By Mike North

1. Module One:
Children’s and Youth Ministry and the Minister

2. This morning’s sessions…
1. Children’s spirituality and formation
2. Why am I involved in youth or children’s ministry?

3. Why am I doing Youth or Children’s Ministry?
Why do you and
your volunteer teams
do what you do?
Why am I doing youth or children’s ministry?

4. • Sense of calling
• Giving something back to the church
• Other volunteers had a big impact on my life
• Guilt-trip: Because no-one else would do it
• Seeing children and young people develop and grow
• Job – paid / contracted to do it
• When we get space to stand back, reflect and see what God
is doing
• Wanting to provide somewhere in church for our own
children
• Our history / background / story might motivate us to work
with children or young people from a certain background
Motivations
Why am I doing youth or children’s ministry?

5. God calling…
Think of Biblical examples of people being called
Moses
Noah
Gideon
Samuel
How did they know what they were called to do?
Were they all called in the same way?
Why am I doing youth or children’s ministry?
David
Disciples
Paul

6. Are you called?
• Are you called to children’s or youth ministry?
• Should you do anything you’re not called to?
• You may have a number of callings.
• You may be acting out of obedience.
• Are our responsibilities our callings?
• Are you investing as much in your
calling to your family and friends as
you are to your work?
Why am I doing youth or children’s ministry?

7. Who am I?
List your values, skills, interests,
passions, experiences, knowledge,
personality, character and attributes
around the person-outline
Psalm 139
Lord, you have examined me
and know all about me.
2 You know when I sit down and when I get up.
You know my thoughts before I think them.
3 You know where I go and where I lie down.
You know everything I do.
Why am I doing youth or children’s ministry?

8. Some questions to ask yourself…
• Who has God made me to be?
• How has God led me to my current ministry?
• Which unique gifts and talents can I offer the children
and young people in my care?
• Which of my values match the values of youth and
children ministry?
Journey… calling… vocation
Why am I doing youth or children’s ministry?

9. Jeremiah 18
This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 2 “Go down to the potter’s
house, and there I will give you my message.” 3 So I went down to the potter’s house,
and I saw him working at the wheel. 4 But the pot he was shaping from the clay was
marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed
best to him.
5 Then the word of the Lord came to me. 6 He said,
“Can I not do with you, Israel, as this potter does?
declares the Lord. “Like clay in the hand of the potter,
so are you in my hand, Israel.
God wants to use us, shape us, mend us…
Pray together.
Why am I doing youth or children’s ministry?

10. Isaiah 30: 21
Jeremiah 1: 5
Romans 12: 2
Luke 9: 1-2
Micah 6: 8
Matthew 6: 33
2 Peter 1: 10-11
Verses about calling and
vocation
Ephesians 4: 1
Luke 4: 18
1 Corinthians 7: 17
1 Samuel 3: 10
Matthew 16: 24
Mark 10: 43-45
Matthew 28: 19-20
Why am I doing youth or children’s ministry?

11. You may wish to explore, either on your own or with
someone you trust:
What skills, experience, values, knowledge have you
picked up and from where?
How have you developed? Track your growth.
How could you continue to grow and develop both as a
youth / children's worker and as an individual beyond
Aurora?
Why am I doing youth or children’s ministry?

12. Module One:
Children’s and Youth Ministry and the Minister