Trouble - Volunteer Attraction Campaign

LEADER GUIDE
VOLUNTEER RECRUITMENT
campaign

Table of Contents
Introduction .......................................................................................................... 01
Why Trouble? ........................................................................................................ 02
Numbers ............................................................................................................... 03
Prayers .................................................................................................................. 04
Volunteer Journey Map ....................................................................................... 05
Recruiting Campaign ........................................................................................... 09
Big Stage Announcement ....................................................................................11
Announcement Script .......................................................................................... 12
WOW Factor .......................................................................................................... 15
What Happens Next? ........................................................................................... 16
Children's Ministry Booth ................................................................................... 18
Booth Essentials ................................................................................................... 19
Visual Tracker ....................................................................................................... 20
Booth Extras ......................................................................................................... 21
Email Templates ................................................................................................... 22
Social Media Ideas ............................................................................................... 29
Extra Ideas ............................................................................................................ 31
Orientation Meeting Ideas .................................................................................. 32
Plan B & Beyond ................................................................................................... 37
Canva templates .................................................................................................. 40
Checklist ................................................................................................................ 42

Introduction
What if recruiting enough capable, eager volunteers for your children’s ministry was as simple
and fun as getting some friends together to play a life-size game of Trouble?
Sounds impossible?
Thanks to the guide you're holding in your hands, you will see that it can be that simple.
Now…don’t read simple as easy. It will take some work.
But I am here to lead you each step of the way.
To help you find an army of dedicated and enthusiastic volunteers eager to lend their hands
and hearts to sharing God’s love with children.
Turn the page and let the game begin!
Dema Kohen
WeAreKidMin.com
01

Why TROUBLE?
Two reasons for basing your recruiting campaign on the theme of Trouble:
# 1: IT'S FUN! Who doesn't like to play games?! By associating children's ministry with a wellknown
game, you're communicating that it's simple and exciting. People love things that are
simple and exciting, things that are inviting and fun. Those things are easy to say YES to.
#2: IT'S REAL! It's not just fun and games, it's also a profound reality. Just like in the game of
Trouble, there are lots of dangers, and players are doing their best to get their pieces to the
Finish where they'll be safe and happy. In the life-size game of Trouble, there are also many
traps, detours, and dangerous temptations. That's why we're inviting men and women to guide
our boys and girls, cheer them on, and help them find safety in a lifelong relationship with Jesus.
02

Numbers
How many twice-a-month volunteers do you still need?
Write your numbers here
You would be wise to stop recruiting once-a-month volunteers. It only gives you a lot of people
with very little commitment, plus a big headache because it's very hard to rely on them and
schedule them.
Ask only for a weekly or bi-weekly commitment. No other options.
What to do with the people who want to serve only once a month? Put them on a sublist.
Because that's what they really are.
By when do you need them?
Write your date here
Notice that the when cannot be the first Sunday of the
new school year. Several pieces of the puzzle will have to fall into
place before someone can step their foot inside your classroom.
Give yourself plenty of time to screen, train, and equip your volunteers.
03

Prayers
How do you feel when you look at the numbers on page 3?
Does the task of getting this many volunteers in such a short time seem daunting, maybe
even impossible?
Well, impossible is a perfect setting for God to show off His power.
Find strength in John 6:1-12 (God can do much with little.)
Plant your roots deep into 2 Corinthians 9:8. Keep reminding yourself: GOD IS ABLE.
Before you do anything else, reach out to 2-5 trusted people. Send them these numbers
and ask them to pray with you for the impossible, for the "immeasurably more than all you ask
or imagine."
Mobilize a small prayer team.
04

Volunteer Journey Map
Do you have a clearly defined step-by-step process
through which you take your potential volunteers?
EXAMPLE
BIG STAGE ANNOUNCEMENT
MORE INFORMATION
FILL OUT AN APPLICATION
BACKGROUND CHECK
SCHEDULE AN INTERVIEW
ATTEND A LIVE ORIENTATION
ACTION TIME: SERVING!
05

Additional Thoughts
Get absolutely clear about each and every step of the volunteer journey.
What all needs to take place from the moment someone hears about the need in the
children's ministry to the moment they step in to serve?
What all has to be created, updated, uploaded, posted, removed, revised,
communicated, etc. to make it easy for a potential volunteer to move from start to
finish in the most efficient way?
Note, the "steps" or "milestones" on page 5 are bare necessities.
You can add to them but it wouldn't be wise to subtract anything.
Here are some extra steps you could add to the volunteer journey:
Checking references listed on the application
Offering a "shadow period" where a new volunteer watches someone more
experienced
Follow-up emails and bite-sized video trainings to help new volunteers master vital
skills
06

