Each new school year provides the opportunity to assess how we did last year and plan how we can do it better this year.
How did you do last year in developing lasting relationships with each individual child that came through your After School Ministry? How could you do better this year?
Below are just a few of the challenges we talk through relating to RELATIONAL MINISTRY in KidTrek After School Ministry Training.
- The individual who yearns to have a relational ministry must be bilingual; i.e. he needs to have the ability to communicate in the localism of those with whom he desires to convey God’s truth. He must be willing to take the time and spend the energy to get to know those to whom God has sent him to minister.
- The relational minister will view himself more as a discipler of men than a teacher of knowledge. As a discipler, he will be willing to set aside his agenda when a need is presented. He is going to listen to what is said, but he will also be reading between the lines. When Bobby complains day-after-day of being tired, the relational minister is going to ask questions to find out why Bobby is tired.
- The discipler is going to be sensitive to the environment into which he brings the kids. Is it conducive to building relationships? Is there a climate of warmth? Does the kid feel understood? Does he know you will go the extra mile to reach him? Is there more focus on the kid than there is on the material being taught? Is everything well thought out and prepared?
- There is a willingness to be stretched emotionally. He recognizes the need to grow in patience, compassion, and forgiveness. The discipler sees each problem that arises as an opportunity for development, his and the kid’s.
- Because he is called by the Lord, he depends on the Holy Spirit for his strength and believes God will redeem the time so he can accomplish the task that the Lord has set before him. Therefore, the discipler does not view his ministry as being from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., four days a week within the walls of the church. He recognizes the need to visit the kids in the home, send postcards, make phone calls, etc.
- The discipler puts the welfare of the kids above his own pride, recognizing that at times he may need to call on the insight of others to meet a particular need of the kid.
- The discipler continually reminds himself to not fall into the trap of ministering from motivation of making himself feel/look good. It has to be all about the kids’ real needs not the discipler’s wants or needs.
- The discipler is a friend. As he wishes the kid to trust him, he will trust the kid. He will pray for the kid and he will ask the kid to pray for him, giving the kid specific prayer requests.
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The individual called to a relational ministry is a prayer warrior. He acknowledges that apart from Jesus he can do nothing. However, he believes that with Jesus all things are possible. He daily brings the kids to the throne of his heavenly Father.
- The relational kid’s worker does not buy into the victimization of the kids. He knows that with Christ everyone can be a victor. He is not willing for the kid to dwell in the past but encourages the kid to look forward to what Jesus has for him.
- The relational discipler has the joy of bonding with kids and watching as the Lord transforms them.