More Than A Role: The Importance of Connecting With Volunteers in Children's Ministry

In children’s ministry, we talk a lot about curriculum. We plan creative themes, organize supply bins, recruit helpers, design engaging spaces, and organize events. But in all the hustle, one essential truth often gets buried beneath the busy: our volunteers are people first, not just positions to be filled.

They are moms juggling dinner and devotionals, teachers who pour out all week long, students trying to find their footing in faith, and retirees who just want to make a difference. Behind every lesson taught and every goldfish cracker passed out is a human heart—longing to be seen, valued, and connected.

Programs Don’t Build Ministries—People Do

We can have the most cutting-edge curriculum and the most dazzling kid environments, but if the hearts of our volunteers are disconnected, discouraged, or unseen, we’re missing the mark. Children’s ministry isn't just built on what we do for kids—it's built on how we treat the people who serve them.

Jesus didn't just send people out—He walked with them. He talked with them, wept with them, laughed with them. He connected before He commissioned. And that’s the model we’re called to follow.

Connection Fuels Commitment

Want more consistency in your team? Want to build trust? Want volunteers who stay for the long haul, who go the extra mile, and who serve with joy instead of obligation? Start with connection.

Send a text just to say you’re praying.

Ask about their family, not just their Sunday availability.

Celebrate their wins—big and small.

Listen deeply when they speak.

Be present. Be real.

When volunteers feel known, they’ll show up differently. They’ll serve from a place of strength, not stress. From relationship, not routine.

You Can’t Pour into Kids if You Don’t Pour into Those Who Serve Them

We talk about filling kids with the love of Jesus. But what about the ones teaching them every week? Who’s filling them? Let it be you. Let your ministry be a place where volunteers don’t just clock in and out, but come alive—because they are connected to a leader who cares about their soul, not just their service.

This week, make it a point to connect. Not in a mass email, not through a planning reminder, but heart to heart. Take off the leader hat for a moment and just be a friend. Because in children’s ministry, relationships don’t just matter—they’re the foundation. And when we love our volunteers well, we model for them exactly what we’re asking them to do for our kids.

Let’s build ministries that see people first. That lead with love. That connect before we correct or direct. Because when our volunteers are connected, encouraged, and cared for—they don’t just serve…They flourish.

For More Resources, Check Out Child's Hearts at www.esthermoreno.com