Your Turn
Do you have a clear volunteer journey?
If not, it's time to create one!
Take a blank piece of paper and map out your onboarding process.
If you do have a volunteer journey, evaluate it and see if there's anything you can do to
make it more smooth and quick.
Create or update the volunteer journey.
07

Good Stuff
Before you dive deep into the planning, take a few minutes to read these two
foundational articles:
08

Recruiting Campaign
You already know how many volunteers you need and when.
It's time to create a clear, comprehensive, and compelling campaign.
Start by listing all available channels where you will broadcast your volunteer call.
The more channels you can identify, the better. Here are some ideas to get you started:
Big stage announcement
Pre-service slide
Post-service slide
Adult Sunday School classes
Social media platforms (church, children's ministry, women's ministry, youth
ministry, men's ministry)
Word of mouth (training your existing volunteers to be ambassadors for children's
ministry)
Posters inside the church (identify all possible locations)
Church bulletin inserts
Church bulletin announcement
Small groups (Life Groups)
Information booth
Church-wide email
Text campaign
09

Your Turn
Think of all the events, gatherings, and places where your church people meet — in
person and online. This is where you'll want to reach people with your messaging.
The idea is for you (in one form or another) to be everywhere your church folks are.
Are there creative ways to reach them and briefly grab their attention?
Are there spaces, methods, and networks that you haven't utilized yet?
Make a list of all broadcasting
channels available to you.
10

Big Stage Announcement
The Big Stage Announcement is a must for successful recruitment.
Somehow people take it more seriously if something is announced from the big stage.
Ask for 3-5 minutes of stage time well in advance.
A live presentation would be the best option. However, if you're only allowed to show a
video, start working on producing the best video right away!
Remember your WHEN (see page 3.) Count back 3-6 weeks, and see if you can get stage
time for one of those Sundays.
For example, if you need new volunteers to sign up by August 16, then you'd need to
kick off your recruitment campaign and have a big stage time either on July 25 or July 18.
Book a big stage time.
11

Announcement Script
On the following pages you'll find a carefully crafted, yet merely suggested script for your
stage announcement. (Emphasis on suggested.) It's really just a starting point.
Go through it, process it, revise it, and make it yours.
Whatever you do, DON'T read it from the stage.
People need to see your eyes and feel your passion, so don't hide behind a piece of
paper.
Make sure you're speaking to people and not at people.
People will be drawn to your excitement and energy.
A well-crafted announcement is great but nothing beats your passion — that's
contagious.
Make sure to be well-rested, well-rehearsed, and well-prepared. This will be a very
important, strategic opportunity.
Above all else, honor the time limit you are given. If you asked for five minutes, but they
only gave you three, adjust your presentation and do your maximum best with the 180
seconds you were given. Don't go over the allocated time if you want to be allowed to
make more recruiting announcements in the future.
12

LET'S PLAY THE GAME OF TROUBLE
Suggested Volunteer Recruitment Announcement
Raise your hand if you have ever played the game of Trouble.
(Pause and let people respond.)
Wasn't it fun?
You press the bubble in the middle.
You hear a loud Pop!
The die inside rolls, and you move your piece trying to get it to the Finish line.
Of course, other players are moving their pieces too.
Everyone is eager to get their guys to safety.
On occasion, someone's piece will land on the same spot where one of your pieces is
resting. And that means TROUBLE!
Your piece goes back to the starting line and begins the trek around the gameboard all
over again.
The player who gets all four of their pieces to the Finish first is the winner.
Come to think of it, our life is very much like a game of Trouble.
Like pegs on the game board, we're all trying to get to our heavenly finish line.
And along the way, we experience bumps, bruises, mishaps, disappointments, detours,
and trouble.
Just like Jesus said, "In this world, you will have..."
(Pause and let the audience finish the sentence.)
TROUBLE!
13

