If you’re reading this article, more than likely it’s because you influence children or teenagers.
That puts you in a unique tribe of leaders who spend every week teaching, programming, and leading the next generation.
It also means it’s up to you.
You are in a position to change how adults in your church see kids and teenagers, how nonbelieving parents see your church, how Christian families see their neighbors, and how lead pastors see children and youth ministry.
You have a list of influencers to influence. And surely you have realized by now that all of the people on that list are adults—not kids.
The only way to change the priorities of adults is to make adults your priority.
When you learn how to influence influencers effectively, two things happen:
1. Influencers who don’t care start caring.
2. Influencers who care start caring even more.
Every children’s pastor and student pastor lives by this simple code for success:
You can’t champion a better future for kids unless you consistently challenge the priorities of adults.
That’s why you have to convince someone that what happens in a fourth-grade small group is just as important as what happens in “Big Church.” There needs to be a line item in the budget for goldfish crackers, glitter, and beach balls. The lead pastor needs to preach a Sunday-morning series on why family matters. The same volunteers need to show up every week. You have to convince someone that what happens at home is more important than what happens at church.
You have to remind everyone that it’s not babysitting, it’s discipleship. It’s not pizza, it’s a relationship. It’s not a party, it’s a platform. It’s not filling a volunteer slot, it’s influencing someone’s future.
You have to rally every adult who has influence to believe that kids should be a priority at every phase. That’s what champions do.
They reason, persuade, challenge, beg, manipulate, and inspire someone to do whatever needs to be done for the sake of a kid’s future.
Champions get up every morning of every week thinking about how they can lead better. Champions have to lead in every direction at the same time.
