In the thirty years I've been involved in children's ministries, I've noticed there is often a communication problem between church leadership and the children's ministry. I think the problem exists because we forget that communication is hard work. Those of us in children's ministries can forget that while there is only one group of children we have to communicate with, there are three groups of adults. We must communicate well with parents, the workers around us, and the leaders above us. Some who work with children are insecure and intimidated by strong leaders in the church. In many churches this creates separation. I've even seen children's workers develop an "us versus them" mentality. Senior pastors and church leaders are reluctant to be associated with anything that is silly or poorly organized, and they think of children's ministry as both of those things. If you are going to influence the other leaders on the church staff, you must be willing to make the necessary changes. First, you must be an example. In 1 Timothy 4:12 ("Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith, and in purity."), Paul ensures Timothy that even a young man can win the respect of the entire church by his behavior. I've found that well-run children's ministries draw better workers and win the respect of the entire church, including the supervising leaders. The children's ministry and the children's ministry director are both extensions of the pastor's ministry. Ephesians 4:11-12 says, "And He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ." "Children's pastor" is not listed as an office in the New Testament church. He or she ministers by the authority of the pastor. The local church is a microcosm of the universal church. Christ Jesus is the vine and we are the branches. In the local church the pastor is the trunk from which the branches of ministry extend. Our loyalty to the senior pastor must be unquestioned. If you aren't loyal to the leaders above you, you are opening the door for the leaders below you to be disloyal. To be effective, every children's minister must learn how to communicate effectively to other staff leaders. Here are nine ways to gain the respect of the leaders above you and be an influencer and leader even though you are not the lead pastor:
God has called us to influence and lead children; but we also have a responsibility to influence and lead the parents we serve, the leaders who serve with us, and the level of leadership above us. — Jim Wideman is a children's ministry and church growth consultant. © 2007 by Jim Wideman. For more by this author, visit www.jimwideman.com 
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