Our world can be a frightening and confusing place, especially for our children.
The pressures, challenges, threats, and temptations they are facing today are much more
complex and difficult than anything you and I experienced when we were kids.
That's why our church is committed to providing a clear path and a safe passage to the boys
and girls God has entrusted to us.
We want to help them reach Jesus and find safety in a life-long relationship with Him.
But for this vision to become a reality, our children's ministry department needs 75 more
people before the school year begins.
If you're interested in helping us win in the game of Trouble, please stop by the children’s
ministry booth immediately after the service.
I cannot wait to tell you about all the exciting opportunities and how we can help our
children move closer to Jesus.
For those of you watching this online, please visit www.churchname.com/trouble to explore
all the ways to make a difference in the lives of our kids during this school year.
Thank you! Let's win this game together!
Let's win the hearts of many boys and girls for Jesus!
14

WOW Factor
Whether you're given some big stage time or you're asked to make a recruitment video that
will be shown during a service, one of your biggest goals is to keep your presentation
interesting and engaging.
That's where the WOW factor comes in.
One of the best way to captivate and hold attention is by using props.
Here's an idea: walk to the stage dressed in a Trouble game costume. Or have a helper with
you dressed in a Trouble costume. Now that would get everyone's attention and will make
you memorable. Click the photos below for some ideas.
Start working on your WOW factor.
15

What Happens Next?
Your Big Stage Announcement is only the beginning. Remember, it's the first step in a
long volunteer journey.
It's basically an invitation for church folks to gather more information about existing
needs and to sign up.
All of your invitations (stage announcement, posters, slides, bulletin inserts, etc.) are
directing people to one of these actions:
To email you
To click on the link
To call you
To stop by the booth
It's important that when people respond to your invitation there's someone or
something waiting there for them.
That means that...
You regularly check your Inbox and follow up with the people showing interest in
volunteering. Don't keep them waiting to hear back from you. You snooze, you loose!
The web-link is active and is directing people to a webpage with the most current
information and an easy way to sign up.
You answer your phone and have your voicemail set up. This way, if you're in a
meeting, people can leave you a message and you'll be able to promptly follow up.
16

Your booth is set up and manned before and after the service. What's the use of
asking people to swing by your booth if there's no one there to answer their
questions and sign them up?
Opportunity knocks but once...
and so do many potential volunteers.
You freed yourself up to be available and accessible to people who want to learn
more about the children's ministry. Expect emergencies like no-show volunteers or
last-minute "Sorry, I can't make it this morning" texts. Have a response plan in place
that doesn't involve you being with the children. Remember, your best way of
serving children during the recruitment season is by being where the potential
volunteers are.
Double-check and triple-check all your access
points: email, phone + voicemail, web link,
webpage, and booth to make sure everything
is set up, current, and working.
17

Children's Ministry Booth
Your booth (kiosk, connection counter, hub, or whatever you decide to call it) is the
"front porch" of your ministry.
This is where many of the initial conversations with potential volunteers will be taking
place.
This is where some of them will get their first impression of the children's ministry. It's
up to you to make sure it's a great one.
Your booth has to be interesting and attractive.
A WOW factor would be great too.
Also, if for some reason you're not able to be at the booth, make sure there's someone
there in your place.
Someone friendly, welcoming, enthusiastic and knowledgeable.
Remember, people will have questions. They will want to know the areas of need. This
means they will need someone to help them figure out a role that would be a good fit.
Be very selective about whom you place to represent the children's ministry at the
booth.
PRO-TIP: NOTICEABILITY
Remember the Golden Rule of real estate?
Location, location, location!
The same goes for your booth. You have to be where the foot traffic is. You have to
be where the eyeballs are. Ask for the location that will give you the best visibility
before and after the service.
18

Booth Essentials
Banner or some other way that lets people know what your booth is all about. Stick
to the "5-second rule" by asking yourself: Will someone know what our booth is all
about just by quickly glancing at it?
Visual tracker — an eye-catching way to help people see all the volunteer needs and
to track/celebrate the progress.
A tablet connected to the internet that lets people sign up on the spot.
A printed sign-up form that people can either use to sign up on the spot or take
home as a reminder to sign up later.
Click & Edit
Click on the Sign up Form or
Banner to edit them in Canva.
19

Visual Tracker
Here's a fun way for you to decorate the
space around your booth and to communicate
to people your needs.
For every volunteer role that you have in your children's ministry,
place one of these colorful game dice inside a glass jar.
Place the jar where everyone who stops by your booth can see it. Believe it
or not, most people in your church have no idea how many people it
takes to have a thriving children's ministry. These dice will give
them an honest picture.
For each spot that is filled, pull out one die, and give it to the person
who just signed up.
All the spots that remain to be filled will be represented by the dice in
the jar.
This will be a good way for people to see all the needs and be
motivated to empty the jar.
You can make this visual tracker even more specific by setting up
an individual jar for each age group.
Click the link above and order
the dice on Amazon.
20

