MVP Training…”Time For Instruction”

Have you ever been to a basketball game?  Several years ago, my husband and I would travel with our son, Adam, to his basketball games in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. It was in Dallas that he attended a private Christian school and played basketball for the high school team.  Adam was a dedicated player who was instructed well by his coach.  He was trained in the skills of basketball, he was instructed to demonstrate teamwork, and he was encouraged to show good sportsmanship at all of his games. Through proper training and appropriate instruction our son, Adam, was equipped to play basketball and participate with other players on his team. 

Have you ever been to a basketball game?  Several years ago, my husband and I would travel with our son, Adam, to his basketball games in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. It was in Dallas that he attended a private Christian school and played basketball for the high school team.  Adam was a dedicated player who was instructed well by his coach.  He was trained in the skills of basketball, he was instructed to demonstrate teamwork, and he was encouraged to show good sportsmanship at all of his games. Through proper training and appropriate instruction our son, Adam, was equipped to play basketball and participate with other players on his team. 

It was his freshman year at one of the basketball tournaments that he received the MVP award for the whole tournament.  You see, he was given the Most Valuable Player award because of his performance during the tournament.  Adam had exhibited the skills of basketball, showed excellent teamwork, and demonstrated good sportsmanship, all of which he had learned through the instruction and training he had received from his coach.

How important are your volunteers to the ministry?  Do you value their participation? Are they serving because they experience value and importance to the ministry?  Are they equipped to serve with excellence?  Is the instruction given to them worthy of their time and energy?

These are a few of the questions each leader of a children's ministry should consider when developing instruction and training opportunities for volunteers.  All volunteers need additional training and appropriate instruction so that they can be equipped to serve in every area of children's ministry.  Since this can be very broad in scope, depending on the size of your ministry, teaching a variety of topics is necessary to keep the instruction interesting and appropriate for all children's workers.

It is necessary to schedule training sessions throughout the year if you want to keep your volunteers.  Without adequate training, volunteers often feel helpless and frustrated and thus, quit their service to children's ministry.  Many times volunteers will stop serving in a ministry because of a need that is not met within their spiritual lives.  If you desire for your volunteers to stay connected and continue to serve, you must provide training opportunities that will encourage, embrace, and empower them to learn and grow spiritually.

As we approach fall, a time for new volunteers, promotion Sunday, and new programs, children's ministry leaders must be sensitive to the needs of the ministry, needs of the volunteers, and needs of the children.  As you implement training, you might consider starting with an orientation class for new volunteers that provides instruction on things they need to know, things they need to do, and how they need to serve in the ministry. This training would cover the general information regarding children's ministry, first aid procedures, the general schedule, calendar of events, classroom schedule, procedures, and rules.

As you prepare and implement new training topics and schedule for the year, remember that volunteers are the MVP's of your ministry, they are the Most Valuable People in children's ministry and deserve to be trained and instructed well.  Give them every opportunity to succeed and train them to let their light shine as they minister God's word to the children.  In the same way, "let your light shine before people, so that they can see your good deeds and give honor to your Father in heaven."  (Matthew 5:16)