Making Room For God's More In Children's Ministry

The movers arrived, carried box after box into our new home, set everything down, and then, with a smile, essentially said, "Good luck." And just like that, they were gone. I stood there surrounded by mountains of boxes, furniture that wasn't in its place, and years of accumulated belongings. What had felt exciting in theory suddenly felt overwhelming in reality.

Maybe you've been there before. Not necessarily in a new house, but in ministry. You know God is doing something new. You know He's leading you into a new season. You know He's calling you to reach children and families in fresh ways. But when you arrive, all you can see is the mess. The uncertainty. The overwhelming amount of work standing between where you are and where you believe God is leading you.

As I began unpacking our new home, I quickly realized something. Not everything from the old house belonged in the new one. Some furniture that fit perfectly in our previous home looked awkward here. Some decorations that made sense in our old space suddenly felt out of place. Some items we had carried from house to house for years no longer served a purpose. And so, despite moving them all the way here, I had to make some difficult decisions.

I had to let things go.

Not because they were bad.

Not because they hadn't served us well.

But because they no longer fit where we were going.

I couldn't help but think about children's ministry as I purged. How often do we carry methods, programs, traditions, and strategies into a new season simply because they've always been there? We keep the curriculum because it's what we've always used. We continue the event because people expect it. We structure ministry the same way because it's familiar. We hold tightly to methods that were effective in a previous season even when they no longer serve the children and families standing in front of us today.

The truth is, what worked in one season may not work in the next. And that doesn't make it a failure. It simply means God is moving. One of the hardest lessons for leaders to learn is that faithfulness and permanence are not the same thing. Something can be faithful for a season without being permanent for every season.

The Israelites had to leave Egypt.

Abraham had to leave his homeland.

The disciples had to leave their nets.

Again and again, God called His people to move away from what was familiar in order to step into something greater. Yet many of us in ministry spend our energy trying to recreate yesterday's success instead of discerning today's assignment.

As I continued unpacking, something beautiful began to happen.

The boxes disappeared.

The clutter diminished.

The vision became clearer.

What initially felt overwhelming slowly revealed itself to be something extraordinary. Underneath the chaos was a home more beautiful than I had imagined. An upgrade in every way.

More space.

More functionality.

More opportunity.

More possibility.

But I couldn't fully appreciate it until I was willing to clear away what didn't belong. I wonder how many children's ministry leaders are standing in front of an upgrade from God but can't see it because they're still holding onto boxes from the last season. Maybe God is calling you to release a program. Maybe He's asking you to rethink a structure. Maybe He's inviting you to try a new approach to reaching children and families. Maybe the very thing you're afraid to let go of is taking up the space He intends to fill with something greater.

Friend, courage in ministry isn't just about starting something new. Sometimes courage is having the faith to release something old. To trust that God isn't taking something away from you.

He's making room.

Making room for growth.

Making room for effectiveness.

Making room for innovation.

Making room for the "more" He has prepared for your ministry.

The movers dropped everything off and left me with a mess. But hidden beneath that mess was something beautiful waiting to be uncovered. Perhaps that's where you are today. Surrounded by boxes. Unsure of what's next. Feeling overwhelmed by change.

Keep unpacking.

Keep trusting.

Keep letting go of what no longer belongs.

Because underneath the transition may be a ministry that is far more beautiful, impactful, and effective than anything you've experienced before. The courage to move away from what was may be the very thing that allows you to step into what God is preparing next.

Always Rooting for you!

Esther

www.esthermoreno.com/workers