Booth Extras
Since our theme is Trouble, you've
got to have the Trouble game
somewhere in and around your booth.
Consider buying several Trouble games and
hanging the boxes from the ceiling above your
booth or stacking them as a tower in front of your booth.
If you have an open wall, you could easily hang Trouble game boards on them.
This will give you both an attention grabber and decoration!
If your space allows, set up a small table and place an unboxed game for people to play
(before or after the service).
Check out all these game variations for you to choose:
Classic edition
Travel size
Minions
Cars
Frozen
Neon edition
Popular edition
Trolls World Tour
On the Moon
Retro edition
CLICK ANY GAME TITLE
Decide what extras you'll want to add
to your booth. Order them by using
the links above.
21

Email Templates
In the following pages, you'll find several key emails that you may want to send out at different
stages of your recruitment campaign.
These emails are pre-written for you to save you time and to give you a starting point.
Before you send them, I encourage you to read them out loud and make sure they
"sound" like you. If not, be sure to add your tone and details specific to your church.
Notice the highlighted areas. This is where you will need to insert specific details unique to your
church.
PRO-TIP: PERSONALIZE YOUR EMAILS
A recent study found that people open personalized emails 29% more than they open emails
that aren’t personalized.
Simply add your recipient’s name in the subject line and the body of your email. It’s simple, but
so powerful. Now your email has a much higher chance of standing out.
If you send the same email to everyone, your recipient will feel like a nameless, faceless
number on your email list. But, if you include their name, it will instantly stand out to them.
As Dale Carnegie, a well-known expert on the art of persuasion best put it, “A person’s name is
to that person, the sweetest, most important sound in any language.”
22

Recruitment Letter Email
SUBJECT OPTION #1: Who wants to play?
SUBJECT OPTION #2: Let's play a game!
Hi, POTENTIAL VOLUNTEER'S FIRST NAME,
Remember family game nights every week when you were a kid?
Yeah, neither do I, but I do remember playing board games with my family from time to time and it was
always a good time. BRIEFLY SHARE A FUN MEMORY OF YOUR FAMILY PLAYING A BOARD GAME
Speaking of board games... Did you catch my announcement where I compared our children's ministry
to the game of Trouble? (If not, you can watch it >> HERE. It's only 3 minutes long.)
Our world today is like a giant game of Trouble — with dangerous temptations and threats around every
corner. Just like players in the game, we're all just trying to make it safely to the finish line but our
journey is full of unexpected twists and turns. This journey is especially challenging for our kids. That's
why I invite you to get in the game and help our boys and girls reach Jesus, and find safety in a life-long
relationship with Him.
As a children's ministry volunteer, you'll have the incredible opportunity of loving on kids and making
God's love real to them. You'll serve as a role model, a faith mentor, and a cheerleader helping children
grow stronger in their faith.
My team and I make volunteering easy and fun. We’ll provide you with all the training and materials
needed to be successful, and our opportunities are flexible and rewarding.
In as little as 80 minutes a week, you can play a big role in our children's lives by being a friend and
helping them see how great and wonderful our God is.
I encourage you to become a volunteer for this school year. I do not doubt that it will be a fun and
rewarding experience for you.
If you’d like more information about different roles available in the children's ministry,
please click >> HERE. Hit reply if you have any questions.
Thanks for your consideration!
YOUR NAME + POSITION
23

Letter to a Friend Email
Your best recruiters are your current volunteers. They already believe in your program, and
they have friends at church who might want to volunteer because they were invited by
someone they know and trust.
Make a list of your stellar volunteers and ask if they would be willing to reach out to some of
their friends and invite them to join the children's ministry for the upcoming school year.
Here are some things you may suggest for them to include in the email:
Informal greeting
Checking in
Show of genuine interest in the latest goings on
Explain the need in volunteers and tell what you love about serving in the children's
ministry
Offer options for how your friend might help
A weblink where they can find more information
Here is an example that a volunteer can follow to personalize the letter when sending it to a
friend.
SUBJECT: Hey
Hey Michelle.
I hope everything is going well on your end. It’s been so exciting to see all of your Facebook photos
from your recent trip to Lego Land. Seems like your family had a blast. We took our kids there three
years ago, and they haven't stopped asking us to go back.
Perhaps, in 2023... if they still want to go. :)
24

P.S. Sammy says Hi. She keeps asking when we can go to your place so she can play with Grizzly.

