STARTING OUT IN CHILDREN’S MINISTRY
By Alison Mitchell
The Good Book Company. 79 pages. £4.99
ISBN 978 1 784 980 153
Alison Mitchell hopes in this book to ‘encourage you, give you some basic (and simple) skills, and thrill you with the joy and privilege of sharing the good news about Jesus with the next generation’. It is aimed at those considering or just starting out in children’s ministry, but it contains new ideas and helpful reminders for more experienced leaders and also for those who would consider themselves ‘just helpers’.
It is short, easy to read and engaging. Alison lays out the biblical basis for our work with children in church and the book is full of sensible and practical ideas. She honestly recognises that many children’s workers worry about issues of discipline, and helpfully explains that this is not a separate issue, but underlies our planning, teamwork and enabling children to focus on and hear the gospel. Throughout the book there are helpful ‘discipline tips’ and a focus on praying for the children that we know through regular ‘prayer pauses’ in each chapter. It is so good to be encouraged to pray for the children in our groups even while reading the book.
Fun time
The book deals with issues such as our own personal godliness, partnering with parents, the importance of working as a team and how to dig deeper into the Bible passages we teach. There is a helpful chapter on how we ‘focus the fun’ when planning a session so that games and crafts contribute to the big idea we are trying to teach the children, and another useful one on keeping children safe.
I found this little book immensely readable and full of helpful, encouraging ideas. I hope to give a copy to those joining the children’s team in our church, as a way of inspiring and informing them as they serve God by doing what is possibly one of the best jobs in the world!
