careful in guarding families’ schedules or in teaching people about rest.

Questions are powerful. Questions are an essential part of planning. Questions, when answered, help to provide clarity. Questions help you avoid doing something just so you have something to do. When first planning an event, start with the right questions.

Have you ever written out a ministry plan? It is an essential practice for any children’s pastor weather you are describing a single event or a year’s worth of ministry. Most of us have some sort of plan and can describe schedules, volunteer rotations, and supply lists. But healthy ministries require more than a plan of attack; they need a plan of success.

Christmas is an incredible opportunity to teach kids about God’s love. It’s also a time to help them understand that it is more blessed to give than to receive. We must provide multiple opportunities for kids to learn and we must help kids learn these truths with programming beyond the platform.