Confirmation Email
The Confirmation email is sent immediately after a person fills out a sign-up form. (Using your
email management software you should be able to arrange for this email to go out
automatically as soon as the sign-up form comes through.)
Here's why the Confirmation Email is important:
It lets a potential volunteer know that their sign up form was successfully submitted.
It lets them know what to expect next.
It gives you a chance to express gratitude.
It gives you a chance to remind them of the "big WHY" (vision) of the children's ministry.
It gives them a clear understanding of what's next.
SUBJECT: FIRST NAME rocks!
Hey FIRST NAME!
Guess what?!
Your volunteer sign up form just came through. Woohoo!
And of course, I dropped everything that I was doing, and had myself a little dance party.
INSERT FUNNY DANCING GIF
Thank you for brightening my day in such a big way. I am so excited to welcome you to the team of
amazing difference makers who help little children have BIG and REAL faith.
Please keep your eyes on your Inbox. We'll be sending you an email soon explaining the next step you'll
need to take to get ready for the new school year. (Don't worry it's nothing too time consuming or
overwhelming.)
Talk to you soon,
YOUR NAME + TITLE
26

Your Next Step Email
The first thing to do after you received someone's sign-up form is to identify where they are on
your Volunteer Journey. Then decide what step they should take next and send a brief email
letting them know what the next step is and how they can take it.
PRO-TIP: For most of your volunteers there will be at least 2-3 steps for them to take. However,
your email should point out only one step at a time.
People's lives are busy and they have only so much attention to give to you. Don't overwhelm
them by asking them to click more than one link or fill out more than one form at a time.
Remember, you're leading them one step at a time.
One email, one action step.
One face-to-face interaction, one action step.
One text, one action step.
Check out these examples:
SUBJECT: Just one more thing, Collin
Collin,
Thank you so much for filling out the online application.
Your Child Abuse Clearances are up-to-date, so there’s just one last question I need your help with –
Will you be able to attend one of these orientation meetings where you’ll get a chance to meet
your team, get lesson plans, see your classroom and hear some important details about how
the children's ministry runs?
THURSDAY, AUGUST 27 or
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3
Both meetings will be 6.30 – 8 PM. You only need to attend one of them.
Please let me know which one will work best for you.
27

Oh, and if you can think of a friend or two who you'd want to bring to this meeting, feel free to invite
them. (We are short of 20 volunteers for the children's ministry. Who knows, perhaps someone you know
would be able to help out.)
Thank you so much,
Dema
SUBJECT: Next step for the Smiths
Adam and Jamie,
Thank you so much for swinging by the church office to drop off your applications. I am sorry I wasn't
there to say Hi to you.
To complete your recruitment journey, please print the three attached documents, fill them out, and
drop them off at the SMC office no later than this Friday. (The office is open 9 AM – 5 PM.)
I would also be happy to swing by your home/workplace and pick the papers up from you, if this will
help. Just let me know.
Here's all that is attached:
PENNSYLVANIA CHILD ABUSE HISTORY CERTIFICATION (fill on both sides)
CONSENT/RELEASE OF INFORMATION AUTHORIZATION FORM FOR THE PENNSYLVANIA CHILD
ABUSE HISTORY CERTIFICATION (this will allow for the clearances to be mailed directly to the
church office)
STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS FOR OBTAINING FBI CLEARANCE (This is only for the people who
haven’t lived in PA for the last 10 years. If you have lived in the state of Pennsylvania for the last 10
years, please disregard.)
If you already have your clearances through a place where you work or volunteer, you can just send
copies to Joann Zimmerman at: zimmerman@church.net
Please hit reply if you have any questions.
Also, if you happen to know someone who might be a great fit for KidMin but they just don’t know it...
Feel free to invite them to join you or ask them to consider serving this school year by visiting:
www.churchname.com/kids. We can always use more help.
Dema Kohen
28

