You’re a KidMin leader.
And you might feel a little stranger than most. Other church members marvel at your tireless affection for free coloring pages downloads, Veggie Tales CD’s, and scoring a great deal on bulk pretzels for snack time.
While some of those judgements might be a little overstated, here are six KidMin stereotypes that are completely true:
(most of the time)
1. KidMin leaders have a secret energy reserve
When the rest of church staff is ready to call it quits, you can usually count on a KidMin volunteer to step in and save the day. They aren’t cape-donning superheroes (maybe). They don’t drink Red Bull like coffee (maybe). But they seem to be consistently energized by what really matters: kids.
Speaking of energy…
2. They love to make a mess
KidMin leaders are notorious for making good use of the church janitorial staff. But it’s okay. Because if they’re the ones who made the mess, it’s likely that they’ll help clean it up. Great KidMin leaders are servants first. They serve their kids by spraying silly string all over the sanctuary. Then they serve the maintenance staff by cleaning it up. For them, the mess is part of the fun, but so is the cleanup.
3. KidMin leaders love Goldfish crackers
(Guilty). If left on their own, most KidMin leaders could probably take down a Sam’s Club box of these before Larry sings his Silly Song. Their secret love for cheddar-flavored snack food is part of their charm. Almost every Kidmin leader has filled kids’ cups with crackers, put the box back on the shelf, and then thought to himself: “I should have some too, shouldn’t I? I need some nourishment, right?”
The very idea that Goldfish crackers might be a substantive source of nourishment leads to the fourth point…
4. They really never grew up
Great KidMin leaders and volunteers are the ones who aren’t content to watch from the bleachers during beanbag relay or whipped-cream-pie fight. They’re in on the action. Why? Not really because they’re big kids, but because of something far deeper: They love the things that kids love. And they love those things because the kids love them. Great KidMin leaders want to be a part of the fun because they’re convinced that stepping into the world of a child is a great way to build a relationship. Bingo.
5. KidMin leaders have a special “language”
Kidmin leaders say things that 8-year olds say. And they still seem cool doing it. KidMin leaders can say stuff like, “Oh man – that’s tight,” or “Gimme knuckles, dude,” and somehow get away with it. But when the senior pastor tries, he doesn’t seem as cool.
There’s really something to this one: KidMin leaders are adaptable. They love kids so much that they’re willing to sound a little goofy in order to communicate with them. They drop their pride at the door, and pick up a few hipper-than-you’d-expect phrases in the process.
6. They look at the Bible as one giant story
Great KidMin leaders are great storytellers. And they got that way because of their love for the gospel. Underneath the David and Goliath coloring pages, the endless object lessons, and impromptu drama sketches, great KidMin leaders are able to somehow connect familiar narratives to the larger story of the gospel. Their passion for kids + a great ability for storytelling = dynamic communication of God’s love.
So to all the KidMin leaders who aren’t afraid to get a little cream pie on their face:
Thanks for all you do!
