22 Talking Points to Strengthen Your Case for Education and Training
Make your case for education. Here are 22 talking points to use to strengthen your case for education and training.
Furthering your education—no matter what that looks like—is always a good investment in yourself and in your ministry. If you’re hoping to make your case for education or training funds this year, we’ve got your back. Here are talking points you can use to begin a conversation about why investing in further education is worth it.
22 Talking Points to Strengthen Your Case for Education and Training
It’s Good for the Church!
- An investment in children’s ministry training and education is an investment in the present—and future—of your church. Without a strong children’s ministry program, churches often find themselves without children and families.
- Children’s ministers (regardless of tenure or experience) are more effective at building and maintaining foundationally sound children’s ministry and volunteer teams when they’re knowledgeable and aware of best practices
- Education provides a deeper and broader perspective about children’s ministry. It also lets us learn from others’ experiences, avoid common pitfalls, create strategic systems, and impact lives more effectively.
It’s Good for Kids and Families!
- Being up-to-date, proactive, and knowledgeable in important areas helps keep families safe—and serves the entire church. Think about training in areas like safety and security, special needs issues, and volunteer recruiting practices
- The effectiveness of face-to-face ministry with families increases when children’s ministry leaders and volunteers receive up-to-date training.
- Training and education serve as a safeguard against common mistakes that can negatively impact families.
- By learning more effective strategies, we can strengthen our connection to families who might otherwise drift away.
It’s Good for Teams!
- Children’s ministry teams can become more deeply bonded through shared training and education experiences, leading to greater personal investment and less volunteer turnover.
- Trained volunteers gain a deeper understanding of the power of (and need for) their work.
- Giving training to your ministry team equips them to handle all kinds of ministry situations that arise.
- Training gets ministry teams on the same page and working toward the same goal.
- Training volunteers increase their confidence in areas such as classroom management and increases their likelihood to stay because they’re actually enjoying serving.
It’s Good for Parents!
- Parents feel confident when someone is equipped and trained to positively influence their child’s life. Training and education equips teams to feel prepared and capable when it comes to ministry rather than hesitant and ill-equipped.
- Specialized training and education allows us to better partner with parents on issues such as special needs, family dynamics, mental health, and more.
- Parents are more likely to become invested in a church when they know it values kids enough to train and equip those serving in children’s ministry.
- Many parents rely on children’s ministers as an important source of advice, comfort, assistance, spiritual guidance, and encouragement. The importance of this can’t be overstated; it’s critical to be equipped to fulfill that role for parents.
It’s Good for You!
- Your confidence, effectiveness, and ability to change lives increases as you become better equipped, more knowledgeable, and better prepared.
- Best practices change, new research leads to new strategies, culture shifts, and families have evolving sets of needs—and it can be a challenge to stay in tune with all this. Training and education is simply the most effective way to do so and ensure you’re best equipped to do what God has called you for.
- When you’re knowledgeable about your role, that confidence and excellence will spread throughout your ministry.
- If you’re concerned about keeping your skills marketable, training and education are essential. Plus, as a personal investment in yourself, it’s important to develop your own skills and knowledge.
- There’s more flexibility and variety in training options today than ever before—whether in a network, at conferences, through localized training, online, or via livestream— and just as many price points and specializations. Technology has removed barriers when it comes to accessing the training you need.
- Education and training is the key to broadening your ideas and experience, fine-tuning your strong points and shoring up your weaknesses. If you want to be a next-level children’s minister, then it’s time to find that next level!
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