Social Media Ideas
Be sure to actively use all your social media channels to attract new volunteers. Here are some
ideas to help you create a clear, positive, and compelling recruitment campaign for your social
media channels.
Post a photograph of your info booth and invite people to stop by and explore all the
serving opportunities.
Post a video of your big stage announcement. Leave a weblink for people to sign-up.
Post a photo or video of your church staff playing Trouble. Post: Who wants to play a lifesize
game of Trouble? We want you to join us in helping children escape the troubles
of this world and find safety in a life-long friendship with Jesus.
Post a photo or a video of your visual — dice in a jar tracker — to celebrate all the
volunteers that already signed up and to point out the remaining need. Leave a weblink for
people to sign-up.
Post a photograph of one of your volunteers. Post: This is Diane Adams. She's a stay-athome
parent. Her interests are photography, road trips, and collecting old
dictionaries. She's been volunteering in children's ministry for 5 years now. She loves
making Bible learning fun and memorable for kids. We wish we could clone Diane and
place one of her in each classroom. Better yet, we wish for a variety of people with a
heart for children to join Diane — all bringing their own unique gifting and interests.
You see, it takes all kinds to make a strong team. We still have 20 openings. Please
click on the link and find out if one of the openings is just right for the uniqueness
that YOU could bring!
29

Post a picture of yourself wearing the Trouble costume that you used in your big stage
announcement. Ask people to comment with their family's favorite board game.
Post a picture of just the Trouble box with this message: Who is ready to play a life-size
game of Trouble and help children find their safety in a life-long friendship with
Jesus?
Post a video of one of your volunteers sharing what he or she loves the most about what
they do in children's ministry.
Every week post updates about the number of volunteers still needed. Don't forget to
feature your visual tracker and celebrate the ones who have already signed up.
Post a video of children talking about their class leaders or what they love about your
church.
In the United Kingdom, Trouble is called:
A. Headache
B. Frustration
C. Rumpus
This is just a lighthearted post to generate conversation. (Correct answer is B.)
Click the image below for more social media templates you can use to broadcast your
message on social media channels.
30

Extra Ideas
Ask your senior pastor to follow up your big stage announcement with a short blurb a week
later. (Ideally, before he or she delivers a sermon.) There's an added layer of importance to
the things that come out of the senior leader's mouth. It doesn't need to be anything
elaborate or lengthy. Just a short reminder that: 1) the need is big, 2) the time is short, 3)
and the Children's Ministry Info Booth is where it all happens.
Ask if other ministries in your church (men, women, youth, small groups/life groups) would
be willing to feature your recruitment post on their social media channels and/or in their
weekly emails. Be sure to provide them with a copy and a graphic you want them to use.
Some of your best recruitment opportunities come in the form of one-on-one, face-to-face
conversations. This means that you should free the end of July and the month of August for
mingling with the church folks. Of course, it's easier said than done. Especially when
volunteers don't show up and someone needs to fill in for them. However, your highest
priority should be to be present where potential volunteers are. If you are spending all your
time with the children making it next to impossible for yourself to bump into grown-ups,
how will they hear your message?
Remember, July and August are your most strategic months for recruiting and getting ready
for fall. What happens in these months, sets the tone for the rest of the year. If you win in
July and August, the rest of the year will go much smoother. This means two things for
you: 1) Stay focused on one thing only—RECRUITING. How do you stay focused? By saying
NO to many good but distracting things. 2) Communicate the importance of the season to
the rest of your children's ministry staff team and identify the frame of time when it
wouldn't be wise for anyone on your team to go on vacation. You'll spare yourself a lot of
tension, stress, and unpleasantries, if you give everyone a good understanding of the
intensity and importance of this season and ask people if it is at all possible not to schedule
their vacations at the time when you need all hands on deck.
31

Orientation Meeting Ideas
Here are two creative ideas for your Volunteer Orientation Meeting.
ICE BREAKER GAME
Supplies:
Pens or pencils for everyone
Game template (one per person)
Prize (Trouble game travel size)
Give everyone a pen and a game template.
You can find a PDF of this template in the
Orientation Meeting folder.
Give everyone 5 minutes to find one person
for each of the criteria on the game sheet.
Once they find someone who matches them,
they need to write that person's name in the
blank line, and then resume their search for
the next person they have something in common with.
When the time is up, the person with the most names on their game sheet is declared a
winner. They receive the prize.
BRIDGE: Wasn't it fun to discover people similar to you? And here's one thing that we all
have in common: our desire to help children fall in love with Jesus and discover His
wonderful plan for their lives. That is what our children's ministry is all about, and
I am so thankful you said yes to this exciting adventure.
32

