Formerly a training event for Vacation Bible School leaders, KidMin Toolbin drew more than 40 children’s ministry leaders for a new retreat expanded to include all aspects of children’s ministry.
Held at Garaywa Camp and Conference Center in Clinton, Mississippi, March 8–9, the goal of the Toolbin was to train participants in the essential children’s ministries of leadership, learning and love.
Comparing leadership to the drive of a hammer and screwdriver, Angie Boydstun, a preschool/children’s consultant for the Mississippi Baptist Convention Board’s discipleship/Sunday School, encouraged participants to consider their purpose and mission in ministry.
Purpose and mission
“So what’s your drive? What’s your leadership? What is the ministry that God calls you to? What are you leading others to do?” Boydstun asked during the opening session. “Whether they serve with you in children’s ministry or they’re somebody that you need to be mentoring in children’s ministry, you are a leader.
“Often I hear people who serve in churches say, ‘Oh, I’m not a teacher, I’m just a helper.’ There’s a lot of great help that you can give. But if you stand before kids, you are a leader. Leadership is influence. You have the greatest group in the world to influence.”
To properly build and develop that leadership, Boydstun used pliers and a wrench to emphasize the importance of children’s ministry workers tightening their qualifications through ongoing education.
Tightening up your skills
“You need learning,” Boydstun noted. “You’ve got to tighten up your skills on occasion. To be a part of children’s ministry you’ve got to be an innovator in 2024. You’ve got to have self-awareness, and sometimes it takes a little learning for us to do that.”
Referencing 1 Corinthians 13, Boydstun used a power sander to illustrate the vital role of love in smoothing out the rough edges of serving in children’s ministry so strong relationships can be built.
“But love hopes that one day we’re going to have the opportunity to reach into those lives of kids and families that are difficult to reach, that are difficult sometimes to love, that are difficult to serve,” Boydstun said. “But Scripture tells us if we’ll smooth off those edges, then we can believe all things, bear all things, hope all things, we can endure all things like that.”
To help develop essential tools of children’s ministry, participants were offered a wide variety of breakout sessions including, “Engaging Kids with the Word,” “Keeping Our Ministries Safe and Secure,” “Parent Connections,” “Sharing the Gospel in KidMin” and “Today’s Kids and the Issues They Face.”
VBS workers also received training through breakout sessions focused on Lifeway Christian Resources’ “Breaker Rock Beach” theme.
Connie Gregory, a children’s ministry worker at North Morton Baptist Church, Morton, Mississippi, has attended the VBS training for several years. Now VBS director at her church, she was thankful for the additional children’s ministry training.
“That helps a lot because sometimes it can be tough when you have a child that’ll ask you a certain question, and you’ve got to pop off something really quickly off the top of your head,” Gregory said. “These sessions help with that and give you the tools.”
Building relationships, support
KidMin Toolbin not only equipped leaders with training and tools to serve in children’s ministry, but also helped build relationships and support.
“I hope they took away some knowledge, but I hope they took away some new relationships,” Boydstun said. “It’s fun to watch those guys meeting one another and interacting.”
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Megan Young and originally published by the Baptist Record.
