5 Uncommon Tips for Honoring Leaders

“Save the date, team! Stick around after church next week for our end-of-year celebration.”

Have you ever been part of or hosted a leader party that was obviously an afterthought? It wasn’t intended to be last minute, of course. It wasn’t supposed to be held in the hallway outside the storage closet, but all the good rooms were reserved weeks ago. No one expected the festivities to fall flat. There was just so much going on; having some fun together slipped everyone’s minds. It’s totally fine for this to happen from time to time. But, when volunteer leaders come to expect a 45-minute year-end pizza party, ministry directors need to step up their game.

Children’s ministry leaders are partying all over the place right now. For many it’s nearing the end of the serving season. Summer is just around the corner, so it’s time to honor leaders. Are you planning a “business as usual” party or are you going to shower your leaders with love like never before? Here are five uncommon tips for honoring leaders to help get you out of a recognition rut.

1. Don’t order pizza…surprise leaders with a treat.

Yes, $5.00 pizzas are cheap and clean up easily. When you have leaders with young kids, it makes ordering food simple and fills up a lot of stomachs fast. But, does it communicate that you care? If your leaders love serving with you, a pizza party won’t help or hinder this. But, when you come up with a unique or unexpected treat for them, the surprise will strengthen your ministry. In the next month or two, pick a random week and hand out candied bacon on skewers, ice-cream bars, or chicken sandwiches to leaders when they show up to serve. Or, plan a tailgate party in the parking lot or nearby park so people can grill up their favorite foods and play some games together.

2. Don’t do it alone…invite leaders into the fun.

How many times have you planned the end-of-the-year celebration by yourself? Rather than lead it as a lone ranger, pull a handful of leaders and parents together to find out what will mean the most to the whole kidmin team. Then, work as a group to get what’s decided done! Leaders feel honored when they known, engaged in meaningful roles, and recognized well. By having them speak into the celebrations, they will make sure it hits home.

3. Don’t say thanks…share specific stories with leaders.

General praise skims the surface of people’s hearts. “Thanks!” is nice to say, but character-based compliments and specific stories mean way more. Imagine hearing this from your leader: “Great job helping me unload and carry all those bricks to the backdoor. I know it took longer than we expected. The kids are really going to enjoy what we’re building. Thanks for always sticking around until a job’s done, Tom.” By communicating you’re paying attention to actions and attitudes, you deepen your connection with leaders in your ministry. If you have a hard time remembering what happens in your kidmin, keep a small notebook in your pocket or use your smartphone to record specific stories to share with leaders later on.

4. Don’t buy trinkets…give leaders something personal.

In the same way that specific stories speak to people’s hearts, the same is true about gifts you give them. Some people love getting a small token of appreciation, while others would rather hear your affirmation with words written in a note. The next time you’re tempted to raid the dollar store or scour a catalog for a cheap giveaway, reconsider. Is there a memory from the serving year that you have a picture from? Could you buy a bunch of photo frames and write personal notes on the back for each leader? Or, have notecards for your ministry made so you can thank those serving with you. Get creative. Go online, ask around, and figure out what will speak deeply to your leaders.

5. Don’t plan a party…celebrate leaders all year.

This may seem obvious, but you don’t have to wait until the end of the serving season to honor leaders. Put it on the calendar well in advance so you can build into your team every quarter, every six weeks, or “randomly” (or so it seems!). Help lift the spirits of your leaders along the way so they remember God and you value them greatly. Take turns as a leadership team being responsible for honoring leaders so no one person carries the load alone. You can even involve kids, teens, and families in the planning and partying. It will build a celebratory children’s ministry community like no other. (Need a burst of creativity? Here are 25 mid-year motivators!)

Commit to honoring your leaders heart-fully!

The secret to honoring leaders well is to do it with great intentionality. Prayerfully plan ahead, keep it personal, and make it purposefully fun. As a leader of leaders, you have the privilege of speaking the love of Christ into the lives of others.

Paul’s words in Colossians 1:3-4 must have meant so much to the believers: “We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people.”

Leveraging the five uncommon tips – in addition to praying for and with your leaders – can intentionally communicate honor in heartfelt ways.