OBJECT LESSON
Supplies:
Trouble game in a box
Say: By now, you all know that our theme for
this school year is Trouble. Show the Trouble
game box.
Who can remember, why we're using this
particular theme? Wait for answers.
We're joining boys and girls on their faith journey —
to encourage them, inspire them, and help them find their safety in a life-long
relationship with Jesus.
Does anyone know what the tagline for the game of Trouble is? Wait for answers.
The tagline is: There's more trouble in the... pause and let everyone finish: bubble.
THERE'S MORE TROUBLE IN THE BUBBLE.
Of course, they're talking about the die that can either move players along or knock
them out and send their pieces all the way to the start.
Just as it is true in the game, it is also true in life — if we remain in the bubble, kids will
be in trouble.
Our job is not only to teach Bible stories, sing songs, play games, and feed kids snacks.
We can do all those good things and have zero impact on their lives.
You see, we can fill their heads with knowledge, their tummies with snacks, their hands
with crafts and prizes, their time with fun activities, and yet, after all of that, still,
send them home empty-hearted.
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Our ultimate goal is to step out of the bubble, enter their world and touch their hearts.
Here are three practical ways how we can all do it in the new school year.
PRAY FOR YOUR STUDENTS BY NAME
Prayer is remembering someone before God, and it is one of the highest forms of caring.
It’s also hard work, so don’t be surprised if it doesn’t come naturally to you. When you
pray for your students by name during the week, you think about them, your heart
softens and opens towards them, and you allow God to drop insight, wisdom, and
compassion into your spirit that will help you love that specific child well.
OBSERVE YOUR STUDENTS
As the shepherd of their souls, you’re somewhat of a detective. You will be surprised
how much you can learn about your children through simple observation.
Study them. Pay attention to their mood and reactions. Watch their interaction with
peers. Notice their language. Listen to their stories. Take note of how they play and who
they’re friends with. Try to figure out their temperament and personality. Pick up on the
unspoken cues we call non-verbal communication.
When you see one of your students withdrawn or upset, find out what is going on. Take
the student aside and ask probing questions to get to the heart of the matter. Show
sympathy and let students know that you are there to listen when they need you.
Often just the simple act of taking the time to listen is enough to show a student you
care. Keep in mind that the end goal of observation is always action. After you have
assembled the clues, listen to your heart and follow the prompts of the Holy Spirit.
You might joke with this child, give a high five to that child, offer to pray for another
child, and on and on and on. This is love in action, but it all starts with the
practice of observation.
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TALK TO YOUR STUDENTS
No matter what your Sunday looks like, make sure that you do not overcrowd your
schedule to the point that you don’t have any time to greet each child and simply talk to
them. Talking to your students can range from a conversation about their dog or favorite
sports team to something as simple as asking how their week has been.
Don’t underestimate the power of a simple conversation. It will open the lines of
communication between you and the students, letting you get to know them personally
and letting them get to know you. Most importantly, these conversations will help
create a safe, loving, and relaxed environment for your students, letting them see that
you’re approachable and excited to have a role in their lives.
For a good conversation to take place, we need to be curious about the lives of our
children. Just like tourists or missionaries go to a foreign place and they’re intrigued and
fascinated by the people whose language, traditions, and way of life they don’t
understand, we need to be fascinated by the children we minister to.
Each child is their own unique universe and one of the best ways to explore this new
territory is by asking thought-provoking, yet unthreatening questions.
Here are some examples:
What is your favorite hobby or game? How and why did you start this hobby?
What do you like the most about being a 5th grader?
What do you hate the most about being a 5th grader?
What is your favorite gadget? Why?
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What animal would you like to be, if you weren’t human?
If you could be invisible for a week, what would you do?
Do you believe in God?
When did God become real to you?
Is there something about God that doesn't make sense to you?
What is the one thing you would like to learn how to do and why?
What are five things you wish I knew about you?
If you could ask God one question, what would it be?
What is the hardest thing about being a kid?
What is your nickname? How did you get that nickname?
If you could change your name, what would you name yourself?
Who do you look up to? Who is your hero?
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Plan B & Beyond
When it comes to volunteer recruitment, we hope and work hard for the best, but we prepare
for the worst. That's why, before you even launch your recruiting campaign you need to
