Enduring Connections: Creating a Preschool and Children's Ministry

A congregation’s health can often be evaluated by its preschool and grade-school ministry. Childhood ministry profoundly impacts families, nurturing the faith of both children and their parents. This ministry demands committed volunteer leaders to address children's physical, emotional, and spiritual needs and can serve as an indicator a church's care for its members.

Childhood ministry is recognized for its role in attracting young families, building strong spiritual foundations from an early age, and impacting the world by sharing the gospel message with children. Since lifelong faith choices and values are often formed during our youth, churches must offer engaging and age-appropriate learning and worship experiences for children.

But childhood ministry is not just about childcare. It also involves supporting and equipping parents in their faith-nurturing role. Churches must supplement parents' instruction and reach out to families who are not actively involved in the church.

Successful childhood ministries prioritize relationships, uphold biblical integrity, and view childhood ministry as family ministry. Enduring Connections guides ministers and laypersons involved in childhood ministry toward building those connections between children, their faith, and the faith community, connections rooted in relationships with parents, teachers, ministers, and others who nurture children's faith.