Children’s ministry is just like any other area of the church…everything rises and falls on leadership. Anyone can hone their skills and get better at the things that make someone a good leader. But it is important to recognize these attributes in children, and encourage growth in those areas and prepare them to use their gifts. There are many different kinds of leaders, and they all have strengths. Let’s take a look at how to spot leadership potential in kids.
Charisma & Creativity in Children’s Ministry
Charisma is a quality that draws others to you. There are people who can naturally attract others to them, those that instinctively take charge or become the leader of a group. But being charismatic in itself is not all that matters. It is equally important to judge creativity and innovation. Having these qualities do not simply mean that the child has to be a genius or extremely creative by themselves, but how they can manage to work with everyone around the table to work together to create ideas and plans. An innovative leader knows the smartest person in the room is the room and they know how to pull the best ideas out of the group.
Passion in Children’s Ministry
Passion is something everyone needs to live fully. But it is even more so an important quality of a leader. Without passions, a leader cannot inspire and lead others. It is through passion that we understand someone’s intention and desires. Within children, passion is a very natural phenomenon. They easily get passionate over everything from mundane things such as their toys, cartoons, and food to their dreams and aspirations. So it is very important to see in a child their passion and desires. If a child is passionate and puts themselves in charge, helps others, and loves to be friends with everyone, it is understandable that this desire comes from their heart. No good comes from forcing passion out of a child or telling them to be a leader when they have no desire.
Courage in Children’s Ministry
Children have a natural fearlessness that comes from their innocence and understanding of the world. This can be both positive and negative. On one hand, they will try anything and not be afraid but on the other hand, this quality tends to lead to undesirable situations from an adult’s point of view. Despite that, it is a strength worth developing. As a leader, you need to be brave and have the courage to take a stand for what you believe in, regardless of what everyone around you thinks.
Empathy in Children’s Ministry
Children develop empathy as their world grows beyond their personal needs and desires. As they grow up, they begin to recognize that other people have their own feelings, they learn to see things from different perspectives. It is often seen that children are capable of a wide range of emotions and unexpected levels of empathy. Different children are capable of different levels, being able to understand the emotional atmosphere around them or can easily pick up when someone else is hurt or upset. Empathy is an incredibly critical skill in leaders, yet it is not a quality that can be used single handedly to describe a child’s leadership qualities. When we recognize empathy in kids, it’s helpful to draw them into situations where they influence and guide their peers. An empathetic kid may not become a leader but they will definitely become an excellent communicator which is another strong asset to have as a leader,
Optimism
Being positive is crucial to one’s health and mental stability. It is something that you hear all the time. “Turn that frown upside down”, how many times have we heard that maintaining a positive lifestyle is important. Children have bright futures and bright smiles. They are innocent and tend to focus on the positive aspects of life. Of course, this isn’t to say all kids have a positive and bright childhood, yet those who can shine through bad times even as a child have a greater view of the world. A quality that can help be better and helps others be better.
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