determine what I call the "emergency threshold", and also put in place your Plan B.
The emergency threshold is a specific date + a specific number of volunteers. If you don't reach
that number, it's time to activate plan B.
Based on my own experience, I recommend that your emergency threshold should provide you
with a buffer time of 2-3 weeks. Here's an example to illustrate the point.
Let's say I need to recruit 48 new volunteers by August 28 so we can be fully staffed to start a
new school year on September 11.
07.24
Volunteer Campaign
Starts
If I come to August 22 (my Emergency Threshold), and I am still short 20 volunteers, it's a clear
signal that I need to activate plan B.
This may involve:
Reaching out to parents and asking them to serve in their children's classes until we fully
staff them
Asking my existing volunteers if they would be willing to serve every week for the next 4
Sundays to give me more time to find new volunteers
Reaching out to Life Groups (small groups) and asking them to adopt a class
Combining several age groups into one class
Temporarily closing some of the classes
08.22
Emergency
Threshold
08.28
Sign-up
Deadline
09.11
School Year
Starts
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If you do come to the Emergency Threshold, and are forced to activate plan B, these tips might
be helpful:
Don't take the lack of volunteers personally.
Don't fixate on the volunteers you don't have, instead celebrate the ones you already have.
Don't panic. You were expecting this scenario, and you've made preparations. Activate Plan
B and see what happens.
Work closely with your Senior Pastor and the rest of the staff. Keep them informed about
your situation, seek their input.
Be honest in your communications but confident. Keep the hope alive and avoid a needy,
begging or manipulative tone. Here's an example of a Plan B email:
SUBJECT: I was wrong
Hey SMC parents,
I thought that by now we would have all the volunteers needed to start the school year strong.
But I was wrong. :(
The good news is that we do have 98 people who signed up to serve, and for that we're so
grateful! However, in order for us to open all the classrooms on September 12, we still need 20
more adults.
Would you consider stepping in and giving us a hand — if only for 4-6 weeks, which will
hopefully give us enough time to complete the volunteer team?
Our greatest needs right now are in: K (3), 2nd grade (5), and Wednesday night (12).
We've never closed any of our classes before, and I hope we won't have to do it this time.
Please click >> THIS LINK and help us keep the doors of all our classrooms opened for our kids.
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If you end up closing a classroom or two, have a poster ready to notify the parents.
Place the posters in the prominent spots in your check-in area.
Disable check-in for the age groups that you closed.
Use this as a recruitment opportunity. Check out this example:
Like this design? Click here for Canva template.
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Canva Templates
Click on the size you want and start editing in Canva.
PROMO POSTER
8.5" x 11"
11" x 17"
18" x 24"
POSTER EXPLAINER
Each Canva template includes three
pages:
PAGE 1: example for your inspiration
PAGE 2: fill in the text
PAGE 3: fill in the text and image
inside the bubble (optional)
24" x 36"
PRESENTATION SLIDES
Perfect for Orientation Meeting,
pre-service and post-service.
Click on the image and start
designing your own!
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Canva Templates
Click on the image and start editing in Canva.
FACEBOOK PAGE COVER
Click on the image and start
designing your own!
LETTERHEAD
For when you want to look official.
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Checklist
Determine the number of volunteers you still need (ideally, this should also include subs)
Determine the cutoff date by which you need to receive all the sign-up forms
Invite several people to be on your prayer force team
Review, update and improve your Volunteer Journey
Is your Volunteer handbook up-to-date?
Are all the application forms, job descriptions current?
Request a slot for the Big Stage Announcement
Request a space for your Information Booth
Reach out to families and secure five children to help you with the Big Stage Announcement
Get all the elements for the Information Booth
Start working on the WOW factor for your Big Stage Announcement
Create your Social Media Strategy (should include both content creation plus a social
media calendar/sequence)
Make sure all the new volunteers are properly screened
Make sure you have up-to-date clearances for the existing volunteers
Create all the printed media: posters, banners, sign-up cards, bulletin inserts, etc.
Find a way for you to be with adults instead of the children during the recruitment season
Plan on maximizing your recruitment efforts by partnering with other ministries of your church
Ask your senior pastor to briefly highlight the need for volunteers next Sunday after your Big
Stage Announcement
Train your existing volunteers to be Ambassadors for children's ministry
Make a list of ALL "broadcasting" channels available to you. Plan to mobilize as many of them as you can.
Delegate as many of the tasks on this list as possible. Except for the Big Stage
Announcement and hanging out with the adults of your church.

Still using an outdated and dead-boring
Children's Ministry Handbook?